Saratoga Tales [Hardcover]

Bill Heller (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1, 2004

This is a book that will appeal to racing fans, sports lovers, and readers who just can't resist a good yarn. Saratoga truly comes alive in these exciting, ironic, funny, strange, and adventurous tales. This book is filled with extraordinary stories of racing legends and Hall of Fame jockeys.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Heller has won eight national awards for magazine writing, including the Eclipse Award, and writes regularly for several magazines. He covers the Saratoga meet every summer and also writes a daily Saratoga Journal on his website. As the handicapper for the Schenectady Daily, he finished as the leading public handicapper for the 2000 saratoga meet. This is his 17th book. He profiled Thoroughbred legends for Wand Personal Ensign and Forego, wrote Graveyard of Champions, and most recently authored Go For the Green, a handicapping book about turf racing which was published in 2003. Bill was born in Liberty, NY, and graduated from the University of Albany. He lives in Albany with his wife and their son.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 193 pages
• Publisher: Whitston Publishing Co Inc (July 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0878755519
• ISBN-13: 978-0878755516
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,182,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Enjoyable Read, April 14, 2005

By 

Chrissy (Clifton Park, New York United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saratoga Tales (Hardcover)

I grew up near Saratoga, and I've always liked the way Bill Heller writes about racing. Too many sports writers cover racing and only want to cover the statistics. Bill Heller gets to the heart of racing; the stories of the horses and the people involved who love them.
Barbara Livingston has contributed photos which really add to the book. Even though they are in black and white, she has a way of capturing the soul of the subjects she photographs.
This book just makes you fall in love with horse racing. If you already love racing, you will love to hear what your favorite jockeys, trainers and owners have to say about your favorite horses. Also, there is no negativity in this book. It would be so easy in some of the tales to come down hard on those involved, and no one does that. I like that this book looks at those who are often overlooked in the racing industry. Credit is given to everyone from the track superintendants to the starter and the gate crew for doing their jobs well. Let's face it, no one notices the gate crew or the maintenance people until something goes wrong, and then it's too easy to jump all over them.
Anyway, I think this is a very enjoyable book, and easy read and it really makes you want to vacation in Saratoga this year, just to be a part of the magic that is Saratoga in August.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great racing read, August 16, 2004

By 

Boca Bert "Bert" (Boca Raton, FL.) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Saratoga Tales (Hardcover)

If you are a regular at the race track, or even if you only have seen 1 or 2 horse races in your life, than you will love this book as I did. I read the book and found the stories so great that two weeks ago I went to Saratoga Raceway for the first time in my life.
In the very first race the starter did something wrong and they had to refund all the money bet on horse number 1.
It made the stoties in Saratoga Tales as true as could be.
I loved these stories and I will remember them whenever I go to the races again.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Saratoga horse racing stories, October 15, 2005

By 

C. Carlson (Arkansas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Saratoga Tales (Hardcover)

I bought this book, along with another collection of race track stories for my husband. He really enjoyed it, and since he is a trainer and a vet, that is an excellent recommendation.