Book and Product Reviews
Dick Francis's Bloodline by Felix Francis
A review of the book 'Dick Francis's Bloodline' by Felix Francis. A new horse racing mystery by the son of the great racing fiction writer that carries on his tradition well.
Finished Last at Folkestone by John Norbury
A review of the book 'Finished Last at Folkestone: One Man's Ambition to Visit all 60 UK Racecourses' by John Norbury A personal account of his trips to all 60 tracks in England from the viewpoint of a fan and owner. Not a travel guide, more of a travel diary of his experiences.
The Sport of Kings and the Kings of Crime by Steven A. Riess
A review of the book 'The Sport of Kings and the Kings of Crime' by Steven A. Riess about the the early history of horse racing in New York and the involvement of oranized crime.
Kinane by Anne Holland
A review of the book 'Kinane: A Remarkable Racing Family' by Anne Holland. The story of the famous Irish family of horsemen, from patriarch Jim down to the recently retired champion rider Mick, regular rider for Coolmore for many years.
Peter Pan by Jessica Owers
A review of the book 'Peter Pan: The Forgotten Story of Phar Lap's Successor' by Jessica Owers about the 2009 Saratoga race meet.
Six Weeks in Saratoga by Brendan O'Meara
A review of the book 'Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Filly Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year' by Brendan O'Meara about the 2009 Saratoga race meet.
Saratoga Race Course
The August Place to Be by Kimberly Gatto. An excellent history of the almost 150 year old track in upstate New York which only runs a short summer meet but has some of the highest quality racing in America. Everyday the "Spa" draws thousands of eager fans who with to see and be seen at the historic facility.
Sham: Great Was Second Best
A Brave Bay's Rivalry with the Legendary Secretariat by Phil Dandrea. A biography of the 1973 Triple Crown runner-up who could have been the superhorse had he been born any other year.
Dancer's Image
The Forgotten Story of the 1968 Kentucky Derby by Milton C. Toby. Examines the legal battle and other happenings around his disqualification from the Kentucky Derby. Should he really have lost the title?
Horse Racing's Most Wanted: by David L. Hudson Jr.
A review of Horse Racing's Most Wanted: The Top Ten Book of Derby Delights, Frenetic Finishes, and Backstretch Banter by David L. Hudson Jr.
Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and His Legacy
by Alex Brown. An in-depth look at popular but ill-fated Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro and the impact his injury had on fans, the people associated with him, and advances in equine health and welfare. With 164 color photos, this is a book any racing fan would enjoy.
Review: Beyond the Homestretch
What Saving Racehorses Taught Me About Starting Over, Facing Fear & Finding My Inner Cowgirl' by Lynn Reardon.
A Racing and Breeding Tradition: The Horses of the Aga Khan by Kim…
A review of 'A Racing and Breeding Tradition: The Horses of the Aga Khan' by Philip Jodidio.
Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner by Kim…
A review of 'Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner' by Lou Sahadi.
Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon
Lord of Misrule by Jaimy Gordon. This award-winning slice of life novel portrays the gritty, downtrodden life on the backstretch of a minor league track in the 1970's.
Shedrow a novel by Dean DeLuke
In the first fiction work by New York racehorse owner Dean DeLuke, successful surgeon Anthony Gianni finds himself a mob target when his Triple Crown contender Chiefly Endeavour is killed for insurance money.
Thoroughbred Breeding: by Dr. Matthew Binns and Tony Morris
A review of Thoroughbred Breeding: Pedigree Theories and the Science of Genetics by Dr. Matthew Binns and Tony Morris.
The Garrett Gomez Story
A review of the book 'The Garrett Gomez Story: A Jockey's Journey Thorough Addiction and Salvation' by Rudolph Alvarado with Garrett Gomez. The story of the popular jockey, from his beginnings in the southwest to his current success.
Crushing the Cup 2009
The Handicapper's Guide to Breeders' Cup XXVI' by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An excellent publication for anybody wanting to bet the tough Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita Park and for newer horseplayers wanting to learn more about the use of angles and biases when handicapping a race.
Breeders' Cup World Championships: The First 25 Years
by HorsePhotos.com. A new DVD that is put together with a montage of still photos and narration showing highlights from the first 24 years of Breeders' Cup which any racing fan should enjoy.
Betting Synthetic Surfaces
Author Bill Finley has put together a very useful work to allow horseplayers who have been leery of handicapping races over synthetic tracks to develop the ability to analyze these races effectively.
Off to a Flying Start
Horsing Around the Language by Bill Tivenan and Cassandra Cook. This new book explains the origins of over 60 terms used in everyday language that originally came from the sport of horse racing.
Crushing the Cup 2008
The Handicapper's Guide to Breeders' Cup XXV by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An excellent publication for anybody wanting to bet the tough Breeders' Cup races at Santa Anita Park and for newer horseplayers wanting to learn more about the use of angles and biases when handicapping a race.
Crushing the Cup 2007
by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. This annual stats bible for the Breeders' Cup World Championships is highly recommended.
Bet with the Best
All new strategies from America's leading handicappers including Beyer, Brohamer, Crist, Davidowitz, and more
The Calumet Collection
"A History of the Calumet Trophies" by Judy Marchman and Tom Hall. Finally, a book documenting part of their wonderful collection plus biographies of some of Calumet's greatest horses.
Crushing the Cup 2006
by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. With the Breeders' Cup returning to Churchill Downs for the 6th time, this annual stats bible should prove even more useful than ever. Highly recommended.
Crushing the Cup 2005
by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. Back for its 14th year, this is the ultimate guide to handicapping the Breeders' Cup. Highly recommended.
Crushing the Cup 2004
The Handicapper's Guide to Breeders' Cup XX1 by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett. An essential tool for anyone trying to handicap the Breeders' Cup races.
From the Desert to the Derby
"Inside the Ruling Family of Dubai's Billion-Dollar Quest to Win America's Greatest Horse Race" by Jason Levin. Strongly recommended for all fans of racing.
Graveyard of Champions
Saratoga's Fallen Favorites by Bill Heller. Analysis of Saratoga's notorious jinx for heavy favorites brought to life in an entertaining series of historical narratives.
Homestretch: A Celebration of America's Greatest Tracks
by Nancy Stout with foreword by Jerry Cooke examines 15 racetracks across North America.
Horse of a Different Color
"A Tale of Breeding Geniuses, Dominant Females, and the Fastest Derby Winner Since Secretariat" by Jim Squires. An entertaining account of the events that lead to Monarchos becoming the Kentucky Derby winner in 2001.
Horse Racing's Holy Grail
"The Epic Quest for the Kentucky Derby" by Steve Haskin. Recommended for new fans wanting to learn some recent Derby history or planning to bet the Derby.
Horses of the Kentucky Derby
If you love racing and the Derby, you need a copy of this CDROM. Pictures, histories, video, and more for all the winners through Monarchos in 2001.
The Moneymaker
A hand-held "computer" for quickly handicapping races off the Daily Racing Form or track program past performances.
My Racing Heart
"The Passionate World of Thoroughbreds and the Track" by Nan Mooney. Strongly recommended for all fans of racing who value the human-interest side of the sport.
The Perfect Ride
An excellent autobiography of jockey Gary Stevens. You get not only a taste of what it's like to be a jockey, but insights on some of the best horses and trainers of the past twenty years.
Rascals and Racehorses
Gives racing fans a look into the colorful characters that add much to the entertainment value of the sport of Thoroughbred racing. New and long time fans of racing alike will find this book's steady stream of anecdotes to be very difficult to put down.
Ride of Their Lives
The Triumphs and Turmoil of Today's Top Jockeys by Lenny Shulman. A interesting look at the life stories, both on and off the track, of fourteen of the best riders in North America.
The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing
The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing by Steve Davidowitz. An entertaining and sometimes humerous look at the last 3 decades in racing from the high moments to ones we might rather forget. Definitely recommended for any racing fan.
Spectacular Bid
His trainer, Bud Delp, called him "the greatest horse ever to look through a bridle." Find out more in this review of the ninth book in the Thoroughbred Legends series from Eclipse Press.
Stud: Adventures in Racing
by Kevin Conley. "The Kentucky Derby is often called the most exciting two minutes in sports; Storm Cat is probably its most expensive thirty seconds." A thorough yet entertaining look at the breeding of racehorses and the people involved in the business.
Three Strides Before the Wire
A great new book about Charismatic's run for the Triple Crown. Gives you a look behind the scenes including biography info about his connections, especially about his ill-fated jockey Chris Antley.
War Admiral
by Edward L. Bowen. This book is recommended for all racing fans who want to look back at the past. It is eye-opening to see how different racing was back then compared to today.
Win, Place and Show
Are you a new fan who is mystified by some of the terms you have heard used? Or perhaps you are a die-hard fan who has family and friends who can't understand your obsession? This nice little book is an excellent introduction to the world of Thoroughbred racing that can help.
Woodbine Layoffs
Detailed trainer statistics compiled over a number of years for the Woodbine trainer colony to aid your handicapping by providing proven trainer angles.
More Book Reviews
Twelve more reviews from last year.
Share your review of the Secretariat movie
The new Secretariat movie that will be released on October 8, 2010, by Walt Disney Studios. Once you have a chance to see it, please share your thoughts and opinions about the movie.See submissions
Del Mar Racetrack
Del Mar Racetrack by Kenneth M. Holtzclaw and the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club. This latest in the "Images of Sports" series takes you on a photographic tour of the history of beautiful Del Mar with over 200 vintage photographs.
Frankie
The Autobiography of Frankie Dettori by Lanfranco Dettori and Jonathan Powell. An entertaining, informative look into the life and times of a world class jockey.