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Thoroughbred #8
Sierra's Steeplechase
There's no hope for Sierra . . .
Every trainer at Whitebrook Farm has given up on Sierra. The spirited colt just doesn't seem to have the patience for racing. Then Sierra jumps effortlessly over an enormous fallen tree, and Samantha McLean, the head trainer's daughter, knows the horse could be a champion steeplechaser.
With her friend Tor's help, Samantha begins to train Sierra for the dangerous demands of steeplechasing. But when Sierra's finally ready for his first race, Tor, the Thoroughbred's jockey, falls and breaks his arm. Now Samantha must ride Sierra in the most perilous race of her life--and make Sierra a winner!
Every trainer at Whitebrook Farm has given up on Sierra. The spirited colt just doesn't seem to have the patience for racing. Then Sierra jumps effortlessly over an enormous fallen tree, and Samantha McLean, the head trainer's daughter, knows the horse could be a champion steeplechaser.
With her friend Tor's help, Samantha begins to train Sierra for the dangerous demands of steeplechasing. But when Sierra's finally ready for his first race, Tor, the Thoroughbred's jockey, falls and breaks his arm. Now Samantha must ride Sierra in the most perilous race of her life--and make Sierra a winner!
192 pages, Paperback
First published December 15, 1993
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 18, 2024
Well that was…something.
I honestly have no idea why Samantha went to such degrees to train Sierra since she doesn’t have a connection with him in the slightest—it felt more like a case of “I’m going to train him to be a steeplechaser just because you say I can’t” then out of any genuine connection to the horse that makes her want to keep him.
Also, why would you WANT to keep him? This horse frankly sounds terrifying to ride or even deal with because he’s so blasted unpredictable, and trust me this attitude does NOT make him have “talent” because a well behaved and trained horse would do a lot more then him just because you’d actually want to work with him instead of being wary of what he’s going to pull or do all the time!
This whole situation also put Mike in the “villain” role and I did not like that AT ALL—he’s being practical and realistic, not turning into a monster, good grief.
(Also as a side note the author who wrote Samantha’s Journey obviously never read this book as it clearly states Samantha had never been out west before, and yet in that book her dad has a job in California for a brief time. Like, come on, REALLY?!? You couldn’t even keep THAT straight? 🙄)
Samantha had some character growth and she and Tor finally got together, but otherwise I’m not sure why this book exists.
‼️Content‼️
Language: gosh; heck; darn; darned; God (2)
Violence: a horse stumbles and is injured; injury and blood (not detailed); a character falls off a horse and gets scratched up
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
I honestly have no idea why Samantha went to such degrees to train Sierra since she doesn’t have a connection with him in the slightest—it felt more like a case of “I’m going to train him to be a steeplechaser just because you say I can’t” then out of any genuine connection to the horse that makes her want to keep him.
Also, why would you WANT to keep him? This horse frankly sounds terrifying to ride or even deal with because he’s so blasted unpredictable, and trust me this attitude does NOT make him have “talent” because a well behaved and trained horse would do a lot more then him just because you’d actually want to work with him instead of being wary of what he’s going to pull or do all the time!
This whole situation also put Mike in the “villain” role and I did not like that AT ALL—he’s being practical and realistic, not turning into a monster, good grief.
(Also as a side note the author who wrote Samantha’s Journey obviously never read this book as it clearly states Samantha had never been out west before, and yet in that book her dad has a job in California for a brief time. Like, come on, REALLY?!? You couldn’t even keep THAT straight? 🙄)
Samantha had some character growth and she and Tor finally got together, but otherwise I’m not sure why this book exists.
‼️Content‼️
Language: gosh; heck; darn; darned; God (2)
Violence: a horse stumbles and is injured; injury and blood (not detailed); a character falls off a horse and gets scratched up
Sexual: kissing (not detailed)
July 25, 2024
Sierra made a cameo in the last book, but here he moves to the forefront as Samantha tries to make a racehorse of him. It's nice (for a change) to read about a cranky horse who does not magically read minds or know exactly what the purpose of horse racing is. Most horses just can't be bothered with trying to run ahead of all the others.
But why Samantha was so doggone bent on getting Sierra to the track gets a bit mind-boggling. At first, I thought she just liked the horse. And then someone wants to buy Sierra for breeding purposes only, since he's descended from 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. I thought she'd be thrilled -- Sierra hit the jackpot here. All he would have to do is eat, sleep and make love.
But instead of being happy for Sierra, Samantha is appalled. She KNOWS Sierra is a great steeplechaser. Which makes me wonder how much she REALLY liked Sierra after all. If Sierra knew what the choice was, I think he would've picked being a stud instead of a steeplechaser.
Bizarre behavior aside, Samantha becomes more fleshed out and complex than in the previous two books. She's not as cocky. She takes riding lessons in jumping rather than just excercising racehorses. She falls off so often that no wonder her Dad gets paranoid about her riding ever again (since Samantha's mother died in a riding accident.)
Ashliegh is distant and so is Wonder, Pride and the other horses we've come to know. I can't remember if Goddess foals in this book but her filly's arrival brings out a dark part of Ashleigh. She admits that she has to let go of Wonder's second foal to the ever-more-assholian-Townsends. She is prouder of being 100% the owner of Goddess's filly than of the filly herself (so it seems.)
This must be a well-liked book because my first copy never arrived in the mail. Was it stolen by a horse book lover needing a fix? We'll never know. I eventually bit the bullet and tried to buy another copy -- which I received.
Although I have many other books in the series to read, I've put off reading them because this book was a bit of a bummer in the ways the main characters used their horses. They don't seem to enjoy them as horses but as means to an end. In other words -- they've become like most race horse owners, trainers and breeders. I'd hoped for more.
EDIT July 2024: In an online interview with Jo Ann Simon (Joanna Campbell's real name) she revealed that the publishers were making her churn out four books a year, which lead to her quitting due to burnout 15 books into the series.
But why Samantha was so doggone bent on getting Sierra to the track gets a bit mind-boggling. At first, I thought she just liked the horse. And then someone wants to buy Sierra for breeding purposes only, since he's descended from 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat. I thought she'd be thrilled -- Sierra hit the jackpot here. All he would have to do is eat, sleep and make love.
But instead of being happy for Sierra, Samantha is appalled. She KNOWS Sierra is a great steeplechaser. Which makes me wonder how much she REALLY liked Sierra after all. If Sierra knew what the choice was, I think he would've picked being a stud instead of a steeplechaser.
Bizarre behavior aside, Samantha becomes more fleshed out and complex than in the previous two books. She's not as cocky. She takes riding lessons in jumping rather than just excercising racehorses. She falls off so often that no wonder her Dad gets paranoid about her riding ever again (since Samantha's mother died in a riding accident.)
Ashliegh is distant and so is Wonder, Pride and the other horses we've come to know. I can't remember if Goddess foals in this book but her filly's arrival brings out a dark part of Ashleigh. She admits that she has to let go of Wonder's second foal to the ever-more-assholian-Townsends. She is prouder of being 100% the owner of Goddess's filly than of the filly herself (so it seems.)
This must be a well-liked book because my first copy never arrived in the mail. Was it stolen by a horse book lover needing a fix? We'll never know. I eventually bit the bullet and tried to buy another copy -- which I received.
Although I have many other books in the series to read, I've put off reading them because this book was a bit of a bummer in the ways the main characters used their horses. They don't seem to enjoy them as horses but as means to an end. In other words -- they've become like most race horse owners, trainers and breeders. I'd hoped for more.
EDIT July 2024: In an online interview with Jo Ann Simon (Joanna Campbell's real name) she revealed that the publishers were making her churn out four books a year, which lead to her quitting due to burnout 15 books into the series.
May 7, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
Lite konstigt att Sierra måste bli en steeplechaser. Det var inte så höga stakes i den här boken men alla betedde sig som att det var det. Galoppsporten är inte den snällaste mot hästar och det visades verkligen i den här delen av serien, när en häst som inte ville springa sågs som jordens undergång. Det var som att sporten var viktigare än hästen. Men den hade ändå sina fina stunder, som när Sierra hittade viljan till annat.
Lite konstigt att Sierra måste bli en steeplechaser. Det var inte så höga stakes i den här boken men alla betedde sig som att det var det. Galoppsporten är inte den snällaste mot hästar och det visades verkligen i den här delen av serien, när en häst som inte ville springa sågs som jordens undergång. Det var som att sporten var viktigare än hästen. Men den hade ändå sina fina stunder, som när Sierra hittade viljan till annat.
February 10, 2014
I can't believe that Sierra proved himself as a steeplechaser!
April 30, 2015
A great series for tweens that love horses and/or are interested in horseback riding or racing. Teaches about the struggles of working with animals and the benefits.
January 5, 2024
I'm not sure if its because I am more accustomed to the world now or I just enjoyed this one more, but it was just about 5 stars.
I love all of the characters and I know what to expect from them now. I love Samantha and Tor. They are a great team .
What I love most is that the stories show off the personailty of the horse. Sierra has a bigger than the rockies personailty. It was trying to get that personailty to dig in and want to compete that made the story. Sierra was bored with flat races, so Tor suggests steeplechase.
Mike and Samantha's dad are not happy about that idea but Tor and Samantha convince them.
Also in this story is the birth of Precocious. Ah I felt like I was really there. And the stable cats are a hoot.
I still think maybe I need to find them all and read them.
I love all of the characters and I know what to expect from them now. I love Samantha and Tor. They are a great team .
What I love most is that the stories show off the personailty of the horse. Sierra has a bigger than the rockies personailty. It was trying to get that personailty to dig in and want to compete that made the story. Sierra was bored with flat races, so Tor suggests steeplechase.
Mike and Samantha's dad are not happy about that idea but Tor and Samantha convince them.
Also in this story is the birth of Precocious. Ah I felt like I was really there. And the stable cats are a hoot.
I still think maybe I need to find them all and read them.
July 4, 2024
I really really loved this book. As I turned the pages The book just got better and better. I think honestly thought I would’ve hated this book but I was definitely wrong. I just kept falling in love with Sierra and Samantha as the book went on. I really liked how it was different from the other books. It had a really good plot as well. It was packed with suspense and surprises. I was tearing up during some parts not going to lie. (Which is a good thing) But if you want a really good solid read that makes you feel something, This book is for you.
June 13, 2018
Nostalgien er på plass, men vannes ut i takt med at det fokuseres mindre på Ashleigh (og Wonder), og mer på Samantha, Pride og Sierra, Men fremdeles hyggelig lektyre og tidsfordriv.
March 23, 2025
Onto the next book! This series has always been special to me since childhood. Book 8 was exhilarating and bringing in new characters and events was genius. Loved every page.
October 6, 2025
Childhood favourite series (haven't read in a long time) giving all four stars unless it was a favourite as a child.
June 27, 2020
It was nice to see a challenging horse for once and not some magic bond special mind reading horse. It was hard to care much about Sierra though, and it was weird how everyone loved him so much. Also if he has those good of bloodlines, it seems insane to train him to steeplechase (not that a big of a market here), and possibly risk a catastrophic breakdown injury.
It also gets a bit annoying to have people keep hurting themselves so our feisty female lead can compete. Sammy is still so much like Ashleigh, she doesn’t really feel like her own character yet. And Tor feels like another horsey blond boy like Mike, although at least he feels somewhat more developed.
Overall, fun to read although a lot of repetitive plot lines and plot points. The books can get annoying when Ashleigh stops being in them as much.
And as clunky as it is at least there’s finally the tiniest attempts to diversify the cast a bit. A bit. It was the 90s though.
It also gets a bit annoying to have people keep hurting themselves so our feisty female lead can compete. Sammy is still so much like Ashleigh, she doesn’t really feel like her own character yet. And Tor feels like another horsey blond boy like Mike, although at least he feels somewhat more developed.
Overall, fun to read although a lot of repetitive plot lines and plot points. The books can get annoying when Ashleigh stops being in them as much.
And as clunky as it is at least there’s finally the tiniest attempts to diversify the cast a bit. A bit. It was the 90s though.
January 28, 2015
Grade: A
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews