- Hardcover: 288 pages
- Publisher: Daily Racing Form (Sep 2 2004)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0972640126
- ISBN-13: 978-0972640121
- Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 16.1 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 499 g
-
Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#248,885 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #41 in Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Gambling > Horse Racing
- #55 in Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Horses > Racing
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Product Details |
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
Cain reaches the winner's circle with this thorough, enthralling study of the Thoroughbred horse-racing industry, which, over the past century, has gone from gentleman's hobby to billion-dollar business. At annual auctions like the Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., would-be buyers dressed in Town & Country–style silk suits place big bets in their quest for the "home-run horse," a Triple Crown contender with millions of dollars in earning potential, or "the Thoroughbred sport's equivalent of hitting the lottery." Cain, a Daily Racing Form editor, explains how one such mogul—wealthy, bespectacled, 53-year-old Satish Sanan—hit pay dirt when his $2.15-million yearling, aptly named Vindication, won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and skyrocketed in value. Other beneficiaries include breeders like Taylor Made Farm, a family-run operation near Lexington, Ky., that holds up to 650 Thoroughbreds at a time and has generated $830 million in revenue over its 25-year history. The high stakes put pressure squarely on the trainers, who are expected to produce the next Unbridled's Song or Seattle Slew; as one puts it, "You didn't want the horse to lose when you knew the owner had $30,000 or $40,000 bet on him." Cain's captivating book brims with history, drama and characters; readers will be sucked in long before crossing the finish line.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Book Description
The home run horse, the runner that makes your fortune and changes your life, can come from anywhere. This book will explore the quest for the superior Thoroughbred, who takes up the search for a life-changing horse and why they do it with limited success.
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organize and find favorite items. |
Customer Reviews
|
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.ca
|
||||||||||||||||||||
|
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
17 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A vivid account of racing and the bloodstock business, May 15 2006
By Nicholas Clee - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Home Run Horse: Inside America's Billion-Dollar Racehorse Industry and the High-Stakes Dreams that Fuel It (Hardcover)
Anyone with an interest in horseracing will enjoy Glenye Cain's behind-the-scenes look at the thoroughbred industry; and newcomers to the sport will find plenty to entertain them in these pages too. Cain has an eye for the details that make vivid this self-contained and expensive world: the quirks of the owners, breeders, trainers and horses. She conveys the atmosphere of the sales ring as wealthy owners do battle, of a stud farm late at night as a mare gives birth, of Churchill Downs racecourse as trainers prepare their expensive and fragile charges for the Kentucky Derby. In love with the industry, she does not neglect its darker side. After reading The Home Run Horse, you'll watch horseracing with new insight and enthusiasm.
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent survey of horse racing in america, Mar 20 2007
By Alex Brown - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: The Home Run Horse: Inside America's Billion-Dollar Racehorse Industry and the High-Stakes Dreams that Fuel It (Hardcover)
The author, Glenye Cain, has been covering Barbaro for The Daily Racing Form. She sent me her book after I had had a few conversations with her about Barbaro, a horse she adopted (indirectly) off the racetrack that had at one time been trained by Graham Motion, and horse related issues such as horse-slaughter. As someone closely involved in racing I enjoyed the book as it shed light on aspects of our industry in which I was less familiar (breeding / auctions etc). I do think, however, the book best serves those first learning about the thoroughbred industry and wanting to get a solid base of knowledge from which to then build. It is excellent.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great book!, Jun 1 2011
By M. C Purdy "Dolly Fan" - Published on Amazon.com
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: The Home Run Horse: Inside America's Billion-Dollar Racehorse Industry and the High-Stakes Dreams that Fuel It (Hardcover)
I loved this book. It explores the world of high rollers and horse lovers in an educational and extremely entertaining way. Moreover, it explains how horses most people have never heard of like Vindication can become a $10 million (or even $50 million dollar) business without winning a lot of races. It also exposes the underside of the high-stakes racehorse industry, which is that thousands of horses give their all and are rewarded by being sent to slaughterhouses. This happened to the great Exceller (who beat 2 Triple Crown winners: Affirmed and Seattle Slew) and Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand. Unlike many books on thoroughbreds, the writing is brisk and lively and fun to read. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves horses and horseracing.
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Entertainment > Puzzles & Games > Gambling > Horse Racing
- Books > Sports > Individual Sports > Horses > Racing
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
