100 Best Horse Racing Books of All Time (Updated for 2026)

1

Seabiscuit: An American Legend

Laura Hillenbrand

5.0

There's an alternate cover edition here

Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s for

2

Secretariat

William Nack

4.5

In 1973, Secretariat, the greatest champion in horse-racing history, won the Triple Crown. The only horse to ever grace the covers of "Time, Newsweek," and "Sports Illustrated" in the same week, he also still holds the records for the fastest times in both the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes. He was also the only non-human chosen as one of ESPN's "50 Greatest Athletes of the Century." The ta

3

The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World's Greatest Racehorse

Lawrence Scanlan

4.5

"For anybody who loves horses, and for all of those who are thrilled by horse racing and the behind-the-scenes drama of the track, The Horse That God Built is must reading."
--Michael Korda, author of Horse People

Most of us know the legend of Secretariat, the tall, handsome chestnut racehorse whose string of honors runs long and rich: the only two-year-old ever to win Horse of the Year, in 1972; wi

4

Ruffian: Burning From the Start

Jane Schwartz

4.5

During two short seasons at the track, Ruffian was hailed as the greatest thoroughbred filly of all time. Unbeaten in her first ten starts, she shattered one record after another, dazzling crowds with both her beauty and her brilliant speed. Then tragedy struck on the afternoon of July 6, 1975. Ruffian broke down–on the lead–in the middle of a match race at Belmont Park. Later that night she had t

5

Longshot

Dick Francis

4.3

Jump in the saddle with a sure thing.

Writer John Kendall travels to England to interview a racehorse trainer with something to hide-a secret that could threaten Kendall's life.

Recommended by Mary King.

Mary King

They are all based on the racing world. Dick Francis was a former jockey. Every book I have read of his is very exciting. They always begin with something that captures you right from the start. In this book, the main character is a young author called John Kendall who has agreed to write the biography of a famous horse trainer. When he arrives at the trainer’s house, one of the riders has just been acquitted of the murder of a young woman he had quarrelled with. But after spending time with the trainer and his team, Kendall discovers there is more to the stable girl’s murder than meets the eye. [source]

Cover unavailable

6

Picking Winners: A Horseplayer's Guide

Andrew Beyer

4.3

A classic guide to handicap strategies in the field of thoroughbred racing

Just as football evolved with the introduction of the forward pass and basketball with the development of the jump shot, so too was handicapping forever changed by the use of speed figures—and it all started with Andrew Beyer. With a foreword discussing the changes that have swept horse racing since the book's original publi

7

Man o' War: A Legend Like Lightning

Dorothy Ours

4.3

His trainer said that managing him was like holding a tiger by the tail. His owner compared him to "chain lightning." His jockeys found their lives transformed by him, in triumphant and distressing ways. All of them became caught in a battle for honesty.
Born in 1917, Man o' War grew from a rebellious youngster into perhaps the greatest racehorse of all time. He set such astonishing speed records

8

Wild Ride: The Rise and Tragic Fall of Calumet Farm, Inc., America's Premier Racing Dynasty

Ann Hagedorn Auerbach

4.3

An award-winning writer chronicles the tragic story behind the downfall of horse racing's crown jewel.

Founded in 1924 by Chicago mogul William Monroe Wright, Calumet Farm was to the world of thoroughbred racing what the New York Yankees are to baseball -- a sports dynasty. The stable bred so many superstars that it became the standard by which all achievements were measured in the horse racing ind

9

Nerve

Dick Francis

4.3

Rob Finn was a bit of a misfit: a struggling young jockey in a family of accomplished musicians, a man in love with a beautiful woman who wouldn't have him -- he suddenly looked like a rider who had lost his nerve. Could it be, though, that the horses were unusually sluggish, and that there was something more sinister attempting to sabotage him...?
"The best thriller writer going."
ATLANTIC MONTHLY

10

Come to Grief (Sid Halley, #3)

Dick Francis

4.3

Sid Halley, ex-champion jockey turned investigator, is facing his toughest test.

A number of horses have been brutally mutilated, horrifying their owners and the general public. Even Sid's friend, broadcaster Ellis Quint, has been moved to make a shocking programme about it.

But when Sid is asked to look into the case, the evidence he uncovers points in a startling direction and he finds that his he

11

Man O'War

Walter Farley

4.3

An exciting, moving piece of fiction based on the facts about one of the greatest horses of all time.

The feeling for horses, horse breeding and training, and horse racing is masterfully handled. Thrilling, highly recommended."--(starred) "School Library Journal.

12

Straight

Dick Francis

4.3

A jockey becomes the sole inheritor of his late brother's business, horse, mistress, and enemies.

13

Break In (Kit Fielding, #1)

Dick Francis

4.3

Steeplechase jockey Christmas "Kit" Fielding has had more than his share of close calls both on and off the course. But trouble hits close to home when a grudge between his family and his sister's in-laws turns into a blood feud.

14

Under Orders (Sid Halley, #4)

Dick Francis

4.3

"Sadly, death at the races is not uncommon. However, three in a single afternoon was sufficiently unusual to raise more than one eyebrow."

It's the third death on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day that really troubles super-sleuth Sid Halley. Last seen in 1995's Come to Grief, former champion jockey Halley knows the perils of racing all too well-but in his day, jockeys didn't usually reach the finishing li

15

Odds Against (Sid Halley, #1)

Dick Francis

4.3

Former hotshot jockey Sid Halley landed a position with a detective agency, only to catch a bullet from some penny-ante thug. Now, he has to go up against a field of thoroughbred criminals--and the odds are against him that he'll even survive.

16

Reflex

Dick Francis

4.3

Longtime jockey Philip Nore suspects that a racetrack photographer's fatal accident was really murder--and unravels some nasty secrets of corruption, blackmail, and murder.

17

Whip Hand (Sid Halley, #2)

Dick Francis

4.3

"Challenging....First class."
THE BALTIMORE SUN
Sid Halley, once a jockey, was now a private invesigator with only one good hand left after a horse fell on the other. His new life, though, could never erase the haunting memories of his past glories. But it was only when the wife of one of England's top trainers came to beg his help in preventing foul play at the race track that Sid Halley began to k

18

Hot Money

Dick Francis

4.3

Malcolm Pembroke never expected to make a million pounds without making enemies. Nor did he expect his latest wife to be brutally murdered. All the clues suggest the killer comes from close to home - but after five marriages and nine children, that still leaves the field wide open. When he finds his own life in danger, Pembroke entrusts his safety to his estranged son, Ian, an amateur jockey; and

19

Blood Sport

Dick Francis

4.2

English agent Gene Hawkins is restlessly facing three weeks of vacation with only his tormented past for company. So when his boss asks him to help millionaire Dave Teller locate a prized missing stallion, he accepts. But he gets more action than he bargained for when he draws the affection of his boss' beautiful teenage daughter, advances from Teller's socialite wife, and the deadly attention of

20

Wild Horses

Dick Francis

4.2

Once a blacksmith, now famous and respected as a newspaperman, Valentine Clark knows everyone who is anyone in the racing world. Aged, confused, blind and dying, he harbors a daunting secret that he is desperate to be rid of. he makes his last confession to his visiting film-director friend, Thomas Lyon, whom in his delirium he mistakes for a priest. Unburdened and at peace, Valentine passes away,

21

10 lb Penalty

Dick Francis

4.2

Benedict Juliard is an aspiring jockey who must bypass his dreams of horse racing to help his father, George, in his quest to enter the world of politics. At 18, the reserved Benedict is asked by his father to enter into a pact: Neither of the two will do anything that could somehow hinder or destroy George's blossoming political career. Young Benedict, who has no stronger ambition than to ride st

22

Dead Cert

Dick Francis

4.2

As jockey Alan York looked at the back of Bill Davidson astride the great horse Admiral, one thing was different. Before his rival reached the last hurdle, he was dead. Alan knew racing was dangerous; he also knew Bill's death was no accident. It was the kind of knowledge that could get a man killled....
"The best thriller writer going."
THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY

23

Bolt (Kit Fielding, #2)

Dick Francis

4.2

Kit Fielding will do whatever it takes to stop the killing of racehorses. Not an easy task considering that the woman he adores is leaving him, an international arms dealer is threatening him, and Kit's nemesis has plans to knock him off the track—and plant him under it.

24

American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner's Legendary Rise

Joe Drape

4.2

History was made at the 2015 Belmont Stakes when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown, the first since Affirmed in 1978. As magnificent as the champion is, the team behind him has been all too human while on the road to immortality.

Written by an award-winning New York Times sportswriter, American Pharoah is the definitive account not only of how the ethereal colt won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness

25

The Black Stallion (The Black Stallion, #1)

Walter Farley

4.2

Alec Ramsay is the sole human survivor of a devastating shipwreck. Trapped on a deserted island, Alec finds his only companion is a horse, beautiful, unbroken, and savage . . . a horse whose beauty matches his wild spirit.

This first classic story of the Black Stallion, full of action, excitement, and suspense, has set the pace for horse stories for sixty years . . . and continues to leave its riva

26

Silks

Dick Francis, Felix Francis

4.2

“Julian Trent, you have been found guilty by this court of perpetrating a violent and unprovoked attack on an innocent family, including a charge of attempted murder. You have shown little or no remorse for your actions and I consider you a danger to society.”

When defense lawyer Geoffrey Mason hears the judge’s ruling at London’s Old Bailey, he quietly hopes that a substantial sentence will be han

27

Dick Francis's Gamble

Felix Francis

4.2

Felix Francis co-wrote several horse racing mysteries with his late father Dick Francis before the legendary author passed away in 2010. Taking up the reins for his first solo effort, Felix delivers a captivating tale that franchise fans will thoroughly enjoy. Former jockey Nicholas “Foxy” Foxton is at the track one day when he witnesses the execution-style killing of his friend Herb Novak. Worrie

28

Funny Cide

The Funny Cide Team, Sally Jenkins

4.2

They had no business being there. They were up against million-dollar horses owned by patricians, oilmen, Arab sheiks, and Hollywood producers. They were ten regular guys, and all they wanted was to win a race. Instead, they won the hearts of America.

In 2003, a three-year-old with the unlikely name of Funny Cide became "the people's horse," the unheralded New York-bred gelding who-in a time of war

29

Proof

Dick Francis

4.2

Wine merchant Tony Beach has expertly catered his latest society soiree, but the fun's over when a team of hit men crash the party…literally. The event leaves Tony with a bitter aftertaste of suspicion—and sets off a mystery that's an intoxicating blend of deception, intrigue, and murder.

30

Twice Shy

Dick Francis

4.2

A computerized horse-betting system falls into Jonathan Derry's hands--and unless he returns it to the rightful owners, the odds of his survival are slim to none.

31

High Stakes

Dick Francis

4.2

Steven Scott may have been a successful, wealthy inventor with no experience in horseracing, but with the inspired guidance of his trainer, Jody Leeds, and the prowess of a beautiful black hurdler named Energise, he has brought home several wins. But his winning streak is about to come to a fast end when he discovers trouble in his own stables—trouble that could bring about his own termination if

32

The Edge

Dick Francis

4.2

A high-class, transcontinental horse-racing junket should be an idyllic getaway for the super-rich.

But one passenger on this train is a sociopath, a genius at blackmail and criminal corruption—and he plans to take everyone for everything they've got.

33

For Kicks

Dick Francis

4.2

Daniel Roke, Australian who established a stud farm to raise orphaned siblings, accepts undercover stable lad job from the Earl of October, investigating steeplechase doping in England. At least ten horses win adrenalin-high stimulated, but regular lab tests show nothing. Gorgeous October daughters distract, detract, and fatally endanger. Tension builds into an explosive fight to the death.

34

Thoroughbred Champions: Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century

The Blood-Horse Staff

4.2

Follows The Blood-Horse's Top 100 list, beginning with Man o' War in the No. 1 spot and ending with Blue Larkspur at No. 100.

35

Enquiry

Dick Francis

4.2

Vintage paperback

36

Forfeit

Dick Francis

4.2

When reporter Bert Checkov falls to his death, his colleague James Tyrone thinks he can prove it was murder. But there's no such thing as a sure thing.

37

Dick Francis's Damage

Felix Francis

4.2

Felix Francis is back with another edge-of-your-seat thriller, in the classic Dick Francis tradition.

Undercover investigator Jeff Hinkley is assigned by the British Horseracing Authority to look into the activities of a suspicious racehorse trainer, but as he’s tailing his quarry through the Cheltenham Racing Festival, the last thing he expects to witness is a gruesome murder. Could it have someth

Cover unavailable

38

Even Money

Dick Francis, Felix Francis

4.2

Ned Talbot is a small-time bookmaker on the edge of giving it all up when his world is turned upside down by a man who claims to be his father, long thought dead. And when the mysterious stranger is murdered, Ned feels compelled to find out exactly what is going on. But the more he discovers, the longer the odds become for his survival.

39

Secretariat's Meadow: The Land, the Family, the Legend

Kate Chenery Tweedy

4.2

Presents the story of how the Chenerey family came to breed and race Secretariat along with the history of the family and the land in which they bred racehorses.

40

Betting on Horse Racing for Dummies

Richard Eng

4.2

How to enjoy a day at the races-and bet to win!
The last two years have seen a record number of Americans tune in for climatic Triple Crown races featuring Smarty Jones and Funny Cide; in 2004, television viewership jumped a whopping 61 percent over the record set in 2003, and the Belmont Stakes race itself drew a record crowd of more than 120,000! This easy-to-understand guide shows first-time vi

41

To the Hilt

Dick Francis

4.2

From the acclaimed master of mystery and suspense comes the story of a self-imposed outcast who must refresh his detection skills in order to save himself and his family.

42

In the Frame

Dick Francis

4.2

Charles Todd—a renowned painter of horses—is shocked when he turns up at his cousin Donald’s house for a weekend visit to find his cousin’s young wife dead on the floor—and Donald the police’s prime suspect. Determined to prove Donald’s innocence, Todd trails a set of clues from England to Australia to New Zealand, only to realize that someone is trailing him. Someone with every intention of takin

43

Decider

Dick Francis

4.2

Architect Lee Morris inherits a partial ownership in the Stratton Park racecourse--and with it, a dangerous position among the warring upper-class family trying to settle its fate. Morris would like to see the course restored to its former grandeur, but the various Stratton heirs have plans of their own. When an explosion rocks the grandstands, the disagreement turns violent--and Morris finds hims

44

Risk

Dick Francis

4.2

When he wakes in a pitch-black room with his hands bound, Roland Britten—accountant and champion steeplechase jockey—knows he’s entered a nightmare of someone else’s making. Wracking his brain to figure out who’s out to get him and why, he comes up empty, but somehow manages a death-defying escape. It isn’t long, though, before he’s recaptured. Now, with his life at stake, he must take every risk

45

Rat Race

Dick Francis

4.2

Hired to fly four racing buffs to the track, pilot Matt Shore expects it will be the kind of job he likes: quick and easy. Until, that is, he’s forced to make an emergency landing just minutes before the plane explodes. Luckily, no one is hurt, but it isn’t long before Matt realizes that he’s caught up in the rat race of violent criminals who are dead-set on putting anyone who stands in their way

46

Comeback

Dick Francis

4.2

With his 30th novel, Dick Francis proves without a doubt that he is one of the superstars among mystery-thriller writers.--Los Angeles Times Book Review. A globe-hopping diplomat comes face to face with a case of fatal corruption in Francis's new thoroughbred thriller.

47

Crossfire

Dick Francis, Felix Francis

4.2

Shell-shocked and missing a foot-lost to an IED during his tour of duty in Afghanistan-Captain Tom Forsyth has been sent "home" by the army and, at loose ends, returns to his estranged mother's house for the first time since he joined up at seventeen. But Josephine Kauri, the "first lady of British racing," has always put the horses she trains first and her family last. Tom soon finds himself stra

Cover unavailable

48

The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told: A True Tale of Three Gamblers, The Kentucky Derby, and the Mexican Cartel

Mark Paul

4.2

The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told is an inspiring personal narrative about a filly who broke through the male-dominated world of horseracing and inspired crowds of men and women alike, along with a trio of gamblers who embark on an unforgettable adventure that's as epic as the history victory of Winning Colors. It's Seabiscuit meets Narcos, and the best true-life gambling story ever told.

In t

49

Native Dancer: The Grey Ghost: Hero of a Golden Age

John Eisenberg

4.2

In the early 1950s, a rising star flickered across millions of black-and-white TV sets. Nicknamed "The Grey Ghost, " Native Dancer was a blue-blood thoroughbred with a taste for drama, courtesy of his come-from-behind running style, and impressive credits: He finished first in 21 of his 22 career starts, his only loss by a nose in the 1953 Kentucky Derby; was named Horse of the Year--twice; and wa

50

Flying Finish

Dick Francis

4.2

Much to his snobbish family's horror, Henry Grey takes on the dirty and demanding job of transporting racehorses by air. And when he discovers that he is transporting something altogether different, he has to fight to land with his life intact.

51

Banker

Dick Francis

4.2

A classic mystery from Dick Francis, the champion of English storytellers. Tim Ekaterin has a lot of money. Unfortunately, it is other people's, and it is his job to invest it wisely, or get fired. And right now he's taken a big risk: using £5 million to stud a champion racing stallion. When the resulting foals have birth defects, Tim is worried and decides that there may be something else going o

52

Beyer on Speed: New Strategies for Racetrack Betting

Andrew Beyer

4.2

No serious horseplayer should be without Beyer on Speed, the third jewel in Andrew Beyer's literary triple crown. 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 rep

53

Dick Francis's Refusal (Sid Halley, #5)

Felix Francis

4.2

Dick Francis’s beloved investigator Sid Halley returns in the riveting new mystery by New York Times–bestselling author Felix Francis.

Six years ago, investigator Sid Halley retired for good. He’d been harassed, beaten, shot, even lost a hand to his investigating business, and enough was enough. For the sake of his wife and new daughter he gave up that life of danger and uncertainty, and he thought

54

The Scorpio Races

Maggie Stiefvater

4.2

It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line. Some riders live. Others die.

At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.

Puck Connolly is different. She never meant

55

Bonecrack

Dick Francis

4.2

In the middle of the night, two masked men break into Neil Griffon’s home and abduct him. He quickly discovers that unless he agrees to their unreasonable demands, they will destroy his father’s precious horses and racing stable—and, ultimately, Neil himself. Returned to his father’s stables, he must find a way to bring down these criminals. Because having to choose between his integrity and his l

56

The Winning Horseplayer: An Advanced Approach to Thoroughbred Handicapping and Betting

Andrew Beyer

4.1

In The Winning Horseplayer, Andrew Beyer builds on the strategy of speed handicapping that he detailed brilliantly in Picking Winners by introducing the concept of trip handicapping. 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 ha

57

Driving Force

Dick Francis

4.1

The New York Times bestseller. Transporting racehorses is big business for ex-jockey Freddie Croft. But when one of his drivers breaks a cardinal rule--never pick up a hitchhiker--the results are fatal. Now strange nighttime stalkers and unseen conspirators are weaving a web of deceit and danger that Freddie might never escape.

58

Secretariat

Raymond G. Woolfe

4.1

Accompanied by stunning photographs, here is the behind-the-scenes story of Secretariat--Horse of the Century. A coin toss determined ownership of the yet unborn foal that was to become the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years, breaking and still holding all three track records. The author, who was on personal terms with Secretariat's owner, trainers, grooms, and jockey and who photograp

59

Shattered

Dick Francis

4.1

After his friend is killed in a horse-racing accident, up-and-coming glass artisan Gerard Logan finds himself embroiled in a deadly search for a stolen videotape--a videotape that just might destroy his own life.

60

Smokescreen

Dick Francis

4.1

Edward Lincoln is a worldwide celebrity who plays detectives on the big screen. But when his godmother asks him to investigate her racehorses in South Africa, he's out of his depth. Soon enough, he's plunged into a plot of gold, greed, and gilded lives that forces him to uncover a killer and give a bravura performance he'll never give again....

61

The Danger

Dick Francis

4.1

Kidnapping is Andrew Douglas's business: they take them, he finds them. But it isn't so simple when Alessia Cenci, golden-girl jockey, disappears, followed by the young child of a derby winner and the senior steward of the Jockey Club. From Italy to England to Washington, D.C., Andrew's caseload is suddenly, violently overflowing. And he must fight triply hard to keep his own name off the growing

62

Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments

Staff of Blood Horse Publications

4.1

Some of horse racing's most respected authorities looked at feats of greatness, world records, legendary rivalries, and innovations to rank the sport's top 100 moments. They weighed individual accomplishments against industry initiatives, innovations against lucky breaks to come up with the definitive list. They pondered Secretariat's 31-length Belmont Stakes victory, Smarty Jones' elusive Triple

63

Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt Who Conquered the Sport of Kings

Linda Carroll

4.1

In the bestselling tradition of the The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the propulsive, inspiring Cinderella story of Stymie, an unwanted Thoroughbred, and Hirsch Jacobs, the once dirt-poor trainer who bought the colt on the cheap and molded him into the most popular horse of his time and the richest racehorse the world had ever seen.

In the wake of World War II, as turmoil and chaos were giving way to a

64

Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America

Charles Leerhsen

4.1

A hundred years ago, the most famous athlete in America was a horse. But Dan Patch was more than a sports star; he was a cultural icon in the days before the automobile. Born crippled and unable to stand, he was nearly euthanized. For a while, he pulled the grocer's wagon in his hometown of Oxford, Indiana. But when he was entered in a race at the county fair, he won -- and he kept on winning. Har

65

Knockdown

Dick Francis

4.1

For a generous commission, ex-prize-winning jockey Jonah Dereham reluctantly agrees to bid on a young steeplechaser on behalf of a wealthy American woman. But his life is thrust into danger immediately following the auction, when he receives a blow to the head by two thugs demanding ownership of the horse. Unfortunately, that’s just the beginning—and now Jonah must figure out the high-stakes game

66

Stud: Adventures in Breeding

Kevin Conley

4.1

The most expensive thirty seconds in sports.

Every year, on Valentine's Day, the great Thoroughbred farms open their breeding sheds and begin their primary business. For the next one hundred and fifty days, the cries of stallions and the vigorous encouragement of their handlers echo through breeding country, from the gentle hills of Kentucky to the rich valleys of California.

First appearing as an a

67

Old Bones the Wonder Horse

Mildred Mastin Pace, Wesley Dennis

4.1

68

King of the Wind: The Story of the Godolphin Arabian

Marguerite Henry, Wesley Dennis

4.1

He was named "Sham" for the sun, this golden red stallion born in the Sultan of Morocco's stone stables. Upon his heel was a small white spot, the symbol of speed. But on his chest was the symbol of misfortune.

Although he was as swift as the desert winds, Sham's proud pedigree would be scorned all his life by cruel masters and owners.

This is the classic story of Sham and his friend, the stable bo

69

More Old Friends: Visits with My Favorite Thoroughbreds

Barbara D Livingston

4.1

70

Front Runner

Felix Francis

4.1

Jefferson Hinkley is back in the newest Dick Francis thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Damage.

In his role as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff Hinkley is approached by a multi-time champion jockey to discuss the delicate matter of losing races on purpose. Little does he know that the call will set off a lethal chain of events, including the a

71

The Perfect Horse: The Daring U.S. Mission to Rescue the Priceless Stallions Kidnapped by the Nazis

Elizabeth Letts

4.1

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Eighty-Dollar Champion, the remarkable true story of the valiant rescue of priceless pedigree horses in the last days of World War II.

As the Russians closed in on Hitler from the east and the Allies attacked from the west, American soldiers discovered a secret Nazi effort to engineer a master race of the finest purebred horses. With the support

72

Wonder's Victory (Thoroughbred, #4)

Joanna Campbell

4.1

Ashleigh's determined to make her dreams come true . . .

In her second year of racing, Wonder, the Thoroughbred filly Ashleigh Griffen has helped raise, is the star of Townsend Acres Stables - until the worst happens.

Just as Wonder is about to start training for the important Breeder's Cup race, Jilly, Wonder's regular jockey, is injured and can't ride. Wonder doesn't like any other jockey, and she

73

Horse Heaven

Jane Smiley

4.1

"It's not true," says a character in Jane Smiley's funny, passionate, and brilliant new novel of horse racing, "that anything can happen at the racetrack," but many astonishing and affecting things do—and in Horse Heaven, we find them woven into a marvelous tapestry of joy and love, chicanery, folly, greed, and derring-do.

Haunting, exquisite Rosalind Maybrick, wife of a billionaire owner, one day

74

Northern Dancer: The Legend And His Legacy

Muriel Lennox, Muriel Lenox

4.1

75

Sunday Silence

Ray Paulick

4.1

Sunday Silence was like a scrappy kid from the other side of the tracks who wouldn't go down without a fight.

76

Trial Run

Dick Francis

4.1

Veteran horseman Randall Drew travels to Moscow to help the Russian royal family--but ends up caught in a world of jealousy, sabotage, and murder.

77

Matriarchs: Great Mares of the 20th Century

Edward L Bowen

4.1

Noted turf authority Edward L. Bowen takes a definitive look at a select group of top American broodmares and their descendants. Among the mares profiled in this volume are the great La Troienne, Rough Shod II, Myrtlewood, Blue Delight, Grey Flight, and Missy Baba, who is the ancestor of both 1999 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Charismatic and 1999 Belmont Stakes winner Lemon Drop Kid. Includ

78

The October Horse: A Novel of Caesar and Cleopatra (Masters of Rome, #6)

Colleen McCullough

4.1

A SWEEPING EPIC OF ANCIENT ROME FROM THE #1 BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE THORN BIRDSWith her renowned storytelling gifts in full force, Colleen McCullough delivers a breathtaking novel that is both grand in scope and vivid in detail -- and proves once again why she is the top historical novelist of our time.

In the last days of the Roman Republic, Gaius Julius Caesar is both adored and despised -- but

79

A Horse Called Wonder (Thoroughbred, #1)

Joanna Campbell

4.1

Ashleigh Griffen swore she'd never give her heart to another horse - not after a terrible disease wiped out her family's breeding farm, along with Ashleigh's favorite mare, Stardust.

80

Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing's Greatest Rivalry

Linda Carroll, David Rosner

4.1

A gripping look at the great duel between Affirmed, the last horse to win the Triple Crown—comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes—and his archrival, Alydar.

From the moment they first galloped head-to-head in Saratoga Springs, the two chestnut colts showed they were the stuff of racing legend. Alydar, all muscle with a fearsome closing kick, was already the po

81

Dead Heat

Dick Francis, Felix Francis

4.0

Max Moreton is a rising culinary star and his Newmarket restaurant, The Hay Net, has brought acclaim. But two disasters fall. Food poisoning fells banquet attendees, and a bomb explodes the private boxes at a race, killing guests and employees.

82

Ruffian: A Race Track Romance

William Nack

4.0

On July 6, 1975, a 3-year-old filly named Ruffian was loaded into the starting gate at Belmont Park for a televised match race against Kentucky Derby winner colt Foolish Pleasure. 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 Nac

83

Horse of a Different Color: A Tale of Breeding Geniuses, Dominant Females, and the Fastest Derby Winner Since Secretariat

Jim Squires

4.0

What does it take to win the Kentucky Derby? The breeder of the 2001 Derby winner shows us that while a fast horse is necessary, a sense of humour and a boundless capacity for absurdity and humiliation are absolutely essential.

84

The Eighty-Dollar Champion: Snowman, The Horse That Inspired a Nation

Elizabeth Letts

4.0

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Harry de Leyer first saw the horse he would name Snowman on a truck bound for the slaughterhouse. The recent Dutch immigrant recognized the spark in the eye of the beaten-up nag and bought him for eighty dollars. On Harry’s modest farm on Long Island, he ultimately taught Snowman how to fly. Here is the dramatic and inspiring rise to stardom of an unlikely duo. One sho

85

Slay Ride

Dick Francis

4.0

When a champion jockey disappears--right before a big race and the birth of his child--Investigator David Cleveland bets on foul play.

86

My Guy Barbaro: A Jockey's Journey Through Love, Triumph, and Heartbreak with America's Favorite Horse

Edgar Prado

4.0

A new superstar appeared on the American sports landscape in the spring of 2006: Barbaro, a three-year-old racehorse, won the Kentucky Derby by six and a half lengths, the largest margin of victory in sixty years. Barbaro's impressive performance immediately stirred talk of a possible Triple Crown. But in the opening yards of the Preakness Stakes two weeks later, the horse suffered a catastrophic

87

Wonder's Yearling (Thoroughbred, #6)

Joanna Campbell

4.0

Is this good-bye?When Samantha McLean hears that her beloved horse, Wonder's Pride, is about to be sold by the owner of the farm where Samantha lives, she thinks her heart will break. But Samantha knows she has to be strong if she's going to save Wonder's Pride from the auction block.

The more Samantha finds out, the more hopeless the situation seems. It's not just Wonder's Pride, but all of the To

88

Not by a Long Shot: A Season at a Hard Luck Horse Track

T.D. Thornton

4.0

The great myth of horse racing is that the game is the regal and royal Sport of Kings. 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"

89

Cigar: America's Horse

Jay Hovdey

4.0

The fascinating story of the most talked about Thoroughbred since Secretariat. Chronicled from birth through an illustrious racing career to his subsequent retirement at The Kentucky Horse Park. Winner of publishing's Benjamin Franklin Award!

90

Samantha's Pride (Thoroughbred, #7)

Joanna Campbell

4.0

Will Pride's winning streak ruin him?

Wonder's Pride, the three-year-old colt of champion mare Wonder, is the newest star in Thoroughbred racing and the favorite for the biggest race of them all - the Kentucky Derby. But when Pride wins the Derby, it looks as if victory could be the worst thing that ever happened to him!
Pride's owner, Clay Townsend, wants to race Pride in the strenuous three-race T

91

Ashleigh's Dream (Thoroughbred, #5)

Joanna Campbell

4.0

Can Samantha ride Fleet Goddess to victory?

When Ashleigh's horse, Wonder, gives birth to a beautiful foal, Ashleigh is thrilled. She's raising Wonder's colt, racing as an apprentice jockey, and she's even looking out for young Samantha McLean. Samantha moved to Townsend Acres with her father after her mother died in a riding accident. When Ashleigh buys a filly named Fleet Goddess, Samantha helps

92

Second Wind

Dick Francis

4.0

When his plane goes down during a hurricane, weatherman Perry Stuart is stranded on a desolate Caribbean island. And what he sees there gives him zero chance of survival.

93

Dr. Fager: Thoroughbred Legends

Steve Haskin

4.0

One of the most versatile and talented racehorses of modern times. 1968's Horse of the Year, champion handicap horse, champion sprinter, and co-champion grass horse. First and only horse ever to win four titles in a single year. He remains one of the most popular racehorses of the modern era.

94

The Man Who Listens to Horses

Monty Roberts

4.0

Monty Roberts is a real-life horse whisperer -- an American original whose gentle training methods reveal the depth of communication possible between man and animal. He can take a wild, high-strung horse who has never before been handled and persuade that horse to accept a bridle, saddle, and rider in 30 minutes. His powers may seem like magic, but his amazing 'horse sense' is based on a lifetime

95

John Henry: Racing's Grand Old Man

Steve Haskin

4.0

Now in paperback, John Henry continues to entertain horse racing and sports fans with its true rags to riches tale. A plain brown, small, bad-tempered animal, John Henry was the horse no one wanted until he was purchased sight unseen for $25,000 by Sam Rubin, a man who knew nothing about horses, except which end bit and which end kicked. Entrusted to California-based trainer Ron McAnally, John Hen

96

Dynasties; Great Thoroughbred Stallions

Edward L Bowen, Edward L. Bowen, William S Farish

4.0

Examines how the modern American Thoroughbred has evolved primarily through the influence of 26 noteworthy stallions. Also covers the people who bred or owned these horses, intertwining their stories with those of their horses. These stallions helped America become the source of the world's best racehorses.

97

Horses Never Lie: The Heart of Passive Leadership

Mark Rashid

4.0

Here renowned trainer Mark Rashid introduces us to his revolutionary method for training horses. His sensitive, thoughtful approach emphasizes the importance of balance, and has led some to refer to him as a real-life horse whisperer.

“It has always been my contention that working with horses is, or at least should be, a delicate balancing act between finding how much or how little direction it wil

98

Beyond the Homestretch: What I've Learned from Saving Racehorses

Lynn Reardon

4.0

In Beyond the Homestretch, Lynn Reardon shares an unlikely story. In 2002, she quit her Washington DC–area office job and moved to rural Texas to open the racehorse adoption ranch LOPE (LoneStar Outreach to Place Ex-Racers).

Since then, LOPE has helped transition more than 725 thoroughbreds into new homes. Though now the director of this high-profile organization, Reardon didn’t learn to ride unti

99

Pride's Challenge (Thoroughbred, #9)

Joanna Campbell

4.0

The highest stakes of all . . .

Wonder's Pride is ready to race again. Samantha McLean, the colt's groom, and Ashleigh Griffen, his jockey, are thrilled that he has recovered so well from an injury. But not everyone wants Pride back at the racetrack. Brad Townsend, Pride's owner's son, and his wife, Lavinia, want Pride out of the way so their own horse can reach the winner's circle. When the horses

100

Eat to Live: The Amazing Nutrient-Rich Program For Fast and Sustained Weight Loss, Completely Revised and Updated

Joel Fuhrman MD

4.0

In this completely revised and updated version of Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s EAT TO LIVE: THE AMAZING NUTRIENT RICH PROGRAM FOR FAST AND SUSTAINED WEIGHT LOSS, Dr. Fuhrman offers his healthy, effective and scientifically proven plan for shedding radical amounts of weight quickly and keeping it off.

The EAT TO LIVE vook offers even more insight from Dr. Fuhrman with 13 videos in which he works with patients

Recommended by Dr. Monali Y. Desai.

Dr. Monali Y. Desai

I get most of my information about nutrition from medical studies. I haven’t read any books about nutrition that I agree with 100%. These are a few nutrition related books that I’ve read recently that I thought were interesting: Eat to Live (Joel Fuhrman), Why We Get Fat (Gary Taubes), and The 4-Hour Body (Tim Ferris). [source]