Ruffian Handicap
| Grade II race | |
| Location |
Belmont Park New York, United States |
|---|---|
| Inaugurated | 1976 |
| Race type | Thoroughbred - Flat racing |
| Website | www.nyra.com |
| Race information | |
| Distance | 1 mile |
| Surface | Dirt |
| Track | Left-handed |
| Qualification | Fillies & Mares, 4-years-old & up |
| Weight | Weight-for-Age |
| Purse | $250,000 |
The Ruffian Handicap is an Grade II American thoroughbred horse race for fillies and mares ages three-years-old and up run over a distance of 1 mile on a dirt track at Belmont Park, formerly at Aqueduct Racecourse and Saratoga Race Course.
The race is named in honor of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame filly, Ruffian.
Sky Beauty won this race in 1994 with 130 pounds, 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 due to the September 11th terrorist attacks.
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.
In 2014, the Ruffian was moved back to Belmont Park, where it was run on the undercard of the Man o' War Stakes on Mother's Day. Fiftyshadesofhay won the race, giving John Velazquez his sixth win in the race.
Previously the race was held 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. The 2013 running was held at Aqueduct Racecourse and then returned to Belmont Park in 2014.
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