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Horse of a Different Color: A Tale of Breeding Geniuses, Dominant Females, and the Fastest Derby Winner Since Secretariat
The former editor of the Chicago Tribune tells the story of his entry into the world of thoroughbred breeding, profiles Kentucky's racehorse culture, and chronicles his successful breeding of Monarchos, the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 2002
36 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Jim Squires
10 books6 followersFormer editor of the Chicago Tribune and Orlando Sentinel, Tribune Washington Bureau chief, political and investigative reporter,city editor Nashville Tennessean. Media spokesman for Ross Perot's 1992 Presidential Campaign. Founder and owner Two Bucks Farm, Versailles, KY, breeder of 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Graduate Peabody College, Vanderbilt University; Nieman Fellow, Harvard University, 1970-71; Visiting Professor, Harvard Kennedy School, 1990-91.Author.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews
November 16, 2015
I always enjoy getting an insider's look at a world and having left the world of newspapers the author invested his retirement fund in racehorse breeding. He'd already learnt that buying a horse to race doesn't guarantee a horse that stays fit to run. So he aimed to make his money before the horses went lame. Well done to Monarchos, his big success, and we all like to see the underdog winning.
I was hoping to get a look inside the Chicago journalism world, but apart from a few allusions and fleeting references to press boxes, we don't get those. Mainly the author refers to himself in third person after the introduction, calling himself the breeding genius, and calling his wife the dominant female. They bought a smallish stud farm in Kentucky (almost anywhere else would have been cheaper) and bought mares from good female lines, crossing with stallions from good female lines and not top priced winners. After ups and downs at auctions and the difficulty of parting with foals, they were considering giving up the idea. But then a big grey colt started to win races, named Monarchos. As his breeder this author had no part of the winnings but plenty of the shared excitement. And he still owned this colt's dam as a brood mare.
The cover of my copy shows Monarchos winning the Kentucky Derby in front of the grandstand, with a long way back to the next horse. I don't know why that cover wasn't kept on all the books; the current cover shows a chestnut. However, we see that most horses do not get anywhere near such exalted heights, because the whole system is rigged to separate out what the author calls 'blue-collar' horses from 'white collar' ones. The inbred gene pool means that the drive to make money ever earlier and retire stallions to stud after a few races, has done away with the soundness in their legs. If I could make one rule about racing I would forbid racing any horse until it was three.
While the title stresses the grey coat colour of Monarchos, there is no look at how many horses of this recessive colour achieve, compared to the usual chestnut, brown or bay winners, as I was expecting. We do get many complaints about the price of horses, the insider trading, the purchasing of the best bloodstock by people from outside America. There are far too many details that the newspaperman researched and dumped in, about how much somebody paid for another horse or a total of purchases, rather than the full story of the disease causing mares to lose their foals for a few years running in Kentucky which is only mentioned at the end.
Real racing aficionados will probably enjoy this interesting book; the last part is hugely padded out with unnecessary detail so many readers will be justified in skipping ahead to the day of the big race.
I was hoping to get a look inside the Chicago journalism world, but apart from a few allusions and fleeting references to press boxes, we don't get those. Mainly the author refers to himself in third person after the introduction, calling himself the breeding genius, and calling his wife the dominant female. They bought a smallish stud farm in Kentucky (almost anywhere else would have been cheaper) and bought mares from good female lines, crossing with stallions from good female lines and not top priced winners. After ups and downs at auctions and the difficulty of parting with foals, they were considering giving up the idea. But then a big grey colt started to win races, named Monarchos. As his breeder this author had no part of the winnings but plenty of the shared excitement. And he still owned this colt's dam as a brood mare.
The cover of my copy shows Monarchos winning the Kentucky Derby in front of the grandstand, with a long way back to the next horse. I don't know why that cover wasn't kept on all the books; the current cover shows a chestnut. However, we see that most horses do not get anywhere near such exalted heights, because the whole system is rigged to separate out what the author calls 'blue-collar' horses from 'white collar' ones. The inbred gene pool means that the drive to make money ever earlier and retire stallions to stud after a few races, has done away with the soundness in their legs. If I could make one rule about racing I would forbid racing any horse until it was three.
While the title stresses the grey coat colour of Monarchos, there is no look at how many horses of this recessive colour achieve, compared to the usual chestnut, brown or bay winners, as I was expecting. We do get many complaints about the price of horses, the insider trading, the purchasing of the best bloodstock by people from outside America. There are far too many details that the newspaperman researched and dumped in, about how much somebody paid for another horse or a total of purchases, rather than the full story of the disease causing mares to lose their foals for a few years running in Kentucky which is only mentioned at the end.
Real racing aficionados will probably enjoy this interesting book; the last part is hugely padded out with unnecessary detail so many readers will be justified in skipping ahead to the day of the big race.
January 30, 2011
I recently really got into equine culture and racing because of family I have in Kentucky, and from my visits, so when I picked up the book I was ecstatic to read it. The premise seems compelling enough: former editor of the Chicago Tribune gets fired, decides to return to KY to buy a horse farm and begin breeding horses, eventually breeding Derby winner Monarchos-an extremely rare occurrence! However, the book was filled with tedious minutiae about what felt like EVERYONE in the industry, and their back story. Half the time I was struggling to differentiate between horses and farm names that Squires quickly lost me. I forced myself on because I hate leaving a book unread, but after 200 pages of what I felt was slowly adding up to nothing, I stopped. I didn't have the mental energy. I've no doubt Squires wrote this book with enthusiasm seeping out of every pore with the hopes that the reader will be as passionate about the material as Squires, and as much as I wanted this to be the case, I was not sufficiently engaged. I got tired of reading about every other damn horse, what ever single buyer paid for every single horse...I couldn't deal with it. On the plus side, what I did glean from the 200 pages I read was an interesting glimpse into the behind-the-scenes of the horse world, and for that I applaud it.
February 10, 2010
Every year, I watch the Kentucky Derby. Ever since I saw the Derby won by Ferdinand, who I rooted for because of pedigree, I have not missed a Derby. I know all the arguments against horse racing. I prefer eventing. And yet, I love watching the big races. There is something about a long shot coming though, or a filly sticking it to the colts.
Jim Squires bred the 2001 Derby winner, Monarchos, and Squires’ account of the colt’s life up to and including the Derby is good.
It helps when reading this book to have some knowledge of thoroughbred racing. Squires takes it for granted that the majority of his readers will have at least passing knowledge of racing. The reader doesn’t need in-depth racing knowledge, but an ability to recognize names, in particular the names of racing horses, helps. To be to Squires, would you really be reading this if you didn’t know anything about horse racing?
Squires gives details into his breeding operation and breeding philosophy, a reliance on female genes. The most poignant look, however, occurs when he discusses the influence of foreign buyers on the American racing world. Squires offers details about sales and breeding rights determined by Irish, Sheiks, and Japanese buyers. The Japanese details weigh the most heavily because a former Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, was sold to Japanese buyers and, eventually, turned into dog food (hence, the reason why I donate to Old Friends every year).
Squires doesn’t mention that, but he does give reasons for the rivalries between nationalities as well as between trainers. He doesn’t detail the blow by blow training schedule instead he gives the reader a deeper understanding of how the breeding part of the business works and how a successful foal can change everything. The business, the farm, the people.
The book is more about the hard work that occurs long before the glory, work that is forgotten by most spectators when the horse crosses the starting line. While, overall, the book is a celebration, there are some powerful, heart -breaking events connected with the story of a breeding farm. Squires doesn’t sugarcoat the business.
There is one drawback to the book and that is Squires’ writing style. People, overall, are either going to love it or hate. What might put some readers off is Squires referring to his wife as the dominant female or when Squires talks about his love for strong females (be they mares or women). I almost got tired of it, and then I realized the tone was tongue in cheek. It also reminded me of “She Who Must Be Obeyed”. Squires loves and respects his wife as well as women as a whole. I can see, however, how some people would find the tone annoying. I eventually found it funny. I want to meet this husband and wife. I also want a similar good parachute, but that’s another story.
Jim Squires bred the 2001 Derby winner, Monarchos, and Squires’ account of the colt’s life up to and including the Derby is good.
It helps when reading this book to have some knowledge of thoroughbred racing. Squires takes it for granted that the majority of his readers will have at least passing knowledge of racing. The reader doesn’t need in-depth racing knowledge, but an ability to recognize names, in particular the names of racing horses, helps. To be to Squires, would you really be reading this if you didn’t know anything about horse racing?
Squires gives details into his breeding operation and breeding philosophy, a reliance on female genes. The most poignant look, however, occurs when he discusses the influence of foreign buyers on the American racing world. Squires offers details about sales and breeding rights determined by Irish, Sheiks, and Japanese buyers. The Japanese details weigh the most heavily because a former Kentucky Derby winner, Ferdinand, was sold to Japanese buyers and, eventually, turned into dog food (hence, the reason why I donate to Old Friends every year).
Squires doesn’t mention that, but he does give reasons for the rivalries between nationalities as well as between trainers. He doesn’t detail the blow by blow training schedule instead he gives the reader a deeper understanding of how the breeding part of the business works and how a successful foal can change everything. The business, the farm, the people.
The book is more about the hard work that occurs long before the glory, work that is forgotten by most spectators when the horse crosses the starting line. While, overall, the book is a celebration, there are some powerful, heart -breaking events connected with the story of a breeding farm. Squires doesn’t sugarcoat the business.
There is one drawback to the book and that is Squires’ writing style. People, overall, are either going to love it or hate. What might put some readers off is Squires referring to his wife as the dominant female or when Squires talks about his love for strong females (be they mares or women). I almost got tired of it, and then I realized the tone was tongue in cheek. It also reminded me of “She Who Must Be Obeyed”. Squires loves and respects his wife as well as women as a whole. I can see, however, how some people would find the tone annoying. I eventually found it funny. I want to meet this husband and wife. I also want a similar good parachute, but that’s another story.
October 10, 2009
I will agree with pretty much every other reviewer that the third person narration was over the top and grating after a while, I also must say that I enjoyed the story. Most other racing books are about jockeys, race horses, owners, the business, stud farms, and more, but this is the first from the breeder's perspective. It's an interesting perspective because the breeder really just starts the process. He can then study the path of the offspring through auctions, training, ownership changes, and racing. I would have been very interested in reading an update that describes what connection to the horse the author had after the party was over - he ends the story at the end of the Triple Crown run. I listened to this on audio read by the author. He was passable and handled the deadpan humor appropriately, but I think a pro would have had more impact.
February 4, 2008
Cleverly but not clearly written. A good book for someone who knows about horses and racing buit not for someone tryiing to learn the same.
March 28, 2025
I had to love this book because I love monarchos. I “met” him when I was 10 on a private tour of Claiborne farms and we had a connection. He was a beautiful gray horse and even though I was admittedly a Point Given fan, he stole my heart.
This book was really interesting. Some sentences and the writing I thought was trying to hard to be funny and sarcastic and glib, to the point I was like what does this sentence even mean? Also I didn’t feel enough respect for the horses as beings…it was like the humans had won the derby not the horse. The sacrifices humans make for these races are nothing compared to the horses. So took away a star for those reasons
This book was really interesting. Some sentences and the writing I thought was trying to hard to be funny and sarcastic and glib, to the point I was like what does this sentence even mean? Also I didn’t feel enough respect for the horses as beings…it was like the humans had won the derby not the horse. The sacrifices humans make for these races are nothing compared to the horses. So took away a star for those reasons
January 8, 2022
This tale is more of a personal account and less sentimental an approach to the high-profile world of thoroughbred horse racing than the book about Seabiscuit. Through personal experience, the author can’t help but relate more detail than the story requires. This could have been a leaner and more direct telling, and it perhaps would have had more impact. However, the story of Monarchos’ trip to the Derby is a great backdrop and expression of achievement all-in-one, and a wonderful parallel of the road to success for Monarchos as well as for the author.
June 8, 2018
An interesting read for the racing fan, recalling a memorable year when a horse-not the author's colt-was favored for the Triple crown. I found his style-references to his wife as the dominant female-a bit tiresome, but this is a sharp recounting of being just to the outside-see Monarcho's Kentucky Derby winner's circle shot-of a winning team, as the breeder. I saw Monarchos and Point Given at the Belmont, so this was a personal memory too.
July 4, 2021
Good lord... I wanted to like this I truly did but the writing in third person is just absolutely pretentious. And the way it's written it makes me think that the author really dislikes females. The title doesn't lend to this but the way it's written, it's soo demeaning to females whether it be human or animal.
The book is good for people who want some super insider type stuff about horse racing but just be warned about the writing style.
The book is good for people who want some super insider type stuff about horse racing but just be warned about the writing style.
February 25, 2018
If you know anything about horses, you might enjoy this book; if you don't, I suggest grabbing something else. I didn't hate it, it was just hard to follow along. Great writing at the end leading up to the big race. Would have liked the author to write in 1st person rather than 3rd, but wasn't a breaking point. Overall, I'm indifferent about it. Some good parts, some long and dry parts.
August 3, 2019
The book provided wonderful insight into the world of horse breeding and racing. However, the story could have been structured more dramatically. Instead it was like reading a very long New York Times article. That’s not a bad thing if you are interested— which I was — but may not sustain the interests of the average reader
September 13, 2021
The book was engaging and the writing style was light and entertaining.
As a racing fan I prefer to watch older horses run on turf. As a bloodstock agent I deal with clients who breed for the turf. The Kentucky Derby; and dirt track races in general are not in my wheelhouse, so I don't really pay attention to them, but this was still an interesting book to read.
As a racing fan I prefer to watch older horses run on turf. As a bloodstock agent I deal with clients who breed for the turf. The Kentucky Derby; and dirt track races in general are not in my wheelhouse, so I don't really pay attention to them, but this was still an interesting book to read.
September 17, 2023
a good read
Read this novel after reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks as it was referenced in her novel. Great insight into the world of horse racing and breeding in Kentucky and the ever increasing money influence has in the world of horse racing. Author is funny and wholly relatable and recommend this quirky novel
Read this novel after reading Horse by Geraldine Brooks as it was referenced in her novel. Great insight into the world of horse racing and breeding in Kentucky and the ever increasing money influence has in the world of horse racing. Author is funny and wholly relatable and recommend this quirky novel
December 10, 2022
A stellar & hilarious tale of Kentucky Derby fever, & what it takes to get there. Monarchos is hardly remembered now, but this inside look at a breeder of racehorses on a small scale, owners, trainers, & life on the backside is educational as well as laugh-out-loud funny in places!
March 21, 2020
A book about the Kentucky Derby from a breeder's perspective! Love it!
August 24, 2022
A fun romp through the world of racehorse breeding, training, and racing narrated by a self-deprecating Kenturky boy ruled by a dominant female.
March 22, 2023
Witty look at behind the scenes culture of horse racing, including the foreign influence on the crowning glory, the Kentucky Derby.
April 7, 2013
Jim Squires, retired journalist, writes his story of low budget "breeding genius" that produced Monarchos, the 2001 Kentucky Derby winner.
There were parts of this story I liked. First, getting a look at some dirty statistics. Meaning plenty of horse stories are more than willing to show the thrill of the gamble that is the horse industry, and the pageantry that circles racetracks, but it was nice to see something I didn't necessarily know before; how auctions work, the favoritisms, the scams. The reality of most horses don't race and those that race don't win...The dangers in breeding; the monetary risk should a broodmare not produce, and the heartbreaks and hopes attached to foals... The competitive foreigners trying to win the Derby even if it means spending millions on untested horses...
But there were things in the storyline that made the book feel unfocused. Moments where Jim Squires would compare himself to "so-and-so and this happened and then that happened..." and when he comes back to present times, he forgets to underline why his current predicament is similar to so-and-so. I didn't mind him calling his wife the dominant female; having been around horses for years, I know what he means. I did find the overuse of the word "Kenturkey" annoying, it was only funny the first time. I also think in the beginning he refers to himself as "the breeding genius" in a sarcastic way, but later he believes it...And I'm not saying having a Derby winner isnt something to brag home about, of course it is, but lets be realistic...Even if you bred one champion to another champion there is no guarantee that their foal would also be a champion...So breeding is almost a bigger gamble than having a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
Which technically: they didn't. Don't get confused; Jim Squires may have bred Monarchos, but he sold the horse to another farm. This is not a story about a racehorse; Monarchos doesn't get the honor of being referred to by name until over the halfway point. This is a story about the man who bred a racehorse... At times the story meanders off course and the most exciting moments come when he's describing a race in progress; at least he had the good sense to end the story on Monarchos's victory, and sadly, the horse's only claim to fame as he won little else.
Overall, its a decent read; you learn a little and get a little entertainment, despite the narrator's mood swings which are about as exhausting as a dominant mare in heat.
There were parts of this story I liked. First, getting a look at some dirty statistics. Meaning plenty of horse stories are more than willing to show the thrill of the gamble that is the horse industry, and the pageantry that circles racetracks, but it was nice to see something I didn't necessarily know before; how auctions work, the favoritisms, the scams. The reality of most horses don't race and those that race don't win...The dangers in breeding; the monetary risk should a broodmare not produce, and the heartbreaks and hopes attached to foals... The competitive foreigners trying to win the Derby even if it means spending millions on untested horses...
But there were things in the storyline that made the book feel unfocused. Moments where Jim Squires would compare himself to "so-and-so and this happened and then that happened..." and when he comes back to present times, he forgets to underline why his current predicament is similar to so-and-so. I didn't mind him calling his wife the dominant female; having been around horses for years, I know what he means. I did find the overuse of the word "Kenturkey" annoying, it was only funny the first time. I also think in the beginning he refers to himself as "the breeding genius" in a sarcastic way, but later he believes it...And I'm not saying having a Derby winner isnt something to brag home about, of course it is, but lets be realistic...Even if you bred one champion to another champion there is no guarantee that their foal would also be a champion...So breeding is almost a bigger gamble than having a horse in the Kentucky Derby.
Which technically: they didn't. Don't get confused; Jim Squires may have bred Monarchos, but he sold the horse to another farm. This is not a story about a racehorse; Monarchos doesn't get the honor of being referred to by name until over the halfway point. This is a story about the man who bred a racehorse... At times the story meanders off course and the most exciting moments come when he's describing a race in progress; at least he had the good sense to end the story on Monarchos's victory, and sadly, the horse's only claim to fame as he won little else.
Overall, its a decent read; you learn a little and get a little entertainment, despite the narrator's mood swings which are about as exhausting as a dominant mare in heat.
January 22, 2008
Jim Squires, Horse of a Different Color (Perseus, 2002)
Horse of a Different Color is an autobiographical account of Jim Squires getting into the horse breeding business and, three years after he started, breeding 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Whether that was a stroke of luck or breeding genius remains to be seen, but following Monarchos through the eyes of his breeder is engaging enough to make a decent book.
Where it falls short is in Squires' writing style. First, note the word "autobiographical" in that first paragraph. Squires insisting on using the third person would have been an amusing trick for a chapter or two, but he persists throughout the novel. It gets old after a few pages. Also, there's something vaguely disquieting about his attitude towards women here; it almost seems too deferential to be real (and thus, a cover for something else). This could certainly be a literary device; the book's subtitle does mention that there are an excess of dominant females within these pages. Still, some of the descriptions in here made me read twice.
When he focuses on the horse, though, everything works just fine. Even the annoyance of the insistent third person narrative fades into the background. Monarchos was one hell of a horse, and Squires' book captures that well enough. Not as well as Hillenbrand captured Seabiscuit or Farley captured Man o' War, but enough for the Derby-and-Breeders' Cup horse fan to relive some good memories.
Recommended, though it won't make the top twenty-five list this year. ***
Horse of a Different Color is an autobiographical account of Jim Squires getting into the horse breeding business and, three years after he started, breeding 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Whether that was a stroke of luck or breeding genius remains to be seen, but following Monarchos through the eyes of his breeder is engaging enough to make a decent book.
Where it falls short is in Squires' writing style. First, note the word "autobiographical" in that first paragraph. Squires insisting on using the third person would have been an amusing trick for a chapter or two, but he persists throughout the novel. It gets old after a few pages. Also, there's something vaguely disquieting about his attitude towards women here; it almost seems too deferential to be real (and thus, a cover for something else). This could certainly be a literary device; the book's subtitle does mention that there are an excess of dominant females within these pages. Still, some of the descriptions in here made me read twice.
When he focuses on the horse, though, everything works just fine. Even the annoyance of the insistent third person narrative fades into the background. Monarchos was one hell of a horse, and Squires' book captures that well enough. Not as well as Hillenbrand captured Seabiscuit or Farley captured Man o' War, but enough for the Derby-and-Breeders' Cup horse fan to relive some good memories.
Recommended, though it won't make the top twenty-five list this year. ***
November 21, 2015
Jim Squires is what I would call a 'character'. He's got a goofy sense of humor, that's often a little too off-beat for me. Occasionally I got the joke, but more often than not, I ended up staring at the page wondering who this weirdo was and why I was reading his book.
He doesn't actually have much to contribute to the story of Monarchos, but once you get past that, there are other redeeming features.
I haven't read his other book, Headless Horsemen, but I imagine it's a continuation of some thoughts he had in this book--Thoroughbred breeders are stupid, and behind the times. A sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree. I fully intend on picking up that other book sometime, because I'm sure I'll agree with it, too.
All in all, once you get used to his quirky personality, this isn't a bad book. It has its good points and bad points. I enjoyed some parts and not others. I'd recommend it if you're at a loss for other racing books to read and don't mind reading what amounts to a memoir from someone a bit odd.
He doesn't actually have much to contribute to the story of Monarchos, but once you get past that, there are other redeeming features.
I haven't read his other book, Headless Horsemen, but I imagine it's a continuation of some thoughts he had in this book--Thoroughbred breeders are stupid, and behind the times. A sentiment with which I wholeheartedly agree. I fully intend on picking up that other book sometime, because I'm sure I'll agree with it, too.
All in all, once you get used to his quirky personality, this isn't a bad book. It has its good points and bad points. I enjoyed some parts and not others. I'd recommend it if you're at a loss for other racing books to read and don't mind reading what amounts to a memoir from someone a bit odd.
August 20, 2014
a great book for the knowledgeable horse person who enjoys bloodline research, and breeding topics, especially with Thoroughbreds. It might be a bit difficult for a person who just likes to look at horses. Jim Squires did talk about the problems with the Thoroughbred industry in America today, mainly the rush to breed horses very early in their lives, based on a couple of races. A lot of people have suspected that the Thoroughbred gene pool is becoming very narrow, controlled by a small number of very rich people with particular popular choices. This may be leading to a lot of the foot and leg problems that are becoming a huge problem in the breed. The book is exciting, and suspenseful as you cheer along Jim Squires horses, but it is also discouraging, when you think about the big picture.
July 7, 2011
If you want to know about the business of breeding and racing Thoroughbred racehorses, this is the book. Jim Squires can write. See his c.v. After being an award winning editor of major newspapers, he goes into the horse business. This book is no nonsense. Squires tells the truth about what goes on, and details that you would probaby never find out if you weren't in the business. Aside from not referring to himself (rarely if ever uses 'I') and referring to his wife as the dominating female or some such, there is hardly a flaw in this book. Squires bred the great Monarchos spending a lot less money than big time breeders. Monarchos ran the second fastest Derby after Secretariat. A magnificent creature! This is a great telling of that story.
January 14, 2012
This book is acceptable as an authority on horse-racing. However, my biggest problem is that it is written from the perspective of a sports-writer, for sports-readers, and not much else.
It is written well and interestingly, but in my opinion it spends way too much time focusing on the statistics of certain horses, how much certain horses sold for, what each individual race means, etc. If you picked up the book expecting some cutesy horse story (as I admit I did) you'll only get this about 50% of the book.
I would only recommend this to people who are die-hard horse racing fans, who would care about the individual statistics, money, and selling tactics. Otherwise, you might be better off reading a book like Seabiscuit.
It is written well and interestingly, but in my opinion it spends way too much time focusing on the statistics of certain horses, how much certain horses sold for, what each individual race means, etc. If you picked up the book expecting some cutesy horse story (as I admit I did) you'll only get this about 50% of the book.
I would only recommend this to people who are die-hard horse racing fans, who would care about the individual statistics, money, and selling tactics. Otherwise, you might be better off reading a book like Seabiscuit.
August 20, 2008
I read this a couple of years ago.. and it keeps coming up in my mind..
Not only is it a highly entertaining tale of the raising of a KY Derby winner (Monarchos) but it's also an astute and damning critique of how we here in Kentucky are selling our moniker as "Horse Racing Capital of the World" down the fucking river to the Irish and the Saudis. (No offense to those nationalities, but great self-wrought indignity to our heritage)
Not only is it a highly entertaining tale of the raising of a KY Derby winner (Monarchos) but it's also an astute and damning critique of how we here in Kentucky are selling our moniker as "Horse Racing Capital of the World" down the fucking river to the Irish and the Saudis. (No offense to those nationalities, but great self-wrought indignity to our heritage)
July 15, 2014
Very interesting read. I love to watch the Kentucky Derby every year and owned a horse of my own for 20 years, so this book was right up my alley. The author did get a little too detailed for my liking. I would have liked the book a little bit better if it had been about 3/4 as long as what the author ended up with. Very glad I read it, though, and it makes me want to read the stories of other Kentucky Derby winners!
July 30, 2012
Capably written but failed to hold my attention. The story seemed on the lurid side of passionate, hurried from the start and breathless.
I originally picked it up thinking it was an overview of historic Thoroughbred breeding practices, and I was disappointment to find it instead a microscopic biography of a horse I wasn't terribly interested in.
I originally picked it up thinking it was an overview of historic Thoroughbred breeding practices, and I was disappointment to find it instead a microscopic biography of a horse I wasn't terribly interested in.
October 28, 2011
Being told through the words of Jim Squires greatly hampers this story. After so many instances of cutesy wink and a smile references, name dropping and patting himself on the back, I was almost wishing Monarchos would lose.
June 10, 2012
This book is told in the third person even though it is a true story by and about the author. If you can get past him calling his wife the "dominant female" it is a good story about breeding a horse and what it takes to get that horse to the Kentucky Derby and win in 2001.
December 28, 2008
Great story made better by the entertaining author.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 36 reviews