Foolish Pleasure, Winner of ’75 Kentucky Derby, Dies

Foolish Pleasure, winner of the 1975 Kentucky Derby, has died. The 22-year-old stallion died Nov. 17 at the Horseshoe Ranch near Dayton, where he had been living since September 1993, owner Ron Vanderhoef said Saturday.

He said Foolish Pleasure had been colicky and in discomfort that day and died about 6 p.m. during surgery for a ruptured stomach.

Foolish Pleasure was retired at the end of the 1976 racing season after winning the Suburban Handicap at Aqueduct in New York, the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Florida and the Arlington Invitational at Arlington Park in Chicago.

His most memorable race, however, was his 1975 match race against the filly Ruffian at Belmont Park. Ruffian fell during the race and later was destroyed.