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Horse Racing
The Derby itself has been dreamlike in its history. After nearly fading into oblivion at the turn of the century, the Kentucky Derby has grown into a national cultural institution and the premier annual horse race in America, if not the world. The stories about this great race and its participants have grown through the years. They have evolved into both heroic epics and much-maligned tragedies. Hardcover.
Each spring as the Kentucky Derby grows near, a kind of frenzy hits a wide section of the population. People suddenly turn their attention to Churchill Downs, and the anticipation of the Run for the Roses sends everyone into “Derby fever.” Here in his third book on the Kentucky Derby, Jim Bolus brings together a collection of his favorite Derby stories that are sure to make an avid race fan out of anyone.
There is no one more knowledgeable about the Kentucky Derby than Jim Bolus. He is Kentucky Derby Curator of the Kentucky Derby Museum, which is located on the grounds of Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky.
The thunder and excitement of the race has long drawn visitors to the Fair Grounds. The history of one of America’s oldest thoroughbred horseracing tracks is chronicled here through text, rare photographs, and archival lithographs.
They say every Derby has its story. It could be a remarkable trainer, a last-place finish for a first-place horse, or a newfound overseas interest in the race. Whatever the subject, the legends and history of each year’s run create the enthusiasm and drive that bring thousands back time and time again. And just like its counterparts—the Super Bowl, the World Series, and the Indy 500—there are legends and stories to be told that exemplify the fervor that begins in Louisville nearly a whole month before the race.
As mud flies through the air behind their hooves, Carry Back and Crozier dramatically hurtle toward the finish line in the 1961 Florida Derby, captured in expert black and white photography. In an 1890 race at Coney Island Jockey Club, Salvator defeats Tenny by a matter of inches in what may be the first instance of a photo finish. As they battle down the stretch at the Churchill Downs, Head Play and Brokers Tip dash toward their iconic Fighting Finish at the 1933 Kentucky Derby and are caught in a classic image of racing legend. Every one of these amazing moments in history has been preserved in breathtaking detail by skilled photographers and included in this stunning collection of vintage images introduced by seasoned racing journalist Bill Mooney.
Romero began his career as a nine year old in backwoods Louisiana. Determined to branch out to bigger venues, he soon won races at Evangeline Downs, Delta Downs, Churchill Downs, and even Keeneland in Kentucky. He eventually went on to win twenty-five riding titles at ten different racetracks with such notable horses as Wavering Monarch, Rocket’s Magic, Personal Ensign, and Go for Wand.
A fiercely determined athlete, father, and soft-spoken Cajun, Randy Romero is one the greatest riders in Thoroughbred history. Despite enduring twenty-five major surgeries, burning more than sixty percent of his body due to an explosion, suffering physical abuse from his father, and self-abuse to meet certain weight requirements, Romero never considered quitting the sport for a second. He survived all of these setbacks to pursue his goals in racing, eventually retiring with an astonishing record of more than four thousand victories. In his fifties and undergoing dialysis, the jockey is a living legend.
This is the ePub/eBook version of this title. This is not the print edition.
Released in 1993, Jim Bolus’s Kentucky Derby Stories was called “a Derby delight,” “entertaining,” and “a winner” by publications like Daily Racing Form, Lexington Herald-Leader, and The Detriot News. Now for the 1994 racing season, Bolus, sportswriter and Derby historian, is back with another field of stories from the most-esteemed horse race in North America, Remembering the Derby.