5 comments about Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing.

1. Oh how I love horseracing stories. The drama, the pathos, the agony and the defeat mixed in with some miracle victory. Mitchell chose a great story line: Charismatic and jockey Chris Antley. What a great storyline.
   
   Only problem, is that the author is a weak, even amateurish writer. Her narrative jumped around -- her constant use of passive style prose -- proved too distracting. I am a fast reader; I had to crawl through this one just to have the sentences make sense.
   
   The author appears to me to write on the level of a B- high school Junior. Sorry, I want more from an established author. As I was reading the book, I would call out to my wife all the mistakes the author made -- all the awkward sentences constructed. I mean, who edited this book? Any editor should be embarassed to put his/her name to this racing tome.
   
   I don't recommend this book in spite of the good story line. Mitchell butchered it to death (crying shame) and does not deserve to be read -- let alone to make a profit from her "writings."



2. I really liked this because it didn't sugarcoat the horse racing world that is reality. It's a good story about how the lives, the triumps and tradgedies are tied into a horse and it's rise and fall. Better than most I've read in recent years.



3. Three Strides Before the Wire is a wonderful book for people of all ages. It covers the miraculous journey of Derby winner Charismatic, a claimer, Chris Antley, a washed up ex-superstar jockey trying to get back in the game, D. Wayne Lukas, a strict taskmaster who is in a bit of a slump and Bob and Beverly Lewis, who are semi new to Race Horse owning but having their second try at the triple crown already. We follow the all-star miracle team as the prep for the derby, the biggest horse race in America. We next follow them to Pilmico race track for the Preckness and next it is on to the often heartbreaking Belmont Stakes. Along with Charismatic and Chris Antley's fairytale story there are side plots of the author and her cancer stricken companion fight for survival and many other racing greats that play into the storyline. But will Charismatic swipe the Triple Crown, the most coveted prize in American horse racing or will the heartbreak of the famous journey of the famous crown cause heartbreak to them too? Read this wonderful book to find out. Elizabeth Mitchell has truly outdone herself with Three Stride Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing.



4. This is a sports book that beautifully manages to weave racing, a self-destructive life and personal tragedy into a tale of triumph and tragedy. The author's introduction to racing came about through a trip to the Kentucky Derby with her terminally-ill lover. The winner of the race was the long-shot Charismatic ridden by a brilliant but ill-fated jockey. She uses drama surrounding the Derby and her personal tragedy as a basis to follow the lives of the jockey, the trainer, the owners, a cast of bit players and, of course, Charismatic. For me, however, the impact of the book is the life and death of jockey Chris Antley. Mr. Antley was a tragic figure in the truest sense. He is portrayed as a sensitive, kind-hearted and brilliant (both with horses and finances) who is unable to handle his many talents and successes. The portrait of Mr. Antley appears to be well-researched and balanced told, in large part, through the words of his friends, colleagues, and family. I was drawn to him and moved by his struggles and finally, his death under mysterious circumstances in Pasadena. I put down the book feeling as if I knew Mr. Antley and felt the loss and frustration felt by those around him. His story is all the more moving when told in the context of Charismatic's unlikely Derby and Preakness wins and his life-threatening injury in failing to complete the Triple Crown by winning the Belmont. The image that will remain with me is that of Antley, disregarding his own safety, struggling to hold up Charimatic's injured leg in a successful effort to prevent further injury. This act is at the same time redemptive and signals the beginning of Antley's fatal spiral.
   
   I have to confess that I am a racing fan and own interests in several horses. As a "primer" on racing, this book is passable but, as some other reviews note, hardly complete or authoritative. However, this book's worth lies in an allegoric-like use of racing to tell a very human story.



5. 
   Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing, by Elizabeth Mitchell
   
   This wonderful effort of non-fiction is more than a great book about horse racing; it is a great book period!! The author's passion for the subject burns like the sun - and for good reason -- her husband is dying of cancer. The story begins with one of their last trips together; culminating with a vision and an improbable bet on a former claiming horse to win the Kentucky Derby. Their winning ticket helps finance and long and extended vacation together and eventually brings the couple face-to-face with the horse and his connections.
   
   After her husband's death the author finds healing through tracing the lives of their Derby horse and people who so deeply entered their lives that fateful First Saturday In May. What a story she weaves!!!!!! (And who cares about some relatively meaningless errors)
   
   As her own story unfolds, she mixes in the many segments of the lives of the horse and his people. Most notable is gifted jockey Chris Antley, an intuitive who can calm and sometimes cure horses through his gentle communication; a jockey who is as much as a genius trading in the stock market as he is on the track; a jockey whose gentle hands and kind nature built treatment facilities for addicts; a jockey that was so open to the vagrancies of the universe that they threaten to swallow him up in the shadow of every turn; and a jockey who saved the life of the greatest horse he every rode just strides before the wire in the last leg of their quest for the Triple Crown.
   
   This is a book of love lived and love lost; of poverty and wealth; of mental illness and addiction; of the highest highs and the lowest lows; of incredible joy and overwhelming pain; of journeys realized and journeys lost.
   
   In the end, the story unfolds in shrouds of mystery and murder that will never be solved. God's precious gift created and destroyed; the knife cut both ways. Yet, in the end, the book must be seen as a story of love and commitment.
   
   (I do agree with one reviewer, however: the Jan Mooney Story, My Racing Heart is excellent!!!!!!!!!!)

1 comments about Own a Racehorse Without Spending a Fortune: Partnering in the Sport of Kings.

1. Harold Metzel is the owner of fourteen Thoroughbreds in a variety of partnerships. He draws upon his experience and expertise in Own A Racehorse Without Spending A Fortune to produce a practical guide to the many different types and levels of involvement in owning a competitive racing steed, including racing, breeding, and claiming partnerships. Emphasiz-ing the importance of pursuing a plan that best accommodates the aspiring horse owner's individual needs, and deftly addressing issues ranging from protecting oneself against liability, to common day-to-day events at the track, the farm, and the auction, Own A Racehorse Without Spending A Fortune is a "must-read" primer for anyone interested in investing their hard-earned money as an owner in the exciting sport of horse racing.

2 comments about Go for the Green: Turf Racing Made Easy (The Handicapper's Guide to Grass Racing).

1. I went back through this book after initially panning it for not including anything really new or enduring. The best material is about the mares and their production, something that will change yearly. For those who have read comprehensive books on handicapping, they probably have some ideas about where to start on grass races. If that is the case, this book would be better in a condensed version as a chapter in one of those volumes. However, several books, including those by Beyer, are written by authors that are strongly slanted to dirt racing or have a real aversion to the grass. Thus, this provides an interesting supplement to those volumes. Heller's ideas aren't revolutionary, but you can at least get on par with the intermediate level grass handicappers. My biggest problem with this, as it is with a couple of the DRF series on elements of handicapping, is that many of the ideas they push is not available with the information in the Daily Racing Form. Brisnet and Trackmaster have much better Past Performance data that includes trainer stats, sire and broodmare sire stats, jockey info specific to grass, and importantly to grass racing, variant adjusted pace figures.



2. This book came up a little light. I really didn't learn anything new or enlightening.
   If you have just started to follow racing, it could be a help. But not if you have been following and handicapping for years.

5 comments about Against the Odds: Riding for My Life.

1. Now that Breeders' Cup 2005 is in the books, 48-year-old jockey Jerry Bailey can claim 15 Breeders' Cup wins, which are the most ever for a single rider. Yet he has been talking very seriously about retiring, possibly within a few weeks.
   
   So far, Bailey has come through this very dangerous business with relatively 'minor' injuries (broken jaw, broken collarbone, smashed ribs, etc.) He has also won over $22 million in purse money, has won every big American race there is to win, not to mention four editions of the Dubai World Cup Classic. He is in the Hall of Fame and is widely recognized as the greatest jockey of the last two decades. It is a joy to watch him ride. He is one of the few jockeys that I can recognize in a race by his classy, quiet, straight-backed crouch, the tip of his boots barely connecting to his stirrups, his horse positioned exactly where it has to be in order to win. And win he does---an incredible 25% of his races.
   
   Maybe it 'is' time to get out while he can still walk, can still enjoy life.
   
   Now that I've read "Against the Odds," I have to worry about what this thinking-man's jockey is going to do with himself after he retires. Much of his autobiography is about his fight against alcoholism. He can count the years and days since his last drink. But what is going to happen when he no longer needs his extraordinary reflexes and his ability to guide a thousand pounds of thundering horse past, around, and sometimes through its hard-galloping rivals? What happens when the euphoria of winning is replaced by a less adrenaline-soaked lifestyle?
   
   I wanted to read "Against the Odds" as a celebration, and instead I ended up worrying about the author's future. This book is about Jerry and his struggle against alcoholism, his struggle to keep his marriage together, his struggle to conceive children. Only about a third of the text concerns his brilliance on the race track.
   
   I was expecting a slightly different story--something a bit more prettified, with more about the great horses that he has guided into the winner's circle.
   
   Cigar is the only Thoroughbred Jerry admits to falling in love with, and what a ride they had together! He was aboard for 15 of the 16 races that tied Cigar with Citation for the greatest number of consecutive wins.
   
   I'll only read Jerry's brutally honest story once, but I'll never forget it.



2. I gained a brand new respect for the jockey profession after reading Bailey's book. They are superb athletes and deserve every bit of the money they earn. That being said, I also lost a lot of respect for the horse racing industry after reading this and another top jockey's biography. The use/abuse of the thoroughbred & quarter horses as a means to an end to line the human pocketbook with riches is really undefendable. The book makes clear that these amazing equine athletes are given the very best of care right up until they drop dead on the track from ruptured lungs or shattered cannon bones. Sorry, my concience was pricked & my heart broken in the course of reading this and Gary Steven's biography, and not for the owners, trainers, handicappers, or even so much the jockeys, but for the horses. You will also get your eyes opened as to how self-serving these people are and how ruthlessly they behave toward one another. If this is the "Sport of Kings" I'm glad to be a commoner.



3. ....but he does so much of it himself. I've always admired Bailey for his professionalism as a jockey and applaud his having overcome addiction, but was put off by his repeated blowing of his own bugle, so to speak. I cringed at times. It might have been better left to a biographer, with quotes from Bailey relative to his recovery from alcoholism.
   
   On another front, I do think that Jerry Bailey does a nice job as a television commentator.
   
   P.S. Still not buying the excuse for his Belmont tactics with Eddington.



4. Bailey tells the story of his sometimes rocky rise through the ranks of the jockey colony to become the premier rider in the world. He doesn't hold back any in discussing his battle with alcoholism and how it nearly ruined him and his family. It's an honest self appraisal by a man with an enormous talent for his craft, yet glaring weaknesses that almost denied racing fans the opportunity to watch his genius at work.



5. Book is mainly about his personal battle with alcohol and his resulting "wondeful" family life.
   Would like to have seen more racing industry insights and information!

5 comments about Bet To Win! A Handicapping Guide To Playing The Horses.

1. Over the past several years the IRS considers me a professional gambler for tax purposes due to my claiming of W2G's from horseracing. I consider myself a good handicapper, but this "Bet to Win" has enlightened me with its insight into the "Sport of Kings". The book explains the many facets of conditions, trainers, jockeys, class, track bias, claims, money management, along with some handy tools which includes a "contender checklist". I highly recommend this book for the beginner, the novice, or the most experienced of handicappers.
   Fred Ankrum



2. More of a commercial and recommendation for Ultimate PP's from TSN Horse than a book on handicapping



3. I have been a recreational horse player for years and I find this book very helpful in organizing some key points for handicapping a race. With the "Contender Checklist" it gives me a guideline into handicapping each race. Although, he touts the TSN PP's, it is a very helpful tool. TSN has many handicapping figures and remarks that most of the other PP's do not offer, which by the way, is the same as Brisnet Ultimate PP's. The book, however, does have a few flaws in that his examples could be better explained by referring to an actual race, item by item. There is an appendix in the back of the book that shows the races he has handicapped, but there are pages missing and the type is extremely small. I had contacted the author by e-mail and pointed out these problems and he was nice enough to send me an actual race he handicapped recently. He e-mailed me the PP's and mailed me a completed "Contender Checklist" for that race card. Very Helpful. All in all, I would recommend this book to anyone who doesn't want to get a "degree" in handicapping as a lot of the other books force you to do with all their stats and calculations.



4. THe book might be useful to those who like systems, but I do not. It's very much a "look this up and fill in the box here" rote type of handicapping. Had I known that, I would not have bought this book. Also, the printing of the sample past performances in the back of the book is of such poor quality and size as to be nearly illegible.



5. I do not know a lot about picking winners at the race track, but this book was a big help. It taught me quite a bit of the basics, and it is fairly easy to do. I like going to the races, and it is more fun when you cash tickets! Now I am doing that.

2 comments about George H. Morris: Because Every Round Counts.

1. I think this concept is great. George Morris has said so many memorable things in the past, it's nice to have many of his writings in one place. However, my only disappointment was with the editing. I have come across many typos, including words missing so sentences don't make sense. It's a shame that such a great book could be marred by something that's so easily managed. Otherwise, good book and I recommend it to others.



2. Great book for hunter jumper and equitation riders, and other disciplines who are interested in learning more from "The Master!"

No comments about Handicapping Enlightenment.

No comments about The Art of Bookmaking: How to Compile Odds for Any Sporting Event.

3 comments about Reining: The Art of Performance in Horses.

1. This is a must read for trainers in any Western discipline. Bob has written a book on how to make a well-broke horse; one that can go in any direction. The information is organized and specific, from evaluating a performance prospect, riding a 2, then 3 year old and on to competition. A great book for anyone looking to lay down a solid foundation for any horse.



2. This wonderfully photographed and diagrammed book is not just for trainers of reining horses -- riders will love it as well. Loomis presents a clear and methodical training program for the reining prospect. Loomis begins by introducing his philosophy of horsemanship (think not intimidate), the importance of breeding and conformation, then moves to ground work, basic training, conditioning ("never let your horse run out of air"), suppling exercises, body alignment (importance of circles) and advanced manuevers. He is comprehensive, covering shoeing, equipment, and show preparation as well. As the book title says, Loomis approaches Western horsemanship as an art, and he is a master.

   Because Loomis is so thorough, non-beginning riders interested in improving their horsemanship will find a wealth of information here. Many horsemanship books suffer from authors unable to convey in written words "the feel" of the horse in response to a cue. With co-author Kadash, Loomis presents his concepts lucidly. The diagrammed sample exercises illustrated throughout the book are another valuable resource for an intructorless rider.

   Loomis teaches the reader to think, about how the horse thinks and how the horseman thinks. Trainer or rider, with this book the reader will never stop learning how to improve from whatever level he is at. A tremendous resource!




3. I first read this book as a beginner looking to get into reining. I found it easy to understand and the concepts very clear. I still refer to it constantly for training and conditioning tips. It's a very well written book, and is not at all 'difficult' to read. In fact, I found it hard to put down! A great book and well worth a look.

5 comments about Native Dancer: The Grey Ghost: Hero of a Golden Age.

1. Eisenberg does a very good job of the research on this project and accurately puts the reader on the scene for some of the Grey Ghost's memorable moments. Through no fault of his own, however, the people around him aren't overly interesting. It's nice to have the backgrounds and bio's of the team, but there is something that falls short of making them memorable. There are several horse bio's that I have read recently, and the Ruffian, Secretariat, and Seabiscuit stories just seem to keep you turning pages.



2. Forgive me if I forget details, as it's been a year since I read this book. Eisenberg presents pretty straight facts and so forth, as far as I know (unlike "Seabiscuit" which has a bit of embellishment in some places), but it is not very exciting reading. Thankfully, it is not as big a book as "Seabiscuit". It's so-so story-telling and seems to drag on in some ways. I got some info out of it, but that's about it. Nothing against "the Dancer" (that was one annoying thing - Eisenberg always referring to the horse as "the Dancer" as if it was cute, but it was monotonous and pretentious after 10x on 1 page, with no pronouns or actual name used), but the writing just doesn't quite thrill me.



3. Native Dancer was a monstrous animal with a light grey, almost white coat. He had a mind of this own and some thought that it was almost human. In his heyday, only losing one race, was at the birth of American TV so everyone knew the Dancer. Thousands loved him. He had the popularity of the Beatles but in the early 50's. This book is a must read for anyone mildly interested in horses or horse racing. I am so inspired that I am going to make a trip to see his burial sight this summer just north of Baltimore. Man. What a horse!!!!!



4. Native Dancer's story is well written and reminded me of the Seabiscuit movie.
   The writer goes into the people around Dancer as much as he does the horse.
   Horse people will find enough horse fact and "normal" people will enjoy learning a little more about a fascinating species.
   As an owner of a Thoroughbred stallion, Charlie Rudolphi, who was a decendent of BOTH Polynesian AND Dark Star, we felt our Charlie was a neatly bred boy.
   One other very odd fact was we named our farm Dark Star Farm,(back in 1973),
   as I had always had an admiration for the one horse who kept a nose in front of Native Dancer...
   We acquired Charlie a decade later as a boarder then as our own horse.
   This book shed light on a great horse and the remarkable folks who knew and loved him.



5. A good little work of history regarding the horse Native Dancer. A horse that became even more famous because of his gray coloring and the contrast that gave him on the new fangled device in the early 1950's that we call television. Despite having lost the Kentucky Derby and having a reputation of being a lazy horse toward the finish once he knew he had the victory, his record crunchy times and his later huge winning progeny definitely make him one of the better horses of the last century, some accounts placing him as high as 3rd (even without a triple crown). Good backgrounding for where America is and what is going socially and such at the time too. Only thing I would say is, maybe written at a bit of an elementary level at times.