Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt Who Conquered the Sport of Kings

by Linda Carroll, David Rosner

In the bestselling tradition ofthe The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the propulsive, inspiring Cinderella story of Stymie, an unwanted Thoroughbred, and Hirsch Jacobs, the once dirt-poor trainer who bought the colt on the cheap and molded him into the most popular horse of his time and the richest racehorse the world had ever seen. In the wake of World War II, as turmoil and chaos were giving way to a spirit of optimism, Americans were looking for inspiration and role models showing that it was possible to start from the bottom and work your way up to the top-and they found it in Stymie, the failed racehorse plucked from the discard heap by trainer Hirsch Jacobs. Like Stymie, Jacobs was a commoner in "The Sport of Kings," a dirt-poor Brooklyn city slicker who forged an unlikely career as racing's winningest trainer by buying cheap, unsound nags and magically transforming them into winners. The $1,500 pittance Jacobs paid to claim Stymie became history's biggest bargain as the ultimate iron horse went on to run a whopping 131 races and win 25 stakes, becoming the first Thoroughbred ever to earn more than $900,000. The Cinderella champion nicknamed "The People's Horse" captivated the masses with his rousing charge-from-behind stretch runs, his gritty blue-collar work ethic, and his rags-to-riches success story. In a golden age when horse racing rivaled baseball and boxing as America's most popular pastime, he was every bit as inspiring a sports hero as Joe DiMaggio and Joe Louis. Taking readers on a crowd-pleasing ride with Stymie and Jacobs, Out of the Clouds -- the winner of the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award -- unwinds a real-life Horatio Alger tale of a dauntless team and its working-class fans who lived vicariously through the stouthearted little colt they embraced as their own.

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

321 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 29, 2018

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written story about a red-haired boy Hirsch Jacobs, who became a wonderful pigeon trainer and then was later introduced to horse training. He partners up with Izzy Bieber, an inveterate gambler and businessman who provides the capital to buy the horses for Hirsch to train. They run their stable of horses like a business and not a hobby and in time become successful and then some.

Yet they are known for buying mostly cheap “claimers” or horses picked up in claiming races, where the owner allows them to be sold for a set amount if the horse races to anyone paying the claim fee and filing for them before the race starts. It’s usually done on a losing or recalcitrant young horse that the owner is fed up with and just wants off their hands.

Jacobs turned out to have a real talent for figuring out what these horses needed to become race ready, even to compete against more expensive horses with better breeding bought by the rich horse people. The types who paid others to find and train their horses for them and just did it as a hobby, only hoping to be able to stand in the winner’s circle one day.

He was a horse whisperer back before anyone knew what such a thing was. He was great at learning from others during his early years just hanging around the tracks and helping out, asking lots of insightful questions and by the time he started training and trying different things himself, he was becoming a natural.

The book gives lots of history on the different race tracks all over mostly the eastern US and even in Cuba from back in that time. Much of the focus is of course on the wonderful chestnut colt he gets in a claiming race and turned into a champion named Stymie.

“This was a bright red horse, a showy chestnut with a crooked blaze that gave him an almost comic, devil-may-care look”...”He held his red head high, and the faster he ran the higher he held it. Sort of like the redhead he worked for.”

An enjoyable book for those who like history, horses, non-fiction and rags to riches, it’s a great story.  An advance digital copy was provided by NetGalley,  authors Linda Carroll & David Rosner, and the publisher for my honest review.

Hachette Books
Publication: May 29, 2018.

My Bookzone blog at Wordpress: https://wordpress.com/post/bookblog20...

[Megan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was fascinating, but I wish the authors had remained more focused. There were a few too many tangents about some of the minor characters that to me just were not as appealing as the story of Jacobs and Stymie. Overall enjoyable and informative, however, I appreciated learning more about a horse whose name I'd heard in passing but whose amazing story I was unfamiliar with.

[Vickie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A surprisingly good read

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Linda Carroll does it again. She's created a stunning biography of a forgotten trainer and a forgotten horse, both of which ruled horse racing in the mid-1940s. We get a picture of what New York was like during the first half of the century, with a colorful cast of characters that even includes Al Capone.

Trainer Hirsch Jacobs is seen as the horse whisperer, a man who could get the best out of any horse. And Stymie, the one-time nag who was snagged by Jacobs for only $1,500 in a claiming race, turns out to be the darling of the public - and horse racing's richest Thoroughbred. Carroll has captured the lives of these two figures - lives that had a story to tell but were lost in the archives.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an unlikely read for me. It started as a read aloud to my horse crazy daughter, but she got a tad bored with it in the beginning. Delving into characters in which their whole story wasn’t necessary for the book. I decided to continue on because it was intriguing. I feel like it was at least half way through before it got to the main event of Jacobs and Stymie’s relationship. Once there, I enjoyed reading about his relationship with his horses and how he continued to climb through the sport of kings, even though he was the people’s horseman. A true rags to riches story, by a man who remained very humble throughout his career.

[Paul Groffie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I read a book and the book takes on a life of itself, leaving me to place myself into the story it is a winner. When key figures in the book sadly pass on and I feel tears well in my eyes, it’s a winner. This was a well researched book by accomplished writers and I thank you for immersing me into Hirsch Jacobs & Stymie’s life!

[Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

A most unconventional start to a truly great career: This is an engaging story about Hirsch Jacobs, a scrappy, red-headed Jewish boy from Brooklyn who started out racing pigeons at the age of 12 in 1916 and improbably, by the time of his death in 1970 at the age of 65, had become the greatest horseman in the history of American racing. Upon Jacobs' death, Newsweek's sports editor noted that he was the only figure who ever brought to life the storybook dream of all racetrackers -- that of the little guy who started out with nothing and built a multimillion-dollar empire on wits and skill alone.
While Jacobs was the "unlikely horseman," the "unwanted colt" of the title was Stymie, a superbly conformed, high-spirited, thoroughbred whose original trainer let him go in a claiming race for $1500 because he found him to be completely unsuited for the discipline of racing. Hirsch Jacobs was the winning claimant who recognized something special in Stymie. He took a chance that paid off handsomely over the years as Stymie earned nearly $1 million dollars in winnings before retiring. He became known as "The People's Horse" with his exciting come-from-behind finishes that captivated racegoers and made him one of the most popular racehorses of his day.
This was an upbeat, feel-good story. I liked the fact that Hirsch Jacobs was one of the good guys who succeeded by being loyal, honest, fair and decent, and he was a dedicated family man. In his business, Jacobs made many friends who were larger than life characters with big personalities whose amusing behavior often added entertaining dimension to the story. Finally, I must add a comment about the sport of pigeon racing that Hirsch Jacobs excelled at as a young teen. The book outlines a fascinating history of pigeon racing going back to ancient times. By the early 20th century it had reached its heyday in the US and had a passionate following. I was quite surprised to learn that homing pigeons even played a critical role as essential messengers behind the lines in World War I. Who would have thought that a book about a race horse would be the source of such a readable and enlightening history of pigeon racing? Anyway, I loved the book, pigeons and all!

[Wentworth Rollins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A perfect diversion from daily work and play. This book has a combination of stories that winners love to see develop! If you have any interest in racing history this book will not disappoint you in that aspect.

The characters who wrote the "real life" script are beyond interesting. The author paints their pictures vividly enough for the reader to begin thinking that "we know them"... The horses may be the stars of this story, but the people are no less important to round out the understanding of what can happen...with hope and perseverance.

I liked and appreciate this book enough to have already purchased and given a number of copies to friends to read...and pass on.

[Tom Troiani · Rating 4 out of 5]

A non fiction work about a poor Jewish kid born of immigrant parents who rises to be one of the best horse trainers and breeders in the golden age of horse racing(mid 20th century)

You don't have to be a racing fan to be entertained by some of the colorful characters who somehow survived and even thrived through the great depression.....

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Well written, well researched and an incredible true rags to riches story. Horse people especially, I highly recommend this book.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a bit slow to start. There is a lot of backstory, some of which feels excessive. Like Stymie, it needs time. Once it gets going though, a very easy read. Read in one sitting.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book started out so slow I almost stopped reading it. I am SO glad I continued. Absolutely loved it!!

[Constance · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful read, even if you’re not a racing fan I would think.

[Teri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book and am of the opinion it is because of my love for learning new aspects of history and life I would not have explored independently. Thank you to the authors who found Hirsch Jacob’s story and shared with the world. I don’t have a lot of equine experience but reading about these animals and their place in our world is fascinating to me. Stymie was as interesting as his trainer. I also enjoyed the exposure to other characters; Bieber, Palmer, Jolson, Runyon etc. The fact that Jacob’s stayed true to his values was so refreshing. A good guy who despite the critics knew in his soul how to manage his horses and his life. Stymie had such a wonderful personality and learning of the various nuances in horse racing was enjoyable. I loved the pigeon racing history and the life of Jacob’s as a young boy. This had all my favorite ideals about New York.

[... · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sadly, this is no Duel for the Crown, Carroll and Rosner's previous racing book. Out of the Clouds feels almost like an afterthought, and the authors admit that it was born out of their research for Duel for the Crown. And it's nowhere near The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the rags-to-riches story that Out of the Clouds is compared to in the book's description.

Ultimately, the book was more about Hirsch Jacobs, Isidor Bieber and Damon Runyon than about Stymie. I don't mind, in horse racing books, parts about the horses' trainers, owners, and jockeys - in most cases I'm as interested in these biographies as I am in the horse's career - but this one was just plain boring. The first half was about Jacobs, Bieber and Runyon, and despite all the Broadway and gambling and mafia and FBI investigations that permeated the pages, I wanted to just skip it or quit reading the book altogether. But I soldiered on. One thing I did appreciate for these first 150 pages, though, was finding out more about claiming races, but that's about it.

The second half is far better, as it's finally (mostly) about Stymie. But, given his 131 races, I wonder why squeeze his story in little over 130 pages. Either make the book shorter and cut the Jacobs-Bieber-Runyon biographies, or write more about the horse. I think Here Comes Exterminator did a beter job; Exterminator was bought for $1,500 just as Stymie was claimed for the same price, and raced 100 times, but his story was just told better (and over a shorter book).

One thought I couldn't shake off while reading: All of these other horses mentioned sound way more interesting than Stymie. Be it Assault, Whirlaway or Armed, I just wanted to put down Out of the Clouds and read their biographies. Stymie's racing career just wasn't as exciting as Seabiscuit's or Secretariat's. But it is worth reading about - just not in this book. In the end, I know more about Jacobs, Bieber and Runyon than I do about Stymie, and this is not why I picked this one up.

[Ms.pegasus · Rating 4 out of 5]

The humans and horses, despite the claims of the title, are subordinate to a forgotten fragment of Americana. Fittingly, that colorful era was memorialized in part by two unforgettable journalists, Damon Runyon (1880-1946) and Red Smith (1905-1982). Runyon both chronicled and participated in a world of barflies, down-and-out punters, athletes, bookies, and legendary mobsters. He was close friends with Arnold Rothstein, the alleged fixer in the 1919 World Series scandal. He arrived in New York in 1910 and added horserace betting to his obsessive interests in baseball and boxing. He recreated this world in his many short stories. Red Smith was around for the end of the era and continued on in the years that followed. His sports columns for the New York Herald and later, for the New York Times earned him a Pulitzer Prize in 1976.

The focal point of this book is Hirsch Jacobs (1904-1970). Jacobs got his start in what was, before World War I, the very popular pastime of pigeon racing. (Some may recall the famous Cher Ami, credited with delivering the message that saved an American battalion trapped in the Argonne Forest). For Jacobs it was the ideal sport for a boy with little money living in Brooklyn. The sport was disrupted by the war.

Jacobs caught the attention of Charlie Ferraro, a local who raced a few horses at Jamaica in central Queens. These were claiming races. The owner would set a fixed claiming price on his horse and anyone could submit a claim 15 minutes before post time. In October 1924 Ferraro claimed a horse named Demijohn for $1000. Jacobs had demonstrated a gift for horse handling and guided Demijohn into some finishes in the money. Buy cheap, eke out some payday finishes, up the claiming price, and make a profit when the horse got claimed by a new owner – that was how claiming races worked. Eventually, Jacobs would be lured into a partnership with Isador Bieber, a high-roller whom Damon Runyon would use as a model for some of his short story characters.

In 1928 Bieber claimed a horse which he renamed Jack Biener. At age 3 the horse had yet to win a race. Jacobs noticed Jack Biemer was an indifferent eater as well as listless. He paired this horse with another gelding, Irish Marine, who ate – well – like a horse. Jack Biener’s enthusiasm for both eating and training picked up. The two horses became a bonded pair, but Jack Biener got claimed away. For all his attachment and affection for the horses he trained, Jacobs was in the claiming business, one focused on the grinding demands of turning a profit. Red Smith relates the full story of the two horses in an eloquent column referenced in the “Notes.”

The partnership between Isador Bieber and Hirsch Jacobs was of an odd-couple sort. Bieber made and lost millions from betting. Jacobs didn’t bet. It was said that Jacobs could recognize an individual horse even at a distance. As for Bieber, Jacobs once said of him “He couldn’t pick Whirlaway out of a herd of buffalo.” (213)

Both Runyon and Bieber lived in an unregulated era for gambling. Punters could shop around for bookies, seeking out odds most favorable to them. It was a system ripe for exploitation. In 1937 a Chilean import named Sahre was entered in a race at Aqueduct. With no track record, he was rated at odds ranging from 30 to 1 to 50 to 1. Bieber was able to get his bet in at 20 to 1, whereas by post time, the odds had dropped to 8 to 1. Meanwhile, Sahre’s owners and their confederates had fanned out to as many bookies as possible before the odds began to drop. When Sahre won, Bieber received $40,000 from his $2000 bet. It was money he plowed back into other claims based on Jacobs’ advice.

The 1930’s found Jacobs raising his ambitions. He couldn’t afford to buy a quality horse. Maybe he could make one. He attached himself to Col. Edward Riley Bradley (1859-1946). While most breeders were focused on short-term strategies of breeding winners to winners, Bradley was looking at genealogies. At the same time Robert Kleberg Jr., owner of the King Ranch in Texas, was thinking along the same lines. He had acquired a retired racehorse named Chicaro whose male bloodline traced back to the 19th century champion Domino. (Inquisitive readers can look up Domino’s sizable list of successful progeny online). The breeding pair Kleberg ultimately found had multiple ties to Man o’ War. Equestrian was the offspring of Equipoise and Frillette, a daughter of Man o’War. Stop Watch was the granddaughter on the distaff side of Man o’War. On April 9, 1941, Stymie was foaled from the union of Equestrian and Stop Watch.

Jacobs had an eye for potential and scrutinized Stymie’s genealogy. In a convoluted series of events, he was able to claim Stymie for $1500, a price reflecting Stymie’s dismal track record. Jacobs was motivated by more than the thought of making money. In the “Sport of Kings” he was still looked down upon as an interloper, the “Pigeon Man.” This attitude stuck even after his successful career on the claiming circuit. Stymie, too, was an outsider, bred on a Texas ranch. He was also a recalcitrant trainee. Jacobs quickly began his process of diagnosing the colt’s problems. He discovered Stymie did not respond to a heavy hand on the reins. He also found that Stymie had a distinctive style. He would drop back from the leaders and overtake them in a sudden explosive burst of speed. Sometimes he would run out of room before reaching the finish line. There was also the risk of getting boxed in. He didn’t win all of his races, but he had that special quality, a work ethic many characterize as “heart.” Stymie worked his way up from claiming tracks to allowance races to the toughest competitors in stakes races. By the end of his career he had earned over $900,000. Author Linda Carroll sums up his career: “Stymie had to earn his money the hard way, soldiering through seven grueling years on iron legs propelled by a stout heart. While the great Man o’War raced a grand total of precisely 19-5/8 miles in his career, the gallant Stymie‘s journey to supremacy among the all-time money winners would take him 142-1/8 miles.” (p.261)

When Stymie retired in 1949 his final appearance was fittingly at Jamaica, the “people’s track.” He was the rags-to-riches hero of everyday people who loved his dogged determination and thrilling style of closing. They loved his climb from lowly claimer to champion. Red Smith penned an unsentimental yet resonant tribute in his Herald Tribune column: “He returned to the track but flatly refused to enter the winner’s circle….He had got there 35 times on merit and Stymie took no favors from nobody,” (p.266)

The authors have done a thorough job of researching archives and interviewing survivors from that era. The profiles of individuals and the changing social fabric as well as the insider view of horse racing make this an appealing read for a wider audience than dedicated racing fans.

This book was originally published by NY: Hachette, 2018. I read the Kindle edition.

NOTES:
Brief article that conveys Damon Runyon’s adroit employment of vernacular https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...

Brief tribute to Red Smith https://shelterislandreporter.archive...

Red Smith’s eloquent column on the career of Jack Biener https://www.nytimes.com/1974/12/06/ar...

[Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.4 stars. An enjoyable history of Stymie, the come-from-behind router of the 40s, and background of and handling by his principals (trainer Hirsch Jacobs and financier/gambler Isador Beiber). The story is most colorful and Runyanesque during the NYC 30s with the likes of Runyan, Capone, and Rothstein who favored Manhattan's Broadway, summering at Saratoga, wintering in Florida (and Cuba), and criss-crossing the numerous horserace tracks thriving just in the city of New York. This isn't the story of bluebloods with horseracing as a hobby, but rather hard-knocks grinders in the business of shrewdly seeing quality among horses in the lowly claiming ranks to make a living. And then....the goldmine strike...finding the claimer Stymie for $1,500 who went on to earn nearly $1 million over his ironman 131 starts (didn't break maiden until a 4YO, 35 wins -- 25 in stakes, 33 seconds, 28 thirds and $918,485 winnings). Stymie's rivalry with Assault in interesting (a bit too abbreviated) and the prowess of Armed wasn't sufficiently covered (mentioned as horse of year during the "trivalry" but no detail how that developed). Makes one think of other "Cinderella horses" like the $8,000 California Chrome (the owners sensed the bloodline had possibilities) or the West-coast Seabiscuit who captured the hearts of the working man during the Depression era.

[Sharon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Those who've read my reviews over the years know that I am a horse-lover, and that I have a particular fondness for underdog stories.

The tale of Stymie, and his trainer Hirsch Jacobs, combines both. Jacobs, who started his career buying inexpensive "claimers" at the track, found an unlikely champion in Stymie, and grandson of the great Man O'War. The horse was tall and handsome, but he liked to lag at the back of the pack, Stymie's bloodline appealed to Jacobs, who studied pedigrees in horses the same way he had once studied them in his racing pigeons. So, despite the horse's poor record, he added him to the stable of claimers that he ran (in Jacobs' own words) like a fleet of taxicabs.

Under Jacobs' training, and with the right jockeys on-board, Stymie proved himself a winner repeatedly ... with a preference for lagging at the start and then putting on the speed toward the end, often smoking the competition by several lengths.

This is an entertaining and lively book, well-sourced (there are lengthy biographical notes), and well-written. We get to see Stymie through the eyes of sportswriter Damon Runyon and many others. I enjoyed the book a great deal.

[Melinda M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt Who Conquered the Sport of Kings
by Linda Carroll is a story of how horse racing got a Cinderella story after World War II. History of the trainer (Jacobs) and his partner (Bieber) makes the story interesting and helps to understand the story of Stymie who is the unwanted colt. The history of the King Ranch helps moves the story and gives some background to the history of racing as well. It is well written. The story flows and keeps your interest. If you like horses ,the time right after WWII, horse racing or history, you will enjoy this story.

I received a copy thru a Goodreads Giveaway.

[Gloria · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you like horse stories you may like this book. Its about an immigrant boy who starts out racing pigeons and through that meets a man who encourages him to try his hand at training race horses. It also talks about some of the gangsters and hustlers that were around at the time. It mentions Damon Runyon and what he was doing and who he knew Etc. but in the main its about the young man who trains horses that others find difficult to handle and he seems to have a knack for it. To see what else happens and how it all comes out in the end I will let you read and judge for yourself. Happy reading

[Beverly · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the wake of World War II, Stymie, a failed racehorse bought by trainer Hirsch Jacobs in a placer race, captures the hearts of post WWII America. A rags to riches story - an underdog - both horse and trainer - who won. Jacobs was a commoner, a poor Brooklyn city slicker who forged a career as racing's winningest trainer by buying cheap nags and transforming them into winners. The $1,500 price Jacobs paid for Stymie became the biggest bargain as the horse went on to run a whopping 131 races and win 25 stakes, becoming the first Thoroughbred to earn more than $900,000. A delight to read.

[Chris Christiansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a true rags to riches story. One you cannot make up and one that was built on very hard work and determination by human and equine both. The focus of the book is on the man, Hirsch Jacobs and the horse, Stymie, who made it all happen. Jacobs came from virtually nothingness in a poor New York upbringing. And much as he did with his own life, he turned a humble, small but good-looking horse into the people's champion during WW2 America. The story is riveting and much like Stymie's classic come from behind style, the book picks up momentum all along. Great read.

[Stanislav Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

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Minimalni ulog i maksimalni profit

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Predavanje

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Graditelj oklada

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[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love reading books about famous horses, and Stymie was one horse that is definitely worth knowing about. His breeders wrote him off early on, but Hirsch Jacobs saw his potential and it payed off in a big way during the WWII years when the public needed to rally around a champion.

Stymie was bought by trainer, Hirsch Jacobs in a claiming race for a dirt cheap price. Once under Jacobs care, Stymie blossomed into one of the most powerful racehorses in the history of the sport and earned Jacobs more money than he ever would have dared to imagine.

The story begins with Jacobs as a boy racing pigeons. As he grew older, he became interested in horses and applied his knowledge of pigeons to the horses. Jacobs was an honest family man who did not gamble, but ended up in a partnership with well-known gambler and bachelor, Isador Beiber. What was unusual about the partnership was that neither were part of the Blueblood wealthy horsing world.

There is quite a bit about gambling in the book in reference to horse racing, but overall this is a very clean book and chronicles Jacobs’ lifetime and the life and career of Stymie, a thoroughbred born on the King Ranch in Texas. The book focuses on their appeal to the public as representing the common folk in a sport that tended to only be available to the wealthy and connected

Overall I enjoyed the book and think anyone who loves reading about animals and horse racing will find this an interesting read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Hatchette Books for providing an advance copy so that I could offer my honest review.

[Stefanie Robinson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stymie was foaled in 1941 at King Ranch in Texas. He was notoriously ill-tempered, which derailed much of his training. His owners and caretakers were so tired of him, his first races were claiming races. He was purchased by Hirsch Jacobs, a leading trainer. Stymie lost the majority of his races until his late 3 year old season and beyond. After 1945, he settled down some and began to prove his talent. Out of 131 lifetime starts, Stymie won 35, placed in 33, and showed in 28. His career winnings were $918,485. For the time period, he was the horse with the highest amount of earnings. He went on to be inducted into the US Racing Hall of Fame, and is ranked on the top 100 horses of the 20th century list. He would even have a race named after him, the Stymie Handicap at Aqueduct. He died in 1962.

I actually did not know very much about Stymie before reading this book, other than he was a horse and he had a race named in his honor. I thought the book was well written and contained a lot of facts about the life and career of Stymie and his connections. I enjoyed the book.

[Katharine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not read a really good horse memoir in years. So, I was incredibly happy to be able to curl up with Out of the Clouds and bury myself in the co-story of Stymie, whom I knew from kid horse books, and the man who made him into a legend in his time. I thought the addition of the Hirsch Jacobs story, plus the side stories of a few major people in Stymie's life, made this book so much better than it would have been if it had been only about the horse.

I do admit, though, that I was disappointed that there wasn't more about Jacob's wife, Ethel. After their meet-cute, she sort of vanishes from the story except for appearing in a few winner's circles as the named owner of horses.

Excellent book for complete horse nerds. I have already requested the other book "Duel for the Crown" written by Carroll and Rosner from my library so I can enjoy that one too.

[J. · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very frustrating book for me. I read these bios for the horses, and accept reading about the surrounding people as part of it, but the horse is the major subject. This book doesn't even introduce the horse until about page 150. I'm sure those pages were entertaining, lots of historical anecdotes that included Damon Runyon and several New York underworld figures, lots of repeats of heavy betting and heavy spending. I wound up skimming most of it, waiting to reach the horse.

Secondly, the authors tended to lock onto certain words and phrases and repeat them too often. If I never see the word "plungers" again, I'll be happy. Iron horse and warhorse and on and on…

I'm happy I learned about Stymie; he was a fascinating horse, a true handicapper. I could have lived without the rest of it. Three stars.

[Bonnie Staughton · Rating 3 out of 5]

As a person with a "passion" for horses, naturally I was very happy when I won this book on Goodreads Giveaways. Along with a great deal of information on racing and, specifically, those that bet on races, comes the story of Stymie and his trainer Hirsch Jacobs. Jacobs claimed Stymie for $1500 in a claiming race and went on to earn $918,485 with him. This small, gangly Thoroughbred with his head held high had a unique way of running the races "his way" and as long as the jockey didn't interfere, chances were good that he would be one of the top 3 placers. "Out of the Clouds" refers to his coming from behind racing technique and racing through the dust and sea of horses to become a front runner.

This book was also a "history" of the times and how things work at the track.

[Rachel Hackney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I definitely would give this an extra half a star. As a long-time, passionate fan of horse racing, I would have been happier with more details of the races, especially as Stymie battled with other stars of his era. Still, I learned quite a bit of history about that era of racing, and that made the book more than worthwhile. I would recommend it more highly to fans of horse racing than to the average reader. In fact, I am grateful to the exceptionally good horse racing columnist Steve Haskin — whose columns I enjoy on bloodhorse.com — for recommending this book.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good but not great read about trainer Hirsch Jacobs and claiming horse Stymie, who went on to win nearly $1 million for Jacobs during the the 1940s and earn him a spot in the thoroughbred racing hall of fame. Well-researched, but not in the same league as Laura Hillenbrand's book "Seabiscuit". I also would have liked this book to have a larger photo gallery. There are a few pictures of Stymie, but no pictures of the other horses that were his chief rivals (Armed and Assault), who raced against him and won multiple times.