08/27/2026
𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 20 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔, 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝑪𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒚 𝒐𝒇 𝑶𝒍𝒅 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒔. 𝑰𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒊𝒕, 𝒘𝒆’𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝑹𝒊𝒄𝒌’𝒔 𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒕𝒐𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒉𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑𝒆𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒎 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒅.
Ruhlmann
- Bay Stallion
- Foaled: April 22, 1985 - Kentucky
- Bred by: North Ridge Farm
- Pedigree: Mr. Leader x Indian Maiden
- Race Record: 27 Starts 1987-1990; 10 wins and $1,824,154 earned.
- Claim to Fame: Won Santa Anita Handicap (G1), Mervyn LeRoy Handicap (G1), San Bernardino Handicap (G2)- twice, Jamaica Handicap (G2), Native Diver Stakes (G3), El Camino Real Derby (G3), Viking Spirit Stakes
- At Stud: 1991 – 1991 Cardiff Stud Farm, California; 1996 – 2000 Payson Stud, Kentucky; 2001 - 2004 Fox Hollow Farm, Texas
- At Old Friends: Retired in 2004
- In Memoriam: 2008
𝙄𝙣 𝙍𝙞𝙘𝙠’𝙨 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙙𝙨 (𝙃𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙤𝙛 𝙊𝙡𝙙 𝙁𝙧𝙞𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨):
Although Ruhlmann is officially registered as a dark brown/brown Thoroughbred, everyone at Old Friends considered him to be black – Old Friends “Black Beauty”. Ruhlmann was also the first big name Grade-One stakes-winning stallion to be retired to Old Friends, thanks to owners Jerry and Ann Moss, who not only became good friends with Michael and became two of Michael’s biggest supporters over the years ever since – both in horses and a donations, but also helped give Old Friends some much needed recognition and exposure because of their generosity. This helped Michael in getting donations and horses ever since.
[Arriving at Old Friends] Ruhlmann was a little hard to handle. But as Michael had learned over the years, if you treat a horse right, if you allow him or her to be the boss and just listen to what they are trying to tell you then in time, even the most grizzled Thoroughbred will finally allow you to work with him or her. The horse will also learn what retirement is all about and will start to relax, settle down and enjoy his days on the farm.
𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙚𝙡 𝙍𝙚𝙢𝙚𝙢𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙨 (2017):
Ruhlmann, when he raced, raced primarily out in California. When he went to stud, he stood at a farm in California. From there, he went to a farm in South Texas right near the Rio Grande River so, when he came to Kentucky, he had never seen snow before.
So, that first winter he was here, here was this big black horse standing in his paddock. Then a few snowflakes started coming out of the sky and he started freaking out. He really started going berserk. And I was out there because it was the first snowfall and I wanted to get some pictures.
So he was running around like crazy because he was afraid of snowflakes. Then, very slowly, he stopped and looked around. The snow is coming down a little heavier now and starting to accumulate a little bit on the ground. He started to move his neck around like, “This is not too bad.” Then he got down and started to roll in it, and he just had a ball. He thought it was the greatest thing. The snow felt so good on his back.
It was so neat to see in terms of how excited he was and how beautiful he was as he was all black and rolling around in the white snow. Every once in a while, you see these great moments of joy that these horses express, and it’s truly amazing.
