Ruffian Trivia Quiz

Answer: 1972

April 17, 1972 to be exact. She was a near black filly with a white star on her forehead.

Answer: Barbara and Stuart Janney

Barbara's mother, Gladys Phipps, was the owner of Bold Ruler, Sire of Secretariat. As a gift, every year for her birthday, Mrs. Janney received a free season to her mother's horse. Unfortunately Bold Ruler fell ill and had to be put down. So that year (1971), Barbara bred her mare Shenanigans to Bold Ruler's son Reviewer, and Ruffian was the result.

Answer: Bold Ruler

Native Dancer was her maternal Grandsire, Nasrullah was her Great Grandsire, and Reviewer was her sire.

Answer: Sofie

They called her Sofie as in Sofie the Sofa, because she was big and comfortable, like a sofa.

Answer: True

In New York every spring there are three major stakes races for three year old fillies. These are the Acorn (run at the distance of a mile), the Mother Goose (a mile and an eighth), and the the Coaching Club American Oaks (a mile and a half). In 1975, they were called the Filly Triple Crown. Today they are known as the Triple Tiara. Ruffian was only the fourth filly in history to win all three races.

Answer: Jacinto Vasquez

Jacinto also rode Foolish Pleasure to victory in the 1975 Kentucky Derby.

Answer: Frank Whiteley

Whiteley was always scared to death when Ruffian raced. I guess it was because she raced with such abandon, that he was afraid she would hurt herself.

Answer: Fifteen lengths

On May 22, 1974, Ruffian started and won her first race. In fact, in ten starts she won all of them by a combined total of 80 lengths. She was magnificent!

Answer: False

In 1975, the Womens Lib Movement came to the racetrack. Everyone was eager to see the unbeaten Ruffian prove herself against the boys, as Billie Jean King had done against Bobby Riggs. There was a match race set for July at Belmont Park against Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure.

The race started without a hitch and Ruffian settled into her stride. Three and a half furlongs down the backstretch, Ruffian pushed ahead of Foolish Pleasure. Suddenly, both jockey's heard a sharp crack. Ruffians ankle had snapped. Jacinto tried in vain to pull her up but her love of running and will to win made it nearly impossible. Finally, in too much pain to go on, she stopped.

Answer: Belmont Park

After breaking down in the match race against Foolish Pleasure, veterinarians tried in vain to save her life. After hours of surgery she was humanely put down. She died on July 7, 1975.