Rating: 
Summary: An intimate story of one of racing's dark stars
Review: "The filly with the perfect record; the coal-black daughter of Reviewer and Shenanigans; the speedball, the beauty, the female, the freak."
An excellent epitaph for one of the 20th Century's greatest horses.
"Ruffian: Burning From The Start," by Jane Schwartz, is the sort of book that cries out to be made into a movie, for it is written so clearly, so cleanly, and with such genuine emotion, that it is impossible not to visualize each scene as you read. Nor is it a book that goes for cheap sentiment. Ruffian's story contains all it needs of triumph, joy, and heartbreak.
Ruffian came out of a stellar bloodline, with Native Dancer and Bold Ruler for grandsires; her sire Reviewer was considered Bold Ruler's second-fastest son, right behind Secretariat. Ruffian herself was extraordinary, a freakishly large, near-black filly with an unearthly stride and speed and the drive to run. Trained by Frank Whiteley, Ruffian was named Filly of the Year in 1974 and swept the Filly Triple Crown in 1975, becoming only the fourth filly in history to do so. She was a legend in her own time, a horse who met or broke speed records, broke the hearts of competitors, and won the hearts of all who saw her through her beauty, her amazing swiftness, her competitor's spirit, and her composure.
And then in 1975, in a match race with Kentucky Derby champion Foolish Pleasure, Ruffian broke the hearts of many when she broke her leg and had to be destroyed.
Schwartz blends the details of the match race with the events in Ruffian's life--her startling debut, her uncanny speed at the track, and her rise to becoming the consummate racehorse. She portrays the devotion both Whiteley and Jacinto Vasquez, Ruffian's regular jockey, felt for her, the prideful affection that stablehands like "Squeaky" Truesdale and Dan Williams felt for her. And she foreshadows the outcome of the match race with details, such as Ruffian's tiny feet and delicate bones, that send chills up the reader's spine.
The description of Ruffian's breakdown is emotionally harrowing, and the chapter remains taut to the moment when Ruffian is mercifully put down. While Schwartz does resort to a device to depict Ruffian's end, it works because it depicts her death as the humane act that it was.
If Hollywood could option the excellent "Seabiscuit" for a movie, it could certainly do the same for "Ruffian." Her story was tragic, but her life was a blazing round of glory, and it deserves to be told once more.
Rating:
Summary: Touching
Review: A really touching story, really grabs you. Tells the story of huge hearted horse that shows what girls are really made of. This book deserves 100%, Ruffian deserves no less.
Rating: 
Summary: Wonderfrul story
Review: After reading Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit, the writing style of this book paled in comparison, but oh what an wonderful story nonetheless. Ruffian's lightening speed frightened those closest to her; trainer, owner and jockey. For those who love a good true horse story of a thoroughbred filly who is faster than the "jocks" I highly recommend this book!
Rating:
Summary: Reality for Racehorses
Review: As a Thoroughbred owner I have been facinated by the racing world and all of its stars from Man O' War to our newest star Smarty Jones. But I have to say Ruffian is my all time sentimental favorite.I can remember watching the match race between Ruffian and the colt Foolish Pleasure. It was a time for women's lib and Billie Jean King vs. Bobby Riggs. I always wanted the girls to win!! But tragically Ruffian paid the price in front of our own eyes. I can remember crying for weeks after watching her beautiful black body fall. My heart was broken for years! This book is truly a magnificent tribute to one of racing's greatest heros, a big black filly named Ruffian. It reads much more emotionally than other tribute books currently on the market and will stay with you for years. Reading about Ruffian's will to keep running even with two broken legs will rip your heart out! Make sure you buy some stock in Kleenex before you begin this emotional memoir.
Rating:
Summary: an emotional, in-depth look at one of racing's greatest
Review: Back in 1975, racing fans and non-fans alike were mesmerized by the Great Match Race, the boy vs. girl angle of the Ruffian vs. Foolish Pleasure match race. Here were the champion two-year olds of 1974 matched up together, the filly a black giant of a horse, the colt the Kentucky Derby winner. Tragically, the race didn't end with a clear-cut winner. "Ruffian- Burning from the Start" gives you the background story of the great Ruffian, arguably the finest Thoroughbred filly to ever grace a racetrack. She was never headed on the track, and as the title says, she was burning to run from the time the gates opened. This book gives you a glimpse into the rich world of Thoroughbreds owners and breeders, and a glimpse into the mind of a great trainer, Frank Whitely, who also trained three-time Horse of the Year, Forego. The author not only gives you some insight into racing, she takes you to the racetrack and makes the sights and sounds come alive. She breathes life into the story of Ruffian and the final chapter will have you reaching for your hanky. I heartily recommend this book for any fan of horses, or of horse racing, or Thoroughbreds.
Rating:
Summary: (4.5) A touching tribute to one of racing's greatest fillies
Review: Born in the spring of 1972, Ruffian was one of the greatest fillies the Thoroughbred racing world has ever known. Her size (she was larger than most fillies, and as a yearling had a girth greater than Secretariat's at the same age) and her effortless, ground-eating stride made the nearly black daughter of Reviewer (by Bold Ruler) and Shenanigans an imposing figure on the track. She broke her maiden the first time out, obliterating the field with a 15-length lead. Ruffian went on to win each one of her next nine races over the course of her two- and three-year-old seasons, making her ten for ten by the time she was to face the colt Foolish Pleasure (1975 Kentucky Derby winner) in one of history's most highly publicized match races. Unfortunately, no one would ever know who was the greater horse - Ruffian broke down during the race, her right foreleg shattered to pieces. She was half a length in front when the leg snapped. Though her chances were incredibly slim, veterinarians operated on the filly throughout the night on the faint hope that they might be able to save her. It was not to be, however. The surgery was a failure, and Ruffian was put down, at only three years of age. This book is an excellent, moving account of this great filly's brief, success-filled career, and her tragic death. Schwartz writes in a narrative style, drawing on information from her research and numerous interviews with Ruffian's "inner circle" of humans. In preparation for the book, she spoke with trainer Frank Whiteley Jr., jockeys Jacinto Vasquez and Vince Braciale Jr., exercise riders John "Squeaky" Truesdale and Yates Kennedy, groom Minnor Massey, and many others. The book contains a wealth of information about the filly, presented in a simple, easy-to-read language. My only criticism of the book (and it is a minor one) is its organization. Schwartz has divided the book into five parts, each one containing several chapters. At the beginning of each section, the story jumps ahead to the great Match Race for a chapter, and then jumps back to talk about Ruffian's earlier life and career, and so on back and forth. This can be confusing at times, and it would have been better, I believe, to write the story in purely chronological order. The interspersion of chapters dealing with the fateful match race do give the book a sense of tension and impending doom, which I think is what Schwartz was trying to do, but the effect could still have been achieved by writing in a linear fashion. As it is, the last twelve chapters of the book are dedicated to Ruffian's final race, and the chapters stuck in earlier could easily have been included at the end instead. On the whole, however, this is an excellent book. It is well-researched, well-written, and well-editted. The writing is easy to read (I finished the book in a little over a day), yet remains detailed and emotional. The reader can really feel for this great filly - exhilaration with her triumphs and heartbreak at her premature breakdown and death. Eight black and white photos of Ruffian are included at the end, showing her in various stages of work and repose with the people that were closest to her. This book does Ruffian the highest justice, and I would recommend it to any horse racing enthusiast.
Rating:
Summary: Very few books can move a person to tears....
Review: but this one did. I have always loved horses and horse racing, I wrote a report on Ruffian when I was 14, and have always found her tale a tragic one, never have a read a story as compelling as this tale. If you loved Seabiscuit, heck, even if you barely made it through reading it read this book, it is an infinitly better book. The tale is better and the writing much easier to read. They should have honestly turned this tale into a movie rather than seabiscuits.
Rating:
Summary: ... more than 5 stars !
Review: Compared to the Legends book about Ruffian this earns more than 5 stars !! It is personal, touching (prepare lots of kleenex) and written nin a good style. If you love horses and are not afraid to weep like a child: buy it at once.
Rating:
Summary: An experience of exhiliration, reflection and tragedy.
Review: Difficult to read as the book unfolds because the ending is known but the personification of Ruffian holds one to the text. The author creates an historical flow and does not bog down in intricacies. A complex tapestry of the fraility of human personality and decision-making, causes the reader to ponder the "if" question. The book appears to be very honest in its approach to the people involved, the surly part of horse racing and tragedy itself. Ruffian's last night will be poignantly imaged in the reader's memory. The injury, subsequent failed surgery and eventual death are graphic but tastefully portrayed. A difficult belnd for any author. Top notch - just wish I could find a hard back copy.
Rating:
Summary: What more is there to say?
Review: Everyone has already said all there is to say about this book... I had found out about Ruffian through a little tid-bit story, and I fell in love. I searched all over the internet for her, and began learning all there was to know. I bought some videos of her races (you can't be a complete fan without having actually seen her race), but i didn't have the Ruffian: Burning From The Start yet. I finally got it this year, in August, for my birthday. I finished reading it for the 3rd time today, and for the third time, I had tears brimming throughout the book. Especially at the beginning, when you read about the innocent baby and you think about how this innocent baby is going to die in 3 years. "Ruffian: Burning From The Start" is one of my favorite books, right next to Lord Of The Rings. All thats left now is for Gary Ross to make a movie about her story as well. Then those who don't like reading can learn her story too, and they can experience the tears many have shed for her.
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