Book review: "Finished Lines" · 20.05.10

Subtitled “A collection of memorable writing on Thoroughbred racing”, Finished Lines is a compilation in the tradition of the classic The Fireside Book of Horse Racing. Edited by Frank R. Scatoni, with an introduction by Daily Racing Form‘s Steven Crist, the book collects examples of the best racing journalism of the twentieth century.

Authors represented include some of the greats like Damon Runyon (“Gimme a Handy Guy Like Sande”), Charles Hatton (“Sophomores Compare Favorably”, about the legendary “class of ’57”), A.J. Liebling (“Honesty Is Not”, a semi-tall tale of winning and losing a fortune in book-making), Jim Coleman (“The School of Pharmacology”, excerpted from A Hoofprint On My Heart), John Hervey a.k.a. Salvator (“Marginalia: A Personal Note Upon an Important Occasion”, reflections on the 1938 Santa Anita Handicap), and William Nack (“Secretariat” (of course), and excerpt from Big Red of Meadow Stable), among many others.

However, it is a piece by a lesser-known writer that is the highlight of the book for me — in particular, one line from that piece. Mike Helm’s “Behind the Harrows: The Trackmen” profiles Golden Gate Fields’ track superintendent Red Lowery. Near the end of a detailed account of the hard work that goes into making a track as fair and horse-friendly as possible, the reader is offered a bit of pure racing poetry:

Older, sore-footed horses sometimes blossom on fast tracks with lots of bounce. Red explained why. “A fast racetrack is the perfection. When the bounce is right, it’s like the horses are running on a sea of titties”.

Indeed….

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What do you think?

  1. It is astounding how quickly racing has changed with scientific advancements in nutrition, pharmacology (unfortunately), training, timing, the starting gate, the digital photo finish that is ready instantly.

    In the old days a field of horse may have been at the start 15 minutes before there was a fair start…

    — Jumron · May 21, 04:28 PM · #

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