A Breed Apart: The Horses and the Players - Softcover

Helm, Mike

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0805023798 ISBN 13: 9780805023794

Publisher: Henry Holt & Co, 1992

Synopsis

A behind-the-scenes look at the world of horse racing reveals the views of professionals on track conditions, drugs, fixed races, betting, and more

About this title

From Library Journal

This is an entertaining and refreshing look at the behind-the-scenes activities of horse racing. Written by a San Fran cisco Chronicle correspondent who is also a recreational horseplayer, the book is mostly a transcription of interviews with some of the sport's many participants. Included are conversations with a jockey, a trainer, and a veterinarian, who explain their respective roles in the sport. In the process, they reveal aspects of racing that are little known to most trackside enthusiasts and that might be useful to betting strategies. The book's interview style captures much of the color, character, and passion that is invariably a part of the horseracing environment. Very informative and highly readable, this can be digested purely for pleasure or for the handicapping insights which can be gleaned. Highly recommended for all sports collections.
- David Van de Streek, Pennsylvania State Univ. Libs., York
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Publishers Weekly

This look at what goes on behind the scenes at the San Francisco Bay area's Golden Gate Fields will interest virtually everyone who has ever visited a racetrack. Helm, publisher of City Miner Books, takes readers on a tour of what the cognoscenti call "the backside," introducing us to trainers and assistants, jockeys, exercise riders and grooms, trackmen, veterinarians, stewards, owners and a racing secretary. He also interviews bettors who claim to have developed methods to beat the system. We're shown that innumerable elements are involved in a horse race, from the physiology and even the psychology of the horse and the sensitivity of trainer and jockey to the condition of the track, which can vary hour to hour, and the racing secretary's ability to furnish good competition. Readers looking to improve their handicapping skills will find Helm a knowledgeable, pragmatic consultant.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Henry Holt & Co
• Publication date: 1992
• ISBN 10: 0805023798
• ISBN 13: 9780805023794
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 336