Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner

by Lou Sahadi, Steve Cauthen (Foreword)

In 1978, racing fans witnessed a rivalry for the ages when a horse hailing from Harbor View Farm named Affirmed and an eighteen-year-old jockey dubbed “Stevie Wonder” faced off against the celebrated Alydar and emerged victorious in each leg of the Triple Crown---by a combined margin of less than two lengths. In this long-overdue biography of Affirmed, veteran sportswriter Lou Sahadi captures the life and spirit of this indomitable horse who twice earned Horse of the Year honors and placed #12 on the Blood-Horse list of “Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century.”
     The descendent of Man o’ War and War Admiral, Affirmed possessed an unrivaled combination of speed and heart. Sahadi chronicles how the initially docile chestnut colt began his stellar rise in 1977, winning seven times and placing twice in nine races. Entering the 1978 season, many experts speculated that Alydar, the latest prize product from the storied Calumet Farm, would prove himself the better horse on longer distances, as he had done in the Champagne Stakes the previous October. Trainer Laz Barrera opted to run Affirmed in three races in California—away from Alydar—in the lead-up to the Kentucky Derby, a strategy that paid off as Affirmed, under reigning Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year jockey Stevie Cauthen, bested his rival in three races that fascinated even the most casual of sports fans.
     Affirmed also delivers fascinating subplots including that of jockey Louis Pincay Jr., who took over for Cauthen in the winter of 1979 and rode Affirmed to victory in the horse’s final seven races; and owner Louis Wolfson, the Wall Street financier who found redemption in Harbor View Farm with Affirmed after Wolfson served one year in a federal prison, his conviction having led to the resignation of Supreme Court justice Abe Fortas.
     Sahadi draws on interviews with Cauthen, some members of the Wolfson family, and many more to tell the story of how Affirmed emerged from one of the most exciting showdowns in sports history to capture imaginations across America. Telling a story that transcended the Thoroughbred racing world, Affirmed finally gives this courageous horse his due.

Genres: Sports, Horse Racing, Nonfiction, Horses, History, Animals, Biography

304 pages, Hardcover

First published March 29, 2011

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book was so, so disappointing. I thought it was going to be the book Affirmed and his connections have always deserved, rather than just a recitation of the facts, but...it was a recitation of the facts. Moreover, most of the facts being recited weren't even about the horse. While I feel sorry for Louis Wolfson and his situation, I didn't need to read a whole chapter about how he really didn't deserve to go to prison, and how he reacted to being there. All I really wanted to know was a little of his background before Affirmed. Because Affirmed is what this book was supposed to be about. Everything should have circled back to the horse.

The descriptions of the races were dry, boring and short. It was almost like the author loved the people involved with the horse, but the horse was just incidental to him. Affirmed was supposed to be the star, not a side note. I would recommend skipping this one--there are other, much better horse books you can read that are worthier of your time and money.

[Krystle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice, light overview of Affirmed's accomplishments. It's a quick, fast read if you wanted to get started on some of his memorable exploits and to get some of the ground foundation down on why he's such a remembered and great racehorse.

But! But this documentary wasn't really the best.

It glossed over a lot of things and instead of ramping up the excitement and tension to the big races which are a huge feature of this book and the defining image when one thinks of this horse, it was absent. I wish there had been a lot more sentimental recalls, fond memories, more emotion in the text. This lack prevents us from really making that thorough connection and understanding with the people behind this great story as to why Affirmed was such an amazing animal.

For the races, they were merely glossed over in very boring technical details that only made up at most a page or a page and a half when you have 20+ paged chapters dedicated to this one race. I would have loved to read how the jockey felt as they were piloting Affirmed, the trainers, other jockeys, or even descriptions of what the horse was doing? You know, he pounded the track with relentless strides never faltering, never shortening, as he drove on to the finish with his persistent rival at his side. Eyes wide and coats damp with sweat, they took breaths in synchronization, each burning with the desire to outdo the other.

Something like that would have been way more exciting to read. Yes, there are anecdotes from the main figures in the horse's own story but it's not enough.

A nice introduction but doesn't really compare to some of the other fabulous biographies of racehorses.

I'll leave you with videos of his Triple Crown races.

Kentucky Derby:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cddOSlEl6As

Preakness:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5Zytq6GWWM

Belmont:
http://youtu.be/d2sjDivffYE

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was disappointing. I love books about racing, and the Affirmed-Alydar rivalry should have made for riveting reading. Instead, the poor writing got in the way of the story, making this book one to be endured rather than enjoyed.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Affirmed was born in 1975 at Harbor View Farm. His sire was from Native Dancer's line, and his dam was from War Admiral's line. Affirmed's first star was at Belmont Park, which he won. He would go on to win several important graded stakes races, both before and after his Triple Crown Victory in 1978. He is most well known outside of being a Triple Crown winner for his rivalry with Alydar. Affirmed won many awards, and was inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame. His stud career was also pretty lucrative, with 80 stakes winners. He was humanely euthanized in 2001, after being taken with laminitis.

This book provided quite a lot of information about Affirmed and his races. I was pleased with the book and found it to be comprehensive.

[Sheillagh]

great book about rivalry between Alydar and Affirmed, resulting in Affirmed winning the Triple Crown in 1978. Lots of human interest provided about Wolfson(owner), Jockey Steve Cauthen and Laz Barrera, the great Cuban trainer. Brings back memories of this great horse rivalry.

[Maggie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Affirmed is about the Triple Crown winner of 1978. In this book, you will read about the intense competitive relationship between Affirmed and Alydar, two esteemed racehorses. The novel takes place throughout the United States, as it discusses the lives of both horses, their owners, jockeys, and trainers. Affirmed was born in 1975 at Harbor View Farm, and had the blood of famous thoroughbreds such as Man o’ War and War Admiral. When he raced, he not only had speed, but also raced with heart. Alydar, his rival, was also born in 1975 at Calumet Farm. Now, he is most known for finishing a close second to Affirmed in all three triple crown races. The book also talks about Affirmed’s jockey, Steve Cauthen. Cauthen was only 18 when he raced Affirmed, and became the youngest jockey to ever win the triple crown, and the first jockey to win over $6 million a year. Another character in the book is Laz Barrera, who trained Affirmed. Barrera was born in Cuba, and had much success as a thoroughbred racing. He not only trained Affirmed, a Triple Crown winner, but he also trained Bold Forbes, who won the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes, falling just one race short of the Triple Crown.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book because, even though it was a work of nonfiction, it still read like a novel, and was hard to put down. I also liked that I could learn something about history at the same time that I was reading a book that I was interested in. There really was nothing that I didn’t like about this book.
I would recommend this book to anyone middle school aged or older who is interested in history or horse racing.

[Nic · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
Great topic, terrible writing.
Much of the writing is choppy with Sahadi jumping from one thought to another and then back again. He breezes through the 1977 races between Affirmed and Alydar with hardly any details about the races, yet while discussing the beginning of the 1978 sesson, he gives a long quote from Barrera about the '77 Laurel Futurity. Why not include that when writing about the race to begin with? When discussing Alydar's last prep race before the Derby, he goes from the race to a quote from Larry Barrera about working with his father then back to a quote about Alydar's race from his jockey. It's awful. There's no organization to the author's thoughts.
The text is terribly repetitive. How many times must readers be told that Alydar's owners are in their 80s and wheelchair bound? And that they are depending on this colt to save Calumet farm? Once is enough.
Early on, Sahadi claims that 17 year-old Cauthen rides like a 30 year old. In Chapter 7, Sahadi says that Cauthen rides like a 34 year old. What distinguishes a 30 year old jockey from a 34 year old one? It's nonsensical.
I am 83 pages in, and I don't know if I can keep reading this absolute mess. It needed an editor in the worst possible way.

[Rae · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book was more about other things and people than the story of the horse.

[Cole Murphy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner

This book was a very good reads because of its interesting storyline. However the beginning of this book is very slow until the start of the Triple Crown Races because a lot of background information is given about Affirmed(the horse), Steve Cauthen(Affirmed's jockey), Harbor View Farm(where Affirmed was bred and raised), and Laz Barrera(Affirmed's trainer). Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner would interest people who like sports books, like horse racing, or the history of sports

.

My favorite part of this book were the 1978 racing season, particularly the three Triple Crown races. Again the Triple Crown is a series of three races, The Kentucky Derby(raced at Churchill Downs in Kentucky, The Preakness Stakes(raced at Pimlico Race Track in Maryland), and finally the Belmont States(raced at Belmont Park in New York). This book and this part of the book interest me because I like horse racing and I live near Saratoga Springs, NY. Which is home to Saratoga Springs Race Course, which is the oldest organized sporting venue in America. Affirmed ends up winning all three of these races described previously but without a great opponent. His name was Alydar he was a Kentucky bred horse that finished second to Affirmed in all three Triple Crown races. Finally, because Affirmed wins all three races, he won the Triple Crown. He was the last horse to win the Triple Crown, which hasn't been done since 1978

.

My only complaint about this book was that the first half of the book is quite slow because the author must give a lot of background information because if he didn't, most of the second half of the book wouldn't make sense. This may shy away other readers but trust me the book does speed up eventually

.

Finally the group of people that this book would appeal to are people who like sports books, horse racing, or sports history books. Finally I would have to say that I enjoyed this book and anyone else who reads it probably will too. 

[Judith · Rating 2 out of 5]

Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner by Lou Sahadi tells the story of an exceptional horse and an extraordinary rivalry between two thoroughbreds. After a number of close races between the two-year old horses, Affirmed and Alydar, their third year, 1978, was one of neck and neck finishes. The excitement of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes were all heightened by the rivalry, as every win for Affirmed was a close second for Alydar. Ridden by Steve Cauthen, the youngest jockey to win the Triple Crown, Affirmed’s story is also a story of jockeys, trainers, owners and fans. Sahadi’s sporting news style leaves no superlative behind as he reports a superlative performance that may never be surpassed.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting topic with lots of tidbits of information. However, the writing style could get choppy, and lots of things were repeated over and over and over again, as if the author expected you to only read a few pages a day. Also, some of the basic facts about horse racing (and even Affirmed) are not correct - twice in the book it states that Affirmed was Horse of the Year as a 2 year old in 1977. Seattle Slew was in fact HOY in 1977, his Triple Crown year.
I'm giving it 3 stars purely because I loved learning more about Affirmed's story, his connections, and the Affirmed-Alydar rivalry.

[Carolyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I find it interesting that this book is named Affirmed: The Last Triple Crown Winner. The title may have to be changed. I am writing this after California Chrome's victory in the 2014 Kentucky Derby, and he has the makings of the next Triple Crown winner. I wonder if they will change the name of the book if necessary.

Anyway, the book was a good read for those who love horseracing, although there were times when the same info was repeated, and repeated often.

[Paul Groffie · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book was a fairly entertaining story about Affirmed and his "family". The book lacked the pop I was expecting considering the Affirmed story was BIG. Despite the lack of a wow actor, The book is a worthwhile read just to relive the events of 1978!!

[Rachel Masen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story. Poorly edited. Lots of mistakes and repetitions of quotes/stories.

[Bibliohorse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very poorly researched and written. The author is not very familiar with horse racing, and it shows. A horse as great as Affirmed deserves a better biography.

[Kassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had to read this book as an avid horse racing fan...Affirmed was a great horse.....