Second Chances: With a New Lease on Life, Ramsey Dreaming Big With Dr. Kapur – ‘If He’s Derby Material, I Want to Know’

[Wandering Eyes]

In this continuing series, TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack catches up with the connections of promising maidens to keep on your radar.

Given “a new lease on life” after undergoing kidney transplant surgery three months ago, Ken Ramsey was looking for a way to say thank you to Dr. Sandip Kapur.

“This is the premier doctor in New York and he's got all kinds of accolades, but he's never had a horse named after him,” the longtime owner/breeder said of Dr. Kapur, Chief of Transplant Surgery and Director of the Kidney and Pancreas Transplant Programs at New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center.

“So I said, 'I've got six 2-year-olds that I bred and I'm gonna name the very best one after you.'”

A son of Gainesway sophomore sire McKinzie out of Ramsey's stakes-winning and graded-placed homebred Ava's Kitten (Kitten's Joy), the “very best one” was named Dr. Kapur.

McKinzie is already the sire of six stakes winners, led by GISWs 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick and Scottish Lassie. Ava's Kitten made all 13 of her career starts on grass and her full-brother Real Solution carried Ramsey's famed red-and-white silks to wins in two of the top grass stakes in the country, the GI Arlington Million and GI Manhattan S.

Ken Ramsey heads to the winner's circle | Annette Jasko

Ramsey, of course, also bred and raced Dr. Kapur's broodmare sire, the aforementioned late champion grass horse and perennial leading sire Kitten's Joy.

“My only fear was that this horse could possibly be a turf horse,” Ramsey said.

After posting his 11th workout at Gulfstream Park July 27, the four-legged Dr. Kapur was nearing a debut for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. Just maybe not where Ramsey had in mind.

“I didn't want to run him down there in Florida, I wanted to bring him to Saratoga to see what I got,” Ramsey said. “If you're gonna be the best, you've got to beat the best. If he's Derby material, I want to know.”

Now stabled at the Spa, Dr. Kapur posted two more breezes, including a sharp, four-furlong move from the gate in :47.60 (4/106) Aug. 17.

Joseph gave Ramsey four different options to pick from for Dr. Kapur's debut. Which one will it be Mr. Ramsey?

“Hell, I want to run him on Travers Day against the best,” he said.

Off at odds of 5-1 going six furlongs in the always loaded maiden special weight on the Travers undercard Aug. 23, the blinkered Dr. Kapur was sent to the front by jockey Luis Saez and immediately shadowed by 'TDN Rising Star' Big Dom (McKinzie) through an opening quarter in :22.64.

Dr. Kapur enjoyed a narrow advantage as they straightened for home, dug down bravely when met by Big Dom in deep stretch and just came up a neck short in a race that didn't deserve a loser.

It was another 3 1/4 lengths back to favored Vino Vici (Vino Rosso) in third, the only horse in the field of eight with a prior race under his belt.

The final time for six furlongs was 1:09.47.

Both Big Dom and Dr. Kapur received matching 84 Beyer Speed Figures.

Big Dom wins at first asking in R6 at Saratoga for trainer @tomamossracing with @jose93_ortiz aboard! ?? pic.twitter.com/0jG4OLtxhL

— TwinSpires Racing ?? (@TwinSpires) August 23, 2025

“We jump out of the gate on top and lead every step of the way except the last two steps,” Ramsey said. “What really impressed me, Big Dom hooked him at the sixteenth pole and they went head to head and nose to nose right up to the finish line and the 'TDN Rising Star' only beat us by a neck. That's why we ran on Travers Day. Everybody saves them for that day.”

Ramsey added, “You run that good on Travers Day means that I've got a pretty good horse.”

Dr. Kapur returned to the worktab Thursday with a three-furlong breeze in :37.07 (2/5) over the Oklahoma training track in Saratoga. He is targeting a seven-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland Oct. 16 with a long-term eye on the GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. at Churchill Downs Nov. 29.

Dr. Kapur (inside) finishes a game second behind 'Rising Star' Big Dom on debut at Saratoga Aug. 23 | Sarah Andrew

“This one is special,” Ramsey said. “I want to develop him slowly and give him plenty of time between races. With those two races, we'll find out how good he is on the dirt.”

Ramsey is winless from seven previous starters in the Kentucky Derby. His best finish came with Ten Cents a Shine, eighth behind Funny Cide in 2003.

“I'll be 90 on the third day of November. My doctor says that I have the kidney of a teenager and that it's possible that I can live to be 100,” Ramsey concluded.

“I'm very excited. I just hope this could be the one. Wouldn't it be a nice story if me and Dr. Kapur showed up at the Derby?”

Since launching 'Second Chances' in 2017, 64 maidens have been featured in these pages (through 2024), producing 25% graded stakes winners, 34% stakes winners and 48% stakes horses.

The series has introduced eight future winners at the top level, led by this year's GI Kentucky Derby, GI Belmont Stakes and GI Travers S. winner Sovereignty (Into Mischief), 2023 Horse of the Year Cody's Wish (Curlin) and fellow two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo).

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