Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age

by Fred M. Kray

One fateful winter night, a famous racehorse mysteriously broke his leg while alone in his stall. An investigation ensued, but the real story has never been told…until now.

It was a cool, quiet evening at Calumet Farm, where the most valuable racehorses—including the prolific stallion Alydar—had settled into their stalls for the evening. Alton Stone, filling in for the regular night watchman, completed his rounds at the barn. Although nothing seemed out of the ordinary, an inexplicable hunch led Stone to check on Alydar. What he found—a grievously injured horse with no discernable cause—jump-started one of the biggest mysteries to ever hit the horse racing world.

One part true-crime investigation, one part evocative history of the adrenaline-filled days of horse racing’s golden age, Broken follows Alydar’s rise to fame and then dives into the sordid details of the crime and trial that came to define his legacy. Told with the taut pacing of a legal thriller, Broken investigates Alydar’s death, the $36.5 million insurance payout, and the stain it left on the sport of horse racing.

Throughout, animal rights attorney and author Fred M. Kray weaves together shocking testimony and key evidence from the trials, featuring dramatic photos taken the night of the incident. Drawing on interviews conducted with more than twenty-five key witnesses, Kray reveals insider-only details and, in order to discover the truth about the death of this magnificent horse, embarks on a major investigation—one that leads to an unexpected and startling conclusion.

Genres: Nonfiction, Animals, True Crime, Sports, Horses, History, Horse Racing

377 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Fred M. Kray is a former civil trial lawyer who specialized in animal law for twenty years and won the American Bar Association’s Excellence in the Advancement of Animal Law in 2016. He received the SEEDS award in 2019 in recognition of his contributions to the field of animal law. He has lectured across the U.S. on the subject, taught at the law school level, and co-authored an article for American Jurisprudence Proof of Facts entitled "Defending Dangerous Dog Classifications." His love for Alydar, the subject of his book "Broken," started in Miami when he watched the horse run in the Flamingo Stakes and Florida Derby. He spent four years investigating Alydar’s death, and now lives in Gainesville, Florida with his wife and five dogs.

Reviews

[TXGAL1 · Rating 4 out of 5]

RATED: 4🌟

WARNING: Despicable humans/cruel animal abuse

Fred M Kay has written BROKEN about his years’ long investigation into the death of thoroughbred horse racing and valuable sire, ALYDAR. Alydar died in 1990 and the cause of his death still is debated and contested.

A plethora of those involved either directly or indirectly with Alydar were interviewed and those that weren’t refused to be interviewed or had since passed. From the horse farm that owned Alydar, Calumet, to the insurers, to the banks, to the vets all were responsible in some way for the mystery surrounding his death and the scoundrels involved.

Definitely a read for true crime and mystery enthusiasts.

[Blaine DeSantis · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a horse racing fan you get few books to review, and so I was quite happy to get this book by Fred M. Kray which deals with the mysterious death of the fabled horse Alydar back in 1990. Kray has waited almost 30 years to begin his investigation as to how a seemingly healthy, and wonderful horse who had become the #1 breeding mare in the US could sustain a fatal injury in his stall one evening which resulted in his euthanasia less than 2 days later. Laid out in 4 parts, one of my favorites is Part 2 which is a synopsis of Alydars races and famed races against Triple Crown winner Affirmed, and then watching those races on YouTube.
Kray has done extensive research into the question of whether the injury was an accident or an intentional act for the payout of $35 Million. After reading the book, which includes a lot go testimony from related but unrelated trials we end up with Kray, in Part 4, giving us a jury summation and asks us to decide the question of Accident vs. Intentional.
A very tangled web of intrigue is presented, a very well written book by the author, and one that, for me, leaves as many questions as it gives answers.
Well done, Fred!!! A book every horse racing fan should read.

[♥Milica♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Broken was both an interesting listen, and a hard one. Interesting because you get to see Kray's determination to give Alydar a voice and find out what really happened, and hard because hearing what this poor horse (and some others mentioned) went through is incredibly sad. I really don't understand people who hurt animals for any reason, least of all greed.

The book is well-researched and full of interviews from every person you could think of that had anything to do with Alydar (who did say yes to the interview, that is).

I feel like I learned a lot about horse racing, Alydar's life and the investigation into his death. The only flaw of this book, is that it could get a bit repetitive in the interviews, and the pacing wasn't the best. But I really appreciate the lengths Mr Kray went through to get the truth out there. JUSTICE FOR ALYDAR!!!

[Star Gater · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Live Oak Press for accepting my request to read and review Broken The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age.

Genre: Nonfiction/True Crime

Stars: 2.5

As a voracious reader actively seeking non-world War II subject matters with historical elements and some true crime content dispersed throughout, I thought Broken would be a nice fit. And, being a self-proclaimed racetrack enthusiast the deal was sealed.

Unfortunately the information available was limited. A winning racehorse with an incredible staff that catered to him died unexpectedly. There is an investigation, loads of money is at stake and there is life insurance. There are only a handful of people that can get close enough to his stall to hurt him. The investigation doesn't match the physical injuries and the author chooses to write Alydar's 'memoir.'

There were too many repetitive pages of text. The incident was repeated over and over as more people were questioned. The same questions were asked over and over. The names around Alydar and the Farm where he lived were repeated over and over.

While not in transcript format, it certainly felt as if I was reading a transcript where 15 people saw the same thing and most of what they see is agreed upon. It's the differences that change the narrative. In Broken these changes were limited.

I staved off boredom reminding myself of the good times I had at tracks (greyhound and horses) and the animals and people deserved better. I would have retained more in a condensed format as opposed to play-by-play.

[Jill Bowman]

No rating ⭐️s for this one because it simply wasn’t for me. I expected something along the lines of the wonderful “Seabisquit” by Laura Hillenbrand but instead it has far too much dry material about races (horse races, not ‘races’!) and personalities, insurance documents and ‘he said, he said’.
If you’re really into horse racing, racing history or have heard of Alydar this may be great for you. It just wasn’t right for me - but wasn’t actually Bad, so no DNF.

[Carole Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A valuable racehorse injured himself in his stall and was ultimately put down….was it a tragedy, or something more sinister?

It is not often that the horse who comes in second at each of the Triple Crown races remains as well-known as the horse that beat him, but in 1978 that is exactly what happened. Alydar, from the storied Calumet Farm in Kentucky, was a fan favorite who won many races quite convincingly but was bested in those three most important races (once by just a neck) by Affirmed. Alydar was much admired within the horse world, and when he retired from racing in 1979, like most successful thoroughbreds he embarked upon a new career as a stud, commanding fees in the hundreds of thousands of dollars for each mating and siring many subsequent champions. That came to an end in November of 1990 when he was found in his stall in the stallion barn at Calumet Farm with a broken hind leg. For most horses a broken leg is a death sentence, but this was Alydar….famous and valuable, with a stud career that was far from over, so his owners requested “heroic measures” to try to save the stallion. He underwent surgery, but a subequent fall within 24 hours sealed his fate and he was put down. That would have been a tragic end to a horse who had won the hearts of the many fans that had seen him race, and who generated a substantial amount of income for Calumet Farm. When in less than a year Calumet Farm was forced to declare bankruptcy, and the staggering amount of unpaid bills and overdue bank loans they had incurred came to light, what had initially been accepted as an accidental death came under new scrutiny. Insurance claims on Alydar’s death were a whopping $36.5 million, paid out primarily to the banks who held the loans. Suspicion grew within the racing world and the horse breeding community. Ultimately, an assistant US attorney together with a young FBI agent started investigating, and a few people were convicted of corollary crimes….a night watchman for lying in court, a banker and the head of Calumet for bank fraud and bribery. But they were never able to prove that Alydar’s death was a deliberate act done for financial gain. Over the ensuing years, magazine articles and books were written about the many scandals in the horse racing world of those years, and about the death of Alydar. Different theories were offered, but in the end no one was able to say how Alydar received his injuries at the hands of another, nor who could be proven to have done it. It remained the unsolved mystery of a suspicious death.

Two decades later, a retired trial lawyer who specialized in animal law named Fred M. Kray decided to pick up where others had left off. He was one of those fans who had watched Alydar race back in the late ‘70’s and was awed by the abilities and presence of the horse. Having built his career on being the voice of animals who had been wronged by man, the case was a natural match for Mr. Kray. Clearly someone was responsible for Alydar’s death, but justice had yet to be served; Mr. Kray set out to right that wrong. He spent several years both combing through court records, notes, interviews, and articles to start building his “case”, and setting out to interview as many of the witnesses and others who figured in the handling of Alydar’s death. He spoke with former grooms and night watchmen, breeders, insurance agents, equine veterinarians, writers, and anyone else whom he found who might be able to provide information t0 point hm to a conclusion. He asked questions that others had not thought of or bothered to ask, followed up on inconsistent statements, and pushed back on people who insisted that the injury to Alydar was an accident when those who knew the horse, the stall in the stable where it happened, and equine injuries swore that it couldn’t have happened the way these people said that it did. Conspiracy? The pressures of an elite and insular world? Ego? Mr. Kray worked to break down these barriers to get at the truth, and to get justice for a magnificent animal…Alydar.

I am not a horse fanatic, and while I have watched the Kentucky Derby a few times and know only a tiny bit about horse racing I was intrigued by the premise of this book. I had similarly been attracted to Laura Hillenbrand’s iconic “Seabiscuit” back when it first came out, and “Broken” certainly has many of the elements of that book. But in addition to the story of Alydar…his career, his personality, and his famed rivalry with Afflirmed…this is also a true crime story and a legal thriller. In that, it reminds me of Jonathan Harr’s book “A Civil Action” (made into a movie with John Travolta) about a class action lawsuit by families in a community where a cancer cluster had developed against the corporation whose business had contaminated the local water supply. If you read and enjoyed either of those books, have a love of horses and/or horse racing, or appreciate the pursuit of justice for those who haven’t a voice, I would highly recommend you pick up a copy of “Broken”. I found it a fascinating read, and thank NetGalley and Live Oak Press for the opportunity to read and advanced reader’s copy of Broken.

[Lisa Lynch · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alydar's story is very sad, so beware of that before picking this up.

Not only was he a racehorse, but Alydar was over-bred in retirement and then possibly murdered for his insurance value; an astounding $36.5 million paid out upon his death. And even more heartbreaking than that, this wasn't even enough to cover a third of Calumet Farm's reported $120 million of debt at the time.

So if Alydar really was murdered, it was all for damn near nothing. Not to mention the fact that they tried to save him after his leg was broken, because of how much he was worth, so he suffered through a surgery he was unlikely to survive, only to break his leg again the next day before being euthanized.

Not to be hyperbolic or anything, but humans are actually the worst animals on this planet.

But anyway... there are two things I would have wanted to know before I made the decision to read Fred M. Kray's Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing's Golden Age:

One, by the end of this, there is no definitive answer to the question of whether or not Alydar was murdered. The author presents every spec of evidence he could find for the reader to make a decision about it, but the mystery remains. So, if you are someone who likes a proper resolution, you might not like how this one ends.

Two, I'll start by letting the author say it in his own words:

I'd never written a book before, and the last time I had studied grammar and punctuation was high school. I had no training in journalism. (p.219)

You can tell this was written by a lawyer, not a writer. It reads largely like a court report, very factual and stark. You can feel Kray's love and passion for Alydar at times, but a lot of this narrative comes across very clinical and lacking emotion and description.

And it is incredibly repetitive. The author introduces a cast of like 35 characters (literally after the preface) and we read details about every single one of them. Kray had access to all of the court documents surrounding Alydar, and we hear the testimony of every single person who was there that night as well as everyone who arrived to investigate the insurance claim and the staff and doctors who cared for Alydar after he was injured.

So we see the same thing from multiple perspectives, some of them changing or unreliable. It gave me deja'vu and, to be honest, I had a difficult time keeping track of everyone and their different angles and who said what.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that Kray's Broken reads like a lawyer presenting his case, and ultimately that is exactly what this is, so just beware of that.

But I'm glad I read this and know about Alydar. He seemed like a cool horse and deserved better from the humans surrounding him.

My favorite part of this book was the one where Alydar was still alive, the one that detailed his life, race history, and rivalry with another impressive racehorse Affirmed, who Alydar just couldn't beat. However, a couple of his sons won all of the races he narrowly lost to Affirmed, and it makes me happy that the horse racing community considers that a redemption for poor Alydar.

I'm rating this one 3 out of 5 stars.

[Stacey Blanton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am going to ramble in this review. I am also going to include spoilers.

I was the quintessential horse girl growing up. I lived and breathed horses. I collected Breyers. I read everything having to do with a horse. My favorite series was the Black Stallion. Marguerite Henry's books were the bulk of my library. I followed the triple crown and all of the races leading up to them. I knew the names of the elite of the horse racing world: Man O' War, Sam Riddle, Sir Barton and Hamburg Place, the Cinderella story of Black Gold, Citation and Calumet. Claiborne Farms, Darby Dan Farms, Spendthrift Farms. But I always knew that Calumet was at the top of the chain. I followed Secretariat, Seattle Slew, and I was team Affirmed. I knew virtually nothing about Alydar other than he was Affirmed's rival.

Because my parents couldn't fund a horse, I wasn't able to own one until I had a job of my own. Every penny went to my new horse that was stabled at the Ft. Sam Houston barns. My dream as a teenager was to be an exercise rider in the thoroughbred racing world. I was small enough to do that and the Kentucky Horse Park had a program to train exercise riders. But my parents would not approve of that lifestyle (Mom thought it was the carnival lifestyle and didn't want that for me). Eventually, I ended up living in Lexington with a Veterinary Technology degree in tow. I had a job interview at Calumet in the summer of 1986 for a groom. I walked through the fields toward my interview, passing through a couple of the barns. They were amazing. Everything was immaculate. I always regretted not fighting for that job, but because I had no experience with thoroughbreds, I wasn't considered for the position. But I was thankful for the chance to walk these hallowed halls.
Life took over and I married and left horses behind. I soon stopped following the track world. I remember vaguely that Calumet heirs had squandered the money and the farm was sold at auction to a foreign national. I always thought the Commonwealth of Kentucky should have purchased it as a working park (similar to the Kentucky Horse Park) because of its history and because almost every horse farm photo of Kentucky and Lexington was represented by Calumet.

In 1993, I started working for a harness track, Thunder Ridge, which was recently built close to home. I learned a lot about the racing world. I learned what people will do to win, even if the stakes weren't millions of dollars. I also learned that most of the people who work with racing horses on a daily basis love these animals, and for the most part, would not intentionally hurt them. But I wasn't so naive that I knew that there were people, mainly those funding these horses, who treated these animals as a cash cow and when they were no longer viable, they were disposed of in one way or another.

Fast forward to 2023. I was trolling Facebook and an add popped up about this book. I contacted Mr. Kray and asked if I could purchase a signed copy. He graciously obliged and a week later, I was camping at the Kentucky Horse Park Campground, sitting in a chair under a large oak tree, listening to bluegrass music (we were at the Spirit of the Bluegrass Festival), and reading this book. As I sat there on what was once a bluegrass horse farm, I read the history of the last of the thoroughbred stars of the golden era. I read the tremendous spirit of Alydar, something as team Affirmed that I didn't know. I think I would have probably been team Alydar if I had known his story and that he was a Calumet horse. As Mr. Kray explained what happened that evening and in the following days, I became overwhelmingly sad. I felt in my heart that this horse was sacrificed for greed. The insurance adjuster, Tom Dixon, was either incompetent or indifferent in investigating the situation. No one questioned JT Lundy. He was very vague or, at the least, sketchy. After reading the entire book, I think Lundy had overspent Calument's money and then was pressured to come up with a large amount of money in a short time. I think Frank Cihak from the First City Bank was wanting their loan payment to help fund his criminal enterprises. I think Frank insisted Lundy kill the horse for the loan payment. Because Cihak was involved in breeding rights with the stallions at Calumet, he knew that Alydar was not bringing in money to the farm (Lundy would give away breeding rights to his friends, so the income from breeding looked good on paper, but in reality, there was no money coming in). I do not think Lundy injured the horse personally, but he or Cihak arranged for the horse to be injured, which led to his death.

I do not think Stone injured the horse. I think he was chosen because he would not ask questions or investigate the situation. I also think the management knew that Kipp (the regular night watchman) would pose a bigger problem because he would not have left the horse unattended or questioned the situation of the injury, so "they" arranged the substitution.

Dr. Bramlage, the best equine orthopedic surgeon in the country, was put in a position to defend a scenario that did not happen. He put his signature on the fact that this was an accident, but when evidence proved that it was not, he couldn't retract his former claim. To Dr. Bramlage, his reputation was more important to him than the truth.

I loved the chapter on Tommy Burns. He is a self-proclaimed "hitman" in the horse industry. He was hired many times to injure and kill horses, primarily in the show jumping world, for the insurance. He explained how horses were injured or killed to make it look like an accident. He gave insight into the dark, but real world of the horse industry where money is more important than the horses that sacrifice their lives for their owners.

I believe Alydar was murdered. I believe JT Lundy had knowledge of it. I believe that Cihak pressured Lundy to kill the horse. I believe Stone did not injure the horse. I believe Dr. Bramlage could have helped solve this if his ego would have allowed him to follow the evidence and not protect his reputation.

Unless someone has a deathbed confession, we may never know what the truth actually is. But I closed this book feeling overwhelmingly sad and very angry. I looked at Calumet as the poster child for thoroughbred racing, Lexington, and Kentucky. Their legacy is part of the reason I came to Kentucky to live. I wanted to be a part of that. It makes me so angry that certain people saw Calumet as a cash cow and raped it with no regards to its history or heritage. I think Mrs. Markey would have the same broken heart I have with all that has happened. My final wish is that Calumet finds someone who will try to restore it to its prior glory and help bury this black spot on its storied history.

[Bailey Crader · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the beginning, we got to know Alydar a little bit and about some of his winnings and racing habits. It felt like we got to sit on the track with him. As I got to the middle of the book, I found myself bored and put it away for quite some time. Picking it back up and getting through the court cases and all of the he said she said stuff was excited. I never made the connection that Alydar and Affirmed were in the same barn or even on the same farm. The same goes for Whirlaway, Gestapo, Citation, etc. You could tell all of the grooms and hands really loved Alydar. It's a shame that such a horrible things happened to him and what has and is happening to horse racing. I would have never guessed the banks roll in all of this. In my mind, without a doubt, Alydar was killed. We will never know what truly happened that night.

[Nyx · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading this book! Having been surrounded & working with horses my entire life, I’m usually the opposite & avoid most horse books & movies (normally because the inaccuracies are unbearable), but this was an awesome read.

I’ve heard Alydar’s name growing up & knew of his trials in the Triple Crown, but the events & controversy surrounding his death was entirely new to me. It was hard to read through the first few chapters because it was so easy to picture the pain & emotions everyone was feeling. I’m not even exaggerating when I say that if my horse went through a similar experience, that would be my villain origin story. So naturally, I was invested & wanted to determine what happened that night almost as much as the author.

Despite Fred Kray’s lack of experience as a writer, I thought the flow of the story was smooth & easy to follow. I honestly avoid reading nonfiction because most books I’ve picked up in the past were dry & uninteresting to me. This was not the case & I applaud Kray for his work. It was interesting to learn about Alydar’s racing career up until his retirement, the trials following the horse’s death, & then Kray’s own investigation. There are so many voices within these pages, as well as the love those closest to Alydar felt for him. This is definitely I book I would recommend to all horse lovers, no matter their riding discipline.

I received an ARC version through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Avalyn Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alydar was at the center of all the discussion and speculation following the financial collapse of Calumet Farm in 1991, and rightly so. The Hall of Fame racehorse was the farm’s linchpin as a sire and its single most important asset. Dead, he was worth US$41.5 million in insurance payouts—provided his death was ruled accidental. Alive, he was the source of the farm’s primary income stream, but it was a stream no longer sufficient to offset the servicing of Calumet’s mounting debts.

For many people both in and out of the horse industry, there were simply too many coincidences to be ignored when Alydar was euthanized on November 15, 1990, after having been found with a broken right hind leg two days earlier. From the threatened cancellation of one of Alydar’s insurance policies due to non-payment of premiums, to the conflicting accounts given of how the injury was discovered and how it could have occurred, to the revelations of how the stallion and his services had been leveraged and over-leveraged as the farm accumulated US$120 million in debt, the circumstantial case that Alydar had been killed deliberately to collect the insurance on his life appeared strong. Yet, in spite of extensive fraud investigations surrounding Calumet and one of its major creditors, First City National Bank of Houston—investigations that led to federal prison terms for Calumet president J. T. Lundy and his chief financial officer, Gary Matthews—many questions regarding Alydar’s suspicious death remained unanswered.

Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age (2023, Live Oak Press) recounts the personal quest of author Fred M. Kray, a specialist in animal law and an experienced trial attorney, to uncover the truth regarding Alydar’s demise. “Fan” is a light word to apply to Kray’s obvious personal attachment to the horse; as he recounts the development of his appreciation for Alydar during the horse’s racing days and the meaning that Alydar has lent to him during his own life journey, one gains a sense of Kray’s emotional connection to a magnificent racehorse, a connection that has fueled his determination to discover what truly happened.

Kray’s quest in some ways raises more questions than it answers, as Kray soberly reports the questions asked, the testimony given, and the evidence presented during the course of the federal investigations and trials concerning Calumet. The tone is impersonal compared to that of the opening section of the book, but this shift is appropriate given the subject matter. Nonetheless, there are ghosts that haunt Kray’s account of the legal proceedings—those of the questions that were never asked, often because the attorneys involved lacked the experience regarding horses and the horse industry to recognize their importance. Others were deflected by early assumptions that began steering the narrative toward a presumption of accidental death.

Following Kray’s recounting of the evidence and testimonies found in court records, he then turns to his interviews with the witnesses whom he hoped might shed light on Alydar’s story and the injury that ultimately killed him. Over twenty-five people ultimately talked with Kray, including Alydar’s trainer, John Veitch; his stud groom, Michael Coulter; nationally known veterinarian Larry Bramlage, who performed the emergency surgery in the failed attempt to save Alydar’s life; and Frank Cihak, who held Calumet’s financial lifeblood in his hands while he was the senior credit officer at First City National Bank of Houston. These talks are presented at a more intimate, emotional level than the court testimony, and one can sense the tension between Fred Kray, the attorney seeking facts, and Fred Kray, the man seeking a resolution to a loss that had haunted him for nearly three decades.

Kray concludes with a “courtroom of the mind,” presenting his own answer to the mystery of Alydar’s death but allowing the reader to render personal judgment as to its validity. Some may find this rather contrived. For me, it was a logical resolution to a story framed by its author’s experiences and life journey, one that is both a true-crime drama and a testimony to one man’s love of a horse. Broken is not an easy read; those looking for a pat “happy ending” or who are uncomfortable with looking at the dark underbellies of the horse world and human nature should look elsewhere for their next book. Nonetheless, for those willing to follow the evidence where it leads, the story told is compelling and worthy of a place on the bookshelf of both students of horse racing history and fans of the true crime genre. It will certainly have an honored place on mine.

[Krista · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Broken" is about a murder with the most unthinkable victim at the most unthinkable venue. Amid the classic farms of Kentucky's blue grass racing heritage, Calumet was one of the greats. And at that barn, one of the prides not only of the family who owned it, but also of the entire Thoroughbred racing community, was Alydar, a stallion best known for showing unbreakable heart in racing neck-and-neck with Affirmed in the Triple Crown. One terrible night, Alydar is found in his stall with his leg broken--a devastating injury. The initial story put out, essentially, that he'd just kicked his stall door in the wrong way.

Unfortunately, however, there were reasons to wonder. As Kray shows, Calumet's financial situation was in the hands of a man best described as an incompetent seemingly determined to milk the once-great farm of its last penny; at the moment, the farm was teetering on the edge of all of the financial misbehaviors coming to light. And there were many coincidences that merited another look.

Kray, a lawyer specializing in animal care cases, builds a case in "Broken" that what happened that night at Calumet reflected a horrific broader occurrence of insurance scams and equine murders. Moreover, he shows the guardians of racing's heritage failed universally to consider the unthinkable, and in so doing, terribly failed Alydar.

What's good: Kray's writing is clear and his research impeccable. His attempts to interview all parties are evident and his passion for the project undoubtable. What I found most admirable is how he kept coming back to justice for Alydar as a unique horse--we learn that Alydar loved TV, that he had an extremely high recall for humans he'd met, that he would paw his floor when he wanted attention, that he enjoyed racing Affirmed in their paddocks in retirement. (One wonders who won those matches!) We learn that he was playful and could be grabby, but for the most part a horse who could be handled easily by those he trusted. When witnesses attempted to spin Alydar as an excitable horse who threw tantrums and frequently kicked his stall, the author consistently pushes back with the testimony of all who actually interacted with Alydar. What could have been dismissed coldly--a tragic accident of a fractious animal--is shot down by the author with the consistent comments of those who knew the horse. And in its place we are left with a sickening suspicion, for which Kray brings a significant amount of evidence.

Kray provides a closing argument but also allows the reader to fill out their own jury slip. After reading this book, I have no doubt about how I'm voting.

With gratitude to Netgalley and the publisher for the chance to read an ARC of this book.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

As others have also mentioned in their reviews, this book was very clearly written by a lawyer, not a writer - some parts get into pretty long, rambling, and dry depictions of the financial aspect of the (alleged) crime, and there is a lot of repetition of the theories of what happened that fateful night to the point where I literally could not read the word "roller bracket" one more time without losing my sanity. Overall, I think there needed to be a lot more editing and tightening up of the text and the interviews, and a larger focus on the bigger picture of the circumstances surrounding Alydar's death.

Also while it's clear that the author isn't objective about this subject, it did seem like he lost his temper a lot to his interviewees (???) which really did made me question how much of the interview transcripts I could actually take into account as fact.

That being said, I still think this book still provides valuable insight into the really dark underbelly of the horseracing industry that a lot of non-horse people are not aware of. Horseracing is also one of those mindboggling spaces where there's such a stark class divide (& no one even tries to pretend there isn't), and I think that the individual interviews really showed that as well - on one hand you have the Lundys, Dr. Bramlage, and Dr. Rhodes-Stewart with their gated farms, giant SUVs, and pristine vet offices, and then you have your Stone and Broughton who are just trying to survive paycheck to paycheck long after reaching what should be their retirement ages.

Probably would recommend this more for folks who are interested in learning about the dark side of horseracing more from a financial/legal side, rather than from a true crime lens.

[Zeb Kantrowitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

When Alydar was found in his stall with a broken rear "cannon" bone, he was taken into surgery to repair the break. But Alydar wouldn't settle down after the surgery and broke his front femur and had to be put down. For a horse considered the premier stud in the racing world this was a major shock.

Explanations by the people and veterinarians at Calumet Farms, the breaking of the bone had come from Alydar propensity to kick the gate to his stall. He must have got his foot caught between the door and the door post and broke the cannon bone trying to pull it out. Alydar had been insured for over $35 million dollars which the various insurance companies were quick to pay out.

But from the time of the accident in 1990 to the time of this book, questions kept arising as to the story of how Alydar had broken his leg. There was little or no damage to the leg resulting from the pulling of the leg out from the door as one would expect, and in fact, little damage to the door.

At the time of his death, Calument Farms was over $120 million in debt. Could Alydar had been murdered for the insurance money? Lots of questions have never been answered until thirty years later when Kray began to dig into the what happened that night. One of the most damaging pieces of data he tracked down was that Alydar was being overbred by his owners and that so many of his stud performances had been pre-sold, that he would only yield $7 million for stud over each of the next three years. He was definitely worth more dead that alive.

Read Kray's investigation and make up your own mind.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is nonfiction that reads like a mystery...I knew that name of this horse but I did not know the drama and ongoing controversy.
I should reveal that I have known the author for years...back in the day when he was a trial lawyer so I suppose that I am not entirely unbiased but...I loved this book.
I don't usually read much non fiction but this book is highly readable and tells an interesting, suspenseful story. The research is extensive and includes the difficulty in finding witnesses and then persuading them to talk. Kray did an excellent job explaining how that worked and the personal toll of the frustration.
Of course, the backstory about Alydar is very important and it makes the event even more heartbreaking. It seems that while he had dedicated trainers there was an underlying issue regarding the treatment of the horse. It's easy to forget that these horses are a valuable investment and it is expected that they get results. In Alydar's care it wasn't that he lacked results, it was the financial need of the owners who treated him as a piece of property.
I cried during the description of what happened to the horse..cruel doesn't even begin to describe the whole event. Kray lays out the evidence and we get to analyse and come to conclusions...we are not nudged either way even though I know the author has his own opinions!
I highly recommend this book...it is interesting, well written and readable.

[Kim Wickens · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Alydar, lauded on the racetrack for his valiant will to win, was criticized in death for his struggle to survive." --BROKEN. This is a heart-wrenching and well-told book for the love of one of the most renowned racehorses and sires America has ever known. Kray, an animal rights attorney, is well equipped--perhaps better than most because of his legal experience--to tell this tragic story of a life cut short by greed. For all the federal prosecutions, insurance investigations, and magazine articles written over the decades, Alydar has never received justice. The evidence, so meticulously outlined in this book, convinces that truth is indeed owed. Kray skillfully and warmly brings Alydar back to us by vividly fleshing the horse out in body and mind. We see this horse and feel his spirit, courage, love, frustrations, and fears, and it is with this well-formed connection to Alydar that we then experience the catastrophe he suffered at the hands of those who had his trust. Kray admirably brings Alydar the best justice that can be wrangled from an unparticipating true-life cast who have sought for decades to distance themselves from that horrible night when "it" happened. This story needed to be told again, and by an advocate for the horse. To me, this book really sings when Kray provides his own memories, feelings, and efforts to unearth the truth. Kray is a gifted writer and I hope we see more books from him.

[J. Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a beta reader for Broken, so I read a less-polished version.
I'm not a particularly horsey person, though I love animals.
Not into horseracing.
I do love a mystery.
This is a heartbreaking story that sheds a sickly light on the racing business. Animals are ultimately commodities. What grabbed me about this book was Kray's determination to get to the bottom of the mystery. Interview by interview, tiny details emerged and conflicted. Wait, what? No, that doesn't sound right. Wait what? But I thought...
You can't help but feel like you are a detective along with Mr. Kray.
That's what makes this book great.
I'll be honest: this was not a book I really wanted to read as you know up front it's going to be rough. I'm still traumatized by the theater experience of Dumbo's mother dying. Yet, I was quickly drawn in, compelled to find out in the end, who was telling the truth and who was lying, what really happened and WHY.
Well-written, heartfelt, this is a story about human nature as much as it is about a poor animal with a huge heart caught up in a messy business.
Bravo Mr. Kray for keeping the spirit of Alydar alive and for going the distance to sift through all the obfuscation to show the tarnish on the golden age of racing.

[Sharon Orlopp · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alydar was an American thoroughbred race horse who came in second to a horse, Affirmed, in all three races of the 1978 Triple Crown. Alydar died in 1990 under suspicious circumstances at Calumet Farm, which was experiencing financial troubles. The insurance payout was $34 million.

Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age explores the history of Alydar and Calumet Farms, as well as the trials of those who were involved with Alydar.

The author refers to the documentary, Unbridled Greed, and a book, Wild Ride: The Rise and Tragic Fall of Calumet Farm Inc., America's Premier Racing Dynasty. I have added the book to my TBR and will watch the documentary.

The three star rating is primarily due to pace. I wish it had moved faster.

[Kellye Filer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fred M. Kay, a fan of the world of horse racing and lawyer turned advocate for the animals, takes you into the saga and the mystery that still surrounds the unusual and untimely death of Alydar.

Alydar, the premiere breeding stud in the world of horse racing, was found in his stall, with a broken rear leg that no one could explain. Who would have known that after surgery, Alydar would then come up with his front leg broken. Unbelievably, within two days times from the initial broken rear left leg, the foremost stud, the mighty Alydar, would be put down.

Scrutiny and mystery still surround the unfortunate and horrible demise of this magnificent race horse, Alydar. It makes you question all parties involved, and was Alydar, no matter his history and magnificence, worth more dead than alive. The investigation and the trials, which there were several, will still leave with the question of what really happened that November night in Alydar’s stall at Calumet Farms.

Thank you to Live Oak Press and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to read this interesting book written by Fred M. Kay, and for the chance to review and provide me honest and unbiased feedback.

[Nate Baker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings on Broken.

On one hand, the information is genuinely interesting and I do find the contradictions between the 20+ major players' accounts of what happened to Alydar incredibly compelling. The historic elements, like Alydar's rivalry with Affirmed and the trial against Stone and Lundy we're interesting and really struck home why this horse in particular is worth remembering.

On the other hand, this is written by someone without experience and it certainly shows, leading to a lot of editorializing and recurring statements of Kray's involvement. I didn't read this to know about Kray, I read it to learn about Alydar, so those in between moments (ranging from his depression to his fierce love of animals) only padded the length of an already long investigation that never led to an actual answer. It ends in the same suspicion that the judge of Lundy's trial mentioned, just with a newer avenue of speculated death for Alydar.

It felt as though the book was released to justify the time spent on an all-for-naught investigation. If anything, I'd love to read Wild Ride.

[Lily · Rating 5 out of 5]

pardon my language, but holy shit. this was probably the most intriguing nonfiction book i’ve read all year. (and that’s up against a wonderful biography of geronimo) the circumstances of alydar’s death, and the dense fog that shrouds it astounds me. although i filled out the verdict form, i am still unsure of what to think.

as for writing, despite the self deprecation, i think kray is a fantastic writer. i enjoyed the way that he wrote about alydar, and the people involved. it was personal, it was raw. it really puts into perspective just how hard it is to come to a conclusion concerning the “whodunnit.”

i might be biased, as i grew up in the racing industry, my father a sought after farrier and owner of multiple racehorses. (funnily enough, the book was gifted to him by one of his clients.) however, this was a great read, and i will be recommending it to anyone whom i think would be even remotely interested. i will also be looking out for any updates concerning alydar’s case. this horse deserves justice.

[Moona · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken: The Suspicious Death of Alydar and the End of Horse Racing’s Golden Age by Fred M. Kray dives into one of the most perplexing mysteries in sports history—the untimely death of Alydar, one of horse racing's most celebrated stallions. On a cold night at Calumet Farm, Alydar was found with a devastating injury in his stall, triggering a high-stakes investigation that revealed shocking allegations of foul play.

The book masterfully blends true-crime intrigue with a nostalgic look back at horse racing's golden age, unraveling the events that led to Alydar's death and the ensuing $36.5 million insurance payout. Kray, an animal rights attorney, constructs a compelling narrative using firsthand interviews, trial testimonies, and vivid photographs, making readers question the sport’s darker corners.

Part investigative thriller and part historical account, Broken sheds light on the legacy of a majestic horse, the tarnished reputation of an industry, and the lengths people might go to for financial gain.

[Jude · Rating 5 out of 5]

Broken is the perfect title for the forces behind the murder of Alydar. Fred Kray, a fan of Alydar, sets out to review the history of the investigation, hoping to finally answer the question of who killed this magnificent race horse. Fueled by greed, bankers, insurance investigators, and the decision makers at Kentucky's Calumet Farms take part in shady dealings to line their own pockets. All broken. I found this book intriguing, infuriating, and heartbreaking. Fred Kray rises to the level of hero as he goes to seemingly impossible lengths to shrd light on Alydar's shocking death. For a non-fiction, this reads like a suspense thriller, but unfortunately, it is true. I loved getting an inside view of the horseracing industry, for better or worse, and applaud Fred Kray for his incredible investigation and this equally incredible read. Five stars.

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can tell that this was a passion project for the author. He managed to track down every person still living and connected to the death of Alydar. Even though the famous rivalry between Affirmed and Alydar was before I was born, I’ve grown up knowing about it. However, I had never heard of how Alydar died or that his death was so violent and surrounded by suspicion. Kray dives in to what may have happened that fateful night and what could have motivated someone to kill the golden goose that was the only thing saving the financially destroyed Calumet Farms. A 5-star story, but because I am not a legal nerd and the excessive details (it was extraordinarily well-researched) got kind of boring and repetitive at times, it was a 3-star read for me personally. Glad someone could honor Alydar’s legacy.

[Bargain Sleuth Book Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a casual fan of horse racing, meaning I watch the big races on network TV on the rare occasions they are on, and I've read a lot of horse racing history, so when Broken was available for a steal in audiobook form, I snatched it up.

Overall, I appreciated the attempt at getting to the bottom of the sketchy end of Alydar's life, but the book was very repetitive and had a hard time holding my interest. Literally felt like I was listening to a court transcript, which is pretty much what this was.

For anyone who has an interest in the history of horse racing in the United States might glean some interesting information in the year of Alydar/Affirmed in the Triple Crown races. Beyond that, this book was a snore.

[Callie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'll be honest, I've always rooted for Affirmed over Alydar (even though I wasn't alive during their Triple Crown feat). Alydar had more joie de vivre, seeming to not mind losing as long as he had fun, and I can see how he had been the fan favorite. But Affirmed was pure ego. He saw competition and he would absolutely not let anyone better him if he could help it. Both horses, respective to racing history, are titans and will always be so. Their Triple Crown battle is still one of the most exciting things to watch.

Broken is a decently-written account of the tragedy of Alydar. Concerning subject matter, the work is compelling and easily 5 stars. There were just two areas of the book that could have used better formatting to make the text more engaging:

First, I wish Kray would have included Affirmed's Triple Crown trail alongside Alydar's; the reader would have experienced the push-and-pull between these horses that culminated during the Triple Crown.

Secondly, I truly didn't need all that transcribed record of Kray speaking on behalf of Alydar in the courtroom. I don't need to reread everything I've just taken in. Had Kray sheered that out, had just mentioned in a few poignant paragraphs on how he had wanted a record for Alydar's injustice — that would have perhaps been a more concise ending.

52BookClub 2026: #14 Includes a Character List.

[Betsy McCann · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a former equestrian I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It was very detailed and the author left no stone uncovered in his quest to piece together what happened to Alydar. He attempted to speak to every person who had ever worked with the horse (some would not speak to him) and he dug up photos of Alydar's stall that were thought to be lost. The majority of the book is a very detailed and technical explanation of what happened to Alydar. Without spoiling it I will tell you that the last chapter is extremely interesting and gives a link to an online activity you can participate in as well. Anyone with an interest in horse racing and true crime would have an interest in this book.

[Patrick Macke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The best thing about the book is that it allows fans to relive the wonder of what was one of the greatest rivalries in sports - the racing rivalry between Affirmed and Alydar ... I like the way the book is written for the most part and for the average fan there is much to discover here; I was a teenager when Alydar was racing and have no recollection of the circumstances surrounding his death ... To be sure this is a true crime book, not a horseracing book, and while the author beats some of the facts of the case to death it is still worthwhile, if only to strike the chord of memory of those duels between Affirmed & Alydar

[Helen Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Truth Is Hard to Swallow

I have been in the horse racing world for quite sometime. I never had much monetary success but I used my own money and made my own rules.

Sadly, I would come across the seedier side of racing even in country fairs and in the big time barns. I know all and more happened. This book made sense of a lot of things and gave them order.

Why do I stay at it is simple. There’s good and bad on everything. I ran my little stable with integrity and humanely and I only associate with like minded individuals.

This is an excellently written book and I will re-read it again and maybe a third time.

[Marcia Chocinsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

A friend loaned me several books and this was among them. A very interesting story whether you are in to horse racing or not. I lived in Ohio and could have journeyed to Keeneland with another friend and regret no doing so now. It must have been wonderful watching such an amazing beautiful horse race against others. And it’s so sad that his life ended the way it did. The author does a great job of determining the answer of accident or on purpose, taking this case a bit further than previous lawyers and authors. But the details are still unanswered. Perhaps the author will have an update at some point as I’m sure his curiosity as a lawyer and writer will not let the case rest.