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No racehorse of modern times was so good for so long. Racing until the age of nine, Kelso won thirty-nine of sixty-three races. Much like Seabiscuit thirty years earlier, Kelso kept getting better as he got older, earning legions of fans with every passing year.
176 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 6, 2024
It was an amazing sight. The three greatest geldings in American racing that were still alive parading at Belmont before the Jockey Club Gold Cup, which was the Breeders' Cup Classic of its day. The horse prancing the most and threatening to rip the arms off of his rider was The Old Boy, Kelso.
I was watching TV, holding my Breyer model Kelso. At the time, Kelso was the only horse alive who had a model made after him.
On Monday, I rushed to talk to Sue, the only other person in school who liked horses. She was rather quiet. "Didn't you hear?" She said, "Kelso is dead."
I avoided learning much more about Kelso beyond what I already knew after that. He was a black and white horse, with the only time he was in color was the day before he died, leading the post parade at Belmont.
But I couldn't resist buying this book when I saw it was written by Steve Haskin, who wrote my favorite book of the Thoroughbred Legends series, about John Henry.
This book is fantastic. Although focusing on Kelso's long racing career, it never loses sight of Kelso the horse. Here, we read of his quirks, his favorite and almost sinful treats, even his favorite dog and horse companions. He also had a long history of colic. No wonder it claimed him in the end. I've never heard of a horse that colicked so much, yet became a champion.
There's also a chapter devoted to his fan club. There is a huge rotating cast of characters in this book, to the point where I just kept track of the horses and gave up on the people. I also didn't like that Raidan apparently was beaten every time he had to work out. He had a reputation for being viscious. Gee, I wonder why?
Haskins also makes some comments about life and times in America during the Sixties. Some of his comments might rankle readers, such as his dislike of the Beatles and rock music. I felt they were made partly in jest, but also were the feelings of many racing fans at the time.
Kelso won under staggering weights, sprints to two-mile races, dirt and turf. He won an unprecedented FIVE Horse of the Year titles, something that I guarantee you will never happen again.
As a veteran turf writer Joe Hirsch put it so eloquently:
Once upon a time, there was a horse named Kelso -- but only once.
I was watching TV, holding my Breyer model Kelso. At the time, Kelso was the only horse alive who had a model made after him.
On Monday, I rushed to talk to Sue, the only other person in school who liked horses. She was rather quiet. "Didn't you hear?" She said, "Kelso is dead."
I avoided learning much more about Kelso beyond what I already knew after that. He was a black and white horse, with the only time he was in color was the day before he died, leading the post parade at Belmont.
But I couldn't resist buying this book when I saw it was written by Steve Haskin, who wrote my favorite book of the Thoroughbred Legends series, about John Henry.
This book is fantastic. Although focusing on Kelso's long racing career, it never loses sight of Kelso the horse. Here, we read of his quirks, his favorite and almost sinful treats, even his favorite dog and horse companions. He also had a long history of colic. No wonder it claimed him in the end. I've never heard of a horse that colicked so much, yet became a champion.
There's also a chapter devoted to his fan club. There is a huge rotating cast of characters in this book, to the point where I just kept track of the horses and gave up on the people. I also didn't like that Raidan apparently was beaten every time he had to work out. He had a reputation for being viscious. Gee, I wonder why?
Haskins also makes some comments about life and times in America during the Sixties. Some of his comments might rankle readers, such as his dislike of the Beatles and rock music. I felt they were made partly in jest, but also were the feelings of many racing fans at the time.
Kelso won under staggering weights, sprints to two-mile races, dirt and turf. He won an unprecedented FIVE Horse of the Year titles, something that I guarantee you will never happen again.
As a veteran turf writer Joe Hirsch put it so eloquently:
Once upon a time, there was a horse named Kelso -- but only once.
July 2, 2025
A great book on the famous Kelso — born, bred and eventually buried in Cecil County Maryland! He is the only horse to ever be American Horse of the Year FIVE times (1960-64)!
September 28, 2018
Excellent overview. Of course, Steve Haskin wrote it. Kelso was a five time horse of the year but I always think of him in the autumn. He was a five time Jockey Club Gold Cup winner-then at a marathon two miles-and his heartbreaking to climactic performances in the (Late and lamented) D.C. International are the stuff of sporting and Hollywood drama. Recalls a day of weekend race attendance at Belmont of 60-70,000 people. Of course, Kelso was running! He built a great fan base which lasted throughout his life.
August 8, 2011
Fine history of Kelso describing his ancestry, his racing years, and after. This short book is good for those wanting to remember Kelso and to understand the many records that he set. This is also a review of the top horses Kelso competed with in the early sixties, and gives the reader a feel for the times.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews