Horse Racing's Holy Grail: The Epic Quest for the Kentucky Derby

Rating:
Summary: a book with an identity crisis
Review: As a very enthusiastic horse racing fan, I was eagerly awaiting this book when I found out it was being published. I am a huge fan of Steve Haskin's writing for the Blood Horse. His weekly Derby Watch reports are the only ones I read, and I was deeply moved by his article on Tiznow after the 2001 Breeders' Cup. I also enjoyed Haskin's book "Dr. Fager" from the Thoroughbred Legends series. Which makes me feel just terrible about giving this book one star.

I just put the book down after reading it in about two hours. The print used is large, the spacing between lines is large, and the margins are large. Additionally, there are many full page photos (but none are particularly good, all in black and white). All of those combine to make the book much shorter than its 219 pages would suggest.

The problem I had with the book (as indicated in my title) was that the book had no focus. It varied between: (1) Recent history of the Derby (2) How to pick a Derby winner (3) Derby myths and legends (4) Haskin's ramdom musings. None of the aspects were explored fully which means that the book is at the same time about all of them and about none of them.

I don't know what I was expecting from the book, but the name implied great things that I simply did not find. I feel the book is too frozen in time, talking only about recent trends, recent big name trainers and jockeys, and recent horses. In ten years, it could be meaningless, so the book has no timeless quality. I have been following horse racing for two years and there was nothing in the book that I did not know. However, the book (IMO) would not be good for a newcomer, because it assumes a certain level of knowledge.

I only feel justified in giving the book one star because I intend to return it. I feel that it was a waste of money and the book was neither enjoyable or informative. There are very few books that I dislike, and since I like Haskin's other work so much, it makes me all the more disappointed I did not find this book even satisfactory.

Rating:
Summary: a book with an identity crisis
Review: As a very enthusiastic horse racing fan, I was eagerly awaiting this book when I found out it was being published. I am a huge fan of Steve Haskin's writing for the Blood Horse. His weekly Derby Watch reports are the only ones I read, and I was deeply moved by his article on Tiznow after the 2001 Breeders' Cup. I also enjoyed Haskin's book "Dr. Fager" from the Thoroughbred Legends series. Which makes me feel just terrible about giving this book one star.

I just put the book down after reading it in about two hours. The print used is large, the spacing between lines is large, and the margins are large. Additionally, there are many full page photos (but none are particularly good, all in black and white). All of those combine to make the book much shorter than its 219 pages would suggest.

The problem I had with the book (as indicated in my title) was that the book had no focus. It varied between: (1) Recent history of the Derby (2) How to pick a Derby winner (3) Derby myths and legends (4) Haskin's ramdom musings. None of the aspects were explored fully which means that the book is at the same time about all of them and about none of them.

I don't know what I was expecting from the book, but the name implied great things that I simply did not find. I feel the book is too frozen in time, talking only about recent trends, recent big name trainers and jockeys, and recent horses. In ten years, it could be meaningless, so the book has no timeless quality. I have been following horse racing for two years and there was nothing in the book that I did not know. However, the book (IMO) would not be good for a newcomer, because it assumes a certain level of knowledge.

I only feel justified in giving the book one star because I intend to return it. I feel that it was a waste of money and the book was neither enjoyable or informative. There are very few books that I dislike, and since I like Haskin's other work so much, it makes me all the more disappointed I did not find this book even satisfactory.

Rating:
Summary: YOU HAVE TO HAVE LADY LUCK ON YOUR SIDE WHEN PLACING A BET
Review: One of the best books I have read on on the Derby. I though I was a fairly good handicapper on the Derby but didnt realize how important it was to have the Gods of Racing on your side. Very informative book.

Rating:
Summary: YOU HAVE TO HAVE LADY LUCK ON YOUR SIDE WHEN PLACING A BET
Review: One of the best books I have read on on the Derby. I though I was a fairly good handicapper on the Derby but didnt realize how important it was to have the Gods of Racing on your side. Very informative book.

Rating:
Summary: How to pick a Kentucky Derby winner
Review: Steve Haskin is one of my favorite senior correspondents for the weekly 'Blood-Horse' magazine. His Derby Watch is a feature of the 'Blood Horse' web site, although it hasn't done me much good, so far on the 2002 Derby trail (I'm currently ranked 12,123 out of a field of 17,187 players in the Kentucky Derby Fantasy Challenge).

At any rate, Haskin writes descriptions of the current Derby prospects, like:

'Hey, nothing surprises us anymore this year. So, we've got a Derby contender who changes leads four times, is pulled to the inside rail twice as if it were magnetized, and runs with his tongue flapping out of his mouth. So what? We threw the book away this year a long time ago.'

No, don't throw away the book---at least not if it's Haskin's 'Horse Racing's Holy Grail.' By nature, the book is more generic than his online column---he has to talk about previous Derby contenders, and their jockeys and trainers, not the current lot. However, 'Grail' is quite informative on what bloodlines to look for (the infamous Dosage index), which jockeys are best fitted to ride say, a horse that likes to come from behind, and which trainers are gearing up to win the Derby as soon as the yearling sales are history.

His favorite trainers are multiple Derby winners, and he calls them the 'Derby Dynamos.' They are D. Wayne Lukas, Nick Zito, and Bob Baffert. You could do well if you picked one of these trainers, and bet on his horse (or horses)---although 2002 seems to be an exception to the rule---none of the 'Derby Dynamos' has what currently looks like a Derby horse unless you planning to pick a longshot like Baffert's Danthebluegrassman.

'Grail' is a fun book to read if you have any interest at all on watching or betting on the Kentucky Derby. Haskin writes very knowledgeably the ten rules on how NOT to pick a horse, which jockeys are the most likely to win (hold off betting until Jerry Bailey, Chris McCarron, and Corey Nakatani have finally settled on their Derby mounts), and how (if all else fails) to appease the fickle Derby gods (in part, it involves feeding senior press correspondents).

Rating:
Summary: (2.5) Disappointing - falls short of what it could have been
Review: The quest for the Kentucky Derby is a topic with a lot of potential for a great book, but unfortunately this book fails to live up to it. The title - "Horse Racing's Holy Grail: The Epic Quest for the Kentucky Derby" - would lead one to believe that by reading this one will gain a deep insight into the workings of the Derby and what it takes to get there and win it. Not so. Haskin's thesis here can be summed up more or less as "anything can happen." And while this isn't untrue, it certainly doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know. Avid racing fans that have been following the sport for years won't learn anything new here, and relative newcomers hoping to find a formula for picking winners won't find that either.

The information Haskin provides here is mostly in the form of statistics. He gives us lists and numbers. What he doesn't do is look in-depth at any of the past Derby contenders. We don't get to know any of them very well, or hear their stories. The book merely skims, and lacks depth.

Worse yet is the fact that Haskin doesn't seem to have a clear message for us. He says, "There is a distinct formula for success that has proven its worth year after year" (pg. 138) but he fails to make it clear what this formula is. Every time he tells us about a trend or "rule" relating to the Derby, he immediately follows it up with half a dozen not-uncommon exceptions. He even states that future Derby winners can look like anything, be bought for any price, be of any parentage, and have any kind of previous race record. While this is certainly a true statement, once again it's nothing profound or new.

Another problem is that Haskin meanders quite a bit and sometimes gets off-topic. He delves into topics like how to be a reporter, or how to spot a "gonzo journalist," or how to tell what trainer comments really mean. None of this has much bearing on discovering the secret to a successful Derby. In fact, even much of the racing information Haskin gives is not specific to the Kentucky Derby, and it's often easy to forget that the book is supposed to be focussed on that one race.

My final irritation with the book is its use of space. The margins are large, the typeface is large, and the space between lines is enormous, leaving only 25 lines of text per page. And that's only on the pages that are composed entirely of text! About 75% of the pages are heavily picture-laden, which means that the actual length of the writing is much less than 219 pages. I normally don't mind having lots of photos in a book like this, but these aren't even very impressive photos. They're all black-and-white, and few are really appealing shots.

I realize that thus far I've only said negative things about the book, and perhaps that makes you wonder why I've even given it three stars. Despite my disappointment with it, it's not entirely bad. The information is accurate, at least, even if it doesn't tell us anything insightful. It is also easy to read, and can be finished quickly. What it boils down to, though, is the question of whether the book is worth it. Is it worth reading? Perhaps, though any long-time racing enthusiast will already know most of what Haskin says. Is it worth the price? I really don't think so. If you still do want to read it, check it out of the library.

Rating:
Summary: (2.5) Disappointing - falls short of what it could have been
Review: The quest for the Kentucky Derby is a topic with a lot of potential for a great book, but unfortunately this book fails to live up to it. The title - "Horse Racing's Holy Grail: The Epic Quest for the Kentucky Derby" - would lead one to believe that by reading this one will gain a deep insight into the workings of the Derby and what it takes to get there and win it. Not so. Haskin's thesis here can be summed up more or less as "anything can happen." And while this isn't untrue, it certainly doesn't tell us anything we didn't already know. Avid racing fans that have been following the sport for years won't learn anything new here, and relative newcomers hoping to find a formula for picking winners won't find that either.

The information Haskin provides here is mostly in the form of statistics. He gives us lists and numbers. What he doesn't do is look in-depth at any of the past Derby contenders. We don't get to know any of them very well, or hear their stories. The book merely skims, and lacks depth.

Worse yet is the fact that Haskin doesn't seem to have a clear message for us. He says, "There is a distinct formula for success that has proven its worth year after year" (pg. 138) but he fails to make it clear what this formula is. Every time he tells us about a trend or "rule" relating to the Derby, he immediately follows it up with half a dozen not-uncommon exceptions. He even states that future Derby winners can look like anything, be bought for any price, be of any parentage, and have any kind of previous race record. While this is certainly a true statement, once again it's nothing profound or new.

Another problem is that Haskin meanders quite a bit and sometimes gets off-topic. He delves into topics like how to be a reporter, or how to spot a "gonzo journalist," or how to tell what trainer comments really mean. None of this has much bearing on discovering the secret to a successful Derby. In fact, even much of the racing information Haskin gives is not specific to the Kentucky Derby, and it's often easy to forget that the book is supposed to be focussed on that one race.

My final irritation with the book is its use of space. The margins are large, the typeface is large, and the space between lines is enormous, leaving only 25 lines of text per page. And that's only on the pages that are composed entirely of text! About 75% of the pages are heavily picture-laden, which means that the actual length of the writing is much less than 219 pages. I normally don't mind having lots of photos in a book like this, but these aren't even very impressive photos. They're all black-and-white, and few are really appealing shots.

I realize that thus far I've only said negative things about the book, and perhaps that makes you wonder why I've even given it three stars. Despite my disappointment with it, it's not entirely bad. The information is accurate, at least, even if it doesn't tell us anything insightful. It is also easy to read, and can be finished quickly. What it boils down to, though, is the question of whether the book is worth it. Is it worth reading? Perhaps, though any long-time racing enthusiast will already know most of what Haskin says. Is it worth the price? I really don't think so. If you still do want to read it, check it out of the library.