Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown (Horses in History) Kindle Edition

Relegated to the dust bin because of one race, his greatest accomplishment finally recognized after all these years. Not the first to attempt the three (War Cloud), but the first to accomplish what would become the goal of breeders, to breed runners capable of great speed, endurance, and durablility. He demontrated more than that when he was at peak for he ran the derby and Preakness just 4 days apart, then one more race before performing in the Belmont. All 4 races within 4 weeks or so, winning them at distances ranging from 8 to 11 furlongs, a monumental feat for any horse at any time. His recognition has been long overdue. Just a few things left out: his induction into the Hall of Fame and his place in the pedigree of another HOF runner, Susan's Girl who ran in the mythical decade of the 70s which delivered 3 more triple winners, the highest achievment of which he was the first to complete. He is where he belongs, in the pantheon of greats. Except for one horse, he was among the best of his time, and probably the best. One more note: ManO's 28 foot stride is largely myth perpetuated by Kentucky Horse Park. I have read some 3 biographies on the star and not one referenced a recording of such a stride, 25 to 26 was closer to the mark, advantage enough to handle any horse then and most now. The 1974 American Racing Manual confirms the same calling the measure an estimate. Nevertheless, the champion was generations ahead of his time and no charge could compete with that one at that time. And so once again the Triple Crown provided the mechanism which breeders used to generate an American gene pool second to none bringing forth generations with greater speed, endurance, distance and durablility. ManOWar set the bar and Sir Barton's performances in 1919 began the process.

Sir Barton raced to fame just a little over 100 years ago. Could it be that long ago? The chestnut stallion has disappeared from the minds of most but the most ardent of horse racing aficionados. What a pity, since his story is so exciting. Sir Barton was the very first Triple Crown winner, and Jennifer Kelly does a wonderful job of telling us his story. We learn the horse's history and breeding, his striking personality, and the physical adversity he had to overcome. The author effectively recreates all the excitement of racing in the early twentieth century, evocatively depicting all the colorful personalities (human and equine) involved in Sir Barton's career. Kelly's descriptions of Sir Baron's races are thrilling and suspenseful. We pull for him almost every time (I have my predilections for Man O' War and Exterminator). Her detailing of the set up of the great match race between Sir Baron and Man O' War is thorough and suspenseful, with her recounting of the actual contest almost as exciting as being there. One caveat I do have is the book's need for a better editor, to catch the at times repetitive and awkward wording. It's still a fine read in the opinion of this improver of the breed.

Tells the story of Sir Barton complete with pedigree and history of connections. A couple of issues with readability - the author repeatedly calls him "Triple Crown winner" or "Derby winner" in ways that are excessive. "Ross was wanting to send his Triple Crown winner to X race, but the Derby winner had some foot issues that would require rest. Instead of contesting X race the Triple Crown winner was walking the shedrow," like we get it, he won the Derby, he won the Triple Crown, call him by his name or by "he/him/his." Which I suppose is as much the editor's fault. The writing also comes off at times as defensive, which doesn't make it the kind of unbiased read that I prefer. You can defend the quality of horse you're writing about with his accomplishments, and without making bold claims about the shoulda coulda wouldas. A lot of that stuff just rubbed me wrong and made the book less enjoyable.

Too often Sir Barton's career is overlooked due to the overwhelming presence of Man O' War. While the latter ranks as the GOAT, Sir Barton was not an also-ran. He was a good racehorse in his own right and despite soundness issues, managed to win a lot of major races after his Kentucky Derby win. Nice bio of the horse and the history of how the Triple Crown came to be.

Sir Barton, the first of 13 Triple Crown winners, was eclipsed in his day by the mighty Man O War, his accomplishments almost an afterthought in the wake of Big Red. This wonderful book by Jennifer Kelly, published 100 years after Sir Barton first set the bar of the prestigious Triple Crown, is a fantastic memorial to one of horse racing's greats.

Well researched, thorough account of this great runner who has been frequently misunderstood and underappreciated. I learned a lot I didn't know. Sir Barton won the Triple Crown before it was a recognized achievement, so he never got the glory he deserved in his lifetime. He has been remembered primarily for losing a famous match race with Man O' War...but is there any horse who could have won against Big Red? The author does a great job of highlighting the horse's accomplishments and placing them in historical context. If you are interested in thoroughbred racing history, you will enjoy this book. I did!

This was a great read. There is sufficient background info on the men and horses. The races are described in a very detailed and exciting manner. A fine tribute to an oft forgotten athlete.

This is an awesome book regarding the first winner of the Triple Crown. If you are a horse lover and love history, you will love this book!

Good Book

The research that has gone into this book is incredible and makes for a fascinating read. Well done!