Ruthless

Ruthless (1864–1876) was an American Thoroughbred filly and a National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame-inducted racehorse. She is best known as the winner of the inaugural Belmont Stakes. Early life Owned and bred by Francis Morris of New York, and was foaled on Morris's farm at Throgg's Neck, New York. Ruthless was sired by the imported stallion Eclipse (born 1855) and out of the imported mare Barbarity who also produced several other award-winning daughters collectively known as the "Barbarous Battalion". The other "Battalion" members, all full sisters, were Remorseless, Relentless, Regardless, and Merciless. Barbarity was an 1854 bay mare sired by Simoon and her dam was named Dam who was sired by Buzzard, Eclipse was sired by Orlando and out of the mare Gaze by Bay Middleton. and was imported at the same time as Eclipse. Racing career As a two-year-old, Ruthless won the Nursery Stakes in 1866. This was the inaugural running of the race, which took place at Jerome Park Racetrack and was a race restricted to two-year-olds. Her jockey was Davidson and she carried for the win. Second place was Maid of Honor and third was Monday. The value to the winner was $2,450 (approximately $ as of ) and the winning time was 1 minute 49 seconds. She won by six lengths, and the correspondent for The New York Times commented that she finished the race "galloping along as if she was at exercise".