Product Description
A first-of-its kind photographic journey through the history of harness racing, 100 Years in Harness showcases the beauty and historical significance of the sport from 1900 through 1999. The images were gleaned from the USTA archives, the most expansive collection of Standardbred photos in the world. The book is organized in chapters that represent the decades of the 20th century, and features photos of famous horses and people of the time periods, as well scenes and circumstances that show the place of harness racing in the evolving country.BOOKS PERSONALIZED AND SIGNED BY THE AUTHOR ARE AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A must-have harness fan book...
As a longtime harness racing fan I had high expectations for this book--and I was NOT disappointed.

The history draws you in and the photos keep the pages turning. I would recommend this book to anyone who has, or has ever had, an interest in harness racing--or who simply enjoys beautiful photography.

An unforgetable look at one of America's greatest pastimes. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (28)

The Horse God Built
I have read everything I can get my hands on about Secretariat, since I was so unlucky to be born after he raced!I really enjoyed this book and thought it was one of the best written on the horse.It is a great read!

Eddie Sweat has never been on Secretariat?
I was set to click BUY this book when I read, Eddie Sweat has never been on the horse (Secretariat)...You Tube shows Eddie Sweat talking and riding Secretariat on his workouts. Calling Secretariat "Big Bum" whistling to try and get him to stop running....and only the pony can get Secretariat to "stop running" and go the other way "walking."Either that is not Eddie Sweat on You Tube.....or the book is incorrect....

Thoroughbred Racehorse Racing and Secretariat
This book came to me quickly and in very good condition, as advertized. I would order from this seller again. The story is o.k. I guess i wanted a little more behind the scenes information,especially more information about Secretariat's personality and his years as a young colt. I'm glad to have received this book and I did learn a lot of things I didn't know about Secretariat. The author does mention ,many times, about another book written about Secretatiat and I will try to find it to read! Thank you ,Sincerely, gael tryles

Very disappointing book
I picked up this book hoping to read interesting tidbits about this great horse. Instead, I had to sift through stories of horses I had never heard of and people that just weren't involved in any way with the horse, his handlers, or the time period that the horse dominated.

I understand the focus on Eddie Sweat that is in this book. Totally get it and I give him all the credit in the world. For those that haven't read the book, Sweat was a very accomplished groom that had a special relationship with Secretariat and kept him healthy and focused during his racing career. That relationship was detailed and I really appreciated that aspect of the book because it sounds like Sweat was a horse man. I didn't mind the fact that the book focuses on Sweat's personal demons. But tangent after tangent just got to be too much.

The greatest season in the history of horse racing - 1973 - covered 30 pages of about 300 total. The races were broken down in to just a few paragraphs. The Triple Crown races were 2-3 pages each. Really disappointing. There has to be a ton of stuff out there that either the author was too lazy or too interested in making other points and didn't include. The one story he did tell was the Jack Nicklaus story that anybody interested in this horse already knew... "The untold story..." give me a break.

There is a good book about Secretariat and his team out there but this clearly was not it.

Not what I was expecting.
So glad I checked this out from my local library and didn't buy it.I have read nearly 1/3 of this book and it has gone nowhere.I am going to put myself out of my misery and start another book.This is a long essay that was turned into a book.Too much fluff and not a lot of substance. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

From the Back Cover:
This book is the definitive book on the sport of kings, covering EVERYTHING that happens in the stables, on the track, and at the betting windows. From the great horses of the past to a comparison of handicapping systems, from naming horses to evaluating them, from the auction ring to the training ring, from the classic races to how to read the Daily Racing Forms, it's all here in one fascinating, exciting, and useful book.
... Read more

Product Description
Man o' War. Secretariat. Citation. Ruffian. Seattle Slew. The names are revered in the sport of horse racing. These and many other Thoroughbreds have inspired fierce devotion and loyalty from racing enthusiasts through the years.Now, racing fans can revel in the racetrack triumphs of their equine heroes. In Thoroughbred Champions: Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, the stories of these great four-legged athletes are told by the Turf writers and correspondents of The Blood-Horse, the leading weekly Thoroughbred racing magazine. Thoroughbred Champions follows The Blood-Horse's Top 100 list as selected by an esteemed panel of experts, starting with Man o' War in the No. 1 spot to Blue Larkspur at No. 100. Each horse on the list has left a mark on the history of Thoroughbred racing, making the sport that much richer. Whether the reader is revisiting an old favorite, learning about a horse from yesteryear, or discovering something new about a modern-day champion, Thoroughbred Champions pays homage to the grand heritage of the Thoroughbred racehorse and the sport of racing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

For any real horse fan
Great book. Any fan of the sport should own this. The information in great on all 100 horses

cons-only con is I wish they had next to the records and earnings of the horses , past perfomances would have been unreal

thorughbred champions
i thought it was a wonderful book with so much info about horses i love. everything was in this book . i would buy again from amazon.

very helpful
I thought this book was very helpful. I used it for a report that I had to do last week, and I got an A. Not only is it helpful, but also fun to read. The pictures are great!

Racing Industry Killed Its Brightest Star; Then Commits Suicide for Next 32 Years
What a joke--Ruffian ranked number 35!Whitely stated she was the best ever and he had Forgo in his stable.Laurin said she was greater than Secretariat.Remember the headlines she would beat Secretariat in head-to-head competition? I do.I also remember the industry hailing her as the greatest ever.Certainly one would have to go back to Eclipse to match her past performances.The whole industry hung their hopes of saving racing on her.And she brought legends of new fans to the track. Of course that was before the Great Match Race (one has to wonder what would have been so great about #35 vs #97).After that an industry embarassed by what its own greed had done reverted to making Ruffian the scapegoat for her own death as well as that of the industry.They also reverted to their old sexist ways.As a result they have been trying to destroy and belittle the legacy of this great horse (do you see her monument at KHP?).Sad thing is the racing industry never understood what brought her fans to the track.It had nothing to do with gambling (no one would get rich given her odds) but everything thing to do with a love of beauty and an appreciation of sheer perfection.Of course, no one expected the show of tremendous heart, courage and determination she exhibited in the match race.That made her immoral to her fans and proved an added embarassment to the industry.If ever the industry would give Ruffian her just due, they just might see her type of fans return to the tracks (and related sites such as KHP) in legend.

Interesting Debate Topic
A kindly rebuttal of the Secretariat bashing taking place by some reviewers. 16 victories in 21 career starts, record time in all three Triple Crown Races (his Preakness time was properly edited in 1999 representing the record). As for Hawkster who ran 1 1/2 mile in 2:22 2/5 on TURF in 1989 at Santa Anita on what the announcer described as an "unusually fast surface" (check YouTube), shows the adominable nature of 2:24 in the Belmont. No horse has come within 9 legnths of Secretariat's run in 73' on the dirt. I agree that Secretariat was not the greatest horse in racing history but on that day in 1973 at Belmont Park, he would have obliterated any other horse in the proud history of the sport of kings. Buy the book however and let the debate begin. We have been led to believe that the greatest horses travelled the dusty track in the 1970's, I believe this book challenges that assumption quite well. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Every barrel racer should read this one...
Great book....covers everything for horse and rider and from beginner to experienced person........good buy.....

Entertaining as it is informative and highly recommended
Barrel racing is one of the equestrian sports which lends to an exciting competition both for spectator and competitor, but few books cover barrel racing. Instructor and champion racer Marlene McRae has developed an entire program for the barrel racer and shares her arena tips for this audience; from selecting a champion barrel-racing horse to using equipment, beginning barrel racing patterns, and competing. A 'must' for all equestrian sports enthusiasts, Barrel Racing 101is as entertaining as it is informative and highly recommended for school and community library Sports & Athletics collections. ... Read more

Product Description
This book will give you the race track betting basics needed when gambling / handicapping on the ponies. Dealing with sports & outdoor recreation of: thoroughbred racing & wagering. After reading this book you should possess the basics to be a successful horse handicapper which will bring you joyful entertainment as you watch your horses cross the finish line in the big races such as The Kentucky Derby, The Belmont, and The Preakness just to name a few. This will hopefully be the first of many OTB and racetrack betting guides I publish. So I hope you have as much fun reading the book, as I had writing it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Blazing From The Start
I read this book years ago, finding it in my Middle School library. Even at the time, I found it utterly fascinating. Longrigg covers the history of horse racing around the world as far back as it's known to exist. He also covers different types of racing and competition on horseback as they are found in different cultures worldwide. From the beginning, this book hooks the reader's attention and keeps it moving all throughout. Along with the thorough history are beautiful illustrations such as photographs, black-and-white and color, of famous horses and people in racing, and also paintings and sketches depicting racing celebrities in pre-photographic times. ... Read more

Product Description
An anthology of twenty-three winning tales from the race track, a place that consistently spawns good writing.AT THE TRACK showcases the very best racing thrillers of the past 150 years and includes renowned authors such as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Rudyard Kipling, Ellery Queen, Damon Runyon, and Dick Francis. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Horse racing stories
I bought this book for my husband who is a horse trainer. He really liked it. He doesnt often read books, just magazines and racing newsletters. For him to comment on how much he enjoyed it is high praise indeed. ... Read more

Product Description
Make sure to check out Mr. Tuttle's blog site (www.tuttlerules.com), for winning picks and much more. Plus, it's a wonderful way to read some very lengthy excerpts of all seven of his horse handicapping books currently selling on Amazon.com.It was converted from its original 65 pages (8.5x11 format) to the current 80 pages, in 6x9 format. Hence the reason Mr. Rates is offering his first published work at such an incredibly discounted price.He wanted me to mention that all of his more recent successes are due (in part) because of a Mr. Joseph J Tuttle (another writer here on Amazon). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Speed,Speed, and nothing but Speed
THIS BOOK IS A TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY. IT'S THE MOST REDICULOUS BOOK I HAVE EVER READ ON HANDICAPPING.
ITS A 76 PAGE BOOK WITH VERY LARGE TYPE (lIKE A "READERS DIGEST" FOR SENIORS, STYLE OF BOOK) AND HUGE GAPS IN SPACING BETWEEN PARAGRAPHS. IF NOT FOR THE LARGE TYPE AND GAPS, THIS WOULD BE A PAMPHLET. THERE IS NOTHING WORTHWHILE CONCERNING "SPEED" IN THIS BOOK.

Not very good
Poorly written. It was nearly impossible to follow the instructions for calculating speed ratings from this book. Not that these were difficult calculations, it is just that the explanation wash incomprehensible.

New way to quantify speed
Enjoyed the creativity of this book as it gave me new ways to look at familiar territory. My one complaint is that some points were not clear. The author needs to be more precise in his explanations.

Logical and Simple Methods
I found Mr. Tuttle's book fascinating with a different approach to speed handicapping. It really comes down to being disciplined and also having the ability to realize when your methods may not be working that day and being able to capitalize on what is working. Sometimes you need to shift gears. I think recognizing daily trends is half the battle for long term winning along with using sound principles. What makes this book great is that Mr. Tuttle goes to the extra step of allowing you to contact him via e-mail or in some cases by phone, especially when you have questions or when you want to know more about his methods. Communicating with him made me understand the book so much better and made me realize how much he knows about horse racing. I would recommend this book for the person who finds their systems and odds have been diluted due to the public "catching on". Even Andrew Beyer stated (in the book Longshots 2) the nature of handicapping is changing and will change due to so much data, software, on-line wagering available these days. New methods must be developed out of necessity in order to keep up with the constant bombardment of new angles that constantly changes the landscape of horse handicapping, wagering and odds. This seems like that kind of book in regard to new and fresh methods. I especially especially enjoyed the chapter about "regression" and "progression" theory analysis. Good luck.

A ridiculous critique of the incomparable Beyer speed figures
One of the main premises of this book is that its speed figures are accurate, and as such, they are the standard by which the Beyer figure's accuracy can be measured.It is expected that, for any particular race, the Beyer figure should be the exact same number as this book's, or it is "flawed."

First of all, under the Beyer method, times are adjusted so times for different lengths, different tracks, and different track conditions can be compared.Beyer only translated the time to a figure to make it easier to compare, and the figure scale was arbitrarily chosen.For example, a time of 1:12 for six furlongs on an average track condition will get a Beyer figure of 94.There is nothing special about the 94.Beyer could just have easily given it a 114 or a 74 and adjusted the rest of the speed rating chart accordingly.

But this book, which derives their speed figure in an entirely separate way, maintains that the Beyer figure for a particular race is inaccurate if it isn't the same as theirs.As if a methodology with an arbitrarily chosen scale should have its figures match up with a seperate methodology.This is illogical and off the wall.

What's worse, is that this book's figures use, and are an offshoot of, the Daily Racing Form's crude speed figure, which makes them not only incompatible for comparison with Beyer's, but it makes them practically useless as well. ... Read more

Product Description
From provocative peeks into the lives of jockeys, trainers, owners, and breeders, to the down and dirty doings of bookies and gamblers, here is a literary tribute to a favorite national pastime. Editors Maggie Estep (Diary of an Emotional Idiot; Flamethrower) and Jason Starr (Twisted City; Lights Out) have brought together original fiction and nonfiction from some of our most beloved writers. Lee Child heads off the collection with a thrilling story about a hit man hired to knock off a horse mid-race. Laura Lippman contributes a vivid tale about a young man who makes money selling parking places at the Preakness and the intriguing woman he meets. Here is Bill Barich on the misfortunes of an Irish gambler, Joe R. Lansdale on one man’s ambition to win a mule race in east Texas, Laura Hillenbrand on the Kentucky Derby, and James Surowiecki on the wisdom of horse-racing crowds. Jonathan Ames adds his unique theory of horse love, Meghan O’Rourke shares her touching recollections of going to Saratoga as a child, and Jane Smiley tells of her experiences raising thoroughbreds. This standout collection on horse-racing featuring twenty authors, from national bestsellers to Pulitzer Prize winners, is as page-turning as it is diverse.

Also includes pieces by Ken Bruen, Steven Crist, Maggie Estep, William Nack, Scott Phillips, John Schaefer, Jerry Stahl, Jason Starr, Charlie Stella, Wallace Stroby, and Daniel Woodrell. ... Read more

Product Description
The only book to capture the thrill and glamour of racing in an era romanticized by millions of fans, Horse Racing showcases life at the track as it centered around Triple Crown races from the 1930s–1960s. This exciting and elegant volume celebrates the Sport of Kings at a time when champions like Count Fleet, Whirlaway, and Man o' War thundered through the pack and lucky fans could rub elbows with Bing Crosby or Liz Taylor at the Turf Club. Nearly 150 rare duotone photographs, culled from the collection of renowned racing and high-society photographer Bert Morgan, follow the action from the bustle of the betting window to the finish at the inside rail. Publishing just in time for the peak of racing season, and with an evocative introduction by author and racing fan Bill Barich, Horse Racing is a stylish, must-have look at the best of life at the races. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Horse Racing: The Golden Age of the Track
This is a really good history of horse racing and has so many wonderful pictures.It was a gift and the person receiving it is a huge horse racing fan and he loved it.

Classic racing
This book showcases an outstanding photographer, Bert Morgan, and the era of horse racing that he captured on film with style and elegance. These photos are an education for any student of American racing in the 20th Century, since they identify the big players in the game, both human and equine. As an historic resource, it is fascinating and invaluable. Anyone finding fault with the content would seem to be an armchair expert who hasn't done their own homework.

Nice Book, Needs A Little More Horses
This book has many wonderful photos but it seems sometimes that the focus is more on human celebrities rather than their magnificent equine counterparts. There is also no information on any of the horses whatsoever except name and what race it was. Interesting book to skim through, but not something you could spend hours on, or even one hour.

Horse Racing:The Golden Age of the Track
Fans of racing will learn something new by looking at the images in this book.A racing fan myself, I saw great horses, jockeys, trainers, and owners in a new light.We read so much about War Admiral and Whirlaway, "Sunny Jim" and Eddie Arcaro, but images, especially good ones, are difficult to come by.This book opens up that world of racing's golden age of Triple Crown winners and celebrity owners.I think the book is an excellent companion to the Seabiscuit book.The images capture on film much of the world that Seabiscuit lived in.A worthy addition to any racing library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Racelines is tops
Along with CRAZY GOOD (The True Story Of Dan Patch), one of the two best horse racing books I have ever read. (Would rate SEABISCUIT third; yes, I've read that too.).

Moreover, Racelines is the most unusual, fascinating and best horse racing anthology I have ever read.

Everyone should give it a try.
Three different writing styles: feature, essay and hip-hop. On a wide variety of subjects, including humor (the lead-off piece, "Wonder Boy", is a priceless piece on why we love the horse so much);statistics and noteworthy achievments; famous races (like the Kentucky Derby); famous trainers, jockeys and horses; lingo (the language of the sport); general history; the sport's greatest films; a look atNew Orleans great Louis Hodges, one of the game's greatest photogarphers,who during his career photographed everyone from Citation to Spectacular Bid; and black racing history (Jimmy Winkfield, who raced in America and in Europe, and escaped both the Bolsheviks during WWI and the Nazis during WWII.

All complemented by scores of fabulous pictures.
Something for everyone.
An absolute must for everyone who loves horses.
If you love horses, you will LOVE this book.
An absolute little gem.

Hooray for Thoroughbred Racing History
I read a small portion of this book several years ago and made the mistake of not purchasing it.Upon finding it, I read it in its entirety and relished it.

Van Barries' novel is a collection of stories about trainers, jockeys, racehorses, and everything in between.The famous are intermixed with the obscure, but each is worth reading.Man O' War, Dr. Fager, and Holy Bull are there, along with Earl Sande and many others.Each character and story is enthralling and well-written.Von Barries asserts that the racing industry is ashamed of its past, but it should instead embrace and promote it.I agree completely.The story of diminutive Powder Break alone inspired me to research her, but this information is not easily available.The racing industry is filled with color and pageantry.The success of recent racing films confirms that the general public is still interested in this sport.The real stories are so much better than the films too (such as the Seabiscuit film).

There is an emotional description of Niatross reflects the deep feelings that horse racing inspires.It seemed overwrought at first.Such feelings inspired Von Borries to write this book.The same feelings inspire people to live out their days at the track, watching great horses come and go.Every once in a while, a horse comes along that seems to possess abilities that take us out of the every day and show us that the impossible is indeed possible.Their innocence and courage remind us of long-lost dreams.

Informative and Enjoyable Read
Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70,is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary.Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century. If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world,its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present.

An Informative and Enjoyable Read
Philip Von Borries's Racelines is an anthology of 42-horseracing-related stories written from 1979 through 1998. In his introduction Von Borries calls them stories once and articles twice, and his sports-journalism and folksy writing make both designations accurate. Most of his stories are tributes to horseracing's racers, riders, and trainers, but he also includes one for a longtime horseracing photographer and another for a Civil War General. Imbedded within some essays are added tributes to owners and grooms, but, while tributes supply the majority of Von Borries's stories, there is much variety in this anthology.

Some of Von Borries's stories are not stories. Instead, one is a list of humorous horseracing expressions and another a two-page glossary of horseracing terms. Yet another is a catalog of 100 horseracing films, including Von Borries's top ten and ten more given honorable mention, and another is a list of black horsemen and the Triple-Crown races they have won as either jockeys or trainers. In several tributes, Von Borries introduces his protagonist with background data before getting to his horseracing feats. For example, in "The Wizard of Orleans," about horseracing photographer Louis Nevin Hodges, Sr., Von Borries tells us early that Hodges, age 70,is mild mannered, represents goodness, but is not ordinary.Further, he tempts us when he tells of his visit to Hodges's den, "lined with pictures of the most famous racehorses in American racing history, a mere sample of what passed through his lens from the late 1940s to the early 1980s" (44). By the time Von Borries finishes his pre-story buildup, we want to know how Hodges achieved horseracing fame between the late 1940s and early 1980s, and the author does not disappoint. But don't expect detail. Von Borries's short stories provide only biographical sketches with the brunt of his coverage related to his subject's major achievements in the world of horseracing. Background buildup is a strategy employed often and successfully by Von Borries.

Another strategy Von Borries employs, even if unwittingly, is to explore the variety of horseracing history. His essay, "War and Peace," is about how Civil War Union General Philip Henry Sheridan, the first president of old Washington Park Racetrack in Chicago, helped limit the devastating Chicago fire of 1871 with fire breaks. The horse industry's tribute was to name a race, the Sheridan Stakes, after the general in 1884. The race has been an annual event since. Von Borries also includes several biographical sketches of black horsemen prominent in the late 19th- and early 20th-century. "Cruising Past 7,000 and Climbing" furnishes biographical sketches of eleven trainers with 3,000 or more wins to their credit, and "Giant: Cigar's Win streak" includes capsule histories of the 23 American thoroughbreds with the longest winning streaks dating back to the 18th century.

If there is a weakness in Von Borries's enjoyable writing, it lies in the sameness and overzealous nature of his tributes. For example, when the standardbred, Niatross, broke the one mile pacing record in October 1980, Von Borries wrote, "Niatross appealed to all that is good and noble and decent in life itself. In an age of antiheroes, he had resurrected the rare personage of a true hero who could endure and overcome all challenges," and later, "He had reaffirmed basic human values, exalted the beat of life, and sanctified the pursuit of excellence. Freed temporarily from our natural reserve, we dared to live and dream" (193). There are similar overblown tributes to racers Holy Bull and Dr. Fager. Too much personification of horses deserving credit as fast runners, but not as miracle rainbow makers representing all that is right and good and almost Godly in humanity. Moreover, he does the same with his human protagonists, often making them almost cherubic. The world,its people, and its horses are just not that glowing. A little more realism, a little more reality in his humanoid horses and his human heroes would serve well.

Still, Von Borries's stories are easy and enjoyable reads. Most represent an enjoyable trip into horseracing history from more than a century past to the present. ... Read more

Product Description
Only one filly since World War II has earned at least three major North American stakes victories as a two-year-old and five or more at three. Yet she wasn't selected a champion in either campaign and hasn't been enshrined in the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame.

The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing: Separating Myth From Fact to Identify the Genuine Gems & Dandies 1946-2003, available September 1 from Old Sport Publishing Company, not only reveals the identity of that exceptional, yet largely forgotten, performer, but countless others, both human and equine, in thoroughbred racing since World War II. This exciting new book uses objective criteria to identify the greatest participants in thoroughbred racing in North America since World War II by including only their efforts in the 6,461 major stakes races held during that period.

Even the most ardent fans of thoroughbred racing, and certainly novices, often find the sport intimidating. The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing is an easy-to-use reference material that identifies major events and uses the performances in those events both to simplify and amplify the records of human and equine participants, enlightening both longtime observers of and newcomers to the Sport of Kings with more relevant—and easier to understand—information than ever has been available before.

Learning the identity of the aforementioned superstar filly who has been overlooked by history previously could have taken months of research. Thanks to The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing, however, fans of thoroughbred racing will find that this exciting, easy-to-use reference book not only reveals the identity of that filly, but answers thousands upon thousands of similar questions in a matter of minutes.

The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing includes an alphabetical list of every thoroughbred with an in-the-money finish in the 6,461 stakes classified as major since World War II. Each contains the horse's foaling year and an annual record of its in-the-money finishes in major races. Major victories in each season, including the race and the winning horse's name, are listed alphabetically for jockeys, trainers, owners, sires and broodmare sires, and each section includes the standings in those categories since World War II, the year-by-year leaders in each category and separate listings for performances in the Triple Crown and Breeders' Cup races.

The book also includes chapters on dams and birthplaces of major North American winners and introduces the Sire Line Index, which objectively rates the male-line contributions of each of the more than 1,600 stallions who have appeared in the first four generations of any major North American winner's male-line pedigree since World War II. A host of easy-to-use, straight-to-the-point charts—from those for the fastest times in major races at each distance by performers in each division and on each surface to the leading breakthrough jockeys each season—also contribute to making The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing an invaluable reference source. Separate indexes for all human and equine participants, the latter which includes sires, broodmare sires and the outstanding dams of the thousands of winners of major North American races since World War II, further enhance this reference book's considerable value.

Author Richard Sowers, whose previous books were the highly acclaimed The Complete Statistical History of Stock-Car Racing: Records, Streaks, Oddities, and Trivia and the best-selling Stock-Car Racing Lives, long has enjoyed a reputation as one of the country's leading sports historians and covered thoroughbred racing extensively for more than a decade for The Courier-Journal, hometown newspaper of the Kentucky Derby, and for The Sporting News.

"The genesis of this book was that I was considered an 'expert' on the sport, yet I knew so much more about so many others," he said. "Eventually, I realized that, regardless of the intense desire that me or anyone else has to learn about the history of the sport or objectively measure the sport's truly outstanding performers, there simply were no outstanding reference materials that made that possible. In few sports have our mythic performers been simply that—mythic—because of the lack of truly meaningful data that made valid comparisons possible.

"That data actually has existed all along, but identifying it and categorizing it into the type of reference work to which fans of other sports have become accustomed wasn't easy. In fact, it took three years."

To purchase The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing, check your local bookstore, or order directly from Old Sport Publishing Company, P.O. Box 2757, Stockbridge, Ga. 30281. The retail price is $49.95, with an additional $3.95 for shipping and handling and $3.50 in sales tax for Georgia residents. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

My New BIBLE of Horse racing!!!!
I have been a fan of Thoroughbred racing since I was 4 years old in 1969, and have owned many fine reference books on the sport over the years. I used to have every single American Racing Manual from 1936 until 1994, then decided to sell them. I regretted it at the time, but now that I have the Abstract Primer of Thorougbred Racing, I dont regret selling the ARMS:)What a magnificent book. Very well written, great details and plenty of info makes me literally not want to put it down. A real GREAT read

Classic performance for claiming price
The best that you can hope for in a book is that it will not only make you think, but keep you coming back for more. Richard Sowers' recent compendium, "The Abstract Primer of Thoroughbred Racing;Separating Myth From Fact to Identify the Genuine Gems & Dandies 1946-2003" has done this and so much more.
This 500-plus page labor of love seems a daunting task, but Sowers leaves the reader as satiated as a trip to a five-star restaurant, eagerly awaiting his or her return sojourn. In this case, it's as easy as going to your coffee table and perusing the table of contents or the appendix. Nuggets abound.
Also, how can you not identify with the heart of a person who dedicates his massive work to the memories of Ferdinand and Exceller, two champions who met untimely ends in lonely slaughterhouses across the world - and all our departed friends and heroes of the animal kingdom who have enriched our lives?
Sowers'effort is a marathon in terms of research, but the beauty for the reader is that he or she can take it a furlong at a time. The price is like paying for a claiming horse but getting a Classic winner. What a great way to spend the winter.
Paul R. Daley
Racing Writer, Lowell Sun Newspaper

An immense reference of raw data to aid the reader
The Abstract Primer Of Thoroughbred Racing: Separating Myth From Fact To Identify The Genuine Gems & Dandies 1946-2003 by thoroughbred racing expert and journalist Richard Soers is an immense reference of raw data to aid the reader in identifying the best race horses in almost every category. Only a small portion of The Abstract Primer Of Thoroughbred Racing is devoted to informative essays concerning such matters as significant trends in generations of breeding and racing. Most of The Abstract Primer Of Thoroughbred Racing presents pure information - equestrian ancestry trees, and staggering lists of race standings, victories, horses, and jockies. An index in back allows for quick and easy lookup of the performance of a particular steed or person. A must-have for any dedicated follower of races seeking to trace conclusions directly from solid information.
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Customer Reviews (9)

The King Maker
This was a birthday gift to my daughter.She was very thrilled with the King Maker.The book is about the champion horse, Northern Dancer.It arrived for her birthday on time, and in good condition. Thank you for making this happen.It is wonderful when you can give a gift that is pleasing to the receipiant.

Can be a bit tedious
Good insight into the impact Northern Dancer had on racing in... a lot of detail on lineage ... Enjoyed Stud a pretty good offering for pedigree enthusiasts

Great book and service
Great book and fast service.New condition that was just what I needed for gift-giving.Thanks!

Kingmaker indeed
Beautifully and sensitively written history of this most influential thorougbred, probably never another like him. His line still features strongly in both hemispheres. (American readers may be interested to know that our Australian Horse of the Year for 2006 - Makybe Diva - yes a filly! - won our Melbourne Cup 3 consecutive years (the first horse to do so) and amassed over US$10 million dollars, the all-time leading Australasian money-earner. Her grandsire was Danehill (USA), and his grandsire was Northern Dancer.
Great collection of photographs, but would have loved to have seen more of the King at various stages of his career/life. AND there is an index!
A must-have for anyone only vaguely interested in thoroughbred racing.

A Crowning Achievement in Thoroughbred Journalism
Avalyn Hunter brings to life the outstanding racing career of Northern Dancer and his legacy through his sons of establishing a royal dynasty in the Thoroughbred industry.

There is enough information packed into the tight 200 pages of writing for those interested in an insider's look at history or for the casual fan wanting to learn about the life of Northern Dancer.

The book is about equally split on Northern Dancer's racing and breeding careers. The opening pages trace ND's bloodline, which may drag for some readers who don't have a background/appreciation in such research. But it is the past matings - along with a little luck - that set the foundation for ND to launch the spiralling prices obtained in the auction ring for his progeny.

Especially interesting are the features on the people surrounding ND, including his owner, Canadian industrialist E.P. Taylor, trainer Horatio Luro and the jockeys that were aboard the multiple-stakes winner. And talk about luck, Luro had wanted young ND gelded as a means to bring better results in training and racing.

There are infrequent times where a book on Thoroughbreds can deliver so much to a wide audience. The Kingmaker is a classic read. ... Read more

Product Description
A hundred years ago, the most famous athlete in America was a horse. But Dan Patch was more than a sports star; he was a cultural icon in the days before the automobile. Born crippled and unable to stand, he was nearly euthanized. For a while, he pulled the grocer's wagon in his hometown of Oxford, Indiana. But when he was entered in a race at the county fair, he won -- and he kept on winning. Harness racing was the top sport in America at the time, and Dan, a pacer, set the world record for the mile. He eventually lowered the mark by four seconds, an unheard-of achievement that would not be surpassed for decades.

America loved Dan Patch, who, though kind and gentle, seemed to understand that he was a superstar: he acknowledged applause from the grandstands with a nod or two of his majestic head and stopped as if to pose when he saw a camera. He became the first celebrity sports endorser; his name appeared on breakfast cereals, washing machines, cigars, razors, and sleds. At a time when the highest-paid baseball player, Ty Cobb, was making $12,000 a year, Dan Patch was earning over a million dollars.

But even then horse racing attracted hustlers, cheats, and touts. Drivers and owners bet heavily on races, which were often fixed; horses were drugged with whiskey or cocaine, or switched off with "ringers." Although Dan never lost a race, some of his races were rigged so that large sums of money could change hands. Dan's original owner was intimidated into selling him, and America's favorite horse spent the second half of his career touring the country in a plush private railroad car and putting on speed shows for crowds that sometimes exceeded 100,000 people. But the automobile cooled America's romance with the horse, and by the time he died in 1916, Dan was all but forgotten. His last owner, a Minnesota entrepreneur gone bankrupt, buried him in an unmarked grave. His achievements have faded, but throughout the years, a faithful few kept alive the legend of Dan Patch, and in Crazy Good, Charles Leerhsen travels through their world to bring back to life this fascinating story of triumph and treachery in small-town America and big-city racetracks. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

A Job Well Done
As if this book isn't good enough just being the great biography of a stellar animal athlete, it surprised me many times over for the great cultural history it is as well. While thrilling to all that Dan Patch accomplished, I was also given a look at what was transpiring in the beginning of the last century, when we started getting dyspeptic and needing asprin (invented just in time for our growing cultural malaise it would seem). Here I was thinking we were crazy just lately, only to be reminded that we, as Americans, have taken an incredible cultural trip in a very short time, and it was truly eye opening to have Leerhsen outlining the course of this. And there was Dan Patch, right at the crossroads of time changing forever with the onset of automobile travel, but we loved him best then, and he deserved it too. What a horse. The sad part is he seems to me to have lacked only in the right people. Puts me in mind of the Thoroughbred Big Brown who won both the Derby & the Preakness in 2008. I remember thinking, "this horse is so much better than the people around him."I felt the same way reading about Dan Patch. After Dan leaves the innocence of his youth in Indiana (perhaps,as Leerhsen alludes to, under not so veiled threat of his life) I had a strong urge to close the book. As to M.W. Savage the "entrepreneur" who took him exploitatively to his greatest fame and accomplishments,he seemed colossally insensitive to the great horse in terms of consideration of his needs as he aged, and though I myself am a transplanted Minnesotan, Leerhsen's portrayal left me feeling no fondness for this man, or another major player in this story, Myron McHenry, "the Wizard of the Homestretch".Though Dan's best driver, he seemed a real piece of work as a human being. Leerhsen brings it all alive in the pages of this book, as though it were just as recent as yesterdays news, rather than more than a century ago now. What a great revival he's given Dan Patch. My husband and I are driving to Savage this year to take in our first Dan Patch Days, to see his legacy continued in the town where he lived most of his life.

Not what I hoped.
I bought this book a couple of years ago and it sat on my bookshelf before I finally had the opportunity to read it. I love the early 1900's and had been looking forward to reading it for a while to help me fill in my understanding about that era in America. Unfortunately, unlike better-written books about a bygone era, this book does not fully transport you back to that time. I learned something about harness racing, and I feel good about that, but I feel like I read a long entry on the topic in an Encyclopedia.

The author spends an enormous percentage of the book "setting up" the story with background information and facts about the horse and horse racing, but spends precious little time on the story itself.The precious nuggets of true story-telling (between reams of facts) are fascinating and well-written, but it was not enough to overcome the boredom of reading about every single race the horse ran and its time...2:01 1/2, 2:05 1/4, 1:59 1/2.... By the time I got to the end, I felt like the author (and certainly I) just wanted the horse to finally die (no spoiler there) and end the book.

The other problem I had to overcome was the dissonance between being told repeatedly by the author that harness racing and this horse, Dan Patch, were a big deal at the time, but not really seeing that play out in the story.Sure, there were some large crowds at a few events, but the author seems to strain to say that 15,000 people was a big crowd at the time by comparing it to a typical baseball game which only drew 9,000 people. I kept thinking, okay, a baseball game today draws about 20,000 people and NASCAR draws 100,000+ per event, but there are much fewer NASCAR events, so its probably not a fair comparison. NASCAR is certainly on the landscape of today's sporting world, but its not a "phenomenon" like he was trying to portray harness racing and Dan Patch.It may very well have been, but I felt the facts that were provided and the citations presented from the media of the era didn't really back up the contention. I thought it was ironic that the author makes a big deal about the jockey's excuses about the horse not performing well (high winds, wet course, etc) and he seems to use the same tactic to explain why there was a small attendance at certain events (poor weather, poorly advertised, east coasters and southerners don't like pacers, etc.).

Anyway, I give credit for a book that was no doubt exhaustively researched, but I feel like we didn't get the opportunity to see the forest for the trees.There was a bigger story in the background -- of a changing society and culture at the turn of the century -- that Crazy Good fails to help us understand despite a real opportunity to do so.

This book is Crazy Good!
Leerhsen has written a gem of a book on the life of the harness horse, Dan Patch.The research was extremely thorough and the author's style is highly readable. Respect for the horse is obvious, a less reverent view of the human characters surrounding the horse is appropriate.Leerhsen is a skillful sports writer with a slightly snarky attitude (I find this charming).Loved the book and will look for other books written by this author.
This review was written by Carol Miller

A "highwayscribery" Book Report
Chances are you don't care much about harness racing, but the author of "Crazy Good," makes a worthy effort to change that.

Charles Leerhsen openly admits there is a gap between what interests today's readers and his story of a horse most people have never heard of -- Dan Patch.

The author could have chosen any number of more commercial topics and not written a book that wound up at the 99 cents store where the highway scribe's wife found it.

Instead, Leerhsen opted to write about something that struck his own fancy and asserted, through this labor of love, that there is value in the story of a bygone America where a horse could be quite so famous.

And that's what "Crazy Good" is: Not just a racing story, but portraiture of a country where most people still farm, the automobile is a curiosity, and the business of breeding horses to pull carts, wagons, and coaches an important one.

Dan Patch came of age at the outset of the 19th Century. His America is that chronicled in the novels of Theodore Dreiser. An America where cities clustered around the Great Lakes are pistons in the country's mighty industrial engine.

It is Ragtime America where John Philip Sousa, Scott Joplin, Helen Keller, and Thomas Edison pass for celebrities.

Leerhsen does a yeoman's labor in reconstructing the horse's distant past in Oxford, Indiana, painting in strokes both broad and fine, the Midwestern American landscape surrounding.

His joy in doing so knows no bounds and helps in overcoming some of the inherent weaknesses to this tale.

The primary one is that harness racing is a sport and, even for a veteran of "Sports Illustrated," writing about such spectacles rarely equals the beauty of the thing itself.

This is compounded by the fact Dan Patch's avaricious owner, one M.W. Savage, pulled the pacer out of racing in favor of a traveling road show on which the goal was breaking time records.

Which leaves you reading a lot of times 2:01, 1:57and 1/4, 1:55...

Dan Patch was, in fact, crazy good and his unbeatable stature takes a little drama out of his own story which is hung as a skeleton on which the rustic lives of men with mutton chops and thick mustaches could be draped.

The horse was so sweet-natured and courtly that his lack of eccentricity almost blunts the impact of his story.

But we should allow nice guys to finish first and sticking with "Crazy Good" until its rather sad ending is a worthwhile way of doing so.

Leerhsen has combined superb research, a hokey kind of humor, an engaging structure linking past and present, and a loveable subject in his effort to rescue Dan Patch from oblivion and apply him as a unique lens through which to view an important phase in American history.

Crazy Good Read
If I had a dollar for every book I've started and put down after 5 pages, I'd have enough money to buy a lot more books! This book kept me enthralled throughout. It documents a piece of Americana which has been lost: the love of horses and the culture around them. The author is obviously smitten with this subject and the tone in which he writes, slightly sardonic, but filled with reverence, strikes the perfect note. This is top tier non-fiction. I highly recommend this! ... Read more

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How to select, train, and compete on a winning barrel racer.Barrel racing, in which horse and rider gallop in a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels, is the fastest-growing rodeo event. Author Sharon Camarillo, a successful contestant-turned trainer, teacher, and commentator, presents a comprehensive program that takes the novice barrel racer from the process of choosing her horse up to preparation for and taking part in real races. More than just a specialized manual, Barrel Racing for Fun and Fast Times offers advice that will benefit riders of all disciplines, including ways to care for and condition the equine athlete, selecting appropriate and proper-fitting equipment, acquiring the “winning edge” that allows us to achieve competitive success, and more. 160 color illustrations ... Read more

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Win, Place and Go!Go to the races with Horse Racing Coast to Coast, a new series that takes readers on an exhilarating behind-the-scenes ride through the grandest racetracks across North America along with must-see sights for each region so travelers can transform a day at the races into a vacation! Along the way, racing aficionados introduce you to champion Thoroughbreds, such as Funny Cide, fearless jockeys, including Bill "The Shoe" Shoemaker, and other horse racing greats! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Disqualified
I wish I could rate this item, but the fact of the matter is that I still haven't received it even though I was told via e-mail confirmation that it was shipped over a month ago. According to recent reviews of the seller from whom I ordered it, this particular individual, truthwarrior out of California, has a very distinquished record of never delivering the goods. With so many complaints about non-delivery, I have to wonder why Amazon is still doing business with her.

Horse Racing Coast to Coast
A MUST for EVERY horse player who likes traveling throughout the United States!!!Wonderfully written with track information PLUS places on where to dine and stay near the track. I was so impressed with the book that I purchased extra copies and gave them as Christmas presents and "stocking stuffers" to ALL of my fellow horse players!!

Unparalleled in its scope
If you're a horse racing fan, don't miss the racetrack profiles, extensive tips on where to stay and how best to enjoy, and interviews which pair with history in HORSE RACING COAST TO COAST: THE TRAVELER'S GUIDE TO THE SPORT OF KINGS. This book's loaded with everything the horse race buff needs to know; from hotels and recommended eateries to trackside statistics. Unparalleled in its scope, it's a horse racing fan's travel 'bible'.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch ... Read more

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Bill Peterson is one of the most prolific horse racing writers on the internet with over 800 articles on the subject of horse racing handicapping.Bill shares his insights, angles, tips, and even a few simple systems to help you win more and enjoy your days at the races.

Also included are several humorous short stories (fiction).Meet Louis, the Professor, Bill, Gramps, and Jenn.Read the story of Mighty Fearsome, the slowest horse on the East Coast.This collection is pure gold by a man who has owned and groomed race horses and attended the races for over 50 years.


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Customer Reviews (1)

How Champions Are Made
Thoroughbred historian Edward L. Bowen chronicles the life and times of the most famous trainers in the "Golden Age of Racing," when the exploits of champions like Man o' War, Equipose and Exterminator were major news events from coast-to-coast.

But - as in any sport - the great athlete has optimum conditioning, which opens the door to performing at grand levels. The trainers who are covered in words and photographs are James G. Rowe, Sr., Sam Hildreth, H. Guy Bedwell, John E. Madden, Max Hirsch, "Sunny" Jim Fitzsimmons, Herbert J. Thompson, Preston Birch, the father-and-son team of Ben A. Jones & Horace A. "Jimmy" Jones and Hirsch Jacobs.

Some of the names may have been lost in the dusty pages of turf history, but Bowen brings these legends to life, while depicting the long hours and sacrifices a trainer makes for those few minutes of fleeting glory in the afternoon.
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