The Bottom Line
A racing history book that belongs on every racing fan's bookshelf. Earl Sande is one of racing's greatest jockeys but since he rode in the 1920s and 30s he is mostly overlooked by contemporary followers of the sport. Sande's story is one of living through adversity while always striving to be the best. Richard J. Maturi has ensured that Sande will not be forgotten, in what is by far the best biography of a human participant in horse racing we have seen.
Pros
- A very fitting tribute to Earl Sande, one of racing's greatest jockeys
- Maturi's meticulous research gives us the most in-depth study of Sande yet seen
- Damon Runyon's poetic odes to Sande add color to this already amazing story
Cons
- No real cons on this one, it is an excellent and true story
Description
- He made his first official start in a Thoroughbred race at the Fair Grounds in January 1918.
- Finishing a fast-closing second aboard a longshot, he felt his career was over because he lost.
- Over his career, he won many stakes races including five Jockey Club Gold Cups.
- He also won three Kentucky Derbies and five Belmonts, but the Preakness Stakes was his jinx.
- Finally, in 1930, he won his only career Preakness Stakes aboard Gallant Fox.
- That race started the sweep of the Triple Crown since the Preakness was run first that year.
- Some things have yet to change. Sande was not adequately covered for his medical expenses.
- A horrible spill at Saratoga where his leg was broken in two places brought this to the public eye.
- When owner Harry Sinclair refused to help pay his expenses, Sande broke off their contract.
- He retired with a lifetime winning percentage of 26.4% and was in the money 60.9% of the time.
Guide Review - Review: Triple Crown Winner: The Earl Sande Saga
Wyoming-based biography specialist Richard Maturi had heard of Earl Sande and decided his story is one that needed to be told lest it fade into obscurity. Traveling around the country, Maturi traced Sande's steps, interviewing many people connected with him and sifting through literally hundreds of newspaper clippings in order to paint as accurate a picture as possible. Like Red Pollard of Seabiscuit fame, Sande left home at a young age to pursue his calling as a rider. His "horse whisperer" knowledge worked to his advantage as he rarely needed to use his whip, opting to handride his mounts to victory while singing into their ears. Sande met with many interesting characters during his career, starting off with cowboys Burr Scott and Doc Pardee who showed him the ropes in the bush tracks of Idaho and Arizona. But by far the most entertaining character was Damon Runyon, who wrote many poems in praise of Sande while downgrading the competition. He mostly rode under contract with three large stables. Initially he worked for J.K.L. Ross, then went to Rancocas Stable owned by Harry Sinclair. In his last major contract, he rode Gallant Fox, owned by William Woodward's Belair Stud, to a Triple Crown sweep in 1930.A collaboration for a movie script is currently in the works, so with luck you may get to see this story on the big screen someday.
