Although these horses are the same breed they did receive very different awards. Ruffian received the Eclipse award for Best Two …show more content…
During the Match race that Ruffian was in she snapped her front right sesamoid bone and ankle. “Ruffian stumbled as the colt rushed past. The great filly has broken down. The jockey fought to stop his mount, knowing that if she kept running she would go down. It was a desperate battle to pull up the filly, as she ran on the exposed bone, ripping ligaments" (Unofficial Thoughbred Hall of Fame). Eight belles injury was far worse than Ruffian's, Eight belles broke both her front ankles " When Eight Belles shattered both of her ankles as she pulled up past the finish line and galloped out around the clubhouse turn she obviously broke one ankle first, then snapped the other as she dug it in to support herself " (Nack). Ruffian was euthanized in a veterinary hospital while Eight Belles was euthanized on the church hill downs track, due to the extent of her