Ruffian enters the track for the Match Race |
Foolish Pleasure in the winner's
circle after the Match Race |
THE MATCH RACE. On
the day following the tragic Match Race between the immortal Ruffian and the
great champion Foolish Pleasure the New York Daily News headline read
RUFFIAN DIES.
Foolish Pleasure never lost at a
distance of a mile and under and still won the Kentucky Derby. He was
a remarkable horse in his own right.
We will not see another one like Ruffian She led at
every point of call in everyone of her races. In those ten victories
she won from 5 furlongs to a mile and a half, setting or equaling stakes or
track records in 9 of her 10 starts, always running well within herself in
every race. If allowed to actually run, her performance record would
have been even more amazing. We never had the chance to see all that Ruffian
could actually do.
The sad ending of the match race provides us with a simple
message as spectators of this fantastic sport. Every start is precious
for a horse and when we see a great event it becomes part of our life. The
tragedy of the match race tells us to relish the legacy that the great ones
grant us with each trip to the post. |
