5 Questions with Richard Dos Ramos
TORONTO, April 18, 2025— Richard Dos Ramos produced countless memorable moments over the course of a 32-year riding career in which he collected 2,159 wins and nearly $61 million in purse earnings across 18,645 starts.
Through it all, the esteemed horseman carried himself with the utmost class and made a lasting impact on those around him that rivaled his talents on the track.
After beginning his racing career in the spring of 1981 at Greenwood, Dos Ramos captured the rider’s title at both the Woodbine and Greenwood autumn meets that same year, as well as being named top apprentice jockey for the first of two consecutive years (1981 and 1982).
On June 8, 2002, Dos Ramos’ exemplary contributions to the sport were commemorated with the Avelino Gomez Memorial Award, the same day that he won the Woodbine Oaks with Ginger Gold.
Named a finalist for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame on April 8, Dos Ramos looks back on his storied career’s fondest moments and the people who helped make it possible.
Q: What are you most proud of when it comes to your racing career?
A: “I'm proud of the way I conducted my business, and I'm proud of the people that worked for me. They gave everything, and I'm proud of that because we all conducted ourselves in a proper business manner.
“In my whole career, I only had five agents: Roger Pointer, Alec Wick, who was probably the guy that got me to where I got to – we were together for 25 years before he retired, Lorne Spearman, a fantastic agent that carried me on, and then at the end of my career, Ron Burke. He helped me out a lot, worked really hard, and we were a very good team. All of us were a good team. I surrounded myself with some great people.”
Q: You’ve won big races with some great horses. Is there one that stands out as your most memorable and why?
A: “I rode some great sprinters. I rode some great horses, going a mile and a 16th, but the two greatest races in my career would have been the ’92 Molson [Export] Million with Benburb and the ’99 Canadian International with Thornfield.
“Phil England was the trainer of both of those horses. Benburb, I picked up because Larry Attard went down in a spill, and the only reason I did was because I was riding a lot of horses for Debbie England, who said to Phil, 'Why don't you use my rider?' And that was me.
“The only thing Phil ever said to me in the paddock was, 'Rick, if he gets into a dog fight, he'll win.' By God, there were four of us coming down to the wire, and he won. Both of those horses, I was a passenger on, and I owe that to Phil England.”
Q: What does it mean to be a finalist for the Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame?
A: “This is my fifth time. Getting in would be the cherry on top. I had a fantastic career. I can't complain about my career, but if I did, I hope somebody slaps me. To be in the Hall of Fame would put a bow on a great career.”
Q: What was the best advice you ever received about race riding?
A: “It was from Johnny Mack. He was my mentor. I started off working with him, and he was the guy that told me – this is when I had the bug, and I was leading apprentice – 'Rick, treat everybody like you want them to treat you.' He said to me, 'You're going up that pole right now and you're going to get to the top, but you treat everybody the way that you want to be treated, because you're not going to stay at the top of that pole. You're going to have to come down one day, and if you treat those people right, they will help you on your way down.' That was the best advice I've ever got.
“This is a sport where there are a lot of riders, a lot of good riders that, honestly, didn't get the breaks. I'm blessed, believe me when I tell you, but to say good morning to somebody, or 'How are you?' to a crew or a hot walker, those guys work their butts off too. Good morning doesn't take anything out of your day, you just treat people right. That's what Johnny always taught me. He said 'Rick, you treat people right, and things will come back to you.’ And you know what? He was absolutely right. I rode for 32 years because people stuck behind me, and I appreciate that.
“Sunday morning [Apr. 13] I went into the racetrack to see some horses, because I help out [trainer] Nathan Squires in the wintertime as his assistant, and everybody was so friendly. 'Hey, Rick, how are you doing? How's it going?’ It's just nice.”
Q: How would you like to be remembered as a rider?
A: “Hopefully, as a gentleman that treated people with respect. In the jocks room, we had a lot of fun, and we all looked after each other. I just wanted to carry myself as my boss told me I should, and I hope I did well.”
Matthew Lomon, for Woodbine
