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.

"The author describes the handicapping of thoroughbred horse races, covering such factors as the use of computers, what to watch before a race, and the best jockeys and horse trainers. He also explains 60 ways to build a betting system"--Library of Congress description

Being a jockey is more than a career, it's a way of life. The glitz and glamour of the show may belie all the time and effort that goes into it, but the life of a jockey entails a great deal of risk, personal sacrifice and hardship. Often viewed as second-rate athletes, partly because of their small size, these riders are in actuality some of the toughest men in the athletic world. Pound for pound, they are unmatched in physical prowess. Controlling and guiding large thoroughbreds requires a great deal of strength and skill. In addition, there is little room for error during the close-run, high-speed races where the necessity of implementing a winning strategy makes the sport mentally as well as physically taxing. This volume provides an in-depth look at the self-employed, independent contractor known as the jockey and the all-encompassing culture of the race track he calls home. The book details the qualities and abilities of the successful jockey, the transitory nature of horse racing, the jockey's constant battle regarding weight, the financial motivation of the sport and the close-knit nature of the profession. Interviews with over 100 jockeys including Hall of Famers Pat Day, Earlie Fires and Russell Baze, add a personal focus and give the reader an inside glimpse into the world of horse racing. The last chapter includes brief biographical sketches of the most influential riders from the last 50 years.

Written by a five-time Red Smith Award winner, this book captures the excitement of the world-famous sporting event through vibrant photography and engaging text that highlight the history of the race, its fabled courses, visionaries, jockeys, and breeders.

An authoritative and comprehensive illustrated work of reference, which tells the story of the "sport of kings" from its earliest inception to the present day.

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.

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.