2 comments about Win, Place and Show: A Female Fan's Guide to Throughbred Racing.

1. This book has got the imprimatur of the "Daily Racing Form" on its cover, but I knew I'd made a mistake when I turned to the equine anatomy diagram on page 9 and discovered a horse body-part labeled, "leg or gaskin."

   Oh, oh. I just purchased a book about Thoroughbred racing whose author can't distinguish a horse's leg from its gaskin. Is it all downhill from page 9? Well, not quite...

   If you skip the first three chapters, the 'helpful hints' and the 'fun facts,' there are some interesting stretches in this book, usually when the author is interviewing a real expert in the Thoroughbred business. My favorite vignette came from trainer, Jenine Sahadi, who pours half-a-cup of red wine into her horse's feed to make it taste better, and to relax the horse. She buys her vino by the gallon at Price Club, so her Thoroughbreds are not likely to end their careers as maitre d's in some fancy French restaurant (although in France, they may end up as the plat du jour.)

   A couple of other favorite interviews in "Win, Place and Show" were with jockey, Jerry Bailey (read about the race where the starting gate was left on the track) and track announcer, Tom Durkin whose job is a lot harder than it sounds. If you don't believe me try to catch a race on ESPN when the sound feed from the track announcer fails, and the T.V. commentators have to call the race.

   As might be expected, the "Daily Racing Form" is mentioned roughly a zillion times throughout this book, and even has a whole chapter devoted to it ("Daily Racing Form: The Horseplayer's Bible"). As also might be expected, the most detailed information in this book concerns the handicapping of races and different forms of wagering.

   For some reason, there's also a chapter on "How to Throw a Great Kentucky Derby Party" that could have been subtitled "Assuming you have lots of time and money and very little taste"--a forty-foot cloth-of-gold pyramid? C'mon!

   The "Glossary of Racing Terms" at book's end is courtesy of NTRA Communications, and I think they need to do a little buffing up on some of them, e.g. 'black.' "Black: a horse color that is black, including the muzzle, flanks, mane, tail, and legs unless white markings are present."

   I finished "Win, Place and Show" almost as confused as when I began.




2. A good broad intro to the sport

2 comments about The Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac 2008 (Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac).

1. There is not a Thoroughbred commissioner's office or one easy place to research material on national and international racing and breeding. That is what makes the 2008 version of the almanac essential, especially since it has expanded to nearly 1,000 pages and contains additional information sections.
   
   The year in review goes from January 2006 to June 2007, with outstanding analysis on the state of the industry and a wealth of information on the Breeders' Cup & graded stakes results. But with additions means some deletions and brief histories on legendary tracks like Hialeah Park and Sportman's Park have been removed from the Racetracks of North America section.
   
   What is needed is one or two inserts of color photographs from the year or previous seasons in the publication's vast archives. The almananc would benefit greatly by having it more visually appealing.
   
   No matter if you are a casual fan, handicapper or media member, the almanac will be the prime resource for information throughout the year.



2. Thoroughbred Times' Racing Almanac is a must have for any horse racing fan. A completely comprehensive overlook of the past year and the history (statwise)of horseracing.

1 comments about The Fast Set: The World of Edwardian Racing.

1. George Plumptre, The Fast Set: The World of Edwardian Racing (Andre Deutsch, 1985)
   
   Thoroughbred racing came into its own as an organized sport during the reign of Queen Victoria, and thanks to progress, was no longer the exclusive province of Society not long after the death of Edward VII. Plumptre's short, heavily illustrated work surveys the glory days of British racing with an amused, slightly jaundiced eye. It's a pleasure to dip into now and again, though the average reader isn't going to want to go through it from beginning to end.
   
   It's not only racing fans who will cotton to this one; fans of royalwatching will also find a good deal to like here, both in the contemporary descriptions of royal life quoted by Plumptre and the obvious pleasure the contemporary press took in seeing various royalty fall to scandal and disaster throughout the era. Both groups of readers will find a good deal to like here; others may find it rather stuffy, but amusing.

4 comments about Go for Wand (Thoroughbred Legends).

1. This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars



2. This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars



3. This book has A very touching story. The author mixed in many different modes. He used some comic relief when needed. The book is very touching. This book can be read by anyone who loves horses. The photos speak for themselves.It can teach to see a whole different veiw of horses. That is why I gave it five stars



4. This book touches the heart. If you love books this is a must. This will be one of the best books you can ever read

1 comments about A Bettor Way: A Winner's Guide To Wagering On Thoroughbreds.

1. This book is a must read for anyone heading to the
   track. I have been a regular reader of Dean's columns
   at Horseplayer Magazine and TVG's online newsletter
   for almost five years. He shows you how to tackle
   time and money management, both of which are seldom
   dealt with in other racing books. Everyone can pick a
   couple winners each day, but hardly anyone wins money
   on that alone. This books helps you do the preparation
   for the day's events and how to do smart decision
   making right up to the start of each race. Daily and
   annual money management are also covered--again,
   realities of betting most authors don't deal with. The
   tools tactics and philosophy shared makes this book a
   definate for those that want a fresh perspective on
   betting!
   
   basis and overall management over the course of the
   year are critical to success as a handicapper.
   - Arnold emphasizes the importance of time management
   to a handicapper. This includes both preparation for
   the day's events and decision making right up to the
   start of each race.
   - Provide big picture statistics in racing that will
   lead to new and fresh perspectives.
   - Present handicapping tools, tactics and concepts
   that will alter how you look at races.
   - Show how all of these concepts are combined into a
   sensible strategy that can be tailored to satisfy any
   bettor's individual approach to handicapping.

5 comments about Game Misconduct: Alan Eagleson and the Corruption of Hockey.

1. All hockey fans owe Russ Conway a debt of gratitude for helping rid hockey of the parasite Alan Eagleson. He documents Eagleson's criminal and disgusting behaviour in great detail, helping fans to better understand what hockey players faced in the past, the necessary background information for many of the issues facing pro hockey today. I haven't read such a gripping book since "Net Worth". Eagleson will be back in the courts again before long, no doubt willing to lie about the charges being brought forward by a number of retired hockey players. Read this book and you'll see that the players have justice on their team.



2. Russ Conway has written a wonderful investigative piece about a man who is truly a disgraceful figure in the history of Canadian hockey. Russ brings forth, with his own agressive style, the wicked ways of a man who calling a crook is an understatement. First, he never backed down to get his answers and his writing is first-rate. Anyone who follows hockey should read about a man who almost destroyed it.



3. This is one of the most important sports books ever written. Through his exhaustive work, Russ Conway exposes the greed, corruption and financial swindling that plagued the NHL throughout Alan Eagelson's reign of terror and the financial and emotional price that so many players faced. Most importantly, Conway's work served as the catalyst for Mr. Eagleson's downfall and proving many player's assertions of corruption. Put simply, this is an important piece of journalism that every fan of sports should read, whether you are a hockey fan or not.



4. This is the most interesting book I have ever read. I studied it to do an oral presentation for Grade 9 English class a few years ago and was so intrigured by the Alan Eagleson story that, now in my first year of University, I am pursuing a career very similar to that of Alan Eagleson...one in which I would essentially deal with the business side of the NHL where I would love to make some sort of a positive influence, as Eagleson did. However, Alan Eagleson's corruption, which is described in this book, is an excellent example of how one person can cause a negative influence on many people's lives through illegitimacy and how public opinion of that person can change almost instantly as a result. Russ Conway did an excellent job of investigating Alan Eagleson, and his book is a wonderful summary of his work. I would recommend this book to anybody, whether they are a hockey fan or not.



5. Those who want to learn about hockey - and not just what Alan Eagleson did to it - should run, not walk, to buy this book.
   Conway's book is superb, and his work on Eagleson made him a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.
   It's a must-read for any sports writer, too. It's like having an "Investigative Journalism 101" class taught to you, and for a fraction of the money you'd pay at a university.

No comments about The Principles of Horseshoeing III.

No comments about The Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac 2009 (Original Thoroughbred Times Racing Almanac).

No comments about Horses Talk: It Pays to Listen : The Paddock and Post Parade.

No comments about Classic Horse-Racing Quotes: Horse-Racing History in the Words of Those Who Made It.