Navigation
Poll
If possible, which of the following match races between top horses would bring out the most fans and create the most excitement?
Curlin racing against Big Brown at a mile-and-a-quarter on a dirt track.
43%
Zenyatta racing against Curlin at a mile-and-an-eighth at Churchill Downs.
26%
Big Brown racing against Zenyatta at a mile-and-an-eighth at Belmont Park.
6%
Zarkava, 2008 Prix de I'Arc de Triomphe" winner, and Zenyatta, Breeders' Cup Distaff Winner at Santa Anita synthetic track.
26%
Total votes: 35
If Barbaro and Ruffian competed in a match race going the distance of 1-1/8th mile, who would win?
Barbaro would be the winner, no doubt about it.
40% (36 votes)
Ruffian would win the race, she was just too fast.
60% (53 votes)
Total votes: 89
Tournament Schedule
Newest Forum Topics
Most Active Topics
Horse Racing Totals
Last 20 Days
Total Horse Races: 1,823,508
Total Jockey Races: 481,023
Total Bettor Races: 247,025
Recently Active Members
There are currently 11 users and 15 guests online.
Comments
??
She was a little before my time but let's not get crazy here, Ruffian was a great female horse but.....Did she ever win a major stakes race vs top males?
. I think you will find this
. I think you will find this intresting . Ruffian's final race, took place at Belmont Park on July 6, 1975,That was was the match race between her and that year's Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure(A colt). The two horses at the time shared the same jockey, Jacinto Vasquez. Vasquez chose to ride Ruffian in the match race, believing she was better out right.
Food for thought
Tragedy and Image
I chose Ruffian for several reasons, but this opinion has more to do with Barbaro. His tragic breakdown in the Preakness has I think added to his image as a "great" horse but although we will never know, I doubt that he would have won that race with a clean trip. Tragedy has a way of enhancing an image beyond it's true indentity.
Quote
"Tragedy has a way of enhancing an image beyond it's true indentity."
Couldn't the same be said for Ruffian?
As far as the jockey picking Ruffian there are alot of other factors that come into play when picking a horse. Not to mention that Ruffian was Americas Sweetheart and the sentimental choice...
Barbaro vs Ruffian
Both horse's were in their own right a Champion.. For those who did not know Ruffian she was a Black diamond of a racehorse, who stood out not only in looks but when performing on the track. She won every Major race for female horse's at the time and did it with ease and conviction.
Barbaro too was a strong performer however, we will never get to know weather he would have gone on to perform and dominate in his lifetime; although the indications we were left with, do lead us to believe he would have.
We often raise our hero's in life beyond, what they have accomplished and in doing so, they become not only memories of greatness but greatness itself. That being said, both horse's should be remembered with love and affection, because they both in the short period of time; that were given, captured the Love and devotion of racing fans everywhere!
Chief_123
RUFFIAN
I just ran a couple of match races on the previous home version of this game .
Ruffian loses to Affirmed,Man Of War.,SEATTLE SLEW BY a nose and to SECRETARIAT by 4 L
She beat Conquistador Cielo,Seabiscuit,Ghostzapper and CITATION.
I dont know if Barbaro could have done that.
The races were 9 furlongs at Gulfstream .
Six ,two and even ...over and out
"Tragedy"
Yes of course the same can be said of Ruffian but the degree to which the image of Barbaro was raised is far more expansive than that of Ruffian. Also "sentimental" is the operative word for Barbaro isn't it? Not his ability but is tragic circumstances are remembered. We all handicap in our own way and of coure there are many factors in choosing a horse, thats obvious. I stand by my selection of Ruffian.
Both horses would win.
even if one came in first, they would both be true champions. Barbro, even if he lost, he would still be a champion. for his heart and bravery, and if Ruffian lost, she would win, because of her love for speed, and the guts. get what i'm saying?
Ruffian Vs. Barbaro
That was a very good comment that you wrote, and it does really make sense.
A race of that type can go any way and any way it goes both of them will still be recognised as true champions.
In my real opinion you can't realy say who would win because they both had different styles of running the race.
Barbaro
Barbaro is a hero and Ruffian is auwsome! Barbaro was undefeted and ran with heart and braveness. I think he would win, no doubt
Ruffian vs. The World
I remember "The Great Match Race". I was 11 @ the time. My father use to take me to Belmont and Aqueduct on Saturdays.Being raised in Nassau County, it was a nice easy ride. With an average attendence of 40 to 50 thousand was common. The previous Saturday they were giving out rather large buttons, one with Ruffian and another with Foolish Pleasure. I still have a few, a little rusty but brings back alot of memorys.
You can simulate all you want which is GREAT and alot of fun and alot cheaper too. The daunting memory of the her leg flapping in the wind and she was still trying to run. Talk about a racehorse. She was and is always will be one of the top 10 racehorses of ALL time..
What the biggest question that will never be answered.....The Outcome...If....What If...What a Big word. We will never know and I could only imagine what kind of time they would have run.
A true champion is ALWAYS on the lead. ALWAYS. She will always have a special place in all racefans heart.
Gary P. Jaeckel
The Vet
What daunts me the most about that fateful day @ Pimlico is what was the Vet looking at? The clouds? We know he was in a no win situation. Scratch him and he wouldn't have made it past the exists. Run him...........Well.
As with Ruffian, how do we descibe a champion? It's very hard to call any athelete that breaks down a TRUE champ. But these are such inbred animals and bred for Speed and we all know that speed kills!
For Barbaro to make it so far and not come through it is truely a tear jerker. As for the Vet (I think his name is Bramley), we should put him in a stall and everyone gets a good whipping to him. I would not like to have his concious. He know he did wrong. WHAT WAYS HE THINKING after Barbaro broke trough the gate.
GPJ
Vet
I think that the vet made the correct decision. It may have ended in tradgedy, but after Barbaro's injury, it was determined that his breaking through the gate early on wasn't instrumental in his injury.
That being said, I have to side with Ruffian. She was beyond dominant in all of her races, as was Barbaro, but I just have a gut feeling that she would've won the match race with Foolish Pleasure. Both horses have the heart and speed of a champion, and both captured the hearts of America, and I think that the latter is what really makes a racehorse a champion. Perhaps Barbaro's fateful struggle to survive made him seem so much braver, made things all the more epic, but to me, Ruffian showed more gameness and willingness to run. She died soon after her injury because she refused to slow down. I think that's the real heart of a champion. She wanted nothing more than speed.