Rubiano (March 26, 1987 – November 19, 2002) was an American champion Thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Trained by Hall of Fame racehorse trainer, Scotty Schulhofer, Rubiano began his racing career as a three year old in 1990. He won three races that season and placed in several allowance races before finishing second in the G2 Jamaica Handicap, his first graded stakes appearance, although he struggled in his first G1 start in the NYRA Mile. Rubiano later established himself as a leading New York-based stakes horse in 1991. He won the G3 Westchester Handicap and earned his first G1 victory in the NYRA Mile at four.
In 1992 at five, Rubiano won the Westchester Handicap before winning the Carter Handicap, Tom Fool Stakes, and Forego Handicap. His victory in the Forego pushed his career earnings past $1 million and further cemented his reputation as one of the country's top sprinters. Later that year, he delivered another outstanding performance in the G1 Vosburgh Stakes, defeating the five other G1 winners in the race, including European champion sprinter and Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Sheikh Albadou and Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Fly So Free. Rubiano entered the 1992 Breeders' Cup Sprint as the favorite, where he again rallied from well off the pace and finished third behind Thirty Slews and Meafara. Following the race, Rubiano was retired. He won 13 of his 28 starts, including three G1 races.Rubiano won the NYRA Mile (now the Cigar Mile), the Carter Handicap, and the Vosburgh Stakes, all of which held G1 status at the time he won them. The Forego Handicap (now the Forego Stakes), was a G2 race at the time of his victory, though it was later promoted to G1 status in 2001 and remains one as of 2026.
His dominant 1992 season earned him the Eclipse Award for American Champion Sprint Horse.Throughout his career, Rubiano was also particularly known for his ability to close from behind with a powerful late finish. Hall of Fame jockey Julie Krone, who rode him that year, called Rubiano one of the best horses she's ever ridden. In 1993, he entered stud at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky, where he went on to achieve considerable success as a sire.
Background Rubiano was a powerful, well made, "near-white" gray (registered as roan) stallion, standing at approximately 15.3½ hands (161 centimeters tall), with a white stocking on his left leg bred by Third Kirsmith Racing Associates in Virginia, who had also owned his dam Ruby Slippers. Rubiano was known to have a bit of a fierce temperament; during races, he was described as being very competitive and having a habit of attempting to bite horses who crowded him.
He was later purchased for $650,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale by Centennial Farms. His sire, Fappiano, was a successful sire and a winner of the Metropolitan Handicap and Forego Handicap in 1981. Fappiano's other notable progeny include Cryptoclearance, Unbridled, Tasso and Quiet American.
His dam, Ruby Slippers, was by the 1970 English Triple Crown winner Nijinsky. She had won 5 of her 14 starts. Through Ruby Slippers, Rubiano was also a half brother to Tap Your Heels, who's best known as the dam of Tapit. Racing career
1990: three year old season Rubiano did not race as a two-year-old, instead debuting as three-year-old. Rubiano won a maiden race at Gulfstream Park on January 30 by four lengths. From March 2nd to September 26, he competed in seven different allowance races, winning 2 of the races and placing second in 3 of them.
Making his graded debut on October 20th, he placed second to Confidential Talk in the G2 Jamaica Handicap at Belmont Park. Rubiano had started leading late into the race before being caught in the final strides by the undefeated horse Confidential Talk, who had won his fourth consecutive race by a neck with a time of 1:35.60. Despite being overtaken for the win, Rubiano fought to hold second place by half a length over Sunshine Jimmy, the 9-10 favorite who rallied for third after a poor start.
He then entered his first G1 race on March 11th, the NYRA Mile at Aqueduct. In the race, Quiet American stayed in third place along the backstretch, just one length behind the leader, Norquestor. Around the far turn, jockey Chris McCarron urged the horse forward. Quiet American answered instantly, catching up to Norquestor on the outside and taking the lead at the start of the final stretch. Rubiano on the other hand, wasn't able to catch up to the rest of the horses in the final stretch, falling behind to finish dead last in 12th place. Quiet American won by five lengths in 1:32.80, tying Dispersal's winning time from the year before.
1991: four year old season On January 14, 1991, Rubiano made his first start as a four-year-old by winning an allowance race by a length at Gulfstream Park. Next, he entered the Donn Handicap on February 9th. The undefeated Jolie’s Halo took an early lead, pulling away to win by eight lengths in 1:47.2 for his fifth consecutive victory. Rubiano showed determination in the final stretch, making a late push and rallying between horses to improve his position but finished sixth. Sports View finished second, followed by Secret Hello, while the favored Rhythm struggled throughout the race to end up eighth.
In the Listed Broward Handicap on March 2nd, the race was won by Chief Honcho, who pulled away from the field in midstretch to defeat No Marker by 4½ lengths in 1:48.10. Barkada finished third, while the multiple-stakes winner Sports View was fourth. Rubiano, however, was unable to challenge the leaders and remained well back of the top four horses, finishing sixth place again. The jockey of Chief Honcho, Mike Smith, described the race as a "picture-perfect trip," saying he had little to do other than stay aboard. Trainer Bill Mott was also pleased with Chief Honcho's performance.
Rubiano won his first graded stakes victory the following month in the G3 Westchester Handicap at Belmont Park on the 29th in 1:34.94 by 1¾ lengths. Senor Speedy, who set the early pace, finished second, while Killer Diller was third. The favorite Profit Key, who placed fourth, never challenged. He continued to face good competition throughout the spring.
In the Carter Handicap on May 4, he finished fourth behind the winner Housebuster, the last year's sprint champion. Housebuster had defeated Black Tie Affair by 2 ½ lengths in 1:21.20. Rubiano raced near the front early but faded in the final stretch, finishing fourth. Senor Speedy also weakened late and finished sixth.
Later that month, on May 27, Rubiano faced Housebuster, Black Tie Affair, and Senor Speedy again in the Metropolitan Handicap. Rubiano turned in one of the more surprising performances of the Metropolitan Handicap, finishing second behind the Irish-bred, English-trained runner In Excess as a long shot at 243-10 odds. In Excess pulled away to win by more than two lengths in 1:35.40, while Rubiano finished another 1¾ lengths ahead of Gervazy in third. Housebuster, the 4-5 favorite, broke sharply and led for much of the mile, but he began to shorten his stride near the quarter pole and faded badly in the stretch to 8th place. As In Excess moved past him on the outside, Rubiano also surged forward to win second, while five other horses passed the tiring favorite. Gervazy held on for third, while Black Tie Affair faded to ninth and Senor Speedy, who had stayed in the middle of the field early, tired to finish 13th.
On July 13, Rubiano again finished second in the Tom Fool Handicap, a four-horse race won by Mr. Nasty. Rubiano, entering as the favorite at 4-5, was unable to overcome the sloppy conditions that heavily favored the winner, Mr. Nasty. The sloppy conditions played a major part in his victory, as Mr. Nasty had already shown a strong preference for muddy tracks, having won the Gravesend Handicap over a muddy Aqueduct course previously. In the race, Mr. Nasty took the lead immediately and remained in front from start to finish, covering the seven furlongs in 1:21.79 on the muddy outer track. Rubiano chased him closely from the inside rail, attempting to launch a challenge, but Mr. Nasty was never seriously threatened and held on comfortably for the victory. Among the two other racers were Senor Speedy, who had recently been racing on turf and entered the Tom Fool after finishing third and second in his previous two Belmont starts. He was unable to match either Mr. Nasty or Rubiano on this occasion, however, finishing third. Formal Dinner completed the field in fourth and never stood as a major challenge. The Tom Fool field had originally been larger, but morning rain forced Diablo, Double Negative, and Heady Days to scratch, leaving only the four horses to compete. Years later, Preciado still remembered the race as one of Mr. Nasty's most significant victories, recalling, "Mr. Nasty ran against the best horses in New York every time, He won the Tom Fool. He beat Rubiano."
Rubiano again encountered Housebuster and Senor Speedy in the Forego Handicap at Saratoga on August 25. Housebuster won the Forego Handicap by defeating the 32-1 outsider Senor Speedy by a nose, Senor Speedy had finished second, one length ahead of Clever Trevor, while Rubiano came home another two and a half lengths behind Clever Trevor in fourth. In the race, riding under Craig Perret, Housebuster set the pace from the start and quickly established himself at the front. He covered the opening half-mile in roughly 43.4 seconds while facing pressure from Clever Trevor, who stayed close to the front runners. Housebuster eventually shook off Clever Trevor and opened a two-length advantage entering the stretch. But Senor Speedy, who had been well back early and was still fifth after a half-mile, made a powerful move along the rail. He surged toward Housebuster in the final yards, Housebuster, however, responded to the challenge and fought back strongly enough to win in 1:21.08 by the narrowest margin.
Jerry Bailey, who had been originally scheduled to ride Rubiano in the Forego, was unable to continue riding after being involved in a "violent spill" that had happened earlier. While Bailey was uninjured, his horse, Docent, fell on the final turn, broke her ankle, and was put down.
Rubiano returned to his winning form in his next two starts, winning a one-mile allowance race on September 19 and a handicap race at Belmont Park on October 19, both in a "driving" finish.
1991 NYRA Mile Rubiano made his second attempt at the G1 NYRA Mile at Aqueduct Racetrack on October 26. Ridden by Hall of Fame jockey, Jose Santos, in a field of 15 runners, Rubiano settled well back early and was running tenth behind a strong pace. The leaders moved through an exceptionally fast opening three-quarters of a mile, reaching six furlongs in rapid succession. Santos initially found himself boxed in around the three-eighths pole with little room to maneuver. Santos later recalled that at that point he was effectively trapped, unable to move toward either the rail or the outside. With Rubiano still sitting behind a wall of rivals, Santos said he could do little more than pray for an opportunity of an opening. As the field began to fan out entering the stretch, Santos found room on the far outside and sent Rubiano through it.