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The Black Stallion #6
The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt
Young Tom Messenger has been taking care of Bonfire, the second son of the famous Black Stallion, since Bonfire’s birth. Tom has earned the trust of Jimmy Creech, the veteran driver who owns Bonfire, and Tom is eager to work with the young colt, building his strength and endurance.
But suddenly Jimmy’s health takes a bad turn, and Tom must pick up Bonfire’s reins himself. The horse is a natural, but Tom doesn’t know the first thing about harness racing. And he’d better learn fast …
But suddenly Jimmy’s health takes a bad turn, and Tom must pick up Bonfire’s reins himself. The horse is a natural, but Tom doesn’t know the first thing about harness racing. And he’d better learn fast …
295 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1950
48 people are currently reading
1637 people want to read
About the author
Walter Farley
169 books1,035 followersWalter Farley's love for horses began when he was a small boy living in Syracuse, New York, and continued as he grew up in New York City, where his family moved. Young Walter never owned a horse. But unlike most city children, he had little trouble gaining firsthand experience with horses-his uncle was a professional horseman, and Walter spent much of his time at the stables with him.
"He wasn't the most successful trainer of race horses," Mr. Farley recalled, "and in a way I profited by it. He switched from runners to jumpers to show horses to trotters and pacers, then back to runners again. Consequently, I received a good background in different kinds of horse training and the people associated with each."
Walter Farley began to write his first book, THE BLACK STALLION, while he was a student at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School and Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, and
finished it while he was an undergraduate at Columbia University. It was published by Random House when he was 26. He used his first advance to go traveling and after that hardly stopped longer than it took him to write another book. He traveled and lived in Mexico, Hawaii, the South Seas, most of the South American countries, the Caribbean Islands, and Europe.
The appearance of THE BLACK STALLION in 1941 was hailed by enthusiastic boys and girls all over the country. An avalanche of mail urged Mr. Farley to write more about Alec Ramsey and the Black. But World War II intervened. Mr. Farley went into the US Army, where he spent the next five years. Most of the time he was assigned to Yank, the army weekly magazine, and he was also trained in the Fourth Armored Division.
After the war Walter Farley resumed the adventures of Alec and the Black with THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS. This was followed by SON OF THE BLACK STALLION. Then Mr. Farley tried his hand at a story about a new boy, Steve Duncan, and a new horse, Flame, in THE ISLAND STALLION. Mr. Farley's readers were just as delighted with this book as his others.
Mr. Farley went on to write many more stories about the two stallions, and about other horses as well. Children of all ages have found Farley titles to enjoy, since many of the later stories were written for Mr. Farley's own children when they were too young to read his Stallion novels. And older readers and adults have been gripped by his fictionalized biography of America's greatest Thoroughbred, Man O'War. Walter Farley's titles reached a grand total of 34. The 21 Black Stallion and Island Stallion stories are still in print and selling steadily. His readers respond with passion, writing him thousands of letters and emails every year. In May 1949, the first Black Stallion Club was founded, in Kentucky. Mr. Farley designed a membership button for it; the button was in constant demand among his readers for years. The Black Stallion books were so popular in the late 1940s and '50s that they York Times annual list of best-selling children's books. Three nationwide Black Stallion contests were held. Walter Farley's books have been published abroad in more than 20 countries, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Israel, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaya, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States and Canada.
All his life Walter Farley remained a keen spectator of the racing scene, and he enjoyed nothing more than hobnobbing with horse trainers and other professional horsemen. It is thanks to these people that his books are so full of authentic details of raising and training horses. When not busy working or traveling, Mr. Farley liked to ride dressage and high school Lippizaner horses. He also sailed and sometimes raced his 35-foot auxiliary sloop "Circe."
Mr. Farley and his wife Rosemary, had four children: Pam, Alice, Steve, and Tim, whom they raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and in a beach house in Florida. In addit
"He wasn't the most successful trainer of race horses," Mr. Farley recalled, "and in a way I profited by it. He switched from runners to jumpers to show horses to trotters and pacers, then back to runners again. Consequently, I received a good background in different kinds of horse training and the people associated with each."
Walter Farley began to write his first book, THE BLACK STALLION, while he was a student at Brooklyn's Erasmus Hall High School and Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, and
finished it while he was an undergraduate at Columbia University. It was published by Random House when he was 26. He used his first advance to go traveling and after that hardly stopped longer than it took him to write another book. He traveled and lived in Mexico, Hawaii, the South Seas, most of the South American countries, the Caribbean Islands, and Europe.
The appearance of THE BLACK STALLION in 1941 was hailed by enthusiastic boys and girls all over the country. An avalanche of mail urged Mr. Farley to write more about Alec Ramsey and the Black. But World War II intervened. Mr. Farley went into the US Army, where he spent the next five years. Most of the time he was assigned to Yank, the army weekly magazine, and he was also trained in the Fourth Armored Division.
After the war Walter Farley resumed the adventures of Alec and the Black with THE BLACK STALLION RETURNS. This was followed by SON OF THE BLACK STALLION. Then Mr. Farley tried his hand at a story about a new boy, Steve Duncan, and a new horse, Flame, in THE ISLAND STALLION. Mr. Farley's readers were just as delighted with this book as his others.
Mr. Farley went on to write many more stories about the two stallions, and about other horses as well. Children of all ages have found Farley titles to enjoy, since many of the later stories were written for Mr. Farley's own children when they were too young to read his Stallion novels. And older readers and adults have been gripped by his fictionalized biography of America's greatest Thoroughbred, Man O'War. Walter Farley's titles reached a grand total of 34. The 21 Black Stallion and Island Stallion stories are still in print and selling steadily. His readers respond with passion, writing him thousands of letters and emails every year. In May 1949, the first Black Stallion Club was founded, in Kentucky. Mr. Farley designed a membership button for it; the button was in constant demand among his readers for years. The Black Stallion books were so popular in the late 1940s and '50s that they York Times annual list of best-selling children's books. Three nationwide Black Stallion contests were held. Walter Farley's books have been published abroad in more than 20 countries, including Austria, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, Israel, Finland, France, Germany, Holland, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaya, Norway, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, and Switzerland, as well as in the United States and Canada.
All his life Walter Farley remained a keen spectator of the racing scene, and he enjoyed nothing more than hobnobbing with horse trainers and other professional horsemen. It is thanks to these people that his books are so full of authentic details of raising and training horses. When not busy working or traveling, Mr. Farley liked to ride dressage and high school Lippizaner horses. He also sailed and sometimes raced his 35-foot auxiliary sloop "Circe."
Mr. Farley and his wife Rosemary, had four children: Pam, Alice, Steve, and Tim, whom they raised on a farm in Pennsylvania and in a beach house in Florida. In addit
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
August 7, 2011
The annoying thing about reading this book at home is that every time my DH walked by he said, "What are you reading about a blood clot for?" Annoying husbandly dyslexia aside, this was one I hardly remembered at all, though I know I've read it a number of times. Bonfire, out of Volo Queen by The Black, is the star of this book, but the real standout is Bonfire's owner, Jimmy Creech. You couldn't ask for a better study of Borderline Personality Disorder, complicated by Really Vague Ulcer Diagnosis. The machinations that our hero, young
Tom, and his elderly sidekick George, go through to keep Jimmy in nurses and good humor, are mind-boggling. The horse-racing, to me at this late date, was entirely secondary.
Tom, and his elderly sidekick George, go through to keep Jimmy in nurses and good humor, are mind-boggling. The horse-racing, to me at this late date, was entirely secondary.
January 1, 2017
I just finished reading this book for the umpteenth time. I first read it as a child. I love it as much now as I did then. It is one of my favorite books by Walter Farley. It is a wonderful story about harness racing 60-something years ago, from county fairs to the big New York raceway (sadly, Roosevelt Raceway is long gone).
I wish that Random House had been more careful about choosing the illustration for the cover of this Yearling edition. The blood bay colt, Bonfire, is shown with his dam, who in this picture is a grey Arabian-looking mare. Bonfire's dam is described in the book as a dark bay with a white blaze. She was, by her breeding, a Standardbred. How Yearling got a grey Arabian-looking mare out of that is a mystery to me!
I wish that Random House had been more careful about choosing the illustration for the cover of this Yearling edition. The blood bay colt, Bonfire, is shown with his dam, who in this picture is a grey Arabian-looking mare. Bonfire's dam is described in the book as a dark bay with a white blaze. She was, by her breeding, a Standardbred. How Yearling got a grey Arabian-looking mare out of that is a mystery to me!
March 27, 2018
My mom took us to the library every Saturday during the summers of my grade school years. I remember this book as having a hardback, green cloth cover. I don't know how many times I read this book back then but I looked for it every summer.
I also remember the book was titled The Blood Bay Colt so was confused by the current title. A little research revealed the book was published in 1950 under the name The Blood Bay Colt. The title was changed in 1978 to the current The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt. I imagine if I had known this book was a series I would have read the whole series back then.
I have to say I did enjoy rereading this book as an adult.
I also remember the book was titled The Blood Bay Colt so was confused by the current title. A little research revealed the book was published in 1950 under the name The Blood Bay Colt. The title was changed in 1978 to the current The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt. I imagine if I had known this book was a series I would have read the whole series back then.
I have to say I did enjoy rereading this book as an adult.
January 20, 2013
Sometimes I forget how good Walter Farley was. Sure, he found a successful formula and stuck to it, but he managed to invest his stories with believable emotion every time - no mean feat.
The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt is the Black Stallion book I reread most often. It's the most intimate of the series, the most personal, the least public. I liked that about it. I liked the discussion of the modernization of horse racing, the contrast of the fairs and the racetrack. I liked the way Tom's coming of age is balanced by Jimmy's growing old and by the older drivers he races against. I liked the way the young characters respected the old ones, and the way the old respected the young.
That may make me incredibly old-fashioned. It also makes me a product of this book and all the books I read growing up, books published in the early 1900s. It also makes me marvel at the way all eras are subconsciously recreated within their books' pages.
The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt is the Black Stallion book I reread most often. It's the most intimate of the series, the most personal, the least public. I liked that about it. I liked the discussion of the modernization of horse racing, the contrast of the fairs and the racetrack. I liked the way Tom's coming of age is balanced by Jimmy's growing old and by the older drivers he races against. I liked the way the young characters respected the old ones, and the way the old respected the young.
That may make me incredibly old-fashioned. It also makes me a product of this book and all the books I read growing up, books published in the early 1900s. It also makes me marvel at the way all eras are subconsciously recreated within their books' pages.
August 23, 2015
To me, The Blood Bay Colt is where Walter Farley really hit his stride in the Black Stallion books. The Black Stallion was very good, if a bit dull at times, The Island Stallion was also very good, if a bit dull at times, and The Black Stallion and Satan was very exciting--although I felt like it was rushed. I loved The Black Stallion's Blood Bay Colt from start to finish--the characters were interesting (especially Jimmy Creech and Uncle Wilbur), the pacing was perfect, and the horses were lovable.
Don't get me wrong, I love Flame and The Black, but it was nice to have a break from the 'wild stallions who will only submit to the boys they love' thing. The vast majority of real horses aren't like that--they're more like Volo Queen and Bonfire. If you treat and train them right, they're gentle and eager to please. Of course, every horse has its own personality, but those two things are usually traits that can be attained through training. Also, I liked how Volo Queen and Bonfire were naturally sweet-natured. It was refreshing and enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, I love Flame and The Black, but it was nice to have a break from the 'wild stallions who will only submit to the boys they love' thing. The vast majority of real horses aren't like that--they're more like Volo Queen and Bonfire. If you treat and train them right, they're gentle and eager to please. Of course, every horse has its own personality, but those two things are usually traits that can be attained through training. Also, I liked how Volo Queen and Bonfire were naturally sweet-natured. It was refreshing and enjoyable.
February 1, 2009
I grew up reading Walter Farley, and a visit in the fall to the Kentucky Horse Park prompted me to pick up one of the old favorites. What I enjoy most is learning about the sport and seeing it come of life in print. The characters in this book are some of my favorite, from the wisened friend to the crotchety owner to the boy full of hopes and dreams. It's always enjoyable to see it all work out in the end and to see the struggle to get to the deserved reward. A simple pleasure for horse-lovers. And quite frankly a nostalgic look at the past that I wish I could have seen for real.
June 25, 2014
The title of this book should have been "Jimmy Creech's Personality Disorder and His Big Bad Ulcer". Jimmy this, Jimmy that. Jimmy Jimmy Jimmy...they should have sedated him in the first chapter. It's all about Jimmy. In between Jimmy's rants and raves, some interesting bits about harness racing and country fairs.
May 2, 2018
This book is all about over coming the odds and accomplishing things that other people don't think you can accomplish. Tom and Bonfire enter a race with a lot of other really good racers they have to overcome the odds and win.
October 2, 2014
In this book the main character is Tom and his horse, Bonfire. Bonfire is a blood bay colt. That means he is a fiery red and he has a black mane and tail. Tom has tan hair and drives that cart Bonfire wears during his races. The setting of this book takes place mainly at Coronet. In this book, the problem is that Jimmy, Bonfire's owner, has an ulcer and had to have surgery. They didn't have enough money to pay the expenses so Tom and Jimmy's friend, George Snedecker, have to race Bonfire at the night raceways to make enough money to pay the expenses. Right before Jimmy got let out of the hospital George and Tom raced Bonfire at the night raceway in New York. The purse was just enough money to pay for all the hospital expenses. When they picked up Jimmy from the hospital George took him to the stable to see Bonfire. When they got to the barn Jimmy found the trophy that they won at the night raceway and he got mad and threw the trophy. Although after they talked to him about it he was happy that he was alive and forgot about the trophy. Jimmy doesn't like the night raceways.
In my opinion I loved the book so much. the only thing that bothered me was how it ended. The ending was a cliff hanger. I know it is a series and you kind of want a cliff hanger to keep the series going but you could still have a better ending than the ending on the book. Other than that i love it! I would highly recommend this book to you! Especially if you love horses like i do!
In my opinion I loved the book so much. the only thing that bothered me was how it ended. The ending was a cliff hanger. I know it is a series and you kind of want a cliff hanger to keep the series going but you could still have a better ending than the ending on the book. Other than that i love it! I would highly recommend this book to you! Especially if you love horses like i do!
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April 2, 2009The book I read was called “The black stallion’s blood bay colt”. The main character was called Jimmy Creech. The main idea is that Jimmy Creech used to be a player of harness racing. However, he was now old and taken place of by younger players. These younger players want to make the sport a business to make money. Then, Tom messenger, a young player, with his blood bay colt came to the race again. They stood for Jimmy’s passion for the game.
After I have read this story, Jimmy Creech’s passion for the racing really moved my mind. Actually, many people make sports or arts business to make money. However, many athletes or artists play in the race or create their products not because they want to make money but because they have passion for their careers. For instance, many basketball players run and jump on the playground because they like the feeling which is just the same as flying. When we choose our major, we need to think about what we really like. Doing something we love is much more important than earning money.
After I have read this story, Jimmy Creech’s passion for the racing really moved my mind. Actually, many people make sports or arts business to make money. However, many athletes or artists play in the race or create their products not because they want to make money but because they have passion for their careers. For instance, many basketball players run and jump on the playground because they like the feeling which is just the same as flying. When we choose our major, we need to think about what we really like. Doing something we love is much more important than earning money.
October 24, 2023
A reread of an old favorite. I loved these books growing up. The stories are still good. It's interesting to read them as an adult thinking about the time in which they were written. The stories remain timeless but so much has changed in the more than 70 years since this book was written and in the more than 30 years since the last time I read it.
September 21, 2022
You should probably read this book if you love horses, are a fan of the Black Stallion series or like the sport of harness racing. Nevertheless, I love this book and highly recommend it.
summary below;
Young Tom Messenger helps Jimmy Creech and George Snedecker raise the Black Stallion’s second foal. All three want to harness race him. Jimmy Creech can’t drive due to serious health issues and Tom must drive. In desperate need for money, they take Bonfire to fair after fair to race him. Then, despite Jimmy Creech’s hate for fancy races, George and Tom race him in the Roosevelt and beat their two top challenges: Princess Guy and Silver Knight! Soon after winning, George and Tom go back to newly healthy Jimmy and postpone his fury for as long as they can, but when they face it they end up changing his opinion.
summary below;
Young Tom Messenger helps Jimmy Creech and George Snedecker raise the Black Stallion’s second foal. All three want to harness race him. Jimmy Creech can’t drive due to serious health issues and Tom must drive. In desperate need for money, they take Bonfire to fair after fair to race him. Then, despite Jimmy Creech’s hate for fancy races, George and Tom race him in the Roosevelt and beat their two top challenges: Princess Guy and Silver Knight! Soon after winning, George and Tom go back to newly healthy Jimmy and postpone his fury for as long as they can, but when they face it they end up changing his opinion.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2022
It took us a couple chapter to realize Alec and the Black weren't going to be in this book. This is not only a whole different cast of characters but also a different sport I didn't know existed; harness racing.
That said Tom Messenger is basically identical to Alec Ramsay and Jimmy Creech is just Henry Daily with an ulcer so it felt pretty familiar. Similar story arc too, drama training a horse with massive potential and a climactic race at the end.
This one had some more memorable side characters though, I got a kick out of Uncle Wilmer, and takes some interesting twists and turns on it's way to the inevitable conclusion. Overall one of the more enjoyable Black Stallion books I've read.
That said Tom Messenger is basically identical to Alec Ramsay and Jimmy Creech is just Henry Daily with an ulcer so it felt pretty familiar. Similar story arc too, drama training a horse with massive potential and a climactic race at the end.
This one had some more memorable side characters though, I got a kick out of Uncle Wilmer, and takes some interesting twists and turns on it's way to the inevitable conclusion. Overall one of the more enjoyable Black Stallion books I've read.
May 30, 2022
The general outline of this story was pretty similar to the first book in this series. I personally don't find buggy racing to be all that interesting, or really horse racing either, but Farley's prose on racing always gets my heart racing, and his love of horses is evident. I love the relationship his characters have with their horses. Though I found Jimmy to be annoying and childish.
I recommend this to fans of horse literature, children's literature, or The Black Stallion series.
I recommend this to fans of horse literature, children's literature, or The Black Stallion series.
July 29, 2017
"A race wasn’t always decided by speed alone."
I don't know much about harness racing (well less than I know about Thoroughbred racing anyway), so this was an interesting read for me. It contains something I love: horses. But also something new: harness racing. So I got to enjoy a book but learn something at the same time.
I don't know much about harness racing (well less than I know about Thoroughbred racing anyway), so this was an interesting read for me. It contains something I love: horses. But also something new: harness racing. So I got to enjoy a book but learn something at the same time.
April 30, 2018
Another great book by the author Walter Farley who takes you on a another loved up tale of what it takes to have the horse you loved as your best friend. This is the sixth book in the series and is exactly how I expected to turn out when I read it. I advise to any readers interested in animals and a strong bond of friendship.
March 4, 2022
This book is about another offspring of The Black Stallion, a little colt called Bonfire. Bonfire is being trained as a harness racehorse, which is actually what got me interested in harness racing. I really enjoyed this book and getting a glimpse of what harness training was like. I also really enjoyed the relationship between Bonfire and Tom.
June 20, 2024
This is easily the best Black Stallion book so far. Yes, it still overuses epithets and exclamation points, but this is the first book where we really get a sense of character, and it's also the first book where we have our first female character who's actually knowledgable about horses. This book was great.
hardcopy-review-to-read
May 12, 2021
My cover image matches the library edition.
May 8, 2017
Read the whole series when I was in grade school
December 12, 2018
Tom Messenger takes care of a colt on his uncle's farm because the owner did not have a good place for it. But he would never have guessed that he would get to ride it in the races.
January 19, 2021
The beginning was slow for me so I was going to rate it 3 star, but it picked up about half way through and I absolutely loved the later bit of the book, earning a 4 star!
June 30, 2022
I have read this story over 50 times, at least.
February 22, 2023
The best Black Stallion books were the ones involving the Black, and the best offspring ones involved Satan.
April 7, 2023
Didn't really like this.
Read
July 26, 2023SKW to BHW
August 18, 2024
I didn't like it that much.
January 17, 2025
I liked it will enough.
February 1, 2025
Love this book
I love all horse stories. But this series is number one. It's hard to put this book down. I have read this series around 6 times now.
I love all horse stories. But this series is number one. It's hard to put this book down. I have read this series around 6 times now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews