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Grand Theft Horse
Gail Ruffu was a rookie trainer known for her unconventional methods and ability to handle dangerous horses. When she became part owner of an untamed thoroughbred named Urgent Envoy, everything changed. After Urgent Envoy showed real promise, her co-owners forced Gail to speed up training and race him too early, causing the horse to develop a hairline fracture. Refusing to drug the horse to keep it running, Gail lost Urgent Envoy to her partners, who pushed the horse even harder. One more race would kill him. When nobody heeded her warnings, Gail had to act.
So on Christmas Eve, she rescued her own horse. A modern-day outlaw, Gail evaded private investigators and refused to give the horse up. Blacklisted by the racing world, she learned the law at night to take on a powerful L.A. attorney determined to crush her in court. As she stood up for the humane treatment of racehorses, she also faced down the system that caused their demise.
So on Christmas Eve, she rescued her own horse. A modern-day outlaw, Gail evaded private investigators and refused to give the horse up. Blacklisted by the racing world, she learned the law at night to take on a powerful L.A. attorney determined to crush her in court. As she stood up for the humane treatment of racehorses, she also faced down the system that caused their demise.
240 pages, Paperback
First published September 25, 2018
17 people are currently reading
618 people want to read
About the author
G. Neri
24 books342 followersG. Neri is the Coretta Scott King honor-winning author of Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty and the recipient of the Lee Bennett Hopkins Promising Poet Award for his free-verse novella, Chess Rumble. His books have been translated into multiple languages in over 25 countries. They include the novels Tru & Nelle, A Christmas Tale, Ghetto Cowboy, Knockout Games, Surf Mules, and two free-verse picture book bios, When Paul Met Artie and Hello, I'm Johnny Cash. In 2017, he was awarded a National Science Foundation grant that sent him to Antarctica.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
Prior to becoming a writer, Neri was a filmmaker, an animator/illustrator, a digital media producer, and a founding member of The Truth anti-smoking campaign. Neri currently writes full-time and lives on the Gulf Coast of Florida with his wife and daughter. You can find him online at www.gneri.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 196 reviews
January 20, 2019
How do we book-talk this and get it in the hands of middle school students (7-9th grade)? I'll never look at horse racing the same way again. I'd visit other reviewers' synopsis of the storyline and gravity of the content in this book.
Here's a few thoughts for what you might include in a book-talk or introduction to this book.
Ask questions to pique students' curiosity:
What are you willing to die for?
What are you willing to go to jail for?
What are you willing to do to save a person or an animal or stand for a cause?
What are you willing to spend hours learning to do in order to save someone or some animal or to work for a cause?
How far are you willing to go?
OR you might ask for a thumb up or a thumb down from the students as they answer these questions:
Would you be willing to stand up to the abuse of animals?
Would you be willing to go to jail and have a criminal record to stand up for an animal or a cause?
Would you be willing to spend hundreds of hours learning the law so that you could represent an animal in court?
Would you be willing to give up your home? Running water? A live-able wage?
You might read the author's note at the beginning of the book - it draws you in and makes you want to know more or read the book.
You might also project a few of the first pages - using a document camera or, if you have access to the internet, share the two-page spreads that are available for view at the publisher Lee and Low's site. Give students a chance to look carefully and notice and begin to predict and to talk in small groups.
This could also be a great book for small group discussions around questions like the following:
*Why is the Bob Dylan quote at the beginning of the book a relevant quote for this story? ("To live outside the law, you must be honest."
*How can we use Gail Ruffu's experience as a lens for defining words like perseverance or determination?
*What is the power of telling this story via illustration vs. telling this story via running text?
Lots of potential for engagement and thoughtful conversations in the classroom.
Here's a few thoughts for what you might include in a book-talk or introduction to this book.
Ask questions to pique students' curiosity:
What are you willing to die for?
What are you willing to go to jail for?
What are you willing to do to save a person or an animal or stand for a cause?
What are you willing to spend hours learning to do in order to save someone or some animal or to work for a cause?
How far are you willing to go?
OR you might ask for a thumb up or a thumb down from the students as they answer these questions:
Would you be willing to stand up to the abuse of animals?
Would you be willing to go to jail and have a criminal record to stand up for an animal or a cause?
Would you be willing to spend hundreds of hours learning the law so that you could represent an animal in court?
Would you be willing to give up your home? Running water? A live-able wage?
You might read the author's note at the beginning of the book - it draws you in and makes you want to know more or read the book.
You might also project a few of the first pages - using a document camera or, if you have access to the internet, share the two-page spreads that are available for view at the publisher Lee and Low's site. Give students a chance to look carefully and notice and begin to predict and to talk in small groups.
This could also be a great book for small group discussions around questions like the following:
*Why is the Bob Dylan quote at the beginning of the book a relevant quote for this story? ("To live outside the law, you must be honest."
*How can we use Gail Ruffu's experience as a lens for defining words like perseverance or determination?
*What is the power of telling this story via illustration vs. telling this story via running text?
Lots of potential for engagement and thoughtful conversations in the classroom.
November 7, 2018
After finishing this biographical GN about a courageous and tenacious woman trying to save a race horse, I just want to know: How can I help?
March 29, 2019
Absorbing graphic novel about an ethical horse trainer who tangles with unscrupulous forces within her industry, leading her to essentially kidnap her own horse. If you like stories about the underdog fighting for what's right, give this a try. It would be amazing adapted as an indie film.
January 10, 2019
What a pleasant surprise!
Somehow, based on the cover's similarity to the disappointing
, I had subconsciously decided I was not going to like this book after I had picked it up from the library. I forced myself to start reading it this week because I had run out of renewals and the due date is looming. As I rarely look at the back cover copy for graphic novels, I had no idea what the hell I'd be reading when I turned to the introduction.
Turns out this is based on a true story about Gail Ruffu, a 57-year-old woman, who was tried in 2006 for horse theft. Ruffu comes off as a straight-up Quixotic figure, a colorful character who is wholly sympathetic in her desire to keep the horse safe from abuse but also has an unreliable quality as a narrator, exhibiting paranoia and allowing herself to devolve into a life of deprivation as she goes to extremes to keep to her ideals. She alternates between off-putting and admirable, but you cannot turn away from her.
The complicated events and legal matters are skillfully laid out by author (and Ruffo's cousin) G. Neri culminating in a criminal trial and then a civil case that escalated to the California Supreme Court. Corban Wilkin's cartoony art style keeps the tone light and gives the story energy even in talking heads sequences.
In the end, its a pretty damning expose of the horse racing industry.
Recommended.
Somehow, based on the cover's similarity to the disappointing
, I had subconsciously decided I was not going to like this book after I had picked it up from the library. I forced myself to start reading it this week because I had run out of renewals and the due date is looming. As I rarely look at the back cover copy for graphic novels, I had no idea what the hell I'd be reading when I turned to the introduction.Turns out this is based on a true story about Gail Ruffu, a 57-year-old woman, who was tried in 2006 for horse theft. Ruffu comes off as a straight-up Quixotic figure, a colorful character who is wholly sympathetic in her desire to keep the horse safe from abuse but also has an unreliable quality as a narrator, exhibiting paranoia and allowing herself to devolve into a life of deprivation as she goes to extremes to keep to her ideals. She alternates between off-putting and admirable, but you cannot turn away from her.
The complicated events and legal matters are skillfully laid out by author (and Ruffo's cousin) G. Neri culminating in a criminal trial and then a civil case that escalated to the California Supreme Court. Corban Wilkin's cartoony art style keeps the tone light and gives the story energy even in talking heads sequences.
In the end, its a pretty damning expose of the horse racing industry.
Recommended.
December 5, 2018
It's rare that a book catches me completely off guard. Grand Theft Horse is one such book.
The short introduction makes it clear that this real-life story caught Greg Neri by surprise as well. When a distant relative mentions to him that she's wanted in California for horse thievery, he thinks, "that sounds like a great story." And boy is he right.
Grand Theft Horse follows horse trainer Gail Ruffu as she finds the perfect racing horse, gets swindled by her partners, steals the horse, and fights the powers aligned against her to keep the horse from being killed on the track. There's much more than that though - there's a brutal examination of horse racing's dark secrets, a thoughtful portrayal of a girl who always loved horses more than people, and a riveting courtroom thriller that shows how the system is set up to screw the little gal.
In short: I was transfixed. I often read graphic novels in one sitting, but I started Grand Theft Horse at 11 PM, in bed, fully expecting to set it down and go to sleep. An hour and a half later, I finished the book, breathless and wide awake. Neri perfectly paces Gail's story, ratcheting up the tension as forces seem to align against Gail, then cutting away to a quiet moment in the past so we can catch our breath. The brownscale art by Corban Wilkin is perfect too - it's simple, clear, and beautiful. Characters are wonderfully easy to tell apart with broad, expressive faces. And anyone who can draw this many horses with this much precision is a master of the craft.
Grand Theft Horse is a great read for anyone, but I should warn the horse lovers out there that the book is laced with tragedy. You will not want to watch the Kentucky Derby ever again after reading this. Rest assured, though, that the stolen horse lives a long, happy life - and that Gail is still out there, working to improve training methods for American horse racing.
The short introduction makes it clear that this real-life story caught Greg Neri by surprise as well. When a distant relative mentions to him that she's wanted in California for horse thievery, he thinks, "that sounds like a great story." And boy is he right.
Grand Theft Horse follows horse trainer Gail Ruffu as she finds the perfect racing horse, gets swindled by her partners, steals the horse, and fights the powers aligned against her to keep the horse from being killed on the track. There's much more than that though - there's a brutal examination of horse racing's dark secrets, a thoughtful portrayal of a girl who always loved horses more than people, and a riveting courtroom thriller that shows how the system is set up to screw the little gal.
In short: I was transfixed. I often read graphic novels in one sitting, but I started Grand Theft Horse at 11 PM, in bed, fully expecting to set it down and go to sleep. An hour and a half later, I finished the book, breathless and wide awake. Neri perfectly paces Gail's story, ratcheting up the tension as forces seem to align against Gail, then cutting away to a quiet moment in the past so we can catch our breath. The brownscale art by Corban Wilkin is perfect too - it's simple, clear, and beautiful. Characters are wonderfully easy to tell apart with broad, expressive faces. And anyone who can draw this many horses with this much precision is a master of the craft.
Grand Theft Horse is a great read for anyone, but I should warn the horse lovers out there that the book is laced with tragedy. You will not want to watch the Kentucky Derby ever again after reading this. Rest assured, though, that the stolen horse lives a long, happy life - and that Gail is still out there, working to improve training methods for American horse racing.
December 29, 2018
A catchy title like this will garner this graphic novel some attention...but only if it delivers on its promise of an exciting story -- which it does, splendidly!
Divided into seven parts with each labeled as if a horse race is being run, Coretta Scott King Honor winner G. Neri tells the story of his cousin's turbulent life protecting Urgent Envoy, a race horse whose destiny was to be a long-term racing champion. The story opens with Gail meeting Urgent Envoy and finding a partner to pay for the horse, with her doing her part to train him. Neri jumps back to 1950's Texas and shows Gail's childhood, of how she learned to care for horses, then training her first one. Jumping to 2005, Gail's partners pressure her to race Urgent Envoy against her better judgement. Neri uses flashbacks through the rest of Gail's tale to give readers insight into Gail's reactions to the pressures put on her by her former partners as they dismantle her life and push her through the court system on a charge of horse theft.
Gail's story is very compelling to read. Readers will empathize with her, cheering her on to "fight the good fight". The court scenes will have a familiar rhythm to regular viewers of TV crime shows. The frustration felt by Gail in her situation is palpable. Black & white artwork by Corban Wilkin is rough, but works well with the spirit of this book. The book closes with a couple of pages of sepia color photographs of Ruffu and her family and an afterward written by Ruffu.
Hand this one to animal lovers and to fans of crime and court scenes.
Highly recommended for grades 6-9 (for violence to animals and a few curse words in the text).
Divided into seven parts with each labeled as if a horse race is being run, Coretta Scott King Honor winner G. Neri tells the story of his cousin's turbulent life protecting Urgent Envoy, a race horse whose destiny was to be a long-term racing champion. The story opens with Gail meeting Urgent Envoy and finding a partner to pay for the horse, with her doing her part to train him. Neri jumps back to 1950's Texas and shows Gail's childhood, of how she learned to care for horses, then training her first one. Jumping to 2005, Gail's partners pressure her to race Urgent Envoy against her better judgement. Neri uses flashbacks through the rest of Gail's tale to give readers insight into Gail's reactions to the pressures put on her by her former partners as they dismantle her life and push her through the court system on a charge of horse theft.
Gail's story is very compelling to read. Readers will empathize with her, cheering her on to "fight the good fight". The court scenes will have a familiar rhythm to regular viewers of TV crime shows. The frustration felt by Gail in her situation is palpable. Black & white artwork by Corban Wilkin is rough, but works well with the spirit of this book. The book closes with a couple of pages of sepia color photographs of Ruffu and her family and an afterward written by Ruffu.
Hand this one to animal lovers and to fans of crime and court scenes.
Highly recommended for grades 6-9 (for violence to animals and a few curse words in the text).
September 19, 2019
G. Neri writes the story of his cousin, Gail Ruffu, the first person to be charged with Grand Theft Horse in the state of California in 150 years. It’s a story of a lone older woman trying to save a horse from the abusive practices of the US horse racing industry, going up against her traitorous co-owners (who went in promising Ruffu she could train and race the horse humanely) as well as the California Horse Racing Board.
Reader, she succeeds.
Ruffu spent over five years of her life hiding the horse, fighting people with a lot more power and money than she had, dealing with a court system inclined to listen to her fancy lawyer co-owners over her, and not being able to work in the industry after the CHRB suspends her training license. She’s helped along the way by friends and family, kind strangers, and a few people in the legal system who realize that what’s going on is capital-W Wrong. Extremely satisfying and enjoyable.
Corban Wilkin did the illustrations and they’re good: clear, easy to follow panels, and all of the characters are recognizable and consistent. He also draws a good horse, though I recognize some of the groundwork from the “How to Draw Horses” book I had as a kid.
Contains: Sexism, ageism, mentions of racism from when Gail was a kid, animal abuse in the name of horse-racing, some interpersonal violence (no blood), mentions of drug abuse (cocaine).
Goodreads itself recommended this to me, probably the first time its algorithm has gotten something right (I’m excluding the few times the algorithm has recommended a book by a favorite author that I didn’t know they had written).
Reader, she succeeds.
Ruffu spent over five years of her life hiding the horse, fighting people with a lot more power and money than she had, dealing with a court system inclined to listen to her fancy lawyer co-owners over her, and not being able to work in the industry after the CHRB suspends her training license. She’s helped along the way by friends and family, kind strangers, and a few people in the legal system who realize that what’s going on is capital-W Wrong. Extremely satisfying and enjoyable.
Corban Wilkin did the illustrations and they’re good: clear, easy to follow panels, and all of the characters are recognizable and consistent. He also draws a good horse, though I recognize some of the groundwork from the “How to Draw Horses” book I had as a kid.
Contains: Sexism, ageism, mentions of racism from when Gail was a kid, animal abuse in the name of horse-racing, some interpersonal violence (no blood), mentions of drug abuse (cocaine).
Goodreads itself recommended this to me, probably the first time its algorithm has gotten something right (I’m excluding the few times the algorithm has recommended a book by a favorite author that I didn’t know they had written).
February 25, 2019
I liked that this was inspired by a true story and that the protagonist was a true good guy, but the world of horse racing portrayed was really depressing. Did not care for the art.
March 25, 2024
This book was a real emotional roller-coaster. You feel Gail's frustration, sadness, anger, joy and relief as every new turn brings her into a wholly different environment. G. Neri tells the biographical story of a family member in Gail Ruffu as she tries to save the life of a horse who doesn't deserve to be another racing statistic. Gail lives an incredible life in front of us and the black and white art from Corban Wilkin delivers every emotion from every character on both sides of the struggle. I knew little of horse racing and the details of this book really bring you right into the stables with them.
Truly a compelling read and one that I will be recommending to a lot of people.
Truly a compelling read and one that I will be recommending to a lot of people.
February 14, 2019
Richie’s Picks: GRAND THEFT HORSE by G. Neri and Corban Wilkin, ill, Lee & Low, September 2018, 240p., ISBN: 978-1-62014-855-6
“And the next thing you know your son is playing for money in a pinched-back suit.
And list’nin to some big out of town jasper, hearin’ him tell about horse-race gambin’.
Not a wholesome trottin’ race, no! But a race where they set down right on the horse!
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy settin’ on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil?
Well, I should say.”
-- Meredith Wilson, “Ya Got Trouble” (The Music Man, 1957)
I periodically receive review copies of instruction manual-style books for children and teens that seek to motivate young, budding activists. For the most part, they leave me pretty cold. How often do you get jazzed from reading an instruction manual?
But give me a true story that reveals a heartbreaking problem or unjust situation, and I’m often moved to do something. That’s why, having read GRAND THEFT HORSE, I’ve just finished writing to my state senator. Next in the works is a letter to my governor.
“I’ve been around horses my whole life. Horses were everything to me. Nothing else mattered.
But in the past fourteen years of working in the horse racing world, I’ve seen things that pushed me over the edge. Terrible things.”
GRAND THEFT HORSE is the story, both captivating and horrific, of Gail Ruffu, as told in graphic novel format by her cousin G. Neri and illustrator Corban Wilkin. Gail, who has loved horses since she was a little girl, grew up to become a licensed horse trainer, and developed an ability to work with dangerous horses. She then found a spirited yet amazing horse to buy and train, Urgent Envoy. Unfortunately, she ended up with business partners who were only interested in reaping immediate returns on their investment and not at all interested in the welfare of the animal. When Urgent Envoy became injured, the business partners insisted on disregarding veterinarian instructions and, instead, having the horse doped up so that he would run until he dropped.
Seeing no alternative, Gail snuck the horse out of the training facility and, hid him away in a distant neighborhood boarding stable. This led to her trainer’s license being taken away and the threat of jail unless she returned the horse to be dealt with as the business partners wished.
GRAND THEFT HORSE is the triumphant graphic biography of a horse lover turned activist. Told from Gail’s point of view, it begins with the “theft” of the horse and moves between her young years of yearning for a horse, time in Europe when she learned formal equestrian skills, and her life as a professional.
After hiding the horse from her partners and losing her trainer’s license, Gail spent years living hand-to-mouth, scraping up the money to keep her beloved horse housed and fed, while training herself to digest legal journals in order to fight for the life of her beloved steed. Eventually, Gail found a lawyer who believed in her quest and, together they won Gail’s case in California Supreme Court.
It’s a breathtaking, top-shelf read for the horse-crazy kids in your family or in your library. But the book also serves as a stunning exposé regarding today’s horse racing business. The money wagered on horse races makes it a business that is closely regulated by the states. And that means that associated issues of animal cruelty revealed here should be state issues, too.
Here in California, the members of the California Horse Racing Board are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. And California is a place where we believe in leading the country toward change for the better. That’s why I’m looking to educate state representatives, and encourage them to halt the practices that lead to so many horse injuries and deaths. As Gail writes in the book’s Afterword:
“In American horse racing, twenty-four racehorses (on average) die every week on racetracks. About 3,600 horses died racing or training inside state-regulated race track enclosures over the three years leading up to 2012. Thousands more died in slaughterhouses due to injuries caused by reckless trainers and breeders. The practices of inbreeding and line breeding (selective mating within a horse’s extended family) are both widespread. Because of these practices, the modern racehorse’s bones mature more slowly and are therefore more fragile than those of the raw-boned racehorses of yesteryear. Even so, these horses often race as early as the age of two. The results are heartbreaking. One example of the nationwide decline in horse health: yearly starts for young racehorses have dropped from twelve (on average) in 1960 to fewer than seven (on average) in 2013.”
I love reading about and being inspired by women who take up a fight for what’s right. Gail Ruffu’s story had me recalling the grit of Diane Wilson in Molly Bang’s NOBODY PARTICULAR: ONE WOMAN’S FIGHT TO SAVE THE BAYS (2000).
I grew up with a pair of crazy horse lovers in my life: my sister and her best friend. They both still own and ride horses. Don’t tell them, but I’ve just ordered them gift copies of this book.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
“And the next thing you know your son is playing for money in a pinched-back suit.
And list’nin to some big out of town jasper, hearin’ him tell about horse-race gambin’.
Not a wholesome trottin’ race, no! But a race where they set down right on the horse!
Like to see some stuck-up jockey boy settin’ on Dan Patch? Make your blood boil?
Well, I should say.”
-- Meredith Wilson, “Ya Got Trouble” (The Music Man, 1957)
I periodically receive review copies of instruction manual-style books for children and teens that seek to motivate young, budding activists. For the most part, they leave me pretty cold. How often do you get jazzed from reading an instruction manual?
But give me a true story that reveals a heartbreaking problem or unjust situation, and I’m often moved to do something. That’s why, having read GRAND THEFT HORSE, I’ve just finished writing to my state senator. Next in the works is a letter to my governor.
“I’ve been around horses my whole life. Horses were everything to me. Nothing else mattered.
But in the past fourteen years of working in the horse racing world, I’ve seen things that pushed me over the edge. Terrible things.”
GRAND THEFT HORSE is the story, both captivating and horrific, of Gail Ruffu, as told in graphic novel format by her cousin G. Neri and illustrator Corban Wilkin. Gail, who has loved horses since she was a little girl, grew up to become a licensed horse trainer, and developed an ability to work with dangerous horses. She then found a spirited yet amazing horse to buy and train, Urgent Envoy. Unfortunately, she ended up with business partners who were only interested in reaping immediate returns on their investment and not at all interested in the welfare of the animal. When Urgent Envoy became injured, the business partners insisted on disregarding veterinarian instructions and, instead, having the horse doped up so that he would run until he dropped.
Seeing no alternative, Gail snuck the horse out of the training facility and, hid him away in a distant neighborhood boarding stable. This led to her trainer’s license being taken away and the threat of jail unless she returned the horse to be dealt with as the business partners wished.
GRAND THEFT HORSE is the triumphant graphic biography of a horse lover turned activist. Told from Gail’s point of view, it begins with the “theft” of the horse and moves between her young years of yearning for a horse, time in Europe when she learned formal equestrian skills, and her life as a professional.
After hiding the horse from her partners and losing her trainer’s license, Gail spent years living hand-to-mouth, scraping up the money to keep her beloved horse housed and fed, while training herself to digest legal journals in order to fight for the life of her beloved steed. Eventually, Gail found a lawyer who believed in her quest and, together they won Gail’s case in California Supreme Court.
It’s a breathtaking, top-shelf read for the horse-crazy kids in your family or in your library. But the book also serves as a stunning exposé regarding today’s horse racing business. The money wagered on horse races makes it a business that is closely regulated by the states. And that means that associated issues of animal cruelty revealed here should be state issues, too.
Here in California, the members of the California Horse Racing Board are appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the State Senate. And California is a place where we believe in leading the country toward change for the better. That’s why I’m looking to educate state representatives, and encourage them to halt the practices that lead to so many horse injuries and deaths. As Gail writes in the book’s Afterword:
“In American horse racing, twenty-four racehorses (on average) die every week on racetracks. About 3,600 horses died racing or training inside state-regulated race track enclosures over the three years leading up to 2012. Thousands more died in slaughterhouses due to injuries caused by reckless trainers and breeders. The practices of inbreeding and line breeding (selective mating within a horse’s extended family) are both widespread. Because of these practices, the modern racehorse’s bones mature more slowly and are therefore more fragile than those of the raw-boned racehorses of yesteryear. Even so, these horses often race as early as the age of two. The results are heartbreaking. One example of the nationwide decline in horse health: yearly starts for young racehorses have dropped from twelve (on average) in 1960 to fewer than seven (on average) in 2013.”
I love reading about and being inspired by women who take up a fight for what’s right. Gail Ruffu’s story had me recalling the grit of Diane Wilson in Molly Bang’s NOBODY PARTICULAR: ONE WOMAN’S FIGHT TO SAVE THE BAYS (2000).
I grew up with a pair of crazy horse lovers in my life: my sister and her best friend. They both still own and ride horses. Don’t tell them, but I’ve just ordered them gift copies of this book.
Richie Partington, MLIS
Richie's Picks http://richiespicks.pbworks.com
https://www.facebook.com/richiespicks/
richiepartington@gmail.com
May 16, 2024
A good graphic novel of a woman and her horse and all the hurdles she has to jump through
May 21, 2019
This was a fantastic book based on a true story, of how a horse trainer named Gail Ruffu stole the racehorse Urgent Envoy to save his life. Several parts of this story made me misty eyed, mainly because I love horses.
I admit I really didn't know much about the world of horse racing before I started to read this book (my experience being limited to watching the fictional Black Stallion win every race on the TV series)..so it was very eye opening. I had no idea they drug the poor horses and force them to run with injuries until they die on the track or are forced to be put down. I had no idea a horses leg could shatter in a race. The book reveals a lot of the shaddy, crooked stuff going on behind the scenes. And how one woman risked her life and freedom to save one horse.
I met a Thoroughbred today in person out on the ranch I go to and seeing how incredibly tall he was, I can relate to how the one jockey was scared of Urgent Envoy! I never realized that Thoroughbred horses were so big before. They have a lot of power. I was also looking at a yearling and how thin the legs are. Working with real horses helps me to relate to this book more but the book also helps me understand horses better too.
I really like the art in the graphic novel. What I like is the expressions on the horses. Sometimes the horse looks angry and other times the horse looks very curious, being nosy as to what the humans are doing. I've learned horses are very nosey. A lot of them also love to feel on everything with their lips. I'm surprised that Urgent Envoy or the other horses in the book are not shown being mouthy.
Mostly though I like the story. On how she saved Urgent Envoy from a horrible fate. She did not give up and kept going. An animal's life is more important than some race.
I admit I really didn't know much about the world of horse racing before I started to read this book (my experience being limited to watching the fictional Black Stallion win every race on the TV series)..so it was very eye opening. I had no idea they drug the poor horses and force them to run with injuries until they die on the track or are forced to be put down. I had no idea a horses leg could shatter in a race. The book reveals a lot of the shaddy, crooked stuff going on behind the scenes. And how one woman risked her life and freedom to save one horse.
I met a Thoroughbred today in person out on the ranch I go to and seeing how incredibly tall he was, I can relate to how the one jockey was scared of Urgent Envoy! I never realized that Thoroughbred horses were so big before. They have a lot of power. I was also looking at a yearling and how thin the legs are. Working with real horses helps me to relate to this book more but the book also helps me understand horses better too.
I really like the art in the graphic novel. What I like is the expressions on the horses. Sometimes the horse looks angry and other times the horse looks very curious, being nosy as to what the humans are doing. I've learned horses are very nosey. A lot of them also love to feel on everything with their lips. I'm surprised that Urgent Envoy or the other horses in the book are not shown being mouthy.
Mostly though I like the story. On how she saved Urgent Envoy from a horrible fate. She did not give up and kept going. An animal's life is more important than some race.
October 22, 2018
This was such an interesting graphic novel. About a month ago I went to see author Andrew Smith speak and an audience member asked him for some of his current book recommendations - Grand Theft Horse was one of these. :) And I'll be 100% honest, I straight up trusted Andrew's recommendation and didn't bother to read anything about the book so goodness was I surprised when I found out it was a non-fiction graphic novel with art in a monochromatic brown.
I knew absolutely nothing about this woman beforehand, very little about horse racing, and had no desire to seek out any information about either BUT this book was a delight to read. There's humor with the seriousness, a huge tale of horse thievery, and a little bit about finding oneself.
I knew absolutely nothing about this woman beforehand, very little about horse racing, and had no desire to seek out any information about either BUT this book was a delight to read. There's humor with the seriousness, a huge tale of horse thievery, and a little bit about finding oneself.
November 30, 2018
An interesting non fiction book written in comics form about a trainer who decides to save a horse from racing when its apparent its not fully healed from injuries. She lost everything saving that horse and would do it all over again. I don't think I'll be watching the big races anymore. It's a dirty world.
February 6, 2019
Riveting account of an underdog (brash, brave woman who gives all) against the establishment (dirtbag lawyer, shady gross animal abusers with big money) who stops at nothing to save and keep her animal. Highly recommended.
January 30, 2020
Wildly absorbing.
July 14, 2020
So, this was the third time I brought this book home from the library. The THIRD! Sometimes I am super snobby about art and I kept flipping through this and seeing all the sepia and just thinking, "nah." But then I would take it back and turn it in and almost immediately have second thoughts because I like G. Neri so much. So finally after the third checkout and leaving it sitting around in my house for three months, I forced myself to start it...and was totally sucked in by like, page 2. Sometimes I'm dumb.
Anyway. I kind of have a thing for horses. I was exactly like Gail as a child and was CONSTANTLY badgering my parents to get me a horse. I insisted we could keep it in the shed in our back yard. They insisted we couldn't. I never did get a horse. But still, as an adult, I will obsessively watch just about any TV horse drama I can get my hands on (Wildfire! Heartland! Free Reign!). And the plot of this graphic novel (and Gail Ruffa's real life) was pretty much straight out of a TV horse drama, so naturally I loved it!
G. Neri is just a great storyteller, and while I never really found myself smitten with Corban Wlikin's art, it did end up working for me, once I got used to it. And yes, I see Gail Ruffa as a total hero. The lengths she went through to keep her horse from being abused...I don't know that I could have done it. I am so glad things turned out okay for both of them in the end, even if Urgent Envoy never got to race. I have a feeling he is just fine with that.
SO. If you're hesitating about reading this because you don't immediately like the art, get over yourself and just try it, especially if you are also a horse fan!
Anyway. I kind of have a thing for horses. I was exactly like Gail as a child and was CONSTANTLY badgering my parents to get me a horse. I insisted we could keep it in the shed in our back yard. They insisted we couldn't. I never did get a horse. But still, as an adult, I will obsessively watch just about any TV horse drama I can get my hands on (Wildfire! Heartland! Free Reign!). And the plot of this graphic novel (and Gail Ruffa's real life) was pretty much straight out of a TV horse drama, so naturally I loved it!
G. Neri is just a great storyteller, and while I never really found myself smitten with Corban Wlikin's art, it did end up working for me, once I got used to it. And yes, I see Gail Ruffa as a total hero. The lengths she went through to keep her horse from being abused...I don't know that I could have done it. I am so glad things turned out okay for both of them in the end, even if Urgent Envoy never got to race. I have a feeling he is just fine with that.
SO. If you're hesitating about reading this because you don't immediately like the art, get over yourself and just try it, especially if you are also a horse fan!
January 6, 2021
To start, I’m not a fan of racing. I almost passed by this one at the library because it looked like some kind of Western and I wasn’t in the mood. Instead, I found a maddening and inspiring true story of a woman against a system and those who run it—both in front of and behind the curtain.
Beautifully told with a clear voice, horse lovers of all stripes can enjoy this as a great horse story and lovers of justice can fume at the ways those in power can so easily get away with misbehavior and outright illegality.
It also doesn’t hurt that Gail’s first horse and mine had the same name. ;)
Beautifully told with a clear voice, horse lovers of all stripes can enjoy this as a great horse story and lovers of justice can fume at the ways those in power can so easily get away with misbehavior and outright illegality.
It also doesn’t hurt that Gail’s first horse and mine had the same name. ;)
June 27, 2021
This is the true story of author G. Neri's cousin Gail Ruffu and her fight to save the life of a race-horse she co-owned and trained. It is a story about fighting for what is right and standing up to "the system." The story reveals the dirty underbelly of horse racing. It would be a great story anyway, but combined with the images of the graphic novel, it is likely to reach a much wider teen audience. I know I will be recommending it to students who love horses, underdog stories, or just good realistic narrative nonfiction. Highly recommended.
May 6, 2022
Excuse me while I wipe away my tears—wow what an incredible story! I ugly cried at the end for about 5 minutes and I can confidently say this is one of the best graphic novels I’ve ever read. Ironically, I hate horses and I grabbed this book from the library because I thought it had an indigenous main character but I am so glad I decided to read it. Brilliant illustrations and based on a true and absolutely epic story—five stars hands down.
July 1, 2018
Strong 3 1/2. Pair with American Phaoroh (Mickle) and Riding Invisible (Alonzo)
January 17, 2019
I have made a goal to read at least two graphic novels a month, and this was my first one for January. It was delightful! I got so engrossed in the story I stayed up late reading. Had to find out what happened. I spent some time thinking about if I would have liked the story better as a traditional book--but I think not. The illustrations definitely made a difference. Very fun, I'm looking forward to more.
June 25, 2019
A legal thriller with a lot of heart (and horses!) Get ready for some righteous indignation.
September 1, 2023
Grant Theft Horse
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (6.43/10)
Characters - 6
Atmosphere - 6
Writing - 7
Plot - 7
Intrigue - 7
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 5
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐ (6.43/10)
Characters - 6
Atmosphere - 6
Writing - 7
Plot - 7
Intrigue - 7
Logic - 7
Enjoyment - 5
January 27, 2019
Gail Ruffu wanted to try to train a racehorse using unconventional methods better for the health of the horse. At first her partners agreed with her methods, but when they got impatient for the horse to start earning money they ignored their agreement to follow her methods and went the more conventional route. When Gail found out that they were going to race Urgent Envoy on a fractured leg, she took the horse for its own safety. And what followed was a long and painful fight for justice for both Gail and the horse in a struggle of the havenots and the voiceless going up against the wealthy and powerful.
This is one of those nonfiction/biographical graphic novels that make you angry. But it should make you angry. This is not a fun story. But it is an important story. Gail Ruffu went through years of suffering because she chose to do what she felt was right instead of what was easy. Her story brings to light some serious issues in the horse racing world's ethics and practices as well as the struggle for the poor to get justice when up against rich and powerful people. So this isn't necessarily something you pick up to entertain yourself or hand to others to entertain them. It is meant to inform, equip, and motivate...and just maybe help change the tide in the future. Sometimes those books can be too weighty and teens can't make it through them. Or they are dry as dirt and the pull to turn the page isn't there. But the graphic novel format of this book and Ruffu's story has the right balance. There's heft to the story but enough engagement and energy to keep the pages turning. There's seriousness and tastes of real hardship, but a dose of hope too. If you're looking for a powerful read about animal's rights or social justice for teens on up, this may be just the thing.
Notes on content: There's some mild swearing scattered throughout the book. No sexual content. Gail gets pushed around a bit at one point but nothing worse. Horse's legs breaking and other injuries are a bit described, as is putting them down in serious situations.
This is one of those nonfiction/biographical graphic novels that make you angry. But it should make you angry. This is not a fun story. But it is an important story. Gail Ruffu went through years of suffering because she chose to do what she felt was right instead of what was easy. Her story brings to light some serious issues in the horse racing world's ethics and practices as well as the struggle for the poor to get justice when up against rich and powerful people. So this isn't necessarily something you pick up to entertain yourself or hand to others to entertain them. It is meant to inform, equip, and motivate...and just maybe help change the tide in the future. Sometimes those books can be too weighty and teens can't make it through them. Or they are dry as dirt and the pull to turn the page isn't there. But the graphic novel format of this book and Ruffu's story has the right balance. There's heft to the story but enough engagement and energy to keep the pages turning. There's seriousness and tastes of real hardship, but a dose of hope too. If you're looking for a powerful read about animal's rights or social justice for teens on up, this may be just the thing.
Notes on content: There's some mild swearing scattered throughout the book. No sexual content. Gail gets pushed around a bit at one point but nothing worse. Horse's legs breaking and other injuries are a bit described, as is putting them down in serious situations.
November 29, 2018
Great non fiction graphic novel.
Feel confident booktalking it to middle
School grades.
“Would you risk prison to save the life of 1 horse?”
Story of one woman who grew up loving horses, became a horse trainer in CA racing circuit. Saw potential in one $5K horse but when shared ownership goes wrong and the other owners want to force an injured horse to run...when running might cause death....what would you do?
True story of one woman willing to stand up for what she believes in.
Good story, good pictures-especially the horse movements. Only a couple curses: damns and dammits. Interesting look at morals, abuse of privilege, court system, horse racing, and increases awareness of ethics in horse racing- or lack there of.
Feel confident booktalking it to middle
School grades.
“Would you risk prison to save the life of 1 horse?”
Story of one woman who grew up loving horses, became a horse trainer in CA racing circuit. Saw potential in one $5K horse but when shared ownership goes wrong and the other owners want to force an injured horse to run...when running might cause death....what would you do?
True story of one woman willing to stand up for what she believes in.
Good story, good pictures-especially the horse movements. Only a couple curses: damns and dammits. Interesting look at morals, abuse of privilege, court system, horse racing, and increases awareness of ethics in horse racing- or lack there of.
April 7, 2021
3.5 stars. A biography of how the author’s cousin became the first person in 150 years to be tried in the California State Supreme for grand theft horse. Gail Ruffu is a horse lover who wants to prove that horses can race successfully and be treated humanely—in fact, that healthy horses that are not drugged constantly to perform, particularly at a young age, would be more successful.
This graphic biography tells a bit of her backstory, but primarily focuses on how she came to own a racehorse with some partners who provided the funding and were looking at it as an investment. Quickly, the partnership turned sour as the investors pressed for the horse to race despite not being ready, in Gail’s opinion, and then despite injury in the opinion of Gail and an objective veterinarian. They have no qualms about drugging the horse to race regardless of the likelihood of injury that would likely mean having to put the horse down. Actually, that’s too nice a way to phrase it, I’m going to say they have no qualms about killing the horse if it means the potential of profit.
Gail’s only recourse to to steal the horse and hide him, an act she admits to and as 20% owner, can’t be arrested for. As she refuses to return the horse, and the partners refuse to let her buy him, a legal battle ensures. The problem is the lead partner is a wealthy lawyer who pays off a lot of people, and Gail has no money or influential connections. But she’s stubborn and loyal, and will not give up the horse no matter what it costs her.
It’s a compelling story, and so frustrating at times. She has a degree of gullibility at first, or perhaps is just too trusting. She lets her partner draw up the agreement and signs it without having another lawyer review it, which seems foolish, and she realizes as much in retrospect. The book doesn’t delve into this, but I can only assume she did this in part because he was her lawyer, and because he had represented her in a case where he defended her and thus likely seemed to support her methods and philosophy. She must have trusted him, and I suspect she didn’t have the financial means to hire another lawyer and was so focused on the result, of getting this horse, that she compromised. The original deal was she’d have the majority ownership, but he brought in other investors that somehow took her down to a 20% stake. All that said, it seems that the contract he wrote wasn’t necessarily shady, he just didn’t adhere to some of the terms. Which raises another issue I had in retrospect.
I’m not really sure if this is an authorized biography or memoir. Gail Ruffu isn’t listed as a coauthor, so I assume biography. But in execution, it feels like a memoir. Not only is it written in first person, the story feels very one-sided. The antagonists are so clearly the “bad guys” that it undermines plausibility a bit. This could be in part due to graphic format requiring that some things be simplified, but I don’t think the form is that limited. I think it’s more that the story is intended to portray Gail as the hero. I’m not saying I don’t respect and admire her actions, only that for a biography based on real events, the partners seemed a bit too much like one-dimensional villains. But if they really were such shady and manipulative people, why does the contract the “villain” wrote, that Gail did not have reviewed by her own lawyer. ultimately uphold her rights? I think their side of the story is exaggerated, edited and paraphrased to make them seem worse than they are. I still think they were in the wrong, but it seems unlikely the author interviewed them in an attempt to depict a balanced story. Then, the author is not a journalist, this is an authorized biography of Gail, and she’s his cousin.
All that said, I read this in one setting. I was hoping it would be a good book for my horse-crazy niece, but she’s only ten and as this necessarily gets into the dark side of horse racing (drugs, euthanizing, etc.) I can see why it’s shelved in YA. There’s nothing especially graphic, but I think it may be a bit mature in tone for most middle grade readers. It is a good fit for both YA and adult readers interested in graphic novels and animal rights.
This graphic biography tells a bit of her backstory, but primarily focuses on how she came to own a racehorse with some partners who provided the funding and were looking at it as an investment. Quickly, the partnership turned sour as the investors pressed for the horse to race despite not being ready, in Gail’s opinion, and then despite injury in the opinion of Gail and an objective veterinarian. They have no qualms about drugging the horse to race regardless of the likelihood of injury that would likely mean having to put the horse down. Actually, that’s too nice a way to phrase it, I’m going to say they have no qualms about killing the horse if it means the potential of profit.
Gail’s only recourse to to steal the horse and hide him, an act she admits to and as 20% owner, can’t be arrested for. As she refuses to return the horse, and the partners refuse to let her buy him, a legal battle ensures. The problem is the lead partner is a wealthy lawyer who pays off a lot of people, and Gail has no money or influential connections. But she’s stubborn and loyal, and will not give up the horse no matter what it costs her.
It’s a compelling story, and so frustrating at times. She has a degree of gullibility at first, or perhaps is just too trusting. She lets her partner draw up the agreement and signs it without having another lawyer review it, which seems foolish, and she realizes as much in retrospect. The book doesn’t delve into this, but I can only assume she did this in part because he was her lawyer, and because he had represented her in a case where he defended her and thus likely seemed to support her methods and philosophy. She must have trusted him, and I suspect she didn’t have the financial means to hire another lawyer and was so focused on the result, of getting this horse, that she compromised. The original deal was she’d have the majority ownership, but he brought in other investors that somehow took her down to a 20% stake. All that said, it seems that the contract he wrote wasn’t necessarily shady, he just didn’t adhere to some of the terms. Which raises another issue I had in retrospect.
I’m not really sure if this is an authorized biography or memoir. Gail Ruffu isn’t listed as a coauthor, so I assume biography. But in execution, it feels like a memoir. Not only is it written in first person, the story feels very one-sided. The antagonists are so clearly the “bad guys” that it undermines plausibility a bit. This could be in part due to graphic format requiring that some things be simplified, but I don’t think the form is that limited. I think it’s more that the story is intended to portray Gail as the hero. I’m not saying I don’t respect and admire her actions, only that for a biography based on real events, the partners seemed a bit too much like one-dimensional villains. But if they really were such shady and manipulative people, why does the contract the “villain” wrote, that Gail did not have reviewed by her own lawyer. ultimately uphold her rights? I think their side of the story is exaggerated, edited and paraphrased to make them seem worse than they are. I still think they were in the wrong, but it seems unlikely the author interviewed them in an attempt to depict a balanced story. Then, the author is not a journalist, this is an authorized biography of Gail, and she’s his cousin.
All that said, I read this in one setting. I was hoping it would be a good book for my horse-crazy niece, but she’s only ten and as this necessarily gets into the dark side of horse racing (drugs, euthanizing, etc.) I can see why it’s shelved in YA. There’s nothing especially graphic, but I think it may be a bit mature in tone for most middle grade readers. It is a good fit for both YA and adult readers interested in graphic novels and animal rights.
July 28, 2022
It is not often that you read a book that is a thought-provoking call to action… even rarer for a graphic novel. I admit, I grabbed this book as I left the library because I needed a quick read for a diversion. I could not put this down. It is a true story about the struggles of a horse trainer, Gail Ruffu who is willing to risk it all to save a horse.
Gail, who grew up horse crazy, wanted nothing more than to have a horse. When she grows up, she becomes a horse trainer with an education/background in horse care, dressage and management earned in Spain, Scotland, and Germany. She finds Urgent Envoy a wildly dangerous horse who loves running. She can’t afford to buy him, so she enters into a 51/49 partnership with an attorney who defended her against the California Racing Commission. She is trusting, naïve, honest, and focused on training horses humanely. Unfortunately, the attorney is unscrupulous and greedy, and she soon finds all she thought they agreed to was perverted from the original intent. She is now a minority stakeholder; they want the horse to be raced despite her training goals and they want to earn money as a priority. The horse is taken away from her, given to a trainer that does not care about the horse’s wellbeing and who causes the horse to fracture its leg. She sees Urgent Envoy being prepped for another race which will likely end in the horse breaking a leg and being destroyed. Her only recourse is to steal her horse and hide him away. What follows is a three-year battle to retain possession of the horse and a five-year battle to get her training license reinstated. In the process she lost everything and learns hard lessons about the law, the impact of power and money on the effectiveness of regulations and the fight for justice.
Many of Gail’s struggles could have been lessened if she knew her rights. If she knew the basics of contract law, she would have contested the language that was entered into the contract that stripped her of her right to train the horse as she saw fit. If she knew the process involved, she could have fought her suspension and not loss possession of Urgent Envoy. However, as she reveals, the language of law was more difficult than learning a foreign language. The corruption and abuse involved in racing, the laissez faire attitude of animal rights organizations (they do not want to lose funding) towards enforcement of animal cruelty in the racing industry and the extent of drugging in racing; it is all very thought provoking. The deaths of Ruffian, Barbaro, and Go For Wand are presented as the inevitable conclusion of the training methods, system wide practices and drugs. It was not mentioned, but the lives of jockeys are put at risk because of these practices. Very thought provoking.
Gail, who grew up horse crazy, wanted nothing more than to have a horse. When she grows up, she becomes a horse trainer with an education/background in horse care, dressage and management earned in Spain, Scotland, and Germany. She finds Urgent Envoy a wildly dangerous horse who loves running. She can’t afford to buy him, so she enters into a 51/49 partnership with an attorney who defended her against the California Racing Commission. She is trusting, naïve, honest, and focused on training horses humanely. Unfortunately, the attorney is unscrupulous and greedy, and she soon finds all she thought they agreed to was perverted from the original intent. She is now a minority stakeholder; they want the horse to be raced despite her training goals and they want to earn money as a priority. The horse is taken away from her, given to a trainer that does not care about the horse’s wellbeing and who causes the horse to fracture its leg. She sees Urgent Envoy being prepped for another race which will likely end in the horse breaking a leg and being destroyed. Her only recourse is to steal her horse and hide him away. What follows is a three-year battle to retain possession of the horse and a five-year battle to get her training license reinstated. In the process she lost everything and learns hard lessons about the law, the impact of power and money on the effectiveness of regulations and the fight for justice.
Many of Gail’s struggles could have been lessened if she knew her rights. If she knew the basics of contract law, she would have contested the language that was entered into the contract that stripped her of her right to train the horse as she saw fit. If she knew the process involved, she could have fought her suspension and not loss possession of Urgent Envoy. However, as she reveals, the language of law was more difficult than learning a foreign language. The corruption and abuse involved in racing, the laissez faire attitude of animal rights organizations (they do not want to lose funding) towards enforcement of animal cruelty in the racing industry and the extent of drugging in racing; it is all very thought provoking. The deaths of Ruffian, Barbaro, and Go For Wand are presented as the inevitable conclusion of the training methods, system wide practices and drugs. It was not mentioned, but the lives of jockeys are put at risk because of these practices. Very thought provoking.
February 18, 2019
A riveting tale of a woman, her horse, and her principles.
Gail Ruffu loved horses ever since she was a child. Lots of kids go through a horse phrase, but Ruffu's affections only grew over time as she learned to care for, train, and race them. When at last she gains part ownership of a magnificent fella named Urgent Envoy, Ruffu thinks she's in horse heaven. However, her troubles are just beginning, no thanks to her sneaky, duplicitous co-owners, who have very different ideas about how racehorses should be treated, trained, and fielded.
Truth is always stranger and more delightful than fiction, and Ruffu's tale of stealing the horse she loves to save him from harm is a tangled, twisted yarn that will keep readers riveted and breathless. Her co-owners do everything in their power to get Urgent Envoy back, including strip Ruffu of her license and charge her with the titular "grand theft horse," an actual California law still on the books. Will Urgent Envoy be safe? Will he ever get to race again? How many times can Ruffu bounce back up after getting knocked down?
The book divides easily into three parts: Ruffu's early life and horse training background, the training and rescue of Urgent Envoy, and the lengthy legal battles involved in getting justice for both horse and trainer. The legal sections are as fascinating and well-paced as the rest of the book (call it a steady gallop), especially after Ruffu runs out of money and legal assistance, and is forced to become her own lawyer. If you've got teens and tweens in your life who love horses -- or any animal, really -- they will eat this up with a spoon.
Corban Wilkin's rough, naturalistic drawing style is a good match for Ruffu's scrappy underdog story. G Neri deserves major praise here for actively listening to his cousin's saga (yes, really) and elevating it from family story to contemporary legend. Can you fight city hall? Yes you can. Can you win? Depends, as Ruffu says in the end, on where you stand and who you're standing with. Just lovely all around, recommended for teen collections, with heavy adult cross-over appeal.
Gail Ruffu loved horses ever since she was a child. Lots of kids go through a horse phrase, but Ruffu's affections only grew over time as she learned to care for, train, and race them. When at last she gains part ownership of a magnificent fella named Urgent Envoy, Ruffu thinks she's in horse heaven. However, her troubles are just beginning, no thanks to her sneaky, duplicitous co-owners, who have very different ideas about how racehorses should be treated, trained, and fielded.
Truth is always stranger and more delightful than fiction, and Ruffu's tale of stealing the horse she loves to save him from harm is a tangled, twisted yarn that will keep readers riveted and breathless. Her co-owners do everything in their power to get Urgent Envoy back, including strip Ruffu of her license and charge her with the titular "grand theft horse," an actual California law still on the books. Will Urgent Envoy be safe? Will he ever get to race again? How many times can Ruffu bounce back up after getting knocked down?
The book divides easily into three parts: Ruffu's early life and horse training background, the training and rescue of Urgent Envoy, and the lengthy legal battles involved in getting justice for both horse and trainer. The legal sections are as fascinating and well-paced as the rest of the book (call it a steady gallop), especially after Ruffu runs out of money and legal assistance, and is forced to become her own lawyer. If you've got teens and tweens in your life who love horses -- or any animal, really -- they will eat this up with a spoon.
Corban Wilkin's rough, naturalistic drawing style is a good match for Ruffu's scrappy underdog story. G Neri deserves major praise here for actively listening to his cousin's saga (yes, really) and elevating it from family story to contemporary legend. Can you fight city hall? Yes you can. Can you win? Depends, as Ruffu says in the end, on where you stand and who you're standing with. Just lovely all around, recommended for teen collections, with heavy adult cross-over appeal.
May 28, 2020
What a wonderful, frustrating story! Gail, who has always had a passion for horses, learned horse racing in Europe, where drugs are banned and humane treatment encouraged. But when she came to the US, where the focus is on winning rather than the horses (meaning: it’s the norm to drug them, run them too young, etc.) and tried to race her way (and attempt to prove that it’s not just possible, but better), everyone thought she was out of touch and too soft.
She chooses a horse and names him Urgent Envoy, but can’t afford the $5000 herself, so has to partner with a group of investors. Soon, they’re pressuring her to race him too early, and when she refuses, they push her out. Upon finding out that not only have they been drugging him, but wanting him to race on a hairline fracture, Gail knows she has to kidnap him to save his life.
From there follows a years-long saga of the investors throwing so much more money than they spent trying to get Urgent Envoy back, suing Gail and even taking it to the Supreme Court! And Gail is so devoted to him, and goes through so many personal troubles, that eventually she’s living in her car with all of her money going to his boarding.
There is a happy ending, but it’s really about the journey there, and emphasizing the terrible treatment of racehorses in the US. It’s incredibly affecting and frustrating that all of this happens and keeps happening.
Side note: it’s incredible that Gail is a (single, basically) woman with no children who still lives a fulfilling and rich life, and it’s never an issue that she doesn’t have a traditional family. We need more books that normalize this.
She chooses a horse and names him Urgent Envoy, but can’t afford the $5000 herself, so has to partner with a group of investors. Soon, they’re pressuring her to race him too early, and when she refuses, they push her out. Upon finding out that not only have they been drugging him, but wanting him to race on a hairline fracture, Gail knows she has to kidnap him to save his life.
From there follows a years-long saga of the investors throwing so much more money than they spent trying to get Urgent Envoy back, suing Gail and even taking it to the Supreme Court! And Gail is so devoted to him, and goes through so many personal troubles, that eventually she’s living in her car with all of her money going to his boarding.
There is a happy ending, but it’s really about the journey there, and emphasizing the terrible treatment of racehorses in the US. It’s incredibly affecting and frustrating that all of this happens and keeps happening.
Side note: it’s incredible that Gail is a (single, basically) woman with no children who still lives a fulfilling and rich life, and it’s never an issue that she doesn’t have a traditional family. We need more books that normalize this.
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