Ruthless (horse)

Thoroughbred racehorse infobox
horsename = Ruthless


caption =
sire = Eclipse
grandsire = Orlando
dam = Barbarity
damsire = Simroom
sex = Filly
foaled = 1864
country = United States flagicon|USA
colour = Bay
owner = Francis Morris
breeder = Francis Morris
trainer = A. J. Minor
record = 11: 7-4-0
earnings = $11,000
race = Nursery Stakes (1866)
Travers Stakes (1867)

American Classic Race wins:
Belmont Stakes (1867)
awards=
honours = United States Racing Hall of Fame (1975)
Ruthless Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
updated= July 7, 2007

Ruthless (1864-1876) was an American thoroughbred filly Hall of Fame racehorse. Owned and bred by Francis Morris of New York, she was sired by the outstanding stallion Eclipse and out of the mare Barbarity who also produced several other award-winning daughters collectively known as the "Barbarous Battalion" The other "Battalion" members, all full sisters, were Remorseless, Relentless, Regardless, and Merciless.

1867 Belmont Stakes

On June 19, 1867, Ruthless beat out DeCourcey by a head over the old Jerome Park Racetrack to win the inaugural running of the Belmont Stakes. This course was an English style layout and had three turns instead of two due to a dip in the course and was at a distance of 1 mile run clock-wise instead of counter-clockwise as modern day races. The winner's share of the purse was $1,850 and the winning time was 3:05.

Since her victory, only two other fillies have won the Belmont Stakes. Tanya did it in 1905 and Rags to Riches in 2007.

1867 Travers Stakes

Later that summer, Ruthless went on to win the Travers Stakes again against colts but at the grueling distance of 1 3/4 miles. She did it in a time of 3:18.25 with jockey Gilbert Patrick aboard.

Ruthless Stakes

Run at Aqueduct Racetrack, and named in honor of Ruthless, this is a race for three-year-old fillies only, at a distance of six furlongs.

Following its formation, Ruthless was inducted in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 1975.

References

* [http://www.pedigreequery.com/ruthless Ruthless's pedigree and partial racing stats]
* [http://www.racingmuseum.org/hall/horse.asp?ID=129 Ruthless at the United States' National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame]