Ruffian (horse) mother Shenanigans
Background
Ruffian was foaled on April 17, 1972, at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky. She was bred by Stuart S. Janney Jr. and Barbara Phipps Janney, owners of Locust Hill Farm in Glyndon, Maryland. Janney, a cousin of prominent horseman Ogden Mills Phipps, later became the chairman of the Bessemer Trust. Ruffian was sired by Reviewer, a son of the Phipps family's great sire Bold Ruler, and out of the Native Dancer mare Shenanigans. She was trained by Frank Y. Whiteley Jr.Ruffian was a dark bay filly, often described as black or near-black. She stood 16.2 hands (66 inches, 168 cm) high, then considered quite large for a filly. Sportswriter Joe Hirsch called her the most imposing juvenile filly he'd ever seen. William Nack, author of Ruffian: A Racetrack Romance, wrote, "She looked like an outside linebacker." Ruffian used her early speed, size and strength to intimidate competition.Aftermath
Ruffian's breakdown and death led to a public outcry for more humane treatment of racehorses. As it is natural for horses to thrash and kick when coming out of anesthesia, a "recovery pool" was developed so that they awaken suspended in warm water and don't re-injure themselves. Medications such as corticosteroids for inflammation and pain management came into common use. However, while helping the horses in the short term, the increased use of medications at the track had a disadvantage, as many more horses were raced while injured. The average number of starts per year steadily declined, though this may also be attributable to economic factors.Ruffian's breeding may be considered at least partly to blame for her broken leg; her sire, Reviewer, suffered three breakdowns in his racing career. After his fourth and last breakdown, which occurred while in his paddock, he had to be euthanized after surgery. Shenanigans, Ruffian's dam, was euthanized following intestinal surgery on May 21, 1977, when she broke two legs while recovering from anesthetic. Ruffian's damsire, Native Dancer, is considered by some to be the purveyor of "soft boned" genetics, primarily through his brilliant but unsound son Raise a Native. Inbreeding to Raise a Native may have been a factor in the later breakdown of Eight Belles.Later research by Susan Stover showed that catastrophic breakdowns were most often preceded by smaller stress fractures, though the fracture Ruffian experienced as a two-year-old was in a different leg. To help prevent similar tragedies, the industry has directed research into improved early detection, surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods.Breeding
Ruffian was by Reviewer, a talented racehorse who was injured in each of the three seasons he raced. In a short career at stud, he sired two outstanding fillies, Ruffian and Revidere, but failed to sire a son capable of continuing his line.Ruffian's dam Shenanigans earned three wins in 22 starts for the Janneys, then became an outstanding broodmare. In addition to Ruffian, Shenanigans produced graded stakes winner and important sire Icecapade, the talented filly Laughter, who went on to become a producer of several stakes winners, and Buckfinder, another stakes winner and good sire. Shenanigans was named the 1975 Kentucky Broodmare of the Year.
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