Horse movies that end in tragedy are somewhat akin to juggling an armful of thorns in terms of potential public backlash, negative press and animal-rights activists getting hot under the collar.

Alas, not every story has the Hollywood ending; one example the life of Ruffian - widely considered to be the greatest female thoroughbred racehorse of all time.

Jane Schwartz wrote an utterly extraordinary book when she penned "Ruffian: Burning From the Start". The filly's amazing career is so beautifully handled - even as her tragic death which resulted from an injury sustained during her famed 1975 match race with Foolish Pleasure is certainly not easy reading (and the author evokes such emotion not by vivid descriptions of bones shattering but rather the jarring images of Foolish Pleasure's owners crowing over their victory, and the effect of the filly's absence on the stables.)

ESPN Original Entertainment announced last week that it has given the go-ahead to start production of its original movie Ruffian. The movie will start shooting in Shreveport, La., in late February and should premiere on ABC in conjunction with the network's presentation of the Belmont Stakes in June 2007.

If the movie manages to evoke the same emotion that Schwartz' book did in terms of sharing the true wonder of this filly's achievements (and the effect of her death on those that loved her) then it should be well worth seeing.