Customer Reviews

Dr. Fager: Thoroughbred Legends

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This book is the second in the BLOOD HORSE series on racing legends. It does not disappoint. It is a marvelous biography about one of the all-time great racehorses. Dr. Fager was one of the fastest racehorses to have ever lived. His one-mile record stood for nearly 30 years, but he was much more than a mere sprinter. What was even more incredible about the horse was the fact he carried a tremendous amount of weight and STILL was able to run so fast. He ran against some of the all-time racing greats including Damascus and Buckpasser. Yet, as Haskin points out, Dr. Fager was very fragile and had a tendency to get colic. (The horse ultimately died of a ruptured stomach at the age of only 12.)

Haskin does a great job describing Dr. Fager's most important races. His descriptions are the next best thing to having seen the races themselves.

I highly recommend this book and all of the others in the series.

i really enjoyed dr. fager. all i really knew about this horse before i read the book was he had run the fastest mile ever--a record that was just broken recently.

steve really made me feel like i was right there living in the barn with the horse. the research he put into this book was tremendous.

knowing better who and what was going on in the background helps me to know more about this horse and the impact he had on racing in general.

the only thing missing was my morning ration of grain and hay!

Wonderful book, with a great deal of information about this horse's career, based on interviews with people connected with him. Recaptures the vintage years 1966-1968 of racing, and brings to life memorable moments in this top thoroughbred's career. Hopefully, there will also be books about other racing stars of this era, Damascus and Buckpasser, who also were memorable performers.

Steve Haskin is one of my favorite writers for the "Blood Horse" magazine, and he does justice to a great thoroughbred in this book. Many people think of Dr. Fager as a miler because he held the record for a mile (8 furlongs) for almost three decades. However, "Doc" accumulated four championships, including Horse of the Year, running long and running short, carrying weight,running on turf and running on dirt. All he wanted to do was run. He didn't care who he had to beat (Damascus, among other champions) or how he had to win, and he didn't at all care for the view behind another horse.

Dr. Fager was one of the great ones and Haskin does him honor in this book.

Dr. Fager was the real deal on the race course. This book is a fitting tribute to one (of a handful) of the truely great thoroughbred horses ever. To call him the greatest sprinter ever would not even scratch the surface of his true greatness. In 1968 he was the winner of racing's so called "Grand Slam"--Champion Handicap Horse, Champion Sprinter, Champion Grass Horse, and Horse of the Year. This feat has never been duplicated before or since, and well may never be duplicated again. Even in defeat, his greatness came through. His only losses were to other Champions: Damascus, Buckpasser, and Successor. Compare that to Secretariat's loses to Herbull, Master Achiever, Fleet 'n Royal, Angle Light, Sham, Onion, and Prove Out (none of which were Champions, or for that matter exceptional horses in any way). Frankly, in a match race (from 7 furlongs up to 2 miles) no horse in the second part of the 20th century could have bested him. Sorry Secretariat, there have been a lot of triple crown winners, and 2/3 of the triple crown winners, and slews of Kentucky Derby winners, each would be hard pressed one on one to even contest Dr. Fager in a race. As this fine book points out, it took a bad ride (Bill Shoemaker is the only jockey who couldn't ride Dr. Fager), a rabbit (former world record holder Hedevar) and the stewards at Garden State (in the Jersey Derby) to defeat Dr. Fager. This is one wonderful book to be sure.

When you read this book and see how much Dr Fager accomplisheed in his career, you have to marvel at this horse.

While everyone points to Secretariat as the greatest os all time, I bet Dr Fager would have give him a run for his money ESPECIALLY if they ran in a sprint race(a race uner 1 mile).

The single most amazing record Dr Fager held was his 1:20, 7 Furlong time. Its not just the time, look at the weight he carried ! Most horses would have collapsed or pulled up in distress, but the Dr kept on rolling strong.

Steve Haskin did another noteworthy job on this one and it deserves to be in your Library.

Best Regards to all, MC - TheStickRules.Com

Steve Haskin is considered a "sports" writer, and he's excellent at what he does. But when he writes about a horse he truly loved and admired, there is much the poet who emerges to weave a love song, an ode to the iron horses that once ruled the race tracks. Are the numbers there?..yes they are, the speed, the races, the fractions, the broken records. But more than that, Dr Fager and John Nerud, his trainer, come to life. You find yourself screaming for Dr. Fager to get to that finish line, you hear the thundering hooves as your heart beats a bit faster, and your jaw drops to the floor when you realize not one, but 3 Hall of Fame horses competed in the same races, Buckpasser, Damascus, and Dr. Fager. Wow! What a vivid experience! Once he had command of the lead, Dr. Fager was a fierce rival who never gave a second thought to biting any challenger. His mane was allowed to grow wild, and it only added to his intimidating presence. You'll never be sorry you picked this book to read, and once you turn the final page, you will still feel the hot breath of Dr. Fager stirring the fine hair on the nape of your neck.

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