Ruffian2

You could argue at what race was the 'toughest' test for Ruffian, if there even was a 'tough' race for her. But I think it would have been the Coaching Club of America Oaks(G1) at Belmont Park. The race, at a mile and a half, would be longest race Ruffian would be ever be asked to run. Till this point, her longest race had been the Mother Goose, and you would think that it would be a concern. But the betting public didn't see it that way. They had sent of Ruffian at 1-20, the lowest pay off allowed. Personally, I don't see the point at betting to win the filly at all, unless you put a large chunk of cash down on her. But non the less, the crowd loved her. And she gave them what they wanted. She handled the race wonderfuly, setting average fractions, and drawing off to win by almost lengths, stopping the clock at 2:27 4/5 (equaling the stakes record). She had won the Filly Triple Tiara, and in an amazing way. She was an awesome example of the thoroughbred breed. But what was next?What was next, was what every person could wish they could have prevented.

The fatalful race begun as a race between three colts, not for Ruffian. The three colts, Foolish Pleasure (the Kentucky Derby winner), Master Derby (winner of the Preakness Stakes), and Avatar (the Belmont Stakes winner). Avatar's owner's decided that the Swaps Stakes in California would be a better race for the colt to be pointed towards. That left Foolish Pleasure and Master Derby. So then the Janney's were asked if Ruffian could be the substitute, the Preakness winner's owners disputed about it. so the owner's of Master Derby were paid a large sum of money not to run there colt in the race, and after that the Match Race was betweeen Foolish Pleasure and Ruffian.

Held at Belmont Park over the classic distance of ten furlongs, the Match race was set for July 6, 1975. The crowd filled the New York stands, and the anticipation was overwhelming. The race started off simple enough. The horses broke together and started down the Belmont back stretch. Ruffian stuck her head infront and the colt was right there with her, about a half length behind. The two brushed against each other a few times but they kept running.

Then it happened. Something that the jockey's said sounded like "the breaking of a branch". Ruffian had broken her sesmoid bone in her foreleg. The filly kept running and seemed to lean against the colt, but soon jockey John Vasquez pulled her up. The jockey of Foolish Pleasure knew the race was over, and he slowed the colt to a mere gallop to cross the finish line.

As Ruffian stood in pain, the crowd went silent. This unstoppable filly had just stopped. She was covered in lather from the shere agony that she was experiencing. They were able to get Ruffian on the ambulance and she was taken to the equine hospital on the Belmont grounds. She was then operated on, an operation that had Ruffian holding on to her life. After, while she awoke, Ruffian, frightened and confused, started to lash out and escape her surroundings. If she had only known that if she just stood still, she may have lived. But no vet could repair that damage she had done to her self. The greatest filly in the world was mercifuly put down.

On July 7, 1975, Ruffian as buried under the flag pole at Belmont Track, a place where she had won her first race, and accomplished so much. If you ask some people, she still runs that Belmont course time to time, perhaps against Foolish Pleasure, crossing that finsih line five lengths ahead of him, breaking another record. But no matter what her legend will still live on, and she will never be forgotten.

                                                                                                                       *Nasrullah
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Ruffian
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