Ruffian Handicap
The Ruffian Handicap is an American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares ages three-years-old and up run annually on the first Sunday in August at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York; until 2009 it had been run at the beginning of September at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. Raced over a distance of 11/8 miles on a dirt track, it is a Grade I event currently offering a purse of $250,000.
The race is named in honor of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Ruffian.
Inaugurated in 1976 at 1-1/4 miles, from 1977 to 1989 it was raced at 1-1/8 miles then in 1990 it was changed to its present 11/16 of a mile distance.
Sky Beauty won this race in 1994, Bayakoa won it in 1989, and Lady's Secret won it twice, in 1985 and 1986, after which she was awarded the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year. The second filly to win the Kentucky Derby, Genuine Risk won it in 1980. The 2001 running of the Ruffian Handicap was cancelled in observance of the September 11th terrorist attacks. The Ruffian is one of several "win and you're in" races for the Breeders' Cup; the winner is automatically entered into the Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic.
In 2010 the Ruffian was moved to Saratoga Race Course where it is held in the first Sunday in August. Malibu Prayer won the first edition of the race to be held at Saratoga.
Saratoga Race Course Graded Stakes Races
Horse Betting News
-
Horse Racing Results
Graded stakes horse racing results & video race replays. Watching race replays is an invaluable handicapping tool for horse betting. -
2021 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita Park
Richard Mandella trained Tizamagician heads field of five in the Grade 3, $100,000 Tokyo City Cup at Santa Anita Park on Sunday, April 18. -
2021 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Brickyard Ridealong with Bob Bafferts Ax Man, head the Grade 3, $100,000 Kona Gold Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Sunday, April 18. -
2021 Doubledogdare Stakes at Keeneland
Speech heads field of seven and will take on Eres Tu in the Grade 3, $100,000 race on Friday, April 16 at Keeneland. -
2021 Elkhorn Stakes Contenders & Odds
Trainer Bill Mott Seeks His Third Elkhorn Victory the 36th running of the Grade 2, $200,000 race on Saturday, April 17 at Keeneland. -
2021 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita
Field, Odds and analysis for the Grade 2, $200,000 Californian Stakes at Santa Anita Park on Saturday, April 17. -
2021 Lexington Stakes Field & Odds
The last Kentucky Derby points up are for grabs in the 39th running of the Grade 3, $200,000 Lexington Stakes on Saturday, April 10 at Keeneland. -
2021 Jenny Wiley Stakes Contenders & Odds
Preview the field and odds for the 33rd running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Jenny Wiley Stakes on Saturday, April 10 at Keeneland. -
2021 Top Flight Invitational Field & Odds at Aqueduct
Preview the contenders and odds for the 80th running of the $100,000 Top Flight Invitational at Aqueduct on Saturday, April 10.