D. Wayne : The High-Rolling and Fast Times of America's Premier Horse Trainer

Rating:
Summary: Outran--Absolute Glue
Review: A true shame. What purports to be a definitive biography is mostly a paraphrase of several articles and passages from other books.
No trainer in this lifetime influenced the Sport of Kings more than D. Wayne Lukas. His story deserves the treatment of a quality writer and editor. However, the team that conditioned this offering either lacked those qualities (which I honestly doubt), or they simply didn't care to get it right. The book is filled with inaccuracies and misspellings. It is disjointed and frustrating to read.
Readers will find themselves constantly composing a letter to the publisher in their mind. If you are thinking of purchasing this book, wait for the softcover. Instead try Joe Drape's recent account of the triple crown series or try to find Sports Illustrated articles about Lukas.
Specious at best.

Rating:
Summary: Outran--Absolute Glue
Review: A true shame. What purports to be a definitive biography is mostly a paraphrase of several articles and passages from other books.
No trainer in this lifetime influenced the Sport of Kings more than D. Wayne Lukas. His story deserves the treatment of a quality writer and editor. However, the team that conditioned this offering either lacked those qualities (which I honestly doubt), or they simply didn't care to get it right. The book is filled with inaccuracies and misspellings. It is disjointed and frustrating to read.
Readers will find themselves constantly composing a letter to the publisher in their mind. If you are thinking of purchasing this book, wait for the softcover. Instead try Joe Drape's recent account of the triple crown series or try to find Sports Illustrated articles about Lukas.
Specious at best.

Rating:
Summary: A Revealing Look at a True 'Horse Player'
Review: As a horse-racing fan, I was very impressed with the candid nature of DeVito's book. It has some really juicy parts and gives an up-and-down view of this maverick figure. I can't wait for the Derby this weekend and an opportunity to see Lukas in the winner's circle. I would highly recommend it to racing fans.

Rating:
Summary: A Revealing Look at a True 'Horse Player'
Review: As a horse-racing fan, I was very impressed with the candid nature of DeVito's book. It has some really juicy parts and gives an up-and-down view of this maverick figure. I can't wait for the Derby this weekend and an opportunity to see Lukas in the winner's circle. I would highly recommend it to racing fans.

Rating:
Summary: About time!
Review: As a racing fan, I've been waiting for this story to come out for years. I've never been a big fan of Lukas, but the chapters about his early years with thoroughbreds are fascinating. I still don't like the guy much, but I do have a new respect for him after reading this book. Also, the author begins the book with Lukas' string of bad luck finding a horse for the Derby a few years ago. There's some great behind the scenes stuff in this section that horse fans will really be into. A few little things bothered me, though. He refers to Muttering and Marfa as fillies. Not so. But otherwise, some great stuff on Charismatic and Chris Antley. An excellent insiders book with some pretty revealing interviews. I give it 4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: About time!
Review: As a racing fan, I've been waiting for this story to come out for years. I've never been a big fan of Lukas, but the chapters about his early years with thoroughbreds are fascinating. I still don't like the guy much, but I do have a new respect for him after reading this book. Also, the author begins the book with Lukas' string of bad luck finding a horse for the Derby a few years ago. There's some great behind the scenes stuff in this section that horse fans will really be into. A few little things bothered me, though. He refers to Muttering and Marfa as fillies. Not so. But otherwise, some great stuff on Charismatic and Chris Antley. An excellent insiders book with some pretty revealing interviews. I give it 4 stars.

Rating:
Summary: If Details Bother You...
Review: By PAGE 1!, there are two serious mistakes. Established trainer and Lukas protege Mark Hennig is referred to as Mark Henning in the introduction and the successful sprinter City Zip is called Zip City. And that's on page 1! Another huge mistake is that the author says Gary Stevens won the 1994 Derby on Go For Gin. These are inexcusable errors that do illustrate a lack of professionalism on the part of the author and a degree of disrespect to Lukas himself. So, if you can forgive that, then check it out. I guess Wayne Lukas isn't Gandhi or Churchill so you can't choose between hundreds of different bios!

Rating:
Summary: Inacuracies Spoil Substance
Review: I just finished this book, with highlighter in hand. You see from page one where City Zip's name is changed to Zip City, to page 62 where horses have good confirmation to page 80 where Codex is a beautiful chestnut colt to page 84 where Devito is concerned with the breeding fees for Genuine Risk to page 87 where a jockey stood up in the reins to page 108 where Marfa is now a filly running in the KY Derby in the wrong year to page 264 where Bob & Beverly Lewis own Real Quiet... Well, you get my drift. This book is so full of inaccuracies you begin to question the authenticity of everything. Hasn't McGraw Hill ever heard of fact checkers? Don't waste your money unless you want to use it as a trivia game -"How many errors can you find in 10 minutes?".

Rating:
Summary: About time!
Review: Never been a big fan of Lukas, but as a racing fan, it's about time somebody poked around to get this story. After reading this book, I still can't say I'm a big fan, but I definitely have a better understanding (and some begrudging respect!) for the guy. This book starts out with a fascinating behind the scenes look at Lukas' string of bad luck finding a horse to run in the Derby. He really is an evil genius! Lukas's early years breaking into thoroughbreds was pretty compelling stuff too. Horse fans should definitely get into it. Most of the interviews in here I'd never read before and I can't believe the author got Lukas to talk to him too. On the minus side, Muttering and Marfa are both referred to as fillies. Not so, costing this book my highest rating. However, the stuff on Charismatic and Chris Antley is exceptional and different from the usual racing journalism. A really good read.

Rating:
Summary: About time!
Review: Never been a big fan of Lukas, but as a racing fan, it's about time somebody poked around to get this story. After reading this book, I still can't say I'm a big fan, but I definitely have a better understanding (and some begrudging respect!) for the guy. This book starts out with a fascinating behind the scenes look at Lukas' string of bad luck finding a horse to run in the Derby. He really is an evil genius! Lukas's early years breaking into thoroughbreds was pretty compelling stuff too. Horse fans should definitely get into it. Most of the interviews in here I'd never read before and I can't believe the author got Lukas to talk to him too. On the minus side, Muttering and Marfa are both referred to as fillies. Not so, costing this book my highest rating. However, the stuff on Charismatic and Chris Antley is exceptional and different from the usual racing journalism. A really good read.