REPEAT WINNERS LEPAROUX AND RAMSEYS JOINED BY ASMUSSEN AS 2007 KTM AWARD HONOREES

LEXINGTON, Ky. (March 19, 2008) – Jockey Julien Leparoux and owners Ken and Sarah Ramsey were repeat winners as leading jockey and owner, while Steve Asmussen moved back atop the trainer rankings in the 18th Kentucky Thoroughbred Media (“KTM”)  Awards, which are presented annually to Kentucky racing’s statistical leaders. 

The Kentucky Thoroughbred Media Awards honor the trainer, jockey and owner who collect the largest number of victories during a calendar year at Kentucky tracks. The awards are co-sponsored by KTM and The Jockey Club Information Systems. The latter provides statistical information that determines each year’s honorees. The awards are based on total victories in each category at Churchill Downs, Ellis Park, Keeneland, Kentucky Downs and Turfway Park.

Leparoux, the Ramseys and Asmussen will receive their KTM awards for 2007 on Sat., March 22, during the racing program headlined by the $500,000-added Lane’s End Stakes (Grade II) at Turfway Park in Florence, Ky.

Leparoux, a 24-year-old native of Senlis, France, earned his second consecutive KTM “Jockey of the Year” award by piloting 231 winners at Kentucky tracks. He swept the Spring and Fall Meet riding titles at Churchill Downs, earned the Spring title at Keeneland, and took the Winter-Spring crown at Turfway Park. Miguel Mena, who collected 161 victories at Kentucky tracks, was runner-up for the KTM honor and was followed by Brian Hernandez Jr. (113 wins), Victor Lebron (106) and Alonso Quinonez (104).

Asmussen, who led the nation in victories in for a third time in 2007, collected 77 wins at state tracks in 2007 to earn his second KTM “Trainer of the Year” honor. Asmussen, who earned his previous KTM award in 2004, swept the Spring and Fall Meet training crowns at Churchill Downs and saddled a record 46 winners during its 52-day spring session. Mike Maker finished second with 66 Kentucky wins and Dale Romans, the KTM award winner in 2005 and 2006, saddled 59 winners. Ken McPeek (47 wins) and Greg Foley (46) completed the top five.

The Ramseys’ 2007 KTM “Owner of the Year” honor marked the eighth consecutive year in which the Nicholasville, Ky. couple had earned the award. Horses carrying their familiar red and white silks won 49 races at Kentucky tracks in 2007 – two more than their total from the previous year. The Ramseys earned the “leading owner” title at the Churchill Downs Fall Meet, their record 12th crown under the Twin Spires. Maggi Moss had 28 wins to edge Louis O’Brien (25) for the runner-up spot. David Ross (18) and Richard, Elaine and Bert Klein (17) were next.

Kentucky Thoroughbred Media is an organization of print and electronic journalists, photojournalists, and publicists who work in Kentucky’s racing and breeding industries. The Jockey Club Information Systems is a multimedia information and service provider incorporated in 1989 as a wholly owned subsidiary of The Jockey Club.