"An excellent portrayal. . . . so intense that one has the sensation of being right there with the crowd and cheering Kelso on."--Tom Trotter, Former New York Racing Secretary At his three-year debut in June 1960, no one could know that a small, deerlike gelding named Kelso would come to dominate American racing like no other horse before or since. For five unprecedented years, he would reign as Horse of the Year, setting records and endearing himself to millions of fans, most of whom were moved by his underdog story and natural charisma. He defeated the best of five generations of thoroughbreds, over 60,000 foals in all. Always considered among the top four horses of all time--with Man O' War, Secretariat, and Citation--for many, Kelso is the greatest racehorse in history, since he won at sprints and endurance races, won on turf and dirt, carried unprecedented handicap weights despite his spare size, and raced both foreign and national thoroughbreds. He set a record for winnings, ran the fastest 2 miles ever, and his signature race became the Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious racing events. Only nine horses have ever won the cup twice in its eighty-seven-year history: Kelso was crowned champion an astounding five times in a row; truly, he is the "Horse of Gold."
A descendant of the immortal Man O' War on his dam's side and the British champion, Hyperion on his sire's, the scrawny and obstreperous Kelso, like Seabiscuit, was not earmarked as a contender and missed the Triple Crown races. But Kelso's greatness was decisive: he ended up regularly defeating Triple Crown race winners along with the best of every year's challengers. In Kelso: The Horse of Gold, Linda Kennedy tells the remarkable story of one of the greatest athletes of the ages, recreating the excitement of "Kelly's" unique and brilliant career while placing his unparalleled achievements in the context of racing history.
