Barbaro, Smarty Jones & Ruffian

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Barbaro, Smarty Jones and Ruffian: The People’s Horses is a 2008 non-fiction book by Linda Hanna. It uses three beloved Thoroughbreds to show what horse racing is really about. The author interviews owners, trainers, jockeys, vets, and others to explain breeding, training, and racing in a way that fans can understand. The book invites readers to see the sport through a fan’s eyes and to appreciate its history and drama.

Ruffian’s story opens the book, highlighting her speed and the magic of her early career at Belmont Park. It also covers her tragic breakdown in The Great Match Race of 1975, with new insights from her trainer, Frank Y. Whiteley Jr., about the race and what followed.

Smarty Jones is featured as he captured America’s imagination with a bid for the Triple Crown in 2004. The book explores racing in Pennsylvania and the “Smarty Effect,” offering details about his brief career and his controversial retirement. The introduction by Smarty Jones’s owner, Patricia L. Chapman, reflects on both the sport’s bright moments and its challenges, and calls for greater horse rescue and responsibility. A portion of the book’s proceeds goes to The Kentucky Equine Humane Center to support horse rescue.

Barbaro’s 2006 Preakness Stakes injury is examined in depth, including his care at New Bolton Center, the extensive media presence, and the large, devoted fan base that followed his fight to survive and his death in January 2007. The book’s final “Legacy” section discusses important racing topics such as horse injuries, pedigrees, anti-slaughter efforts, rescue work, and the lasting impact of Barbaro, Smarty Jones, and Ruffian. The closing note includes praise from Pennsylvania Governor Edward Rendell for the enduring careers of these three horses.