Ruffian
“Champions live forever.”
Synopsis
Ruffian is an American made-for-television movie that tells the story of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Champion thoroughbred filly Ruffian who went undefeated until her death after breaking down in a nationally televised match race at Belmont Park on July 6, 1975 against the Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure. Made by ESPN Original Entertainment, the film is directed by Yves Simoneau and stars Sam Shepard as Ruffian's trainer, Frank Whiteley. The producers used four different geldings in the role of Ruffian. Locations for the 2007 film included Louisiana Downs in Shreveport, Louisiana and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Top Cast
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Sam Shepard
Frank Whiteley
Frank Whaley
Bill Nack
Laura Bailey
Cassie
Nicholas Pryor
Stuart Janney
Christine Belford
Barbara Janney
Mathew Greer
Dan Williams
Louis Herthum
Dr. Harthill
John McConnell
Tony Pappas
Michael Harding
LeRoy Jolley
Stuart Greer
Dan Lasater
Jon Stafford
Dr. Pendergrast
David Dwyer
Dick Sandler
Bill Flynn
Elder Reporter
Keith Flippen
Dinny Phipps
Jerry Leggio
Lucien Laurin
Vladimir Diaz
Jacinto Vásquez
Joel Santiago
Vincent Bracciale
Francisco Torres
Braulio Baeza
Release History & Theatrical Window
June 9, 2007
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Yves Simoneau
- Screenplay & Story
- Garrett K. Schiff, Jim Burnstein
- Original Score
- Lawrence Shragge
- Original Title
- Ruffian
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 29m
- Production Studios
- Orly Adelson Productions, ESPN Films, ABC
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Yves Simoneau
Garrett K. Schiff, Jim Burnstein
Lawrence Shragge
David Franco
Michael D. Ornstein
Orly Adelson, Gideon Amir, Robert J. Wilson
Department Leadership Roster
Yves Simoneau
Director
Garrett K. Schiff
Writer
Jim Burnstein
Writer
Kelly Curley
Production Design
Michael D. Ornstein
Editor
David Franco
Director of Photography
Mark Kolpack
Visual Effects Supervisor
Gideon Amir
Producer
Peggy Stamper
Costume Design
Robert J. Wilson
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Ruffian.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ruffian
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Ruffian about?
Ruffian is an American made-for-television movie that tells the story of the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame Champion thoroughbred filly Ruffian who went undefeated until her death after breaking down in a nationally televised match race at Belmont Park on July 6, 1975 against the Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure. Made by ESPN Original Entertainment, the film is directed by Yves Simoneau and stars Sam Shepard as Ruffian's trainer, Frank Whiteley. The producers used four different geldings in the role of Ruffian. Locations for the 2007 film included Louisiana Downs in Shreveport, Louisiana and Belmont Park in Elmont, New York.
Who directed Ruffian?
Ruffian was directed by Yves Simoneau.
Who stars in Ruffian?
The principal cast of Ruffian includes Sam Shepard, Frank Whaley, Laura Bailey, Nicholas Pryor, Christine Belford.
When was Ruffian released and how long is it?
Ruffian was released in 2007 with a total runtime of 1h 29m.
Who composed the musical score for Ruffian?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Ruffian was composed by Lawrence Shragge.