Great Horse Racing Mysteries: True Tales from the Track

This is a great book of short stories about true horse racing mysteries, some of which might never be known.

"Great Horse Racing Mysteries" was awarded the Benjamin Franklin Award for best mystery/suspense book of 2000. It presents twelve true racetrack mysteries in chronological order beginning in 1932 with the death of Phar Lap, the great Australian Thoroughbred who won his first and only race in the United States before his mysterious demise. The author interviewed the few remaining eyewitnesses to Phar Lap's spectacular American debut, including Noble Threewit who is still involved with horses at age ninety-two. (I hope someone names a good horse after Noble Threewit---one of the most euphonious monikers in racing. Hint to Thoroughbred breeders: Clyde Van Dusen was named after a trainer, and both trainer and gelding went on to win the 1929 Kentucky Derby).Anyway, Phar Lap was put on display in a Melbourne museum, and John McEvoy has presented a very detailed and even-handed account of his death. Did the "Australian Man O'War" die of arsenic poisoning? Was the poisoning deliberate, or was he put out to graze on grass that had been sprayed with insecticide? The author presents all of the remaining pieces of this fascinating puzzle.There are other mysterious deaths in "Great Horse Racing Mysteries": a trainer; jockeys; a racing commission official; William Woodward, the owner of Nashua, who was shot by his own wife; the decline and fall of Calumet Farm after the death of the stallion Alydar.McEvoy, a former reporter for the "Daily Racing Form" also describes two Thoroughbred kidnappings, a racetrack arson, and two stories involving the possible drugging of Derby horses---one to help the horse win, and another to make the horse lose.The latter story was a shocker for me, because the horse involved was Holy Bull, one of my favorite Thoroughbreds. The eventual 1984 horse of the year, "ran the worst race of his life in the Derby, a departure from form so startling and disturbing as to raise numerous questions in its aftermath. His horrified owner-trainer [Jimmy Croll] subsequently became convinced this dismal effort resulted from the fleet gray colt's having been drugged prior to the Derby."Once again, the author presents all of the evidence. Even great Thoroughbreds throw in a clunker now and then. But Holy Bull was not only fast, he was courageous. As Tom Dawson of ESPN's 'Racing Across America' series said, "It's so hard to get the horses with the talent and charisma...[Holy Bull] was the real thing."If Holy Bull was drugged before the Derby---well, I'm glad to see him doing so well at stud. His son, Macho Uno won the Breeder's Cup Juvenile and an Eclipse award last year, giving Holy Bull's true fans the hope that one of his get will win the Kentucky Derby in some future May, and wipe away the only spot of tarnish on their sire's racing record."Great Horse Racing Mysteries" should appeal to horse lovers and mystery fans alike. It is a well-researched, thrilling page-turner.

Bought for my own interest and to add to my horse book collection.

very intersting to read

Very interesting stories. Was familiar with some and others were news to me. Horse racing fans will enjoy.

Very insightful book. Good reading