The name ruffian applies to someone big, intimidating and tough. It means a bully or someone who is ready to fight. Most racehorses don’t fit this description, and when one does it is usually a colt. Fillies are small in height, hoof size, and structure and they don’t have as much endurance or speed as a colt. When put up against one they usually retreat in intimidation. But as we all know...there is an exception to every rule, and this exception is a tall, big boned, dark bay, almost black mare with a white band on her left hind ankle, and a crooked moon shaped star off center on her face.

She was anything but delicate and lady like... and she had attitude. She ran when she felt like it, and when she did she left the other horses in her dust. With her riders pulling on her mouth she could run a mile in 1:03. During exercising she never let a horse beat her, not even stick their heads in front of her. You looked into her eyes and saw that she wanted to run, and fast. She wanted to win. And she could.

Her first race was at her home track, Belmont, in New York. She ran in her first race like she was alone. No other filly came within a neck. Ruffian won that race by 15 lengths and in 1:03, tying with the track’s record. The most amazing fact: her jockey had been holding her the entire way. She waltzed into the winners circle without a hint of sweat and just wanting to run more.

She finished her two year old career with 5 starts, and 5 wins. She won every single without a problem with the other horses lengths behind her. She also broke 4 records. The minute any horse came even with her the look in her eye scared them back. She had to finish early after a hairline fracture.

As a three year old she was back. She made a stakes record on her first day back. She won all of her starts and then came The Acorn, The Mother Goose, and the Oaks; also known as the Filly Triple Crown. She wasn’t entered in the Kentucky Derby because it was to much distance to soon in her career especially after a fracture. She broke more records when she won the Filly Triple Crown. She was only the fourth to ever do so and she tied the record for the oaks: a mile and a half in 2:27 4/5 by nine lengths. She broke records in the two earlier races. She won all three races combined by over eight lengths.

Earlier in the year a colt named Foolish Pleasure won the Kentucky Derby. The minute Ruffian crossed the finish line in the Oaks CBS arranged the greatest show ever: a match race...the boys VS. the girls...Ruffian versus Foolish Pleasure.

The race was at Belmont on July 6, 1975. The day was hot and cloudy. As the two horses warmed up lighting flashed far off and thunder rolled. It was near 6:00 and the horses loaded. As Ruffian turned to look to her left the gate flew open. She jumped out but banged her shoulder on the side of the door. It took her seconds to recover and in less that half a dozen strides she was paired with the colt. Coming down the backstretch, for the first time Ruffian was only a nose in front. Inch by inch the filly drew away. Now her head, and neck in front. She was 1/2 a length in front as they came to the first turn. And then...crack. "Ruffian has broken down! Ruffian has broken down!" yelled the announcer to the 50,000 at the track, and the 18 million people at home. Foolish Pleasure’s head appeared, then neck; he took the lead. Ruffian’s jockey heard the crack and tried to pull her up, but Ruffian kept running. She wasn’t going to let the colt win.

She was running the race of her life. She drew up with the colt again, stuck her head in front as her seasamoids were crushed, her skin tore, and her bone was exposed. She kept running, now on 3 legs. Her right fore leg useless. Finally through tears, her jockey pulled her up, jumped off, and garbed her leg.

That night Ruffian was operated on. Her right ankle was put back together and her leg was placed in a cast. She was laying in her stall half asleep and under was recovering from anesthesia. It was now July 7 and Ruffian began to run. She pumped her legs, and ran, and ran while lying on the floor. She was trying to finish the race she never finished. In process she tore of the brace, and cast. She re-did the damage on her ankle, and even damaged her left ankle as well. She was put down while leading on her right leg, the one she was leading with in the match race. Ruffian was buried under the flagpole at Belmont Park. Her head was placed facing the finish line.

I wrote this story after reading "Ruffian" by Jane Schwartz. I had never heard of Ruffian before and I was desperate to read something. I cried at the end and I fell in love with this horse. I felt I had to write something in her memory to teach everyone about heart. Heart is what Ruffian had and she showed it all her life. Yes, everyone has a heart, but having heart is also having the will to win. Ruffian had so much of it she even battled complete pain to try to win. Ruffian taught me never to give up and to try as hard as possible for what you want. No matter what the citation if you want something bad enough and don’t give up hope and push yourself over physical limits and you’ll succeed. Think of Ruffian running on 3 legs under extreme pain just to win.