Customer Reviews

Saratoga Days

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

 

 

Sean Clancy cites Red Smith as one of his literary heroes. Well, if writing were a horse race, Mr. Smith would have to look out. Sean Clancy's Saratoga Days is one of the most informative, engagingly written, literate, and absorbing books ever written on racing. Himself a steeplechase jockey, Clancy shows us the world of Saratoga as we've never before been shown in -- it's like having a private guided tour with a funny, humane, intelligent tour guide. There are stars here -- Beautiful Pleasure, More Than Ready, Lemon Drop Kid -- as well as names not known to the casual follower of racing -- Amarettitorun, Bourbon Belle, and of course, the great Succeed. Their stories are the fabric of Saratoga, and this book IS Saratoga in August.

Ever been to Saratoga? Well, even if you haven't, Sean Clancy's Saratoga Days will not only transport you there and give you a feel for the place, but it will also give you a guided tour from the perspective of a professional rider and writer.

The Saratoga Race Course meet may have ended Labor Day Weekend, but the spirit of the meet and the town lives on in the hearts of racing fans everywhere. Saratoga Days is the kind of book that can take you back to those magical August days at any time of the year. Read it after the meet to get that nostalgic feeling - then read it again come this spring to prepare yourself for next summer's adventures.

If you want to get a sense of the place that is Saratoga, you need to read this book. You'll learn so much about the place and racing in general. As a porofessional jockey/journalist Sean writes with a perspective that most racing writers would kill for. This is my favorite book about racing since William Murray's THE WRONG HORSE.

Sean Clancy's Saratoga Days is a must read for horse people, and anyone interested in the beauty and history of Saratoga Race Course and Saratoga Springs, New York. Sean takes the reader into the rewarding and unpredictable world of horse racing, as well as the magical town that is so difficult to describe. Sean does this extremely well. The book is truly insightful, realistic and an absolute pleasure to read. Sean, please document additional years.