Citation: In a Class by Himself by Georgeff, Phil (2003) Hardcover

by Phil Georgeff

Based on interviews from those who knew the thoroughbred, including famed jockey Eddie Arcaro, this book is the full story of the greatest sports figure in the history of horseracing, a champion who won or placed in thirty different contests in his career and whose spirit continues to captivate the American public.

Genres: Sports, Horses, Nonfiction, Horse Racing

Hardcover

First published January 1, 2003

Reviews

[Wendy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hated this book. I really, really hated it. The sad part of that is I wanted so badly to like it. Citation is one of the equine gods named when listing the best racehorses of all time, and I really, really wanted to enjoy reading about him. Unfortunately, the author ruined what might have been an enjoyable experience by repeatedly bashing other horses' accomplishments in order to elevate Citation--something he specifically stated he wasn't going to do in the intro of the book. I love Cigar (a more recent racehorse who matched Citation's 16-stakes-race winning streak), and apparently the author doesn't understand that my love for Cigar and admiration for his accomplishments actually provides a reference point for loving and admiring Citation. The fact that it was so difficult for other horses to duplicate his accomplishments is actually a tribute to his greatness. He doesn't have to be the only one to be special and amazing. You don't have to bash Secretariat and Man o' War to make Citation look good, author--he looks good on his own, and trying so hard to make other horses look bad actually makes him seem less than he is. And every time I thought the author had made his point about the other horses (it had been almost a chapter since the last bashing!), he would slip in another 'sly' comment. I would suggest reading the Thoroughbred Legends series book about Citation instead and skipping this one altogether.

[Jutta · Rating 2 out of 5]

sorry, i just don't like this writing style. lots of "" and !!!. the descriptions of the races themselves left me flat. and yes, it's a book about citation, but it feels to me that the owner is trying to prove a point that he was the best horse, instead of just sharing his life story.

read 2007

[Susan Ferguson · Rating 4 out of 5]

If the author had concentrated on telling Citation’s story it would have been a better and more interesting book. Instead, he jumped around horses past and future insisting Citation was the greatest horse who ever lived or will ever live and giving his opinion on how Citation surpassed them. Citation was indeed a great horse and a courageous one with a lot of heart, but I hate having something shoved in my face several times in a chapter. He confused me several times with where he was in Citation’s career talking about other horses. I would have enjoyed it much more if it had been a retelling of Citation progressing through time. But how many times in each chapter is it necessary to say “the greatest horse who ever lived”?

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Citation was bred and owned by Calumet farm. He was a beautiful bay Thoroughbred, sired by Bull Lea and out of Hyperion. Citation would go on to become the 8th winner of the Triple Crown, along with many other major wins and achievements. He raced steadily in 1947 and 1948, an intermittently until 1951. A statue of Citation created by Italian sculptor Thomas Famiglietti was unveiled near the saddling paddock at Florida's Hialeah Park in 1965. During retirement from racing, he produced some notable offspring, including Silver Spoon. One funny story was that Citation was terrified of the Yorkie that lived on the farm.

This was an good book that outlined the career of one of the few Triple Crown winners in racing history. My horse girl heart was happy about finding this book at the used bookstore and I am glad I finally got around to reading it. I have several more racing books to read this year.

[Sharon Healy-Yang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Citation: In a Class by Himself is a delight for reminding us of how phenomenal this race horse was. Drawing on the words of jockeys, exercise riders, trainers, stable workers, contemporary horseman, and sports writers, Georgeff gets inside the psychology of this great thoroughbred who in his prime could catch whatever he saw and wouldn't let anyone get past him. The author retells the career of Big Cy with precision and suspense, successfully evoking for us the thrill of Citation's first two racing seasons and the heartbreak of his comeback year - though that comeback ultimately crowned Big Cy in glory. I also enjoyed getting the lowdown on Citation's equine competitors of the time. You get a fully realized vision of horse racing in the late 1940s. My only caveat is that the author sometimes gets a bit grandiloquent, making some phrasing repetitive and silly. Can you imagine Eddie Arcaro "cooing" under any circumstances?

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a fabulous horse, what a Dreadful author. I hated his prose and his attitudes. The great Citation deserved a much better biographer.

[Joseph J. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Citation in 1948 sparkled in a flat out mile on a Belmont Park Wednesday, and three days later won the two mile Jockey Club Gold Cup over older horses. THOSE WERE RACE HORSES, and Citation just may have been the best of them all. Race caller Phil Georgeff writes with color and passion about this immortal equine in a personal way.

[Tammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Citation was an amazing horse but I feel like modern racing fans don't really appreciate just how special he is. This book does a great job of telling his amazing story.

[Leila Mohseni · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a horse.