The Right Horse Won The HWB Cape Guineas

Snow Pilot finds extra to pass Red Palace (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Turf Talk

The Justin Snaith-trained Snow Pilot was probably the right horse to win the Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on Saturday if logic was applied beforehand and he duly did it under a superb ride by JP van der Merwe.

Snow Pilot’s late sire Lancaster Bomber also sired the winner of the Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas this season, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Beach Bomb.

Snow Pilot, like Beach Bomb, is owned and was bred by champion breeders Drakenstein Stud.

Beach Bomb’s Dynasty mother Beach Beauty was a winner of the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes over a mile at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth, while Snow Pilot’s Captain Al mother Snowdance, also trained by Justin Snaith, won both the Cape Fillies Guineas and the Majorca.

Drakenstein had also won last year’s Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas with a homebred, the Candice Bass-Robinson-trained Trippi colt Charles Dickens.

But it is form which is king and the form also pointed to Snow Pilot, despite his starting odds of 23/2.

He had finished second in both of his previous two starts, in the Gr 3 Cape Classic over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Durbanville and in the Gr 2 Cape Punters Cup over the course and distance of the Cape Guineas.

The Cape Classic was his first run after a layoff and he had started a bit slowly.

In the Punters Cup from a wide draw of ten he was caught wide without cover for the whole journey and yet still rallied late when caught by his stable companion Hluhluwe.

In the Cape Guineas he would be having his third run after a layoff.

If he found cover this time he was surely going to be hard to beat.

Hluhluwe was also having his third run after a layoff, but he did not have the same energy sapping trip Snow Pilot had in the Punters Cup, having sat at the back.

JP van de Merwe was duly able to find cover for Snow Pilot on Saturday from draw five, although luck did play a part.

He took Snow Pilot to the front on the inside from the off and he was then given a lead in surprise fashi0n by the favourite Tail Of The Comet, whose best runs have been when running on from off the pace.

The latter had finished a 2,75 length fifth in the Cape Punters Cup and there was no logic behind him starting favourite on Saturday from a tricky draw of eight, other than him representing the Sean Tarry/Richard Fourie combination, who won multiple Gr 1’s together last season.

Tail Of The Comet showed a fine turn of foot to win the Cape Racing Sales Ready To Run Stakes over 1400m by a wide margin despite having been caught wide.

That might have prompted Fourie to take his mount forward on Saturday from that tricky draw, hoping he would find cover but also knowing he is able to relax when facing the breeze.

However, he probably was not expecting to end up in front.

Tail Of The Comet did not over race out in front but did go quite fast.

This allowed Snow Pilot the perfect trip, in the box seat and able to use his stride.

The fancied filly Red Palace was caught wide one out and one back in her bid to give Candice Bass-Robinson a WSB Cape Fillies Guineas/Hollywodbets Cape Guines double and a second successive Cape Guineas victory.

Red Palace, a Potala Palace homebred of Terry and Annabel Andrews ridden by their son Anthony, was the first to overtake Tail Of The Comet. She made a bold bid towards the outside.

However, Snow Pilot, on the outside rail, had her in his sights.

JP extracted a late effort from the smart colt to collar her and win by 0,75 lengths.

Like in the Punters Cup, Hluhluwe and Green With Envy came from the back with strong finishing runs.

Hluhluwe was a two length third, beating Green With Envy on the headbob.

75/1 chance Hat’s pride was fifth.

The winner being on the outside rail might be a bit of a dampener considering that by the time of last season’s WSB Met, everybody was trying to get to the outside.

Gaynor Rupert said afterwards Lancaster Bomber’s loss had been heartbreaking.

However, she always lived in hope that he would leave them with something from his only two crops.

“And he has given us Snow Pilot,” she added.

The Cape Guineas is known as the best sire producing race in the country, so Snow Pilot will certainly be in a stallion barn at Drakenstein in the future.

Drakenstein have not only won two of the three Gr 1s run so far this season with homebreds, but are also making a bold bid to break their own SA record set last season of 20 individual stakes winners in a season.

Snow Pilot was their tenth individual stakes winner this season.

Jonathan Snaith had said before the race nobody should be surprised if the Cape Guineas winner runs in the Gr 1 L’Ormarins King’s Plate.

The first entries are on Wednesday, so Snow Pilot’s name might be among them.

It would be no surprise to see the progressive Hluhluwe in the line up too.

Robert Khathi Issues Review Application Vs NHA And Moodley

Robert Khathi, aboard Cape Eagle who is between horses, was handed a 120 day suspension for this ride. It was adjudged he had failed to give the horse a full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible placing (Picture: Candiese Lenferna)

Turf Talk

Robert Khathi has issued a review application versus the NHA and Vee Moodle through his lawyers to the High Court.

This revolves around a 120 day suspension he was given after being found guilty of a contravention of rule 62.2.1 after an inquiry into his ride on Cape Eagle at Hollywoodbets Greyville on 15 October in the Michaelmas Handicap.

Rule 62.2.1 states: take all reasonable and permissible measures throughout a RACE to ensure that his
HORSE is given a full opportunity to win or to obtain the best possible placing;

However, his application to the High Court is not about the fairness of the inquiry outcome.

Rather it is about about the NHA and its CEO Vee Moodley denying Khathi an appeal after the prescribed fee for the appeal arrived more than 48 hours late.

The NHA rules on this matter state:

85.6 Any PERSON who wishes to appeal pursuant to the provisions of RULE 85.1 (“the appellant”) shall give notice in WRITING of his intention to appeal (“Notice of Intention to Appeal”) within 7 DAYS from the date on which the finding, penalty or decision to be appealed against has been communicated to him. The Notice of Intention to Appeal shall be addressed to the CHIEF EXECUTIVE and shall be delivered within the prescribed time limit to the CHIEF EXECUTIVE.

85.7 Every Notice of Intention to Appeal shall be accompanied by the prescribed fee

On November 17 Khathi made an email request to the NHA asking for a copy of the transcript/recording of the inquiry and a copy of the rules (sepcifically the 62.2.1, 85.6 and 85.7) and penalty guidelines.

He received a reply on the same day saying the guidelines were attached and that a transcript would be sent when available.

However, apparently the guidelines were not attached.

On November 20 Khathi made another request by email for the guidelines and transcript.

To date he has never received a response.

Khathi will claim he did not have the relevant information necessary to make a good decision on whether he should go ahead with the appeal or not.

As it happened he only contacted his lawyers Shepstone and Wylie for help on November 20.

It was only then that he became aware that the prescribed fee for the appeal was due on that same day, November 20.

He had not seen the rules and guidelines and his lawyer informed him of the November 20 deadline.

Khathi’s notice of intention to appeal was duly served to the NHA by his lawyer on November 20.

The NHA were also notified by the lawyer of Khathi’s intention to pay the fee.

Khathi will point out to the high court that the fee of R8,950 was a substantial amount and he did not have the money immediately available. He had to raise the money through financial assistance from the Jockey Association, of which he is a member.

Khathi paid the fee on the morning of November 23.

He had been informed by the NHA that the option to appeal had fallen away due to the non-payment of the fee.

However, Khathi, through his lawyer, then excercised rule 85.10:

85.10 Should a Notice of Intention to Appeal or Notice of Appeal not be lodged within the prescribed time periods, the right of appeal or the appeal as the case may be shall lapse; provided that the CHIEF EXECUTIVE may, on written application to him, in his sole discretion and on such terms and conditions as he may determine, condone the late lodging and reinstate any appeal which has lapsed.

However, the NHA CEO Vee Moodley responded by acknowledging the recipt of the email, which requested a reinstatement of the appeal, and then stating: As the payment was not made timeously I am not able to entertain the request. The directive is consistent with prior practices.

Moodley was contacted by Turf Talk about the matter.

He pointed out the rule uses the word “shall” which indicates a future obligation or requirement and not just a future action as would be the case with the word “will”.

He said the same denying of an appeal had been made for the same reason i.e. late payment, to multiple jockeys including S’Manga Khumalo, Chase Maujean and Dennis Schwarz.

He used the analogy of a car license where the law of the land gives a grace period of 20 days to apply for a new license, but if caught driving with an expired license after that period a policeman or judge would not entertain an explanation that there had been a lack of funds.

Khathi will claim the response from Moodley was procedurally unfair and irrational in that he did not appear to consider the merits of his particular case and rather just referred to prior practises.

All of the above is just the layman’s interpretation of the papers.

However, it is apparent that the finer points of the law will also be used in an attempt to establish that Khathi was unfairly denied the chance to appeal.

Moodley said he had his reasons for making the decision and they will also be presented in court.

Without an appeal, the next stage of the process is for the case to be heard by an inquiry review board.

The big difference between the latter and an appeal is that legal representation is not allowed at an inquiry review hearing.

The inquiry finding on Khathi’s ride is stated below:

The National Horseracing Authority confirms that at an Inquiry held in Durban on Tuesday, 7 November 2023, Jockey R Khathi was charged with a contravention of Rule 62.2.1. The particulars being, that whilst riding CAPE EAGLE, he failed to take all reasonable measures throughout the race to ensure that this gelding was given a full opportunity to win or obtain the best possible placing in Race 6 at Hollywoodbets Greyville Racecourse on 15 October 2023.

Jockey Khathi pleaded not guilty but was found guilty of the charge.

The Inquiry Board, after considering the mitigating and aggravating factors and that it was found that Jockey Khathi had failed to ride CAPE EAGLE out with sufficient vigour and determination which in the opinion of the Stewards, had a bearing on the result of the race, ruled that he be suspended from riding in races for a period of 120 (one hundred and twenty days).

Jockey Khathi was given the Right of Appeal against both the finding and the penalty imposed.

The merit of this decision is difficult to judge in Turf Talk’s opinion.

When Khathi won on this horse in March at the same venue it was clear he kept the stick away until the 200m mark, as he did in the race in question (The Michaelmas).

He did ride with way more vigour from the 200m mark in both his winning rides on Cape Eagle at the same venue (November last year and March this year 2023) than he did in the Michaelmas. In fact some, in this day and age, would have been unhappy with how hard he hit the horse with both the right hand and the left hand on those two winning occasions. However, importantly, he had no horses on his outside or inside on those two occasions, so was able to whip freely without fear of any ducking away from the whip causing interference.

In the two aforementioned wins, Cape Eagle displays a significant turn of foot on both occasions when the whip was changed from the right hand to the left hand late in the race. The burst of speed won him the race on both occasions. However, on both occasions he ducked significantly away from the left-handed whip.

In the Michelmas Khathi gives the horse two gentle reminders with the right hand after the 200m mark.

He then switches the stick to the left hand and the horse looks poised to make his familiar winning burst.

However, Khathi after one left handed back-hander puts the stick away and ride with the hands.

He then makes a hash of driving the horse out with the hands for the remaining 50 metres of the race, to be frank, and finishes a neck back in third with the horse holding his head up and to the side.

The mitigating circumstances would be that he had horses on his outside at the 200m mark, so might have decided the vigorous right hand use of the whip would have posed a risk of his horse causing interference to those horses.

Then he gets into a bit of a tangle when he is transferring the whip to his left hand and the horse hangs to the right interfering with another horse.

When he does have the stick in his left hand the eventual winner has appeared on his inside, so he might have been mindful of Cape Eagle’s tendency to duck away from the left handed use of the stick, bearing in mind too he had already interfered with a horse on his outside.

The horse does have it’s tongue hanging out to the side when the attempt is being made to steer him straight in the final stages.

It would not have been nominated for ride of thr season, but the question was whether it deserved a three month suspension?

Gimme A Nother Looks To Be Something Special

Gimme A Nother comes home lonely in the Gr 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Challenge (Picture: 4Racing)

The unbeaten Mike de Kock-trained Mauritzfontein Stud homebred Gimmethegreenlight filly Gimme A Nother faced a classy field in the Gr 2 Mike de Kock Ipi Tombe Stakes on Sunday at Turffontein Standside and came home lonely.

The race was a weight for age plus penalties event and the only two horses carrying penalties were the 4,75 length runner up Feather Boa and 9,25 length sixth-placed Humdinger, who both carried an extra 1kg for Gr 2 wins.

Three-year-old Gimme A Nother is now unbeaten in four starts, including a Gr 3 and Gr 2.

She is also improving noticeably with every start.

In fact only two winners have come out of her first two races, which were comfortable wins over 1450m and 1600m in early October and early November respectively.

The Gr 3 Betway Fillies Mile, which Gimme A Nother won impressively last time out, has a long list of victors who did not go on to further success.

However, the one filly in recent times who bucked that trend was the Mauritzfonhtein Stud-bred Summer Pudding and it took Mauritzfontein-bred Gimme A Nother won run to show she is not going to be part of that trend either.

Summer Pudding, was named Equus Horse Of The Year after completing her three-year-old season unbeaten, including two Gr 1 victories. She went on to win her first nine starts, including Johannesburg’s traditional greatest horseracing event, the Gr 1 Summer Cup.

However, the fillies crop Summer Pudding was a member of was not a vintage one at all.

Thankfully this is not the case this season.

The public can look forward to clashes between Gimme A Nother and her Gr 1 WSB Cape Fillies Guineas (CFG) runner up stablemate Silver Sanctuary, CFG winner Beach Bomb, Highveld-based Gr 1 winner Bavarian Beauty and also Saturday’s Gr 1 Hollywoodbets Cape Guineas runner up Red Palace.

The Gr 1 Cartier Paddock Stakes on January 6 could be the first port of call for a few of them.

Gimme A Nother, carrying 53kg, jumped well enough on Saturday to claim the rail easily from draw three after the two horses inside of her, Winter Greeting and Feather Boa, were held up by their respective jockeys.

She relaxed well in the box seat behind the leader Marigold Hotel, who set a reasonably good pace.

Gimme A Nother did get the run of the race, but the way she went further and further clear in the long Turffontein Standside straight, including quickening when given just one backhander, told of a top horse in the making.

Gimme A Nother’s victory has ensured that no matter what happens in the future she will have a fairytale story behind her. This fairytale very much involves Mike de Kock and the Oppenheimer family of Wilgerbosdrift and Mauritzfontein Stud fame.

Gimme A Nother’s multiple Gr 1-winning grandmother Mother Russia was bought in training by Mary Slack and sent to Mike de Kock.

Her first win for De Kock was in the Ipi Tombe Challenge.

She went on to win the Gr 1 Paddock Stakes, the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes and the Gr 1 L’Ormarins Queen’s Plate for De Kock to add to the Gr 1 Majorca Stakes she had already won for her original trainer Joey Ramsden.

However, Mother Russia was destined to have only one foal, a Tiger Ridge filly who was named Nother Russia in her honour.

Nother Russia went on to win the Gr 1 Empress Club Stakes twice.

She also won the Gr 2 Ipi Tombe Challenge.

Nother Russia’s second foal is Gimme A Nother.

So on Sunday she repeated the feat of both her mother and grandmother by winning the race which is now named after their trainer.

Of course the race is not only named after Mike de Kock, but also after the greatest filly he ever trained, Ipi Tombe.

This Zimbabwean-bred daughter of Manshood was purchased at the Zimbabwe yearling sales for the equaivalent of U$30 and went on to win three Gr 1s for De Kock in South Africa, including the July.

She was then purchased for US$750,000 by Barry Irwin’s Team Valor. Irwin persuaded Kentucky’s WinStar Farm to buy a 50 percent interest in the filly; Team Valor sold 25 percent to various clients who bought fractional shares; 25 percent remained with the existing owners.

Ipi Tombe went on to be unbeaten in three starts for De Kock in Dubai, including the Gr 1 US$2 million Dubai Duty Free, meaning her purchase price was more than paid for.

The Dubai Duty Free victory under Kevin Shea also earned Ipi Tombe the title of best filly in the world.

Ipi Tombe only ran once in the USA for trainer Elliot Walden, winning a Gr 3 over 1800m on the turf at Churchhill Downs.

She was later sold for 850,000 Gns with a covering by the great stallion Sadler’s Wells.

However, she was not a success at stud.

She produced six foals, five runners and three one-time winners.

Nel/Plattner Have Bounced Back Well This Season

Saartjie gains a deserved Graded victory (Picture: Wayne Marks)

Turf Talk

Trainer Andre Nel scored a feature double on Saturday and a treble overall, all of them naturally with Sabine Plattner-owned runners, one of them a homebred.

The Shadwell Stud-bred Dynasty filly Saartjie sufferened bad luck in at least two feature races in KZN’s SA Champions Season.

She was overdue a Graded win to add to her Listed success last season.

She rallied late under Corne Orffer on Saturday to win the Gr 3 Splashout Victress Stakes over 1800m from Happy Chance with old rival Hold My Hand in third.

In the next race the consistent five-year-old Sabine Plattner-hombred Querari gelding Master Redoute finally claimed bold black type after muliple stakes places. He won the Gr 3 Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap over 1800m by 0,40 lengths under Anthony Andrews.

Corne Orffer rode the Klawervlei Stud-bred Nel/Plattner five-year-old gelding Axl (What A Winter) to an easy victory in the last race over 1200m.

Nel is in fine form at present and is bouncing back well from his below par last season.

He had only 15 wins in the Western Cape last season at a strike rate of 6.79%.

This season in the Western Cape, with less than half of the season completed, Nel has already passed that mark with 16 wins at a fine strike rate of 19.28%.

His yard is one to follow.

Cape Workriders On The Up

Picture: The proud final class of ’23 pose with their Riding Master and guests

Sporting Post

The final Hollywoodbets Western Province Groom School class of 2023 were proudly capped at a graduation ceremony at the Milnerton Training Centre on Monday.

The Hollywoodbets Western Cape Regional team, including Ryan van Wyk and Jackson Masengesho, were in attendance, together with Cape Racing’s Teresa Esplin, and acknowledged the remarkable success achieved by former professional jockey turned Riding Master Craig du Plooy.

The programme, which is supported by Hollywoodbets and Cape Racing, is aimed at upskilling and improving the performance of an important sector of the racing industry.

The skills taught by the enthusiastic Craig du Plooy are designed to enable qualifying students to become qualified workriders, and thus able to play their part in an important support role to trainers.

The certification programme focuses on equine education and drills to improve riding technique, whilst also building physical stamina.

A proud Craig du Plooy told the Sporting Post that it was always a special moment when students that had sacrificed time and effort in pursuit of personal betterment, while still working full-time, had graduated, thus creating the personal foundation to enrich their skill set and contribution to the racing ecosystem.

“Ten students received their certification today. Six are race-rider qualified, while the balance received the ‘C’ certification, meaning that they are now qualified to work ride, and have been coached to interpret and disseminate constructive information and provide a subjective assessment of performance, to the trainer. They are a really good group of committed individuals, and racing can only benefit through their contribution,” he added.

On Saturday, 53 year old veteran Workrider William Bambiso took an early lead in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series when he booted Escarpment home for the Piet Botha yard.

Riding Master Craig du Plooy and Bonani Bambiso enjoy a happy moment at Monday’s graduation (Pic – Supplied)

An interesting student in Monday’s graduation class was his 25 year old half-brother, Bonani Bambiso, who received his ‘B’ certification, but is unlikely to race ride in view of his weight.

“Bonani works for Greg Ennion and is really and truly the most beautifully balanced rider, and a proper horseman. But he is a strapping guy and weighs around 70kgs, so unlikely ever to race ride. Full marks to him for keeping up the proud family tradition and completing the course. He is happy and says he has learnt a lot!” said the pleased Riding Master.

Another interesting student on Monday’s graduation honour roll was Xavier Machaieie, who had passed the course earlier this year, and had his first race ride on Saturday at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth.

He rode a nicely judged race on Gareth van Zyl’s Riverstone, who flew up late for second behind Escarpment. Xavier’s first winner should not be long in coming!

The graduates, with their certification status shown are:

Zwelekhaya (Joe) Tshaka – B
Lulama Jevu – B
Siphumzi Maqelana – B
Bonani Bambiso – B
Xavier Castigo Machaieie – B
Khanyisile Mahesi – B
Kamva Sitshevu – C
Lihle Mpukane – C
Simbusile Tshemese – C
Ndilekile Faca – C

The balance of the three races in the Hollywoodbets Workriders’ Series will be held at the race meetings at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth on 20 January and 5 February, and concluding on 17 February.

The grand prize of R25 000 will be shared amongst the top five riders on the final log. On top of this, they also earn the standard riding commissions.

The R25 000 prize pool will be allocated as follows:

Winner earns R12 000
Runner-up earns R6 000
Third place earns R4 000
Fourth place earns R2 000
Fifth place earns R1 000

Oisin Murphy Adds Indian Classic to Roll of Honour

Picture: The winning connections after Jendayi’s Indian 1000 Guineas victory (Picture: sahorseracing.com)

TDN

Oisin Murphy continued his red-hot streak of success around the world with a first trip to Mumbai yielding a victory in the Indian 1000 Guineas aboard heavy favourite Jendayi (Ind) (Gleneagles {Ire}).

The same connections scored a race prior in the R J Kolah Trophy with Chamonix (Ind) (Dunaden {Fr}), landing Murphy and Jendayi’s conditioner Pesi Shroff the double.

The jockey follows a similar path Richard Hughes enjoyed in riding a Classic winner for the decorated local trainer, who lays claim to the remarkable achievement of winning both the Indian 1000 and 2000 Guineas in 2009 and then claiming both the Indian Oaks and Derby a year later.

“It was great to come out here,” said Murphy, before adding it was great to win for the same connections as Richard Hughes had done.

He added: “Both my rides won and I really enjoyed the experience in Mumbai.”

“The track here is excellent and the people have been incredibly hospitable and made me really welcome.”

Puller, Moodley Doubles

Laudato (Oratorio) wins under Siphesihle Hlengwa to give Garth Puller a double on the day (Candiese Lenferna Photography)

Turf Talk

Garth Puller never chases championships but after a double on the Hollywoodbets Greyville poly he has suddenly emerged as having a good chance of retaining his KZN Trainers Champion title.

Puller is now on 15 wins for the season at a strike rate of 7.28% and is just three wins off the pace being set by Mike Miller.

Serino Moodley also ascored a double and goes to 30 wins for the season at a strike rate of 13.70%.

Today’s Question

The horse in question is pictured above (tbgreats.com)

Who was the highest ranked female on the Blood-Horse magazine’s list of top 100 US Champions of the 20th century?

Midweek FIELDS

Fairview Poly Fields, Tuesday

Today’s Question Answer

The highest tranked filly on the Blood-Horse magazine list of top 100 US Thoroughbred champions of the 20th century was Ruffian (Reviewer).

The below tribute to the filly was written in 2011 in HorseRacingNation:

It is hard to do full justice to a legend, and in thoroughbred horse racing there are not many legends as great as that of Ruffian. In an amazing racing career that lasted little more than a calendar year, she thrilled the imagination and empowered the female gender. Her speed was unstoppable, and her courage was undeniable. She was too fast for her competition. Ruffian was too fast to live and too young to die.

Foaled at Claiborne Farm in April of 1972, Ruffian was a near black daughter of Reviewer out of Shenanigans by Native Dancer. Before she would turn two, she was sent by her breeder and owner Mr & Mrs. Stuart Janney to South Carolina and trainer, Frank Whiteley, who saw something in the big filly early on. When Whiteley brought his stable to Belmont Park in the Spring of 1974, he was sure of it. He reportedly told the exercise rider for her first workout at Belmont Park, that he was about to get on the fastest horse he has ever ridden. Ruffian would run a few seconds faster than the rider was told to do, but that would become commonplace for her riders. They had no idea how fast the filly was going with her effortless stride, until they were told of their time. She was indeed going fast, real fast.

When she made it to the races for the first time, on May 22, 1974, not many people outside the Whiteley barn knew about her. That would not last for long. Sent off at 4-1 in her debut, all Ruffian did was win by 15 widening lengths in 1:03 flat for the 5 ½ furlongs. The time tied the track record, and a legend was born. Under Jacinto Vasquez, the man that would become her regular rider, Ruffian had gone right to the lead, and was long gone. This started a trend in the career of the great filly, in which we she would never be headed at any call in any of her races.

Next came a start in the Fashion Stakes and a meeting with Copernica, a highly regarded filly of trainer Mack Miller. Copernica would test Ruffian a little more than she had been tested in the debut, but in the end she easily dispatched the daughter of Nijinsky II, and won off by 6 ¾ lengths. Copernica finished 13 lengths of the 3rd horse, Jan Verzal, who had entered the race an unbeaten stakes winner. Despite the tougher competition, Ruffian had been made a 2-5 favorite by the New York crowd, and she did not disappoint, once again equaling a track record of 1:03.

Her third race would also come in New York, but this time at Aqueduct. With Vasquez serving a suspension, Vince Bracciale would ride the new star to a nine length runaway in the Astoria Stakes, this time at 1-10. It’s hard to imagine a two-year-old filly going off at those odds in a graded stakes in only her third career start, but that is how special Ruffian was from day one. Next it was on the road to Monmouth Park for the Grade 1 Sorority Stakes, where she would be truly tested for the first time.

The 1973 Sorority Stakes was a bit of a legend in the Zipse household. My father would retell to his sons on countless occasions the afternoon that two of the speediest horses he had ever seen hooked up at Monmouth Park. The two being Ruffian and a ultra talented filly from California named Hot n Nasty. Also undefeated and untested in three starts, the Californian took it to Ruffian as the two would blister a quarter in :21 3/5 and a half in :44 1/5 as they left the rest of the field farther and farther behind on the Jersey shore oval. Something had to give, and it would not be the Whiteley charge. Ruffian would slowly rebuke the challenge of her dogged challenger and hit the wire 2 ¼ lengths clear of Hot n Nasty. Final time was a new stakes record of 1:09 and the runner-up was some 22 lengths clear of the 3rd place finisher. It’s a race my father has never forgotten, and from his account of the amazing speed the two fillies threw at each other, I can certainly understand why.

Ruffian would finish her juvenile season on August 23 with a romp in Saratoga’s Spinaway Stakes. The 12 ¾ length win was another awesome performance of raw speed and talent. Final time for the six panels was 1:08 3/5. In her first five races she had not only won by an average of more than nine lengths, but her running times were faster than juvenile fillies were supposed to run. Anticipated dates in the big fall races, the Frizette Stakes, and the Champagne Stakes, in which she would face the colts, had to be scrapped when on the morning of the Frizette, Ruffian spiked a fever. Soon after, a hairline fracture was discovered in her right hind pastern, ending her remarkable two-year old season.

During the winter Ruffian was awarded with the Eclipse Award as the Champion Juvenile Filly. Her popularity soared as fans wondered what she might do at three. Even her veteran trainer added fuel to her growing legend, saying that she was the best horse he had ever seen. As in ’74, Ruffian would make the trip to Belmont Park in April to begin her second season.

On April 13, 1975, Ruffian displayed her readiness for her sophomore debut with a three furlong blowout in :33 4/5. Later that day Whiteley called an audible and entered his star in an allowance race the following afternoon. Back on her for the first time since the previous summer, rider Jacinto Vasquez must have liked what he felt as he kept her under wraps to win handily in the slow for Ruffian time of 1:09 2/5. It would prove to be the only instance where her final time did not set or equal a record. Two weeks later saw the big, dark filly sent to post at 1-20 odds in the Comely Staks. Despite breaking a beat slow, she rolled to the lead as usual and coasted home by nearly eight lengths in 1:21 1/5 for the seven furlongs.

Three days later, Vasquez would win his first Kentucky Derby aboard the juvenile champion Foolish Pleasure. Resisting temptation to run his superstar in the Triple Crown, Whiteley kept her in New York for the filly triple crown. It was in those series of races that Ruffian would have her first opportunity to stretch her speed, and I would have my only two opportunities to see Ruffian run in person. I remember those days, at my young age, for only one reason. Her name was Ruffian and she was something special.

First came the one mile Acorn, and I had stars in my eyes as Ruffian was allowed to relax a bit more than usual in the first quarter before turning on the afterburners through splits of :45 3/5 and 1:09 3/5 to effectively dash the hopes of her overmatched opponents. At the wire, she was more than eight lengths clear despite the hand ride. I was just one of many admiring fans that left the Acorn in awe of a true champion. The Mother Goose also at Aqueduct was leg two, and I remember watching this one on TV. After the Acorn, I was now a huge fan and could not wait to see her run again on Channel 9. Proving that distance was not going to stop her, Ruffian ran easily her slowest early fractions to date. It did not matter as she still led at every pole, and when the real running began, Ruffian dusted her grade 1 competition as if they were standing still. She won the second leg of the filly triple crown by 13 ½ lengths in an excellent final time of 1:47 4/5, and again in hand. Nine up, nine down easily, there could be no doubt that she was as great as any filly that America had ever seen.

The final leg, the Coaching Club American Oaks back at Belmont, would offer a new challenge in the testing distance of 12 furlongs. Whitely told Vasquez to rate Ruffian, and he did, letting her lope along in moderate fractions, and even letting another filly, named Equal Change get rather close to the mighty Ruffian. Vasquez never looked to come close to the bottom of the tank as Ruffian cruised 2 ¾ lengths clear. In so doing, she tied the stakes record of 2:27 4/5. I saw her that day for the last time, and could not have been more happy for the experience. She was now an undefeated filly triple crown winner and a perfect ten for ten. New challenges were pondered for Ruffian.

The New York Racing Association looked to create something special for the special filly and came up with a “Race of Champions” that would pit her against the winners of the Derby, Preakness, and Belmont. Foolish Pleasure had been narrowly upset in both the Preakness, by Master Derby, and the Belmont by Avatar. When the Californian, Avatar passed on the opportunity, it was decided to drop Master Derby, and make it a match race between the two champions.

There was no doubt that these were the two best three-year-olds in the country. The contest created mass appeal to the public. It was man against woman in a time women were making big strides for equal rights. Ruffian was their champion and the great match race was set. I watched with my family on our black and white Zenith television set. It seemed like the entire nation was watching that day. Both champions broke cleanly, and it was immediately clear that Foolish Pleasure was geared to go with the filly early no matter how fast. The two horses ran in near tandem through a blazing first quarter of :22 1/5. Ruffian was just starting to open up a bit of an advantage when the too tragic to be believed happened. Ruffian had broken down. Foolish Pleasure finished the 1 ¼ mile match race alone, but all eyes were on the backstretch. The unthinkable had happened. I was only six, but I grasped the horror of the situation.

Ruffian was fit with a cast, anesthetized, and operated on that night. After awakening from the surgery, the filly who was so fast, and so talented, and so brave, simply would not be restrained. Ruffian thrashed, and injured herself again. There was nothing left to do but to put the great filly out of pain. Her death was the headline of all newscasts and papers. Ruffian was gone; America was in mourning. She was buried the evening after the match race at Belmont Park, the place where her magnificent career had both begun and ended. Today is the eve of the 36-year anniversary of the match race. Thinking of it still makes me sad. She was too fast to live, but far too young to die. I remember you Ruffian.