"Six Weeks in Saratoga" available! Go get it!

"Six Weeks in Saratoga: How Three-Year-Old Rachel Alexandra Beat the Boys and Became Horse of the Year" published July 1, 2011. Keep it locked here, at The Carryover or go to SUNY Press to order your copy ... right now! Or head on down to your favorite bookseller.

Praise for "Six Weeks in Saratoga"

“Going behind the scenes of three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra’s 2009 triumph … O’Meara makes her story gallop and gleam.” — Chronogram

“The [book] is one of enjoyable promise, and as the author recounts little moments and inside conversations, he provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of the figures he covers. The narrative keeps game pace with outside literary standards and features bursts of brilliance, and I found it a refreshing change from the selection of racing-themed volumes available today. As O’Meara brings his subjects to life, you find yourself thinking this is the kind of guy whose work I want to follow.” — Claire Novak, ESPN.com

“O’Meara … provide[s] a tremendous amount of detail from behind the scenes that the reader would not have otherwise enjoyed … Six Weeks is essentially a Rachel book, but it’s told without neglecting the always rich backdrop of a Saratoga meet. That means there’s history, surprises, characters (human and equine), great racing, foggy mornings and sun-splashed afternoons—plenty of material through which O’Meara could exercise his descriptive abilities.” — Schenectady Daily Gazette
“O’Meara fell for a magical place and magnificent horse, which is a lovely malady that often befalls horse people, and with a great deal of heart he tells us how and why. You’ll never forget his Six Weeks in Saratoga, either.” — Joe Drape, author of Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen

“Brendan O’Meara tells the story of this proud horse with verve and great historical insight. Six Weeks in Saratoga marks the debut of an exciting new talent.” — Wil Haygood, author of Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson

“Brendan O’Meara’s Six Weeks in Saratoga is a victory to be savored by those who treasure good writing in general and tales of the track in particular. Horses may win races, but they also win hearts as this impressive book proves beyond doubt. A memorable, sure-footed debut.” — Madeleine Blais, author of In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle

Friday, April 30, 2010

Good ol' Pete is here, Amen Hallelujah!

Happy Oaks Day Carryover readers!  It's good ol' Pete here, watching the Oaks Day card while marinating some mint in my Makers Mark bourbon in preperation for Derby Day festivities.  We've aleady witnessed the David Ortiz-type fall to mediocrity of Rachel Alexandra, whom I picked (a year early) to be proven ordinary on Oaks Day.

But enough about failures! The carryover is no stranger to those.  Here's my late p4  and Oaks plays.  Put on a pink shirt, drink a cosmo, and get warmed up for the greatest day of the year.

Race 8:  Watch out for Perfect Officer from George Weaver.  Beat both Affirmatif and Wall Street Wonder at Saratoga last year, and Formidable may have found a new game on the grass.  Throw out Pletcher's filly who won on a speed favoring GP strip, include the other two favorites, and we're getting this party started drama-free.

Race 9:  Tough race to feel good about anyone, so we'll hope Fresian Fire can bounce back and that Macho Again is ready to run his race today.  Cool Coal Man nearly won this last year, and may have a better set-up this year if Fresian dosen't go nuts pace wise with him out of the gate.  Throw in the Dutrow horse as well.  He could be anything.

Race 10:  There's never been a wiser wise guy horse in the history of the Derby than Setsuko - and he's not even in the Derby.  Wise guys like him for a reason though - he can run fast at the end of a race.  And you gotta love Pleasantly Perfect 3yo's on the grass.  Let's use Pletcher's Rock Hard Ten 450k purchase Doubles Partner as well, who comes out of a super key race at GP.

Race 11:  Amen Hallelujah! Severe distance limitations in this Montbrook filly's pedigree, but who cares! Life is short! Let's hope the stretch stays short for her, because she will be in the lead turning for home.  Blind Luck may be too much for her though.  Watch out for Ailalea as well.

So that leaves us with a 50 cent P4:  2,3,6,9 with 2,3,4,7 with  1,6 with 5,13 (32 bones)

And in the Oaks, a $1 tri box 5,6,12,13 (24 bones)

Cristal is on me!
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1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Is this a carryover first? A pick 4 ticket that actually hit???

April 30, 2010 at 7:11 PM

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