Six Weeks in Saratoga by Brendan O'Meara

After Havre de Grace became the second filly to win the Woodward Stakes, immediately comparisons were made with the 2009 renewal when eventual Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra used the race to nail down that title. In his first book, Brendan O'Meara takes the reader on a behind the scenes account of that memorable summer. He gives the reader a greater appreciation of the hard work of track management to keep a prestigious race meet running smoothly, and of the trainers and jockeys who participate in the sport for our entertainment.

O'Meara starts off with how Saratoga was founded and a biography of John Morrissey, the heavyweight champion when boxing was still a bareknuckled outlaw sport. It is worth noting that the 2 investors - William Travers and Cornelius Vanderbilt - have Grade 1 stakes named in their honor, while Morrissey gives his name to a $75,000 stake for New York breds.

Through insider accounts, O'Meara reveals how NYRA brass managed during the difficult times of the 2009 meet, when NYRA's franchise renewal was not yet a done deal and the Aqueduct casino with its influx of cash appeared to be delayed forever. Charles Hayward was always under pressure to improve on previous year's numbers, both handle and attendance, but are forever at the mercy of Saratoga's weather, where frequent rains and extreme heat can keep customers away.

On the trainer side, Nick Zito, a native of Brooklyn, is the epitome of New York horseman and was inducted into the Hall of Fame that year. O'Meara covers Zito's handling of Commentator, two-time winner of the Whitney Handicap but 3rd in his final career start when attempting to three-peat in the 2009 renewal. Despite being retired during the meet, he stayed in Zito's barn until given a proper sendoff in the winner's circle.

Racing fans wanting an insider account of life at Saratoga through the eyes of management and a Hall of Fame trainer will enjoy O'Meara's entertaining writing style, interspersed with funny quotes by Hayward and Zito. After the Triple Crown and before the Breeders' Cup, the Saratoga meeting clearly is the place to be.

Rachel Alexandra only raced once at Saratoga despite staying there for the entire meet. She shipped south to win the Haskell, then rather than go in the Travers, owner Jess Jackson decided to put her in the Woodward Stakes against older males. O'Meara covered her training there under assistant Scott Blasi, with Borel always in attendance to witness her workouts. O'Meara describes the day when Blasi had to go to the barn of original trainer Hal Wiggins at Churchill Downs to take her away after the Kentucky Oaks, understanding the pain this caused her former team but is just a part of the business. Jockey Calvin Borel did not get many rides during that meet, but he and fiancée Lisa Funk had made the decision to go there in order to stay close to Rachel Alexandra, who was stabled there by trainer Steve Asmussen.

Readers expecting a book about the 2009 Horse of the Year based on the title may be disappointed, as her Woodward, is covered only in the last few chapters. O'Meara reveals the impact Rachel Alexandra had, with her name and photograph on storefronts across town, and a crowd of over 31,000 on what is usually a poorly attended race day near the end of the meeting. However, his account was exciting and well-written, bringing racing fans back to that glorious Saturday afternoon. However, the subtitle and cover photo suggest a Rachel Alexandra book, which it is not. The badly cropped photo (Rachel Alexandra's head is not visible) was inexcusable, along with the fact that it is from the Mother Goose Stakes at Belmont Park, rather than from the Woodward.

Disclosure: A review copy was provided by the publisher. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.