Reddam, Ramsey reach out-of-court settlement
by Pete Denk
Prominent owners J. Paul Reddam and Ken Ramsey have reached a settlement in their civil lawsuit regarding the $600,000 private purchase of Big Picture, a now five-year-old Pioneering horse Reddam bought from Ramsey in 2005.
Reddam filed suit against Ramsey and trainer Dale Romans, accusing them of selling an injured horse and concealing his condition through the use of painkillers.
The case was slated to go to trial in Orange County Superior Court in California on Monday.
“It has been settled,” Reddam said on Wednesday afternoon. “The parties have resolved the issue amicably. Big Picture is turned out and is going to end up being a riding horse for somebody.”
Ramsey bought Big Picture, who is out of the Broad Brush mare Brush Back, for $20,000 at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale. Trained by Romans, Big Picture won his career debut by nine lengths in 6 ½-furlong maiden special weight race at Churchill Downs on June 25, 2005.
The private sale came together a few days later, and Reddam’s veterinarian cleared the horse. The colt appeared sore after arriving at the Southern California barn of trainer Doug O'Neill, who trained for Reddam, according to the lawsuit.
Blood samples taken shortly after the horse arrived in California indicated the presence of phenylbutazone (Bute) and flunixin (Banamine), two anti-inflammatory medications legal in Kentucky.
Big Picture did not start again until February 19 this year when he finished last of four in an allowance race at Santa Anita Park. He won a $25,000 claiming race at Hollywood Park by seven lengths on June 20, but he was vanned off after the race.
“He’s got chronic problems,” Reddam said. “He went in for a tag and ran off, but he didn’t come out of it too well with his ankle.”
Big Picture won two of five starts and earned $53,455. Ramsey and his wife, Sarah, won an Eclipse Award as outstanding owner in 2004, the same year their Kitten’s Joy was named champion turf male.
Ramsey could not be reached for comment.
Pete Denk is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer