The Ruffian Syndrome
The world was at a crossroads in the mid-seventies. The Vietnam War had recently drawn to a close, leaving a trail of wounded spirits and a fractured sense of purpose in its wake. The civil rights movement, feminism, and countercultural revolutions of the previous decade had reshaped society. Richard Nixon had been forced to resign as president of the United States. The cracks and contradictions of progress were visible everywhere. Against this backdrop of shifting ideals and growing disenchantment, horse racing remained an island of tradition. Rooted in centuries-old customs, it celebrated lineage and speed, often at the cost of the very animals it revered. The Thoroughbred, with its noble bearing and unparalleled athleticism, symbolized both the height of human ambition and the depths of human contradiction.
In 1975, the tragedy of Ruffian cast a long shadow over the sport. Ruffian, the near-mythical filly, represented everything people loved about racing: beauty, power, and the thrill of unrelenting speed. But her catastrophic breakdown during a nationally televised match race against the Kentucky Derby winner Foolish Pleasure exposed the fragility behind the facade of glory. The incident forced a reckoning in the racing world, sparking debates about ethics, animal welfare, and the balance between tradition and progress. For many, Ruffian’s story became a symbol of both the sport’s grandeur and darker undercurrents. Yet the health of racing at minor tracks survived another decade or so until other major sports venues and off-track betting usurped much of its fan base.
Against this historical and cultural canvas unfolds the story of The Ruffian Syndrome. This is a novel about reconciliation, legacy, and the unrelenting passage of time. It is a tale of two people, Danielle “Danni” O’Neill and Richard “Ricky” O’Hare, whose lives were shaped by the era and a shared moment of tragedy they had witnessed at Longacres racetrack. Nearly five decades later, their reunion sparks a journey of rediscovery—not only of the fears, and wounds they have carried through intervening years, but of fond memories that reignite a shared dream.
338 pages
5 3/4 inches by 8 1/4 inches
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