{"product_id":"spectacular-bid-the-last-superhorse-of-the-twentieth-century-hardcover","title":"Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century - Hardcover","description":"\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003ePeter Lee\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA safety pin was all that kept Spectacular Bid from becoming the eleventh Thoroughbred to take the Triple Crown. This work examines Spectacular Bid from his humble beginnings-he was born in a mud puddle on a horse farm in Versailles, Kentucky-to his recognition as one of the greatest American racehorses. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eOn the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. He had impressively won the first two races-the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness-but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport's third straight Triple Crown champion. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBut that loss did not prevent him from becoming one of horse racing's greatest competitors. After taking two months to recover, the battleship gray colt would go on to win 26 of 30 races during his career, with two second-place finishes and one third. He was voted the tenth greatest Thoroughbred of the twentieth century according to \u003ci\u003eBloodHorse\u003c\/i\u003e magazine, and \u003ci\u003eA Century of Champions\u003c\/i\u003e places him ninth in the world and third among North American horses-even ahead of the renowned Man o' War.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis horse biography tells the story of the honest and not-so-glamorous colorful characters surrounding the champion-including Bud Delp, the brash and cocky trainer who was distrustful of the Kentucky establishment, and Ron Franklin, the nineteen-year-old jockey who buckled under the stress and pressure associated with fame-and how they witnessed firsthand the splendor and triumphs of Spectacular Bid. Including contemporary newspaper accounts of Bid's exploits and interviews with key players in his story, this is an encompassing look into the legacy of one of horse racing's true champions.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003ePeter Lee\u003c\/b\u003e, a former journalist, maintains the blog \u003ci\u003eThe Way to Churchill Downs\u003c\/i\u003e, which reports on Derby hopefuls for the coming year. He is the author of \u003ci\u003eThe Death and Life of Mal Evans\u003c\/i\u003e and is a regular contributor to www.pastthewire.com.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 280\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1 x 9.1 x 6.1 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e September 02, 2019\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47450421919922,"sku":"9780813177809","price":43.13,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0770\/3891\/1666\/files\/c443f6630cfb13e3193b6d9932d13826.webp?v=1778784953","url":"https:\/\/box.dadyminds.org\/products\/spectacular-bid-the-last-superhorse-of-the-twentieth-century-hardcover","provider":"DADYMINDS BOX","version":"1.0","type":"link"}