Sarah Kathern Ramsey, longtime partner of Ken Ramsey and a racing and breeding enthusiast, died peacefully on May 29 at her home in Ramsey Farm, surrounded by her family. She was 83 years old.

Sarah and Ken Ramsey have enjoyed extraordinary success together since purchasing the farm near Nicholasville, Ky., in 1994. At first, they raced their horses separately with individualized silks. Sarah Ramsey’s first horse was Kitten’s First, the name of which was derived from Ken’s nickname for his wife.

When they realized they would have earned the title of first owner at Churchill Downs if they had raced their horses together, the merger was done quickly and they became a fixture on the Kentucky circuit.

Through hard work, a commitment to quality, and crippling skills gained through extensive research they compiled together, they have propelled their modest operation from beginning to peak.

The Rameys won their first Eclipse title as an Outstanding Owner in 2004 when their Kitten’s Joy earned six graded entries, including Secretariat entries and Joe Hirsch Turf Classic invitational entries; and, their runner for the Roses in May won three graded stakes, including the Whitney Handicap.

Kitten’s Joy will be named Eclipse champion turf male the same year. They would be back on the Eclipse Prize podium as an Outstanding Owner and Outstanding Breeder in 2013-14.

The eventual success as a stallion of Kitten’s Joy, who was delivered by Kitten’s First caesarean section, would be a major theme in other notable feats they accomplished together. In 2013, they became the only registered North American owners to earn three Tier 1 entries in a single day, and all were homebred by Kitten’s Joy – Big Blue Kitten, admiral’s kitten and real solution.