Page 46 - Speedhorse October 2018

“I looked up to Sam for the way he carried himself.
ABOUT THE AWARD
Speedhorse magazine, in conjunction
with The Jockeys’ Guild, modeled the Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award after
the Thoroughbred industry’s George Woolf Memorial Jockey Award. The award is presented in honor of jockey Sam Thompson, a jockeys’ room leader during his riding career, which was cut short by a fatal riding accident in 2008. Sam served as Jockeys’ Guild senator, Los Alamitos room representative and a council member of the Los Alamitos division of the Race Track Chaplaincy of America.
The recipient of each year’s Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award is chosen by votes cast by fellow jockeys at tracks that hold American Quarter Horse racing. Active jockeys receive ballots and vote for the person whose personal
character on and off the track reflects positively on Quarter Horse racing.
This year’s four nominees were Jorge Martin Bourdieu, Jimmy Dean Brooks, John Hamilton and Ricky Ramirez.
Previous winners are Roy Brooks (2011), Gilbert Ortiz (2012), G. R. Carter, Jr. (2013), Cody Jensen (2014), Eddie Garcia (2015), Ramon Sanchez (2016), and Cesar de Alba (2017).
In addition to a specially designed signed and numbered limited-edition bronze statue
of Sam Thompson and AQHA Champion Corona Kool by artist Linda Manion, Ricky will receive a belt buckle commemorating the award. His name will also be added to a permanent plaque housed in the American Quarter Horse Association’s Racing Hallway, along with the
most distinguished horses and awards. The award was presented by Speedhorse
President John Bachelor along with Jockeys’ Guild representatives General Manager Terry Meyocks, In-house counsel Mindy Coleman and Regional Manager John Beech; and Sam’s father, Sam “Harold” Thompson Sr.
Ricky offers a special thanks to Speedhorse, the Jockeys’ Guild and all the fellow jockeys who voted for him. “It shows that your hard work
is recognized: getting out to the racetrack every morning, getting on these horses and working hard, and setting an example for the younger riders,” Ricky says. “Sometimes people don’t realize that there’s a lot more to our job than getting on the horse and going from the gate
to the wire. I’m very excited and blessed and honored to receive this award.”
Ricky is just one of three jockeys who have earned the Quarter Horse jockey trifecta: an AQHA World Champion Jockey title (2015), the Jacky Martin Award from the Jockeys’ Guild (2017), and the Sam Thompson Memorial Jockey Award.
Ricky’s first futurity win came with Hearts Runaway in the 2008 New Mexican Spring Futurity-RG1 at Sunland Park.
Champion Miss Racy Jess and Ricky return after going wire-to-wire in the 2011 Los Alamitos Super Derby-G1.
The Wood/Ramirez team won their first “big” race together with Bodacious Dash in the $1 million Texas Classic Futurity-G1 at Lone Star Park in 2010.
Ricky Ramirez returns aboard MM Fourinthemorning after winning this year’s $1 million Rainbow Futurity-G1 at Ruidoso Downs.
Torts On Fire and Ricky after winning the 2014 Texas Classic Futurity-G1 at Lone Star Park.
44 SPEEDHORSE, October 2018