"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

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

The Greatest Race?

Breeders' Cup is around the bend and the race I'm most intrigued by involves the female horse. No, no, not ZENYATTA, rather Goldikova. I'll never forget watching this mare's turn of foot in the Mile two years ago. That was so visually impressive. How often do you remember a turf race in North America?

I'm more intrigued by this race than the Classic. Last year's Classic runner up, Gio Ponti, one of the world's best turf horses, dails back in distance to challenge Goldikova.

It plans on being 90 seconds in heaven.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

After being dissapointed to hear Gio Ponti was being pointed to the Classic, we hear today race is on - Goldikova vs Gio Ponti!

November 2, 2010 at 9:09 AM
Brendan O'Meara said...

Yes, this is indeed good news. I understand him running in the Classic over a synthetic surface like the one previously at Santa Anita — it played like turf. But to run in the Classic or real dirt at Churchill was silly. Very happy he's squaring off against Goldikova — the poor mare who will be overshadowed on Saturday.

November 2, 2010 at 9:28 AM

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