The Bottom Line
Sandy Hawley is one of Canada's proudest sons, the racing equivalent of Wayne Gretzky. A champion in his homeland and in the United States, he reflects on his amazing career in his autobiography, "Ride of a Lifetime", with the help of Toronto Sun sportswriter Perry Lefko. Successful on the track, he endured a number of off-track struggles, but as always, the "gentleman jockey" always prevailed. This is an excellent book about a champion of Thoroughbred racing in every sense of the word.
Pros
- A well-written autobiography by one of racing's living legends
- The "gentleman jockey" always sounds humbled by his success, crediting others all the time
- His story of survival against cancer will inspire many readers
Cons
- We found no fault in this work. Hawley is one of racing's greatest ambassadors.
Description
- Sandy Hawley was born and raised in Oshawa, Ontario, also the birthplace of Northern Dancer
- A star athlete in school, he did not grow large enough to play hockey or baseball professionally.
- Someone suggested he go to Woodbine to ride horses, and the rest is history.
- He learned many of his skills by riding alongside his idol, the late Avelino Gomez
- After smashing records in Canada, he moved his tack to Southern California
- Over a 32-year career he won 6,449 races with over $88 million in earnings.
- He retired in 1998 and was hired by Woodbine to work in public relations and as a television host
Guide Review - Review - Ride of a Lifetime
In his autobiography, Sandy Hawley looks back at a 32-year career as a jockey. During that time, he raised himself to legendary status, smashing the single season record for wins, as well as setting records on his home circuit including nine wins in the Canadian Oaks. Most of his career, Colin Wick served as his agent. Despite moving to the much more competitive Southern California racing circuit, he more than held his own, earning an Eclipse Award for champion jockey in North America in the process. He was inducted into racing's Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs and received the Order of Canada. Hawley, a true gentleman, never sounds like he is bragging about his accomplishments. Instead, he gives credit to the many people who helped him succeed.Life off the track was a different story. Two failed marriages and tax troubles put a drain on his income. But worst of all, he contracted malignant melanoma after frequenting tanning salons, and doctors did not expect him to survive. An experimental vaccine by an oncologist in California, along with several surgeries to remove tumors, were successful, and Hawley was soon able to return to riding and finish off his career the way he wanted, on Canada Day in 1998.
Several important people in his life, including Colin Wick, fellow jockeys Laffit Pincay Jr, and Chris McCarron, his first wife Sherrie, and his current wife Lisa, were interviewed for the book and many direct quotes are included within the text.
