Customer Reviews

Dream Race: The Search for the Greatest Thoroughbred Race Horse of All-Time

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This book gets people excited about horse racing all over again. I join with the 99.99% of the people who have read it and loved it for what it is, great storytelling about a great sport. I have to rebut the negative review by Sysonby, however. To point out grammatical errors when dealing with a story that's written largely as a casual dialogue with one character having a Southern dialect, is to miss the intentional writing style used here. Would one criticize William Faulkner for the same sort of technique used in "The Sound and The Fury"? I'm a well known writer and turf historian so I also have to address what Sysonby admits is quibbling over historical errors. It's exactly that - quibbling over minor details. Don't forget that the plot line follows an old man's memories of racing -- so what if his memory is a little short of perfect? If you've seen the tape of Man o'War beating Sir Barton, it certainly looks like Sir Barton is beaten by 20 lengths, not 7. And when it comes down to it, the "official" 31 lengths win posted by Secretariat in the Belmont was just a guess on the part of the chart caller. Old Leonard remembers it as 30, which is closer than the 40 lengths it looked like to me. Whose memory is perfect, after all? Certainly we can forgive an old racetracker for a little artistic license to his favorite memories? OK, so War Admiral wasn't a big horse...they said the same thing about him being huge in the movie "Seabiscuit" and it didn't ruin that for everyone, did it? As a turf historian, I have to say that I've never read that War Admiral was known as "the Mighty Atom", as Sysonby notes, although I did see the same nickname for him in a book published in the 1970s, in a book trying to pin nicknames on all the Triple Crown winners. He was always "The Admiral" to his racing fans. What amuses me about Sysonby's small minded review is that for hating this book so much, he/she sure read every last word and stuck with it right to the end. That's actually a tribute to the story, since even Sysonby couldn't put it down because it was so much fun to read.

I never knew very much about horse racing until I read this book! The story is intertwined with all sorts of facts about some of the greatest horses who graced the greatest race tracks in history. Robert Clark's artwork brings life to each chapter as you become wrapped up in this tale of jockey's, trainers, and their horses, told through the eyes of a young reporter given the task of finding out who was the greatest thoroughbred of all time. A great book for horse enthusiasts, and people who don't even know what the triple-crown is!

What initially attracted me to this book was the artwork. I couldn't believe what I was looking at: A race with Secretariat running against Man o' War and Citation. How is that possible? I knew immediately that I HAD to know more about this book.

What I discovered is that the book takes on the task of answering the question, who is the greatest thoroughbred of all time?

The format in which the author takes on the question makes for a very enjoyable read. This book is perfect for anyone. Casual race fans that may have been introduced to the sport by Seabiscuit will LOVE this book. In addition, seasoned track goers will love the historical information and the concept of the Dream Race. Highest recommendation!!

Jumping on the "band-wagon" is not what is intended here. This is truly a great read. It has all of the ingredients necessary to make this book a best seller. I found it difficult to put it down, couldn't wait to find out what was next and was saddened when it ended. I have been reading about thoroughbreds and related topics for a couple of years now since the movie "Seabiscuit" was released. My wife got me the movie and the book. That book got me started. So far I have about 30 books in my library and the Dream Race will hold a very special place indeed (I would put it near the top). It is a great first book for anyone interested in learning more about thoroughbreds as well as a summary type book for those who may be missing a few names and/or facts they wish explore elsewhere. I read the reviews "after" I read the book. The 10 folks who rated it 5 stars and one at 4 stars (out of 13) were dead on the money.

Great book. Charming story and wonderful artwork. I can't recommend it enough. You feel like you're sitting in Louis' Restaurant, downtown Paris, Kentucky, listening to an old hardboot spin his tales.

The Dream Race book by Robert Clark speaks volumes past and present of all great thoroughbreds, great artwork, and the print is easy on the eyes. I dreamed of such a book and now own it. Read about the owners, the famous horses, jockeys and trainers. You will hear the roar of the crowd and learn the history of thoroughbred racing. This book is a lesson for beginners and a treasure for horse racing experts, You will treasure it. I would consider this book a must for all thoroughbred lovers.
Larry Pelkey
The book is just what I thought it would be. The beautiful artwork brings it to life as the greatest horses compete. It is spellbinding and a great value.
Sharon Pelkey

The "Dream Race" is a unique work that blends the artist's masterful paintings, years of factual race history, and good old fashioned storytelling all in one book. The result is a variety show filled with paintings of horses that you can almost hear and feel, and memorable characters that guide you through a thoroghly enjoyable history lesson of some of thoroughbred racing's most noteworthy moments.
Bob Clark's book is a tribute to the lives of those who have made racing what it is today, both horse and man.
It's great to see a positive work portraying the racing industry's often misunderstood heart and the more than decent people that have kept the sport alive.

You will absolutely love this book - it is a fantastic journey through the history of horse racing told through a wonderful fictional character. I could not put it down! The full color reproductions of the original oils at the beginning of each chapter make it especially fun to look back at the horses as you read each of their unique stories. It is a must have!!

I have not been (up to now) what could be called a Thoroughbred racing fan. However, this book held my interest from beginning to end. To say I found it facinating would be an under statement. The artwork is superb. The narrative is well written, the characters believable. Great work. Any fan of Thoroughbred racing would love this book. I am considering giving it as gifts this Christmas.

This is a good book with Great pictures, I really enjoyed this book. It has a lot of Racing History, although a few of the facts are not correct, and really makes you think for yourself on who the greatest of all time really is. It is a discussion that will last as long as there are race horses.