| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| lisamarie508 |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 05:02:00 AM
I just noticed your little quote at the end of your posts. I haven't heard anything about Ruffian in years. I thought her memory was lost.
I was just a kid (about 12 or so) when she went down. I watched horse races with my uncle who owned race horses in WNY. I always loved horses so I was really into it then. I just loved watching her run. She was such a beautiful filly. She had become my favorite even though I had never met her in person.
I bawled like a baby when they ended up putting her down. At the time, I was sure they could have saved her and just didn't try hard enough. Of course, that was just childish foolishness, I know.
Having never been in KY - is she still remembered there?
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
We come from Nature, we go back to Nature; health & happiness in between requires intimacy with Nature. |
| 14 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| lisamarie508 |
Posted - Jul 24 2007 : 09:00:44 AM
I'm glad they have a little memorial for her at the track. I absolutely loved Ruffian. Yes, I have a lot of great memories with my uncle and the horses. It was one of the best times in my life.
I hope to get to KY one of these days. One of my best friends lives there in Nancy.
I haven't followed racing very much since then. I think Ruffian's death was so devastating to me at my age that I pulled away from it all. I even stopped going with my uncle. I have watched the tapes my uncle sent me of his horses since I left NY in '95. My uncle passed a few years ago and his best horse, his ringer, Big Buddy Bull passed a couple months later of a heart attack. My uncle's partner believed that horse was so attached to my uncle; that when my uncle was gone, Buddy went with him.
Now, I'm completely out of touch with racing. I don't know if I'll ever get back into it. It would be just my luck, I'd fall in love with another tragedy.
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
We come from Nature, we go back to Nature; health & happiness in between requires intimacy with Nature. |
| goneriding |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 5:43:29 PM
I remember Ruffian shaking her head and the jockey holding her up and she wouldn't give up!! I've been to the KY Horse Park but was sooooo enamored with it all that I don't remember anyting specifically about Ruffian!! Bad me!!
Winona :-)
Don't sweat the small stuff...
http://goneridingagain.bravehost.com
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| Alee |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 08:33:50 AM
How neat! I can't believe you two "know" each other through your dad Jonni! How fun is that?!
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 07:45:28 AM
You do remember his name, Janice? Wow, THAT brings tears to my eyes. He's been gone about 14 years now, and I miss him and those times like they all happened yesterday.
Ahh yes...the collective "Awww Maannnnn!!" from the crowd outside when the Inquiry red neon was posted....I secretly loved it--that my dad and the two other stewards were up there rewinding and watching, rewiding, and watching the race to see what happened. I loved being up in the steward's box, on the very TIP TOP of the grandstand, watching all the different pans of the race on video, and through dad's giant nikon binoculars.
I even loved listening with my ear to the door when they held the "hearings" for the inquiries. To see who was suspended or not, or what their fines were.
I think we two Kentucky girls need a girls day at the races!!!!
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 07:39:09 AM
Jonni - OMG! Tears came into my eyes when I read your post. Jimmy Long - I'm now backing up ten steps! And the first half of my life flashed before my eyes(the GOOD TIMES) - boy was I having fun! And i can't tell you how we all dreaded those words on the tote board at the end of a race(when we had a ticket on one of the horses in question): STEWARD'S INQUIRY !!!!!
We lived in fear of those words!
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 07:27:57 AM
Oh, my godfather (who my middle name is after) was Carroll Burns. He was the head starter for YEARS at Miles and Ellis, after coming up from Arkanasas. When my dad was busted up from a spill, and was retiring, before he became steward, he worked with him on the starting gate at Churchill. My grandfather was a jockey, too, and daddy has done just about EVERYTHING on a track that someone can do. Racing has sure changed alot over the years, but the closest I imagine his life to was the jocks in Seabiscuit. All the bulimia, and the hard living, backside of the track tack room beds. He'd done it. He signed up for the cavalry in WWII for food, he said :)
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 07:23:31 AM
Wow, Janice! Miles Park!!!! You crack me up--we Kentucky girls LOVE or horseracing (and betting :))! I've been betting since I was 8 years old--I used to have a retired jock run my bets for me when I went out every Thursday to the track with Daddy. My summer job when I got home from boarding school was breezing horses at the track. Miles Park was before I was born, but he and mom often talked about it--when they were dating, Mom would drive down from Grove City, Ohio to go to River Downs or Miles, depending on where he was going to be....then, after I was born, it was Churchill, Keeneland and Ellis Park, in Henderson, KY. We lived the summer in Evansville, Indiana, at his "adult" apartment right downtown. A few years back, at the Florence Antique Mall, I bought the hand painted Jeep tire cover for Miles Park from the vet's jeep. I have it hanging in our study.
Daddy's name was James D. Long (Jimmy Long). I still meet jockeys every now and again, and as soon as they recognize me or my name, they take 10 steps BACK and say, "your dad still around?...he was TOUGH as a steward. He gave me days a couple of times...." It's always nice to know that I am my father's daughter :)
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Miss Bee Haven |
Posted - Jul 18 2007 : 07:11:04 AM
Jonni - What is your dad's name? I spent a lot of time(understatement - I changed my work schedule to fit the race meet days and times) at Churchill and in my very young days, at Miles Park in Louisville. My uncles owned a tavern a block from Churchill and my dad used to take me to the races when I was very small.
"If you think you've got it nailed down, then what's all that around it?" - 'Brother Dave' Gardner |
| UrbanFarmGirl |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 09:17:32 AM
I would love to adopt/buy ex-racers and rehab them for 3-day eventing, but I am still a beginner. I have only been taking lessons on and off for the last year. TBs have such courage, dependability and athleticism that I wish people would take the time to work with them. I had a OTTB, Velvet, and it was so wondeful watching her progress in her retraining. I will have to post a few pictures one of these days.
It never ceases to amaze me the power our animals have over us. The emotions we feel for them is something beyond words.
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Siamese, Jake the Drake and my birdies! |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 09:03:06 AM
Alee, that completely gave me the chills (and bleary eyes) all over again. I have seen it too many times on the racetrack growing up, spills where both rider and horse were injured beyond repair, and to read it, to read a breakdown of the injuries she endured, is just crushing.
She had such spirit, and she was absolutely one of a kind.
Who doesn't remember Afleet Alex! These horses are the stuff of legends for sure.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
| Alee |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 08:58:29 AM
Megan- I was just thinking about Afleet Alex! I bawled my eyes out when that happened because it was so amazing. That horse has so much courage and just blows me away. I am more of an Arabian Horse fan, but I would love to own a filly some day that is out of Afleet Alex!
This is part of the Wikipedia entry on Ruffian and it about makes me cry!
Just as the starting gate was let out, Ruffian hit her shoulder on the starting gate incredibly hard. She recoved quickly, but was in quite a bit of pain and leaning more heavily on her right foreleg to help ease the pain. The first quarter-mile (402 m) was run in a blazing 22 1/5 seconds, with Ruffian ahead by a nose. Little more than a furlong (201 m) later, Ruffian was in front by half a length when both sesamoid bones in her right foreleg snapped. Her jockey, Jacinto Vasquez, tried to pull her up, but she ran on for another 50 yards (46 m), apparently unwilling to give up the race. She was konwn for her incredible love of running and not willing to lose. She had never before been behind in a race. Ruffian just couldn't tolerate it.
She was immediately attended to by a team of four veterinarians and an orthopedic surgeon, and underwent an emergency operation lasting 12 hours. Tragically, when the anesthesia wore off after the surgery, she thrashed about wildly on the floor of a padded recovery stall as if still running in the race. Despite the efforts of numerous attendants, breaking the cast and her other leg. The medical team, knowing that she would probably not survive more extensive surgery for the repair of both legs euthanized her shortly afterwards. Her performance in the 1975 season earned her the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three-Year-Old Filly. In 1976, she was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. There hasn't been any match races run since.
Alee
The amazing one handed typist! One hand for typing, one hand to hold Nora! |
| UrbanFarmGirl |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 08:18:53 AM
I am too young to have seen Ruffian, however I do remember Prairie Bayou and all of the breakdowns during the mid 90's. Anyone remember Afleet Alex's near-accident in the Preakness? The way he picked himself up from practially his knees and won still gives me goosebumps.
Did anyone see the movie that ESPN made about Ruffian? It was so good! However, the scene that shows her leg snapping was horrendous. It was obviously fake, but it really hits you hard. I think they could have done without it. ESPN also did a 1 hour tribute to Barbaro. Both were very touching and they will always stay in our hearts.
Married to my hubby & the Army, my Meezer,and my birdies! |
| Marybeth |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 06:44:00 AM
I also noticed your quote and wanted to remark but just never did. I watched the matched race on TV and saw the terrible event. We all wept. She was SO great. MB
www.strawberryhillsfarm.blogspot.com
www.day4plus.blogspot.com www.holyhouses-day4plus.blogspot.com
"Life may not be the party we hoped for...but while we are here we might as well dance!" |
| KYgurlsrbest |
Posted - Jul 17 2007 : 06:06:12 AM
Hey Lisa!!!! Thanks for noticing my quote. It's pretty ambiguous until you find it's about a thoroughbred!
I was only about a year old when she went down, but my father had just retired from riding--he'd been a jockey since the early 30's, and started working as a State Steward for Churchill Downs and Keeneland. He said he'd never seen a better filly in all his years around the track--as a token of affection, he called me his "little Ruffian". We would watch the video footage of her, and when I got older, I read all of the clips he'd collected during her short, but incredible career. Boy, was she something! I still get a chill everytime I see footage of her run--very much the same way I felt watching Rags to Riches win the Belmont. My dad has been gone for 14 years now, so when the movie was on after the Belmont, I sat down and watched it "with him"  Sounds like you have wonderful racing memories, too. The track was such a magical place for me as a little girl.
There's a nice tribute to her at the Kentucky Horse Park. If you're ever down this way, you should visit.
"She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian. |
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