Can a Thoroughbred sire with 64 stakes winners from 381 foals - nearly 17 percent - be considered a failure? Or is such a claim no more than the rumblings of a jealous racing society?
So it is with the great Man o' War. Despite reshaping Thoroughbred pedigrees for decades to come, Samuel Riddle and his partner, Walter Jeffords, have long been accused of ruining the breeding efforts of the 20th Century's greatest runner.
Now, author and pedigree analyst Rommy Faversham dispels the myths surrounding Riddle, Jeffords, and this legendary horse. He shows the careful design of Man o' War's racing and breeding career and details the pedigrees of the horse's ancestors, mates and progeny. Throughout this analysis, Faversham weaves the tale of an American landscape forever changed by "Big Red" and his thousands of fans.
It's a story that proves method - and not just luck - is what makes a great Thoroughbred breeder.
