Ruffian was a fine looking filly was she not?

Question

With that shiny black coat and a good look in her eye, a true champion!!!

Answer 1

She sure was a d**n fine filly

Answer 2

Your right, Ruffian was a beautiful filly! "The Big Black Racer"

I  think I am going to make a video about her and then put it on youtube. I've already made a Curlin, Barbaro, and Horse Racing video so now maybe I will start one on her and Rags To Riches! The best 2 fillies we've ever seen!

RIP Ruffian and good luck Rags To Riches.

-mel

Barbaro + Curlin = ♥

Answer 3

I'm glad I sparked your interest in her :o)

I gave you a link to one of these pictures before but I don't know if you realized how to get back to the main page of pictures...  so here's a link to the main page.  there's some excellent pictures of her here.  http://www.championsgallery.com/Ruffian/...

Also, I'm glad you asked this question because I noticed something the other day and wanted to share...  Here's a link to the video of Ruffian's run in the Coaching Club American Oaks...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9Ll5R3Ih...  It was her last complete race... it was the final jewel in the filly triple crown.  Just as the Belmont, the final jewel of the US colts' triple crown, is a mile and a half, the CCAOaks is the same... a mile and a half.  watch ruffian come around the turn and run through the stretch... she never changes leads...  she stays on her left lead through the turn and all the way through the stretch.  horses usually switch to their right lead when they enter the stretch... a horse gets tired when they're always pushing with the same legs.  that's why they switch... they usually get an extra speed burst when switch leads... and if the rider doesn't force them, a lot of horses will change on their own.  You sometimes see horses switch back to their left lead when they near the finish line because they're tired.  Ruffian never switched at all.  If you watch Secretariat's Belmont, even Secretariat switched to his right lead.  I know Ruffian's time didn't come close to Secretariat's but she had no reason to go any faster... and Whitely was very specific that he wanted her running no faster than she needed to run to win.  if she had a Sham beside her pushing her along, she could have come pretty close to Secretariat's time.

note: I just watched the video again and I noticed Equal Change trying to keep up with Ruffian...  watch her in the stretch... she swaps leads back and forth about 5 times.  Ruffian never changed.

We all know my opinion of Ruffian.  I think she was the most beautiful thing ever to stand on 4 legs... with my horse as a close second ;o).  Look at Ruffian in June of 1975: http://www.championsgallery.com/Ruffian/... If she was that big and full at 3 years old, can you imagine how great she'd look once she fully matured into a mare?  Ruffian is the centerpiece of my livingroom... I have a beautiful model of her on my coffee table :o)

Answer 4

Not to mention that she was built like a brick sh*thouse, and every brick was in place. It wouldn't have mattered if she was red, bay, or purple....she was incredible.

Answer 5

Yes i am Jealous!!! She looks even better than me.

Answer 6

She was beautiful.   I love black thoroughbreds and from her face you can tell she is very intelligent (at least I think you can tell). Here are some pictures.  

http://images.search.yahoo.com/search/im...

and some videos:

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...

There was a documentary made about her which I saved on my DVR along with the Barbaro documentary.  But, I still haven't watched either.  Too depressing!

Answer 7

I was totally unfamiliar with this horse (I don't follow the races), but I did watch the vid + one more (last complete race) & I'm very impressed.