Customer Reviews

Barbaro and Other Inspiring Horses

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While I found the Barbaro stories to be very good, Letell missed the mark entirely in his biographies of Triple Crown winners Secretariat and Seattle Slew. In summing up Secretariat's stud career he states that he sired Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones and became the broodmare sire of Seattle Slew. Secretariat passed away in 1989. Smarty Jones won his Derby and Preakness in 2004. Anyone with just a basic knowledge of horseracing would know this. Secretariat never sired a Derby winner, but his son Risen Star did win the Preakness and Belmont in 1988. For the record, Smarty was sired by Elusive Quality.

Seattle Slew's mother My Charmer was by a stallion named Poker. Letell calls Slew's mother Poke. He is obviously getting his names mixed up. Again, basic knowledge will tell you that Secretariat could NOT be Slew's grandfather because Slew was born in 1974, which was Secretariat's first season at stud. None of his offspring had even been born yet! Letell compounds the error by inferring that Secretariat must have passed on his large heart to Seattle Slew!

Perhaps Letell was going by memory and didn't check his references. These errors stand out boldly in a book that was otherwise well researched.

This book is an inspiring account of not only BARBARO, but other
great equine champions as well.

Well worth the price & the time to read !!!