Ruffian – The Predecessor of the Timeless Ruling Fillies, the Queen of Fillies
Nicknamed the “Queen of the Fillies”, Ruffian was out of the Reviewer, the Bold Ruler stallion and Shenanigans, a Native Dancer mare. Almost as famous for her racing career as a champion filly, Ruffian was equally remembered for his tragic death contributed as a eventuality to his soft boned structure inherited from his sire and dam together. The Reviewer though not a champion runner, his foals performed considerably well on the racing front, however the bone character seemed to persist.
Ruffian, a large black filly measuring 16 and a half hands, made five career starts as a three year old, all of which she effortlessly won. Her maiden opening at five and a half furlongs witnessed her winning the distance in 1:03 flat which equalled the track record. Soon after another start and win at the Fashion Stakes, Ruffian’c connections stepped her up to the Astoria Stakes which again at a distance of 5 ½ furlongs was won by her, this time however in 1:02 4/5! Ruffian was getting faster with each race, a trend that once her connections discovered, they introduced her to a host of distinguished races. Soon followed Sorority Stakes and the Spinaway, both of which she ran faster than the track record creating new. She was the Champion filly for the year already.
Ruffian’s opening racing season was now at 5 out of 5, all wins. However, her last two starts had her resuming after a fresh splint and even post the Spinaway victory, she was diagnosed with a hairline fracture in her hind legs. Ruffian’s bone structure and strength starting showing up their inherent nature. Ruffian went into a sufficiently long layoff from which she reappeared with a bang at the Caltha Purse, a six furlong race winning it with a lead of 4 ½ lengths straight.
As her stake distances increased, so did her lead. Ruffian’s signature racing style gave her a slow start but soon after she found ground, she gathered up speed and lead to win all races except one she participated in. Comely stakes, the seven furlong race was won by a lead of 7 ¾ lengths, Acorn Stakes at one mile, won by 8 ¼ lengths and the 9 furlong Mother Goose Stakes, Ruffian won it with an incredible lead of 14 lengths.
The Triple Crown for fillies is comprised of the Acorn Stakes as the first leg, Mother Goose forming the second; both of which Ruffian had skilfully with a great lead at lengths conquered. The Coaching Club American Oaks, a 1 ½ mile race was last. Most undoubtedly Ruffian went off as the favourite who wished to see her clean sweep the race effortlessly. Other than competitor Equal Change, none could close up with Ruffian. She won the third led as well winning the Triple Tiara with conviction.
The tragic mishap then followed through a match race that took Ruffian off from her racing form eventually to death.
The match race proposed between the Triple Crown race winners required Foolish Pleasure, Master Derby and Avatar to race against each other. However the prior commitments of Avatar kept him out of contention leaving it to the former two race horses. At this point, Triple Tiara winner, Ruffian was invited to fill up for Avatar. Jacinto Vasquez who had raced both Foolish Pleasure and Ruffian ended up in a fix to settle which, Master Derby was removed from the list and Braulio Baeza replaced as Foolish’s rider. The match began.
As Foolish Pleasure and Ruffian raced side by side with Ruffian increasing the lead by almost half a length, her sesamoid bones snapped. The sound from the shatter was loud enough to capture everyone’s attention. The match ended, Ruffian was injured and immediately rushed for casts. Even after gruelling surgeries conducted on her bones, soon after the anaesthesia wore off, Ruffian lost control. Disoriented with the pain she once again damaged her bones breaking of the new cast placed. She was euthanized soon after to put her pains to rest.
The uncanny links between Ruffian and her parents surfaced when her dam Shenanigans, post an intestinal operation, woke up from anaesthesia disoriented and breaking off two bones so badly that she had to be euthanized. In a similar series of events, Reviewer, Ruffian’s sire, had to be euthanized following irreparable damage to his operated legs.
It’s extremely unfortunate how Ruffian and her family met the eventual within two years of her death.
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