He was born to run. Everyone said he would be one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Everyone said he would take a place in history next to Triple Crown winners like the fabled Secretariat. Then, in one sickening, heart-stopping moment, everything changed. Suddenly he was no longer racing for glory; he was fighting for his life. And the horse bred to be a champion became much more. He became a symbol of hope and courage for an entire nation.

    A Lexington, Kentucky, area equine organization even took on the name "Old Friends" to give r etired racehorses a final home. So, now, Livingston is back with More Old Friends, featuring 175 color photographs of some of racing's most revered retirees.

    Since winning her first race a little more than a year earlier, the unbeaten, unflappable Ruffian had literally raced her way into the hearts of a nation. One of those hearts belonged to Newsday turf reporter William Nack.As a boy in Illinois, Nack had carried in his pocket a trading card of his hero, Swaps, the winner of the 1955 Kentucky Derby. As a young soldier in Vietnam, Nack tuned out the midnight bomb blasts by listening to racetrack broadcasts from Santa Anita. Now, fresh off the publication of his astonishing biography of Secretariat -- described by Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand as "the gold standard of horse books" -- he found himself smitten once again.But tragedy struck that summer's day at Belmont Park. After charging from the gate, Ruffian stumbled and shattered her right foreleg. She had to be put down. Nack's heartbreaking run with thoroughbred racing's most famous filly will soon be immortalized in a made-for-TV movie to be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. In this moving, lyrical memoir, he relives the afternoon that forever changed his love affair with the track.

    Through an unbeatable combination of case studies and lively anecdotes, Beyer shows the smart bettor how to combine past performance data with an understanding of trips, track bias, and pace. This advanced guide to handicapping, which includes a new preface by the author, offers a generous dose of the wit and wisdom that have made Beyer a legend in the sport.

    It isn't. Not by a long shot. Anyone who doubts this need look no further than Suffolk Downs, a once-proud racecourse graced in its glory years by boisterous throngs and champions such as Seabiscuit. Now the blue-collar East Boston track is one of many that have fallen on hard times. These days "Sufferin' Downs" is where grizzled Thoroughbreds come to end their careers, hopeful young jockeys aspire against daunting odds to begin them, and diehard fans cheer, curse and gamble on the entire fascinating spectacle. These bit players are not just cogs of a single, struggling horse track. They are the unseen supporting cast for a $15 billion betting industry.In fifteen years as a racing reporter and press box personality, T.D. Thornton gained access to remote corners of racetrack life off limits to the general public. He got to know the raucously Runyonesque characters and the quirky personalities of the horses; he learned the tricks of the trade from trainers, owners, and jockeys; he witnessed the tragedies and small triumphs of racing lives lived below the radar. One recent season, he finally decided to write it all down.Not by a Long Shot is a deeply textured portrait of an industry where even the best in the business lose 75 percent of the time.

    Beyer shows the handicapper how to make his Beyer Speed Figures the focal point of a wagering strategy for pursuing spectacular profits by relating speed figures to pace, track bias, and track conditions. He helps bettors utilize new opportunities for picking winners, such as video replays and a successfully structured multirace ticket, whether betting online, on the phone, or at the track.This invaluable book on wagering includes a new preface by the author, focusing on the role of simulcasting and the Internet in modern-day handicapping. Written in Beyer's entertaining, rapid-fire prose, Beyer on Speed is a must-read for every bettor, from the beginner to the most advanced player.

    He was born to run. Everyone said he would be one of the greatest racehorses of all time. Everyone said he would take a place in history next to Triple Crown winners like the fabled Secretariat.Then, in one sickening, heart-stopping moment, everything changed. Suddenly he was no longer racing for glory; he was fighting for his life. And the horse bred to be a champion became much more.He became a symbol of hope and courage for an entire nation.

    The Derby is one of America's yearly iconic events that is watched by a huge cross section of the County––from the extravagant hat wearers in "Millionaire's Row" to the rowdy campers in the infield to the millions who watch from their living rooms.This stunning, full–color book is the official reference for the Derby, complete with a comprehensive history of the race, essential facts and statistics, and the gripping stories of dreams won and lost in every Derby since 1875. Relive each exhilarating two minute battle to the finish line as the moments and people who have made the race what it is today are revealed, along with fascinating trivia that every horse lover should know, such as Triple Crown nominees, famous disqualifications, starting post positions of winners, birthplaces, bloodlines, and more.