Roses in May
Encyclopedia
Roses in May, Foaled on February 9, 2000, is an American
thoroughbred
racehorse bred by Margaux Farm in Midway, Kentucky
and owned during his racing career by Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Roses in May made 13 starts and won 8 of them, placing in four. He retired with career earnings of $5,490,187, much of this money coming from his win in the 2005 Dubai World Cup
.
When he was four, he won the Grade I
Whitney Handicap
, the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
, and the Grade III Cornhusker Breeders' Cup Handicap. He came second in that year's (2004) Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic
to Horse of the Year
, Ghostzapper
.
At five years of age, after placing in the Grade I Donn Handicap
, won by Saint Liam
, Roses in May won the Dubai World Cup. Run at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
in Dubai
, United Arab Emirates
, it is the world's richest horse race
, offering (US$6,000,000) as a purse, and Roses in May was favoured to win in the 2,000 metre race. Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by jockey
John Velazquez, Roses in May took the lead at the straight and won by three lengths.
The horse was the forty-third international winner at the 2005 Dubai International Racing Carnival. The carnival
began on January 20, 2005 and concluded with the race for the Cup. In all, 200 horses and their trainers from twenty countries came to Dubai to compete for a total of US$25,000,000 in prize-money.
Roses in May was retired on August 19, 2005 when a tendon tear was discovered in his left foreleg. He now stands at Big Red Farm in Niikappu, Hokkaido
, Japan
at a stud fee of approximately $35,000.
, who was sent to a slaughterhouse in Japan when his breeding days were done, the New York Owners and Breeder's Association, based in Saratoga Springs, New York
, has begun asking for a small voluntary per-race charge (collected from owners of New York
Breds) called the "Ferdinand Fee". These monies are intended for the Bluegrass Charities and the Thoroughbred Charities of America to help them fund race horse rescue and retirement groups. Some owners are now including buy-back clauses within their stallion contracts.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse bred by Margaux Farm in Midway, Kentucky
Midway, Kentucky
Midway is a city in Woodford County, Kentucky, United States. Its population was 1,620 at the 2000 census. It is located midway between Frankfort and Lexington along the single-track railroad between them. It is part of the Lexington-Fayette Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is home to a...
and owned during his racing career by Ken and Sarah Ramsey.
Roses in May made 13 starts and won 8 of them, placing in four. He retired with career earnings of $5,490,187, much of this money coming from his win in the 2005 Dubai World Cup
Dubai World Cup
The Dubai World Cup is a Thoroughbred horse race held annually since 1996 and from 2010 at the Meydan Racecourse in the city of Dubai, United Arab Emirates...
.
When he was four, he won the Grade I
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
Whitney Handicap
Whitney Handicap
The Whitney Handicap is an American Grade 1 handicap race for Thoroughbred racehorses three years of age and older run at a distance of 1⅛ miles. In 2007, the Breeders' Cup Ltd...
, the Grade II Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
The Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late September as part of Kentucky Cup Day at Turfway Park in the Cincinnati, Ohio suburb of Florence, Kentucky...
, and the Grade III Cornhusker Breeders' Cup Handicap. He came second in that year's (2004) Grade I Breeders' Cup Classic
Breeders' Cup Classic
The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3 year olds and older run at a distance of 1¼ miles on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships...
to Horse of the Year
Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year
The American Award for Horse of the Year is the highest honor given in American thoroughbred horse racing. It has been awarded since 1887 to the horse, irrespective of age, whose performance during the racing year is deemed the most outstanding....
, Ghostzapper
Ghostzapper
Foaled in Kentucky on April 6 in the year 2000, the thoroughbred racehorse Ghostzapper won the Breeders' Cup Classic in 2004, outdistancing Roses in May by three lengths in a stakes record of 1:59.02...
.
At five years of age, after placing in the Grade I Donn Handicap
Donn Handicap
The Donn Handicap is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late January/early February at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.The race is named after the Donn family, who for many years owned and operated the racetrack....
, won by Saint Liam
Saint Liam
Saint Liam was an American thoroughbred racehorse who was voted 2005 Eclipse Award Horse of the Year honors....
, Roses in May won the Dubai World Cup. Run at Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse
Nad Al Sheba Racecourse is a former Thoroughbred horse racing facility in Dubai, United Arab Emirates opened in 1986. It has a 2,200 metre left-handed dirt race track and a left-handed turf course of the same distance...
in Dubai
Dubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
, it is the world's richest horse race
Horse racing
Horse racing is an equestrian sport that has a long history. Archaeological records indicate that horse racing occurred in ancient Babylon, Syria, and Egypt. Both chariot and mounted horse racing were events in the ancient Greek Olympics by 648 BC...
, offering (US$6,000,000) as a purse, and Roses in May was favoured to win in the 2,000 metre race. Trained by Dale Romans and ridden by jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
John Velazquez, Roses in May took the lead at the straight and won by three lengths.
The horse was the forty-third international winner at the 2005 Dubai International Racing Carnival. The carnival
Carnival
Carnaval is a festive season which occurs immediately before Lent; the main events are usually during February. Carnaval typically involves a public celebration or parade combining some elements of a circus, mask and public street party...
began on January 20, 2005 and concluded with the race for the Cup. In all, 200 horses and their trainers from twenty countries came to Dubai to compete for a total of US$25,000,000 in prize-money.
Roses in May was retired on August 19, 2005 when a tendon tear was discovered in his left foreleg. He now stands at Big Red Farm in Niikappu, Hokkaido
Niikappu, Hokkaido
is a town located in Niikappu District, Hidaka, Hokkaidō, Japan.-Geography:Niikappu stretches from the Pacific Ocean of southeast Hokkaido north to the Hidaka Mountains along the Niikappu River. The town covers a total area of 585.88 km². Its highest point is Mount Poroshiri and the lowest is...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
at a stud fee of approximately $35,000.
The Ferdinand Fee
When Roses in May went to Japan, there was a clause in his contract called a "buy-back clause." Ever since the death of the racehorse, FerdinandFerdinand (horse)
Ferdinand was a Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders' Cup Classic. He was voted the 1987 Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year.He entered stud in 1989 and was later sold to a breeding farm in Japan in 1994....
, who was sent to a slaughterhouse in Japan when his breeding days were done, the New York Owners and Breeder's Association, based in Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, New York
Saratoga Springs, also known as simply Saratoga, is a city in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The population was 26,586 at the 2010 census. The name reflects the presence of mineral springs in the area. While the word "Saratoga" is known to be a corruption of a Native American name, ...
, has begun asking for a small voluntary per-race charge (collected from owners of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Breds) called the "Ferdinand Fee". These monies are intended for the Bluegrass Charities and the Thoroughbred Charities of America to help them fund race horse rescue and retirement groups. Some owners are now including buy-back clauses within their stallion contracts.