Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing [Paperback]

Elizabeth Mitchell (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 16, 2003

ow in paperback, reporter Elizabeth Mitchell introduces her readers to the mysterious, mercurial world of horse racing in a book that's as fast-paced and colorful as a day at the track. Focusing on the 1999 Derby winner Charismatic, Mitchell traces this horse's amazing and ultimately tragic story, from the birth of a foal through its surprising rise to fame. Mitchell also follows the major players in Charismatic's life, including the family who bred him, the trainer, the owners, and the famed jockey Chris Antley, whose own story is more tragic than that of his horse. Through these interlocking stories a sense of familiarity with the key players in the industry evolves, as well as a greater understanding of the heart and soul of a sport that has fascinated human beings for centuries.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

The day of the 20th century's final Kentucky Derby was perfectly brilliant, with a clear blue sky and pleasant, intoxicating heat. More magical than the weather, though, were the moments the Derby synthesized: the surprise victory of underdogs Charismatic and Chris Antley, and an unexpected love of racing for author Elizabeth Mitchell and her cancer-stricken companion, Chuck. The inspiration for Mitchell's engrossing Three Strides Before the Wire lies in those moments, when the couple's world was suddenly buoyed by the spectacular comeback of the talented but tormented jockey and the "tubby" chestnut saddled with the third-worst odds of any winner in Derby history.

Newly awakened to the mysterious forces at play in the sport of thoroughbred racing, journalist Mitchell retraces Charismatic's ascension from a well-bred underachiever draining his owners' bank account to a legitimate contender for the 1999 Triple Crown, a trajectory that ended with injury at the Belmont Stakes. Such a tale in horseracing is not without its personalities, and Mitchell deftly portrays the tough-as-nails trainer D. Wayne Lukas, the impassioned owners Bob and Beverly Lewis, and the gifted but drug-addled Antley, who felt an affinity for the stout colt because the first six letters of his name spelled "Chris A." Three Strides Before the Wire skillfully grafts history and anecdote in a rich narrative revealing both the pure glory and tough-luck hardships of thoroughbred racing, casting compassionate light on Antley's jagged path of fantastic success, drug abuse, and depression. Mitchell's astute observations of the industry's miraculous but destructive elements and the irresistible trickery of chance--which delighted her and Chuck that poignant day at the Derby--coalesce in an engaging, heart-wrenching read. --Rebecca Robinson --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Publishers Weekly

A contributing editor at Newsweek and author of W: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty, Mitchell was drawn into the sport of horse racing by chance. In 1999, Mitchell and her boyfriend, Chuck, then undergoing treatment for leukemia, made a spontaneous trip to the Kentucky Derby. Basing her wager on a portentous dream, Mitchell picked the winning horse, Charismatic, a 20-1 long shot, and thus began her research into Charismatic's story. Almost given up on by his owners and trainers, Charismatic wasn't the only surprise victor that year; his jockey and trainer were also amazing comeback stories. A shy and quiet kid who set several racing records while still a teenager, jockey Chris Antley didn't handle success well. Drugs and depression seemed to have taken their final toll when Antley, who had grown over an inch in a bizarre, late growth spurt, was saddled with an extra 15 pounds (jockeys must maintain strict, low weight to ride). Charismatic's trainer, D. Wayne Lukas, was a champion trainer whose reputation was losing ground to younger trainers. Mitchell weaves these struggles (as well as that of her stricken boyfriend) into a story that raises the question of the importance of luck, fate, work and genetics in the lives of man and beast. Mitchell's easy tone is backed by meticulous research, including original author interviews. Though the stories are often exceedingly poignant, Mitchell is never cloying; this beautiful book makes a distinct contribution to a singularly American sport and culture.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 403 pages
• Publisher: Hyperion (April 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786886226
• ISBN-13: 978-0786886227
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (47 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,284,907 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Elizabeth Mitchell is the author of the nonfiction books, Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing (Hyperion) and W.: Revenge of the Bush Dynasty (Hyperion). Her bestselling e-single, The Fearless Mrs. Goodwin (Byliner) and Lady With a Past: A Petulant French Sculptor, His Quest for Immortality and the Real Story of the Statue of Liberty (Byliner) are reported historical narratives. Mitchell was executive editor of George magazine and features editor at SPIN magazine. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not very good!, July 14, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing (Hardcover)

This book is a disappointment to say the least. The author's account of Chris Antley and the 1999 Triple Crown lacks focus and is poorly researched. This book has many factual mistakes that even the most causal horse racing fan will catch. This book does not even come close to Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit. The author's own story of a dying boyfriend is not as effective as it should be. There are several horse racing books out right now that are much better: Jockey Gary Stevens manages to give readers a more compelling and touching portrait of Chris Antley in just one chapter of his
autobiography The Perfect Ride, then Mitchell does in her whole book!

35 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars No Stars, June 26, 2002

By 

John G. Keresty (Ringwood, NJ United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing (Hardcover)

This book is poorly written, over-footnoted, shoddily edited and totally inane. The author and publisher obviously foisted this travesty upon the public in an attempt to capitalize on the fascination with thoroughbred racing generated by the wonderful "Seabiscuit". If you don't know a thing about horse racing, this pap isn't going to help the learning curve. In one instance, the author has one jockey on a horse at the start of the race and a different jockey astoundingly riding him toward the finish line. Did I miss some incaculable feat of magic? The dialogue, which features more than 400 footnoted quotes, carries on as if the characters speak in semi-literate grunts. My goodness. If you were to base your assessment of jockeys and trainers and owners and agents on this sad mess, you'd believe the entire thoroughbred industry is populated with dolts with the collective IQ of a Venus Fly Trap.This book tries to spin the tragic tale of deceased jockey Chris Antley, his Kentucky Derby-winning mount Charismatic, and the relationship of the writer with a cancer victim. Kind of like "Love Story" meets "Mr. Ed" in a collision of runaway brain cells.At some point in this rambling bit of lunacy, the history of gambling is breeched with unimaginable bits of misinformation. Thoughts jump around and sentences ramble indicating somebody slept a lot during the editing process. It is obvious that this gatherer of quotes knew very little about the "Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing" when she decided to try and make money with what should have been a very compelling story. The horse racing is still beautiful,the dark part is the way the story is told.

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Slightly below mediocre, June 30, 2002

By 

Lance Randall (Mount Holly, North Carolina, 28120) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Three Strides Before the Wire: The Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing (Hardcover)

I was excited at the potential of this book, and continued to the end with the hopes that it would eventually redeem itself and get past being a sappy, rambling, humorless and heavy-handed account. Unfortunately, it didn't.