In Memory of Ruffian

Nancy T · Postby **Nancy T** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:09 pm

July 6 1975 was the day of the tragic match race between Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure. RIP Ruffian

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:12 pm

Wow. a true tragedy. A very sad anniversary! :cry:

serenarider · Postby **serenarider** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 2:49 pm

http://espn.go.com/horse/s/2000/0629/610063.html espn will have a show about it tonight

Des · Postby **Des** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:12 pm

I still have her picture on a button that was given out that day at the Track. The most beautiful filly I ever laid eyes on..

louis finochio · Postby **louis finochio** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 3:12 pm

Thanks for the memories Ruffian, you always gave it all you had. Be Well.

Tucumcari · Postby **Tucumcari** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 6:08 pm

serenarider wrote:http://espn.go.com/horse/s/2000/0629/610063.html espn will have a show about it tonight

Dang it, I can't find it...

serenarider · Postby **serenarider** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 7:17 pm

Tucumcari
Sorry it comes on Thursday night :shock:

Pan Zareta · Postby **Pan Zareta** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 9:51 pm

serenarider wrote:Tucumcari
Sorry it comes on Thursday night

They did reshow it this afternoon on ECL - about 3 hours after I looked at the sched.

- but the reference article is from July of 2000 (when the 6th was on a Thurs.), and I'm not seeing it on ECL's schedule for tomorrow.

nferro9925 · Postby **nferro9925** » Wed Jul 06, 2005 11:13 pm

I still cry every time I see or hear about it. I remember where I was when I watched the race on TV.

Such a tragedy. RIP in Ruffian. You are still remembered and loved.

slowpony · Postby **slowpony** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 7:31 pm

A friend of mine who knows I love horse racing, recently gave me a book about Secretariat that she found at a garage sale. When I opened the book out fell several newspaper and magazine articles. The were original articles from the goddess' accident. I cried my eyes out (again) when I read them.

I was fortunate enough to go to Belmont for the Belmont Stakes this year. I always said that if I ever went to Belmont I would put flowers on her grave. Easier said than done. Next time.

God rest the goddess, Ruffian.

fernhollow · Postby **fernhollow** » Sun Jul 10, 2005 10:28 pm

I have been traveling. If it is aired again will someone please let me know? Or...can a copy be purchased?

Thank you.

FOS · Postby **FOS** » Mon Jul 11, 2005 7:33 am

hello all

RUFFIAN was one VERY SPECIAL filly.

Respectfully

BJ · Postby BJ » Mon Jul 11, 2005 9:20 am

nferro9925 wrote:I still cry every time I see or hear about it. I remember where I was when I watched the race on TV.

Such a tragedy. RIP in Ruffian. You are still remembered and loved.

I thought I was the only one that did that. :cry:

I see her face every morning when the light comes through the window onto my bookshelves over the mantle, on a commemorative plate by Richard Reeves.

In reality, so many die like her daily, on racetracks around the world. Few are honored or given a second thought. Even more end up in the kill pens around the world. From one perspective, it is beautiful that so many know of racing because of her. From another perspective, her story romanticizes racing and breeding of thoroughbreds in a very unrealistic and harmful way to both man and beast, IMO.

I dream of a world where every racehorse is bred with the care and thought that went into breeding Ruffian, and that IF they have to die, they die only after living the honored and pampered life she lived, either in battle, trying to achieve a level of greatness they were created for, or peacefully with loving caretakers around them.

WarHorse · Postby **WarHorse** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:42 pm

Yeah, I cried when I read the book. When in Iraq, I made up a poster with the photo of her winning the Acorn and several quotes. Maybe I can dig them up and post them here.

WarHorse · Postby **WarHorse** » Tue Jul 12, 2005 6:45 pm

"There was a miraculous and all-conquering horse, a filly, not a colt who in nine out of ten races broke or equaled speed records that had stood for years and decades, who in fire and presence and appearance was the Black Beauty personified and was as the author of The Black Stallion said, the mental picture he had of his creation." -Gene Smith

"It wasn’t just that she was undefeated, she was perfect. At every point of call, in every race, she had been in front. She didn’t always break well, but within a step or two she invariably gained the lead. Five times as a two-year-old, and five times again so far at three. What was even more amazing, she had to do it at every distance from a sprint to a mile and a half. Always first. Always in the lead. Perfect." - Jane Schwartz

In the Comely, Ruffian had also achieved something that not even Secretariat, Kelso, or Citation had accomplished. The filly had created a minus win pool, both at the track and at Off Track Betting. Such universal confidence in a favorite was almost unheard of; occasionally, a top horse would create a minus pool to show, but Ruffian's fans had bet enough money on the filly to win that a minus pool resulted. The track was forced to pay out more money than it had received.

"She had done what no horse had ever done and was buried where no horse was ever buried. The great wings were folded about her and Pegasus flew no more" - Gene Smith

Here come the tears again...