Product Description

During two short seasons at the track, Ruffian was hailed as the greatest thoroughbred filly of all time. Unbeaten in her first ten starts, she shattered one record after another, dazzling crowds with both her beauty and her brilliant speed. Then tragedy struck on the afternoon of July 6, 1975. Ruffian broke down–on the lead–in the middle of a match race at Belmont Park. Later that night she had to be destroyed.

Ruffian: Burning from the Start is the story of this exceptional filly, a horse so dominating, so powerful, that writer Walter Farley once suggested she was more like the fictional legend, the Black Stallion, than any colt he had ever seen. Beginning with her earliest days in Kentucky, the book follows Ruffian at every stage of her career and through the agony of her final hours– venturing behind the scenes of the racing world and exploring the politics and personalities that came together to shape this extraordinary filly’s fate.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #239020 in Books
• Published on: 2002-04-30
• Released on: 2002-04-30
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Ruffian was arguably the best thoroughbred filly that ever raced: the horse won all five of the events it entered as a two-year-old in 1973, frequently setting or tying track records, and duplicated that string of successes the following year, taking the filly triple crown. On July 6, 1975, Ruffian was entered in a match race against Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure; partway through the race Ruffian broke a front leg and, despite an operation, had to be destroyed. Schwartz ( Caught ) on occasion annoyingly anthropomorphizes the horse, as when she describes Ruffian as "self-possessed, self-assured" and, on the day of the fatal race, "aware that something big was coming up." Despite this tendency, however, the book is a moving tribute to a great horse, and will leave a lump in the throat of devotees of the sport of kings. Photos.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Ruffian: the name stands out among a handful of great racehorses. Ruffian: the name conjures memories of a tough competitor, a tomboy. Ruffian: the name synonymous with the pinnacle of glory and the nadir of tragedy. Schwartz ( Caught , Ballantine, 1987) eloquently captures the spirit and style of this undefeated filly who beat all comers save death. In the 1975 match race against the colt Foolish Pleasure, viewed by a televised audience of 18 million, Ruffian broke down while leading and later had to be destroyed. Schwartz tells Ruffian's story from her birth, breaking, training, and racing, to the day of the ill-fated "battle of the sexes" through the eyes of her handlers, grooms, jockeys, and trainer. This is an exhilarating yet sad tale of the thrills and fears of horseracing. Highly recommended for most public libraries.
- Susan Hamburger, Virginia State Lib. & Archives, Richmond
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews
Sportswriter (Sports Illustrated, etc.) and novelist Schwartz (Caught, 1985) offers an affecting yet balanced portrait of the legendary, lightning-fast filly and of the thoroughbred racing world she briefly set afire. Although the tragic outcome (a broken leg; death) of the 1975 ``Great Match Race'' that pitted the undefeated three-year-old against Kentucky Derby-winner Foolish Pleasure will be familiar to any horse-racing aficionado, fans and nonfans alike should be swept along by Schwartz's skillful narrative and broad depiction of the thoroughbred milieu. Here are the fabulously wealthy owners, the devoted trainers, the assorted jockeys, grooms, vets, and backstretch hangers-on, all living an odd, peripatetic existence as they follow the season and the fragile behemoths they seem genuinely to love. Not skirted is a consideration of the business forces that drive the sport (perhaps to the horses' detriment), the risk of fixed betting, and the hype surrounding big races. At the center is the huge, dark-brown filly, a fully rounded character in her own right, viewed from her conception in a stark, unromantic mating shed through each painstaking step of training and on to her short but brilliant career. Along the way there are lively sketches of those around her, particularly gruff trainer Frank Whiteley, chain-smoking and popping Gelusils, and hot-tempered jockey Jacinto Vasquez, passing up the mount he had led to a Derby win in favor of the awesome filly that ``was different from every other horse he had ever ridden.'' Most notably there is a lyrical evocation of the wonder great horses can inspire, ``a feeling that they gave you, a belief in something bigger than yourself...some bright, wordless magic.'' An absorbing and often poignant account that works both as a detailed sports chronicle and a heart-felt tribute to an extraordinary animal dying young. (Photographs--not seen.) -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

There are no words.......
Simply put, this is one of the finest books about horse racing and especially the gigantic black filly who broke the heart of a nation. Jane Schwartz has written a classic about one of the most famous thoroughbreds of all time. She has researched this story so that one feels a part of what actually happened in the life of Ruffian.

Heartwarming and Heartwrenching- well worth the read
This is an amazing book! I loved every second of it from start to finish... I wish there were more to follow. One of the greatest throroughbreds of all times finally gets a great book. I learned so much about her life that just added to her brilliance. Everyone should know about this horse- most don't or say once she saw real speed she couldn't handle it and broke down. This is not the case and whether or not you are a horse lover, know a lot about racing or not, this story will get you hooked. I definately recommend this book, it will not disappoint you! You may shed a tear or two at the end, but it is WELL worth it.

Go Ruffian, Go!
A beautifully told story of a true champion whose heart and will remained strong even when her body failed her. Ruffian was a special horse who mananged to capture the hearts of racing fans and average citizens alike. Her tragic end was truly heartbreaking (get out the Kleenex for the last few chapters). Unfortunately I am not old enough or lucky enough to have seen Ruffian race, but now that I have read about her, I will certainly never forget her!