GuideReviews Index - page 2
Kelso: The Horse of Gold
by Linda Kennedy. A fitting tribute to one of Thoroughbred racing's all time greats and its only 5-time Horse of the Year. Kelso dominated American racing during the 1960's and no horse before him or since has matched his accomplishments on the track.
2007 Horseplayers Expo Collector's Edition DVD Set
This 5 disc set includes over 18 hours of handicapping lessons from some of the best handicappers around.
Review: "Blood Horses: Notes of a Sportswriter's Son"
A review of 'Blood Horses: Notes of a Sportswriter's Son' by John Jeremiah Sullivan. A study of the relationship between men and horses, both at the races and beyond, combined with a tribute to his late father's career as a turfwriter.
Review: Handicapping Contest Handbook (2nd edition)
A review of 'Handicapping Contest Handbook: A Horseplayer's Guide to Handicapping Tournaments' by Noel Michaels
Review: "Saratoga Tales"
"Saratoga Tales: Great Horses, Fearless Jockeys, Shocking Upsets and Incredible Blunders at America's Legendary Race Track" by Bill Heller. Strongly recommended addition to every racing fan's personal library. Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down until you're finished.
Horse Racing Coast to Coast: The Traveler's Guide to the Sport of Kings
The Traveler's Guide to the Sport of Kings by Michael Walmsley and Marlene Smith-Baranzini. A great book for anyone planning to travel to an out-of-town race track in North America.
Review - Go Very Highly Trippingly To and Fro/The Stretch Run
by Raymond DeCapite. Although billed as racing fiction, it isn't really and may be too literary in style for most racing fans.
Trainer Angles
Maximizing Profits using Formulator and Advanced Trainer Stats by Dean Keppler. This is a great book for horseplayers who already use or want to start using the free Formulator software from DRF.
Review: The Byerley Turk
The Incredible Story of the World's First Thoroughbred' by Jeremy James. The story of one of the 3 foundation sires of the Thorughbred breed that is more suited to history buffs than racing fans.
Expert Handicapping
Winning Insights into Betting Thoroughbreds by Dave Litfin. Revised and updated to take into account new innovations in racing such as Polytrack, horseplayers of all types can benefit from this "old classic" that has been modernized.
May The Horse Be With You
Pack at the Track by Harvey Pack with Peter Thomas Fornatale. Fans of Harvey Pack and of New York racing in general will thoroughly enjoy his memoirs, covering his involvement in the NYRA scene for the last 50 years.
Crushing the Cup 2007
A review of 'Crushing the Cup 2007: The Handicappers' Guide to Breeders' Cup XXIV' by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett.
The Triple Crown Undercard Handicapper 2007
The logical companion to Triple Crown Handicapper, by Progressive Handicapping founder and owner Jim Mazur. A detailed analysis of the stakes races on the undercards of the Kentucky Oaks, Kentucky Derby, Black-Eyed Susan, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. Using his system of knocks, non-contenders can be eliminated and profitable multi-race bets including the Triple Crown race can be constructed. An additional weapon to use on racing's biggest days.
The Triple Crown Handicapper 2007
by Jim Mazur. An excellent publication for anybody wanting to bet the tough Triple Crown races, or for newer horseplayers wanting to learn more about the use of angles and biases when selecting their horses.
Greatest Kentucky Derby Upsets
by the staff of Blood-Horse Publications. This new book covers 12 of the biggest upsets in Derby history in detail from Elwood in 1904 to Giacomo in 2005.
Memoirs of a Longshot
A Riproarious Life' by W. Cothran 'Cot' Campbell. The life story of the charismatic head of Dogwood Stable from his humble beginnings to organizing the first large scale racing partnership. A very entertaining read.
Kentucky Derby 132
This new annual coffee table book is the definitive collection of photographs from Barbaro's Kentucky Derby victory last year. Definitely recommended to any Barbaro fan but any racing fan would enjoy it.
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.
Man O'War: A Legend Like Lightning
A Legend Like Lightning by Dorothy Ours. An excellent new biography of the great Man O'War with an emphasis on his racing career and connections.
Crushing the Cup 2006
A review of 'Crushing the Cup 2006: The Handicappers' Guide to Breeders' Cup XXIII' by Jim Mazur and Peter Mallett.
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.
Black Maestro by Joe Drape
The Epic Life of an American Legend by Joe Drape. The story of Kentucky Derby winning jockey Jimmy Winkfield and the struggles he went through to become one of the greatest horsemen in history.
From Aintree to York: Racing Around Britain
Racing Around Britain by Stephen Cartmell. A great book for anyone wanting to go to the races in the UK or just to learn more about racing there.
Exotic Betting
by Steven Crist. Not how to handicap, but how to use your handicapping skills to cash in on high paying exotic bets.
The Kingmaker: How Northern Dancer Founded a Racing Dynasty
How Northern Dancer Founded a Racing Dynasty by Avalyn Hunter. An excellent look at probably the most influential stallion of the 20th, from his ancestors to the track to his descendents.