I think until this country runs boys and girls together it is hard to say. I think Ruffain is the best filly to ever hit the track. I love RA and Z and I saw Beholder blow away the boys…
Lucien Laurin was quoted as saying that Ruffian might have been better than Secretariat and definitely the best filly he had ever seen. He was in the game when Shuvee was running and who better to make an opinion. Ruffian broke track records in almost every start. The only reason she didn’t in the CCA was that Vasquez had a strong handle on her. She wouldn’t allow another horse to head her. The match race was also in 10 days as I recall. She won the filly triple crown races with an average 8 lengths. She was absoutely courageous. No filly ever compared at any distance. No one thought much of her in the beginning as a fat yearling filly she was nicknamed Sophie. Like Secretariat she proved everyone wrong.
[QUOTE=Sunsets;8694635]
So, where does Beholder fit in? And I guess the jury is still out on RA vs. Zenyatta in terms of reproducibility (though Rachel’s Valentina was looking pretty good there for a bit).[/QUOTE]
Hard to compare Z and RA IMO as RA will not be bred again as I understand it so her offspring will only be the two. Even if Rachel’s Valentina isn’t setting the world on fire, she’s better than anything Z has produced so far. Z’s offspring may continue to improve or the right cross just hasn’t happened yet.
I personally don’t like using ‘best’ as that implies, to me, just one and we’ve had so many talented females over the years… Ruffian, Zenyatta, Rachel’s Alexandra, Rags to Riches, Eight Bells, Beholder, Regret, and early in her career, Songbird.
I just know I love seeing a good filly go out and beat the boys 
I also love that Beholder hasn’t tossed in the towel in her own race career. She’s still running strong (and I understand that mares more than colts may just stop enjoying the game as they age).
Ruffian was also one of my favorites but there have been others as well.
Probably best filly of all time was Genuine Risk who got whipped in the face, otherwise she would have won 2 triple crown races.
But followed closely by Ruffian and Landaluce, both of whom died too young. I was working in Atlanta when a defense lawyer from my home town of Savannah who lived in Atlanta told me that D. Wayne Lucas had a very good filly who could win the triple crown. (Friend owned and ran his horses in Florida.) Landaluce died of some virus or infection before she could get to the triple crown.
Winning Colors and Rachel were also great. I do think that D. Wayne Lucas allowed the fillies to train as he did the colts so that the potential of the fillies was reached. Too many trainers treat the fillies differently from the colts.
And Rags deserves credit for winning the Belmont and defeating Curlin. I agree with others that until the fillies run against the colts in more races, we won’t know just how good they would have been or can be. I’ve always loved the fillies and would love to have one will the triple crown in my lifetime.
No mention of Black Caviar?
I have so many people on ignore (because of the political talk on Off Topic) so I may be redundant, but my 3 nominations are:
Black Caviar — undefeated in 25 races, including 15 GI’s.
Miesque: winner of 2x consecutive Breeders Cups distaff and dam of Kingmambo,
East of the Moon,
Miesque’s son,
and other GSW, plus several dams of GI horses.
Personal Ensign — undefeated in 13 races, beating the boys in the Whitney and beating Ky Derby winner, Winning Colors in the BC distaff.
And she won 11 of her 13 starts with 5 screws in her leg.
She was also an outstanding broodmare:
Miners Mark (GI winner)
Our Emblem (GI placed and sire of War Emblem
Traditionally (GI winner)
My Flag (winner of 4 GI races and dam of Storm Flag Flying)
IMO, these 3 deserve a ranking far above some of the other mares who have been mentioned.
This might be an old thread but it is timeless - and is a pleasure to re-live some of the all time greats.
Particularly admire the girls who raced against the boys.
LH, you brought up some good ones I’d forgotten.
You can also choose to view a single post of someone who’s on ignore if you wish
[QUOTE=ivy62;8694754]
I think until this country runs boys and girls together it is hard to say. I think Ruffain is the best filly to ever hit the track. I love RA and Z and I saw Beholder blow away the boys…[/QUOTE]
Here’s a good read. why no boy vs girl.
http://www.themontrealreview.com/2009/How-monopoly-took-over-a-sport.php
[QUOTE=Flying Fox;8696282]
Here’s a good read. why no boy vs girl.
http://www.themontrealreview.com/2009/How-monopoly-took-over-a-sport.php[/QUOTE]
I agree that it is bad for business. I think match races, even if not sexist, particularly in 21st century are bad marketing. Too many things can go wrong. When it does the fan reaction is exponential. Ruffian had no chance of surviving and yet the concern over fan uproar if she had been immediately put down was the driving force to do the surgery. Ruffian suffered terribly by all accounts. It was a nightmare. Thank god filly and mare owners like Rick Porter, who owned Eight Belles, are seeing that as he now races Songbird.
I know this thread is old, but if we’re considering the mare’s entire “body” of work (race career + foals), another I’d like to throw into the ring for consideration:
Numbered Account
The 1971 Eclipse Winning 2 year old filly. While she never raced against the boys, she had 14 stakes wins, with many of those races holding a G1 rating today. She only finished off the board 3 times in her career of 22 starts, setting stakes records and equaling track records set by the boys.
As a broodmare, she went on to produce:
*Private Account- MG1W, sire of Personal Ensign
*Dance Number- G1W, dam of 2 year old champion and sire Rhythm, sire Not For Love, G3 winner Get Lucky (who is the dam of Daydreaming, Girolamo, Accelerating and the 2nd dam of Bluegrass Cat, Super Saver, and Imagining and I’m probably missing more), winner Oscillate (dam of the sire Mutakddim, G1P Smooth Charmer, 2nd dam of Frost Giant, Sea Chanter, and many, many others)
*Polish Numbers- stakes placed Maryland Sire
*Secret Asset- sent to the UK where she produced several graded stakes horses and a whole international branch of the family that I am ill equipped to discuss
*Confidentiality- had no fillies, but produced G2 winner and South American sire Confidential Talk
Interesting to note, California Chrome’s dam, Love the Chase, has 3x3 inbreeding to Numbered Account, which some believe is why she was able to produce the way she did. It definitely gives Chrome a nod as a potential sire.
What a great topic! And some fabulous mares listed here - I agree with every single one. Ruffian, Kincsem, Black Caviar, Zenyatta, Rachal Alexandra, Rags To Riches, Genuine Risk, Go For Wand, Winning Colors, Lady’s Secret, Meisque, Goldikova, Landaluce, Regret, Pebbles - and many more stars that I can’t think of right off the top of my head, including harness mares.
There is one not included so far that I would offer up for consideration. Based on accomplishments, I would include Nellie Morse, who back in 1924 won the Black-Eyed Susan (Pimlico Oaks) and then the very next day won the Preakness States. Seems she had an affinity for the slop.
[QUOTE=Texarkana;8696606]
I know this thread is old, but if we’re considering the mare’s entire “body” of work (race career + foals), another I’d like to throw into the ring for consideration:
Numbered Account
The 1971 Eclipse Winning 2 year old filly. While she never raced against the boys, she had 14 stakes wins, with many of those races holding a G1 rating today. She only finished off the board 3 times in her career of 22 starts, setting stakes records and equaling track records set by the boys.
As a broodmare, she went on to produce:
*Private Account- MG1W, sire of Personal Ensign
*Dance Number- G1W, dam of 2 year old champion and sire Rhythm, sire Not For Love, G3 winner Get Lucky (who is the dam of Daydreaming, Girolamo, Accelerating and the 2nd dam of Bluegrass Cat, Super Saver, and Imagining and I’m probably missing more), winner Oscillate (dam of the sire Mutakddim, G1P Smooth Charmer, 2nd dam of Frost Giant, Sea Chanter, and many, many others)
*Polish Numbers- stakes placed Maryland Sire
*Secret Asset- sent to the UK where she produced several graded stakes horses and a whole international branch of the family that I am ill equipped to discuss
*Confidentiality- had no fillies, but produced G2 winner and South American sire Confidential Talk
Interesting to note, California Chrome’s dam, Love the Chase, has 3x3 inbreeding to Numbered Account, which some believe is why she was able to produce the way she did. It definitely gives Chrome a nod as a potential sire.[/QUOTE]
Nice racehorse, but better broodmare.
This thread was started before my time on the forum.
Surprised that Lady’s Secret didn’t make someone’s list, Horse of the Year in 86, Champion Older Mare in 86, elected to the hall of fame in 92. 45 starts, 25 wins, placed 11 times, over $3,000,000 in earnings. IMO one of the best if not the best racehorse Secretariat sired
It seems in Europe and in Australia if the filly is good they run her in the best races.
I like to see the best horses., After watching Beholder blow away the boys I hope more owners and trainers get the idea.
I’m gonna put in a vote for Rosalind. Yes, I know she wasn’t a Thoroughbred.
Doesn’t matter. She was a great race horse.
And Goldsmith Maid.
