"Charismatic, a colt nobody wanted, is ridden by Antley, a jockey everybody doubted. That either could be a mere mile and a half from winning the Triple Crown would be astounding; that the two of them together are so close to racing immortality would be a fantasy...except that it is real". So ran a newspaper story days before jockey Chris Antley and his horse Charismatic attempted to make history by winning the third and final race of the Triple Crown. After bouts with depression and drug and alcohol abuse, Antley had made ...
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"Charismatic, a colt nobody wanted, is ridden by Antley, a jockey everybody doubted. That either could be a mere mile and a half from winning the Triple Crown would be astounding; that the two of them together are so close to racing immortality would be a fantasy...except that it is real". So ran a newspaper story days before jockey Chris Antley and his horse Charismatic attempted to make history by winning the third and final race of the Triple Crown. After bouts with depression and drug and alcohol abuse, Antley had made a stunning comeback by riding the unknown Charismatic to victory at the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Antley's success was viewed as symbolic of the new path he was forging in his life, but his story, and his horse's, would not have a fairy-tale ending. In this book Mitchell takes the reader on a journey into horse racing by tracing the intertwined lives of jockey Antley, trainer D. Wayne Lukas, owners Bob and Beverly Lewis, 1999 Derby winner Charismatic and the author herself, who placed a crucial bet on the race. The adventure takes us behind the scenes of the world's racetracks, revealing the history of horse racing, while also exposing its underbelly.
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Seller's Description:
Very Good. Picture Shown is For Illustration Purposes Only, Please See Below For Further DetailsCONDITION-VERY GOOD-HARDBACK-light wear and scuff marks to jacket, pages in nice condition, shipped from the UK. Sewn binding. Cloth over boards. 388 p.
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Seller's Description:
Dispatched, from the UK, within 48 hours of ordering. This book is in good condition but will show signs of previous ownership. Please expect some creasing to the spine and/or minor damage to the cover. Grubby book may have mild dirt or some staining, mostly on the edges of pages.
Elizabeth Mitchell is a gifted writer and her account of the rise (and fall) of long shot Kentucky Derby/Preakness winner Charismatic is deeply moving. Charismatic's unlikely success story is woven through Ms. Mitchell's beautifully drawn sketches of the lives of his breeder, owners, trainer and his jockey, the ill-fated Chris Antley, There were so many powerful moments in the book - the image of a stunned D.Wayne Lukas cradling the doomed filly Landaluce in his arms still makes me cry. Ms. Mitchell's personal connection to the Charismatic story infuses the whole with a level of genuine feeling that is (unfortunately) lacking in most of the many books I've read about racing and race horses. This one is different. I loved this book.
