"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, May 4, 2011

Extra material from the Kentucky Derby Trainers Dinner

When Nick Zito's assistant trainer Tim Poole went to the mike to speak with TVG's Todd Schrupp, Schrupp asked Poole, "When Dialed In ran, what was the conversation like between Julien Leparoux and Nick Zito like?"

Poole said, "You want to know? This is how it went. Nick asked Julien, 'You seen the movie 'Secretariat?'

'Yeah.'

'Well, I'm puttin' you on him.'"

Makes you want to throw down $200 bucks and pay for your hotels with it.

Also, at Twinspired's table sat trainer Kelly Breen. He was called up to the podium and he spoke of his horse and jockey Rosie Napravnik.

(Side Bar: For all those who think Chantal Sutherland is the most beautiful woman jockey on the track, let's take a look at Ms. Napravnik. She's smart, she's put together, and she's tough as a mountain lion. And, Bruce Springsteen would love this, she's a red head. "It takes a red head to get a dirty job done." Just sayin'.)

So Rosie stood then sat. Schrupp then said that at 6'4" he's usually the tallest man in the room. He then asked another person at Breen's table to stand:  NBA center and world champion Will Purdue. He stood up, uncomfortably I might add, and waved.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will you be attending the post positions draw today?

May 4, 2011 at 9:22 AM
Brendan O'Meara said...

I will not. I'll be walking around Louisville speaking with bartenders and asking them if the bourbon culture is a myth propped up by corporate interest, or if it is fervently alive in every tulip glass of whiskey.

May 4, 2011 at 9:46 AM

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