From the nation's premier turf association, a magnificent illustrated history of horse racing in America--the perfect gift for anyone who loves thoroughbreds or spends time at the track. Published to coincide with the Jockey Club's 100th anniversary. 200 illustrations, 150 in color.

Written by Eclipse Award-winning author Simon, contributing editor of "Thoroughbred Times, " and filled with dramatic historical photos capturing some of the greatest racing moments, this book will catapult readers into the fast-paced and exciting world of racing. 195 photos.

"A Brush With Greatness" presents the encompassing view that Thoroughbred Racing greatness can come in many forms through a variety of accomplishments. Each horse presented in this book achieved a pinnacle in the sport - some for a brief moment while others carved out their own timeless legend. This book recalls the stories of many of the best Thoroughbred race horses since the year 2000. This is done through the words of renowned author and historian Ed Bowen and brought to life by the talented brush of artist Robert Clark.

On October 20, 1923, at Belmont Park in New York, Kentucky Derby champion Zev toed the starting line alongside Epsom Derby winner Papyrus, the top colt from England, to compete for a $100,000 purse. Years of Progressive reform efforts had nearly eliminated horse racing in the United States only a decade earlier. But for weeks leading up to the match race that would be officially dubbed the "International," unprecedented levels of newspaper coverage helped accelerate American horse racing's return from the brink of extinction. In this book, James C. Nicholson explores the convergent professional lives of the major players involved in the Horse Race of the Century, including Zev's oil-tycoon owner Harry Sinclair, and exposes the central role of politics, money, and ballyhoo in the Jazz Age resurgence of the sport of kings. Zev was an apt national mascot in an era marked by a humming industrial economy, great coziness between government and business interests, and reliance on national mythology as a bulwark against what seemed to be rapid social, cultural, and economic changes. Reflecting some of the contradiction and incongruity of the Roaring Twenties, Americans rallied around the horse that was, in the words of his owner, "racing for America," even as that owner was reported to have been engaged in a scheme to defraud the United States of millions of barrels of publicly owned oil. Racing for America provides a parabolic account of a nation struggling to reconcile its traditional values with the complexity of a new era in which the US had become a global superpower trending toward oligarchy, and the world's greatest consumer of commercialized spectacle.

Photographs and text describe many aspects of thoroughbred racing, including famous sires, races, wagering, training, and jockeys.

Steeplechasing provides a long, colorful history of the sport and gives behind-the-scenes portraits of the horses, people, and places of the chase. From the 1800s, enjoy the reproductions of illustrations from colorful sporting journals, and enjoy the writing style of that era which was equally colorful. In more recent times, marvelous action pictures capture the excitement, beauty, and sometimes danger of the sport. Art lovers will also enjoy the color reproductions of horse portraits and race scenes by some of America's best sporting artists. Limited Edition ($175) is bound in a cloth clamshell casing.

The world of Thoroughbred racing is glamorous, secretive, dangerous, and seductive—the sport of kings and the poor man's obsession. While the spectacle of racing stirs the imagination, it belies the ruthless business that lies beneath. This engaging original study demystifies this complex world by comparing centers of excellence in Britain and North America. Drawing from intensive field work in Suffolk's Newmarket and Kentucky's Lexington, Rebecca Cassidy gives us the inside track on all players in the industry—from the elite breeders and owners to the stable boys, racetrack workers, and veterinarians. She leads us through horse farms, breeding barns, and yearling sales; explains rigorous training regimens; and brings us trackside on race day. But the history of Thoroughbred racing culture is more than a collection of fascinating characters and exciting events. Cassidy's investigation reveals the factors—ethical, cultural, political, and economic—that have shaped the racing tradition.