The Exciting, The Inspirational, The Tragic

A painting of Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure during the Match Race

What is a match race? A match race is a race between two competitors. In horse racing, match races are extremely rare. Only the best of the best horses compete in match races. Three of the most famous match include Man O' War vs. Sir Barton, Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral, and Ruffian vs. Foolish Pleasure. The race between Man O' War and Sir Barton was the first match race. Seabiscuit was the underdog in his race vs. War Admiral. Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure's race was to see who was better; female or male? Man O' War is a legend. Out of his racing career he won 20 out of 21 starts. His last race was a match race againist the champion older horse Sir Barton. The match race was scheduled for October 12, 1920. This was the first match race. The race was no contest. Man O' War was in front the whole race. He defeated Sir Barton by 7 lengths. The match race was Man O' War's final race before retiring to stud. This race is famous because it is the very first match race in America. 

During the Great Depression, there was one thing many people had faith in. They had faith in a little bay horse named Seabiscuit. He was a horse that needed a chance to prove himself. Seabiscuit's first trainers were cruel because when they would train and race him they would continually hit him with the whip. When Seabiscuit came to Charles Howard (owner), Tom Smith (trainer), and Red Pollard (jockey) he became a champion. Seabiscuit was liked by the people because he gave them hope. He was a horse that was tossed aside and now that he was given a chance he is a champion. In the match race againist him and War Admiral, Seabiscuit was called the underdog. He was a horse of unusual breeding. War Admiral had royal bloodlines. War Admiral was a winner of The Triple Crown. A match race was scheduled between these two horses on November 1, 1938. War Admiral's owner, Samuel Riddle, discussed the terms the race would be run under. First, there was to be a walk up start (no starting gate). Second, Riddle wanted it ran at War Admiral's home turf, Belmont Park. Finally, Riddle wanted the race to be 1 and 3/16th miles long. Seabiscuit won the race by 4 lengths over the champion War Admiral. This match race would be called the Match of the Century. 

Ruffian and Foolish Pleasure's race does not have a happy ending. The hype up before the race was who was better female or male. The race was known as the "Equine Battle of the Sexes." Ruffian was a beautiful, tall, and black filly. She had never lost a race. She was the only undefeated 3 year old in the country. Foolish Pleasure was a sleek, stocky, and bay colt. He had only lost a few races and was considered to be one of the best colts in the country. The match race was held on July 6, 1975. The favorite was Ruffian. When the starting gate opens, both horses burst out of the gate. As Ruffian shoots out of the gate, she hits her shoulder onto the starting gate. As she presses onward, she leaned on her right foreleg (right front leg). Ruffian was in front the first quarter mile by a nose. After another furlong she was in front by half a length. When suddenly both her sesamoid bones burst out of her right foreleg. Ruffian's jockey tried to pull her up, but Ruffian's will to run was greater than her pain. Evetually, he had her pulled up. Her hoof was flopping aimlessly around as she walked. After the sesamoid bones burst out of her leg and she kept running, her bones were exposed to the sandy dirt track. Meanwhile, Foolish Pleasure galloped around the track alone. Ruffian was given medical attention immediately. The doctors had her at a nearby track veterinarian. She underwent surgery that lasted 3 hours. When she came out of the anesthesia wore off, she began to run; as if she had never broke down. The attendents supervising her couldn't get her to stop flailing her legs. As she kept running, the cast on her right foreleg, she smashed her elbow. There was nothing the doctors could do for her. She was humanely euthanized on July 7th, 1975. The only race Ruffian lost was the race that claimed her life. People say that when she broke down, she was in front. This was the last match race ever run. Match races started off on an exciting foot. Some races were even inspiring. Others were heartbreaking. Match races have had an interesting role in the sport of horse racing. During its short existence, some match races will be remebered as the exciting, the inspirational, and the tragic.