Ruffian's breeding may be considered at least partly to blame for her broken leg; her sire, Reviewer, suffered three breakdowns in his racing career. After his fourth and last breakdown, which occurred while in his paddock, he had to be euthanized after surgery. Shenanigans, Ruffian's dam, was euthanized following intestinal surgery on May 21, 1977 when she broke two legs while recovering from anesthetic. Ruffian's damsire, Native Dancer, is considered by some to be the purveyor of "soft boned" genetics, primarily through his brilliant but unsound son Raise A Native. Inbreeding to Raise A Native may have been a factor in the later breakdown of Eight Belles.