The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby [Paperback]

John Eisenberg (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 23, 2002

" On the first Saturday in May every year in Louisville, Kentucky, shortly after 5:30 PM, a new horse attains racing immortality. The Kentucky Derby is like no other race, and its winners are the finest horses in the world. Covered in rich red roses, surrounded by flashing cameras and admiring crowds, these instant celebrities bear names like Citation, Secretariat, Spectacular Bid, and Seattle Slew. They're worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. But in 1992, a funny thing happened on the way to the roses. The rattling roar of 130,000 voices tailed off into a high, hollow shriek as the horses crossed the finish line. Lil E. Tee? ABC broadcasters knew nothing about him, but they weren't alone. Who knew about Lil E. Tee? A blacksmith in Ocala, Florida, a veterinary surgeon in Ringoes, New Jersey, a trainer a Calder Race Course, and a few other people used to dealing with average horses knew this horse -- and realized what a long shot Lil E. Tee really was. On a Pennsylvania farm that raised mostly trotting horses, a colt with a dime-store pedigree was born in 1989. His odd gait and tendency to bellow for his mother earned him the nickname "E.T." Suffering from an immune deficiency and a bad case of colic, he survived surgery that usually ends a horse's racing career. Bloodstock agents dismissed him because of his mediocre breeding, and once he was sold for only $3,000. He'd live in five barns in seven states by the time he turned two. Somehow, this horse became one of the biggest underdogs to appear on the American sporting landscape. Lil E. Tee overcame his bleak beginnings to reach the respected hands of trainer Lynn Whiting, jockey Pat Day, and owner Cal Partee. After winning the Jim Beam stakes and finishing second in the Arkansas Derby, Lil E. Tee arrived at Churchill Downs to face a field of seventeen horses, including the highly acclaimed favorite, Arazi, a horse many people forecast to become the next Secretariat. A 17-to-1 longshot, Lil E. Tee won the Derby with a classic rally down the home stretch, and finally Pat Day had jockeyed a horse to Derby victory. John Eisenberg draws on more than fifteen years of sports writing experience and a hundred interviews throughout Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Florida, and Arkansas to tell the story almost nobody knew in 1992. Eisenberg is a sports columnist for the Baltimore Sun and has won more than twenty awards for his sports writing, including several Associated Press sports editors' first places."

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

This is an inspiring account of the victory of Lil E. Tee in the 1992 Kentucky Derby. Born with an undistinguished pedigree in a minor breeding state (Pennsylvania), surviving prolonged colic and enduring shin problems, this virtually unwanted horse triumphed over much more heralded and significantly more expensive competition. Eisenberg, a Baltimore Sun sportswriter and seasoned racing commentator, interviewed scores of people to piece together a smooth composite of this unlikely odyssey. In so doing, he creates good character profiles of many who were a part of Lil E. Tee's drama, especially the owner, trainer, and jockey at the time of the Derby. The book provides a fair glimpse into the process of a thoroughbred's development and a solid appreciation of the chancy and narrow avenue to the Kentucky Derby. Well written, enjoyable to read, and guaranteed to move many readers, this is heartily recommended.?David Van de Streek, Pennsylvania State Univ. Libs., York
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

When Lil E. Tee won the Kentucky Derby at odds of 17^-1, it was reported as an upset. In fact, it was more akin to a miracle. At the time, however, nobody could fully comprehend just how unlikely it was that this ill-bred colt--shuffled from owner to owner, his early history lost--had won America's greatest horse race. Those who posed with him in the winner's circle at Churchill Downs had no idea that he had nearly died before undergoing stomach surgery as a weanling, that he had been sold for a mere $2,000 as a yearling, or that he had been turned down as unsalable by an auction company as a two-year-old. Retracing the colt's steps on his circuitous path to glory, Eisenberg pieces together one of the most remarkable stories in the history of a sport rife with the stuff of fairy tales. Told with a firm understanding of the subject and a deft narrative touch, it makes fascinating reading. Dennis Dodge --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: The University Press of Kentucky; Rep Sub edition (August 23, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0813190339
• ISBN-13: 978-0813190334
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,144,527 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Eisenberg grew up with books in his hands - his first summer job was at his mother's bookstore in his hometown of Dallas, Texas. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, he wrote for newspapers for almost three decades, mostly as a sports columnist at The Baltimore Sun covering major events such as the Super Bowl, Final Four, World Series, Kentucky Derby, and soccer's World Cup while also paying attention to his hometown teams - the Baltimore Ravens, Baltimore Orioles, and Maryland Terrapins. Along the way he wrote 3,000 columns and won more than 20 awards, including several first-places in the prestigious Associated Press Sports Editors contest.

He also has written for Sports Illustrated, Smithsonian Magazine, and Details, and before working in Baltimore. spent five years with the Dallas Times Herald.

No matter if he is writing about a famous football coach, a heartbroken jockey, or a pitcher who wins 20 games, John is known for unearthing original stories and bringing them to life with his clear-eyed analysis and lively narrative style. His book topics have included the start of Vince Lombardi's dynasty in Green Bay, the history of the Baltimore Orioles, his experience as a young fan of the Dallas Cowboys in the 1960s, the tragic breakdown of the horse Barbaro, and an outrageous North-South horse race that captivated the nation in 1823.

John lives in Baltimore, Maryland.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This will re-kindle your interest in horse racing, June 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed The Longest Shot. I found it at my local library but have since purchased a copy for my growing horse library. I've been a horse nut my whole life but had not been following racing too closely. However, reading this book rekindled my interest. The author weaves the story of the horse and his people. There was always someone who believed in the horse and his career continued. The trainer, Lynn Whiting, and the jockey, Pat Day are particularly interesting as they help this horse towards the top of the equine world. One does not have to be an expert in the racing world to enjoy the book, but at the same time it does not speak down to the reader. I have recommended the book to my family members who have accompanied me on my adventures to Kentucky to visit Lil E Tee. A very well written book which will bring tears to your eyes as you realize that the horse and his connections will actually WIN the Kentucky Derby. An excellent sports book. As well written as a John Feinstein book. Read it!

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A fascinating look at a stunning upset., July 2, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby (Hardcover)

As one of millions who was caught up in "Arazi" fever following his stunning Breeders' Cup Juvenile win, this book provides a fascinating look at a horse which most people totally over looked.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Pleasant Surprise, December 11, 2003

By 

Alan Leroy Albrecht (Omaha, NE, USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Longest Shot: Lil E. Tee and the Kentucky Derby (Hardcover)

It took me until 2003 to read this book. As the book says Lil E. Tee had a dime store pedigree and I figured that being the case this book could not be that good. Boy was I wrong. Eisenberg researched this Lil E. Tee's story thoroughly. He loads the book with detail yet it reads like a novel. It is a fascinating creation. I could not put it down.