I think it is safe to say that Ruffian is probably the best filly to ever run on a track. Sure, there have been other great females such as Beldame, Maskette, Twilight Tear, Chris Evert, Genuine Risk, Go For Wand, Personal Ensign and even Silverbulletday; the list can go on and on. But Ruffian was one horse that had accomplished so much in such a little time. Every race she ran in, no one could beat her, no other horse could get a head infront of her. She equaled or lowered records in each of her races, and she dominated her class like no other.
It was April 17, 1972, a small almost black filly was born on the grounds of Claiborne Farms. Ruffian, as she would be called was the daughter of Reviewer (Bold Ruler) and out of the Native Dancer, Shenanigans. She was the half sister to the stakes winning colt Icecapade, who would be come a fairly successful sire. But Ruffian would become the star of the family. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Janney of Locust Farms, Ruffian would soon turn into a running machine for the couple.
It was the end of May when Ruffian would make her first start. It was a five and a half furlongs on the Belmont track. She went off at 4-1 odds, the highest you would ever see for Ruffian through out her career. In her wire to wire fashion she won the race easliy by fifteen lengths and eqauling the track record, 1:03 flat. You can only wonder what must have been going through the Janney's minds at this point. What kind of horse did they have here? Ruffian would soon tell them.
Almost a month later, Ruffian was entered in the Fashion Stakes (G3), at Belmont. Stretching out to win by almost seven lengths, once again equaling the five and a half furlong record. Skipping over to Aqueduct, Ruffian tried the same distance as before in the Astoria Stakes (G3). Running faster than before, she broke the stakes record by going 1:02 4/5, leaving the field nine lengths behind her.
Just seventeen days later, Ruffian would try for a grade one race, the Sorority Stakes at New Jersey's Monmouth Park. It was her first try at six furlongs, but Ruffian hadnled it well. She won the race by two and a quarter lengths, the shortest distance she would ever win by. Hot N'Nasty came second and third place finisher Stream Across was twenty-two lengths behind. Ruffian stopped the clock at 1:09 flat, setting a new stakes record. She would do the same in the Spinaway Stakes (G1). More than a dozen lengths from second place finisher Laughing Bride, Ruffian set another stakes record for the six furlongs, 1:08 3/5. The Spinaway would end an amazing two-year-old season, and Ruffian recieved the Eclipse award for best horse in her division.
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