From Chapter 10: "Confidently Ridden" Veteran handicapper Kenny Noe Jr. had been unable to separate Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure when he assigned weights for the Experimental Free Handicap.

Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure was to race the incomparable Ruffian in a match race. Colt vs. filly. An equine battle of the sexes. Ruffian wasn't any filly. She defined brilliance.

Here is how The Post covered the Ruffian incident. JULY 6-7, 1975 Ruffian is dead. The horse widely heralded as the greatest filly and possibly the best thoroughbred of all time was destroyed ...

Ruffian will be buried privately tonight in the Belmont infield, the first horse to be so honored. Late today, after the racing program is over, a grave was to be dug across from the clubhouse ...

By Eduardo Medina The remains of Ruffian, the Hall of Fame racehorse whose triumphant run in the 1970s was tragically cut short by an injury in a notorious race that led to her being euthanized ...

Before Barbaro, of course, there was Ruffian. The superstar filly's breakdown during a July 1975 match race with Foolish Pleasure horrified a nation enthralled with Ruffian's undefeated record and ...