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The Fast Ride: Spectacular Bid and the Undoing of a Sure Thing

The Fast Ride: Spectacular Bid and the Undoing of a Sure Thing

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  • Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
  • Create Date：2022-04-10 06:19:47
  • Update Date：2025-09-07
  • Status：finish
  • Author：Jack Gilden
  • ISBN：1496230507
  • Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle

Reviews

Thomas Kelley ，

Obviously， this is the story of Spectacular Bid a horse who was bought for $37，000 and goes on to come up just short of winning the holy grail of horse racing the triple crown along with this horse's story is the story of the cast of characters of human beings that surround him and as you will see what a dysfunctional bunch。 There is the main Jockey Ronnie Franklin who at just having two years' experience in the racing world does not know what is coming his way at the age of fifteen all he shoul Obviously， this is the story of Spectacular Bid a horse who was bought for $37，000 and goes on to come up just short of winning the holy grail of horse racing the triple crown along with this horse's story is the story of the cast of characters of human beings that surround him and as you will see what a dysfunctional bunch。 There is the main Jockey Ronnie Franklin who at just having two years' experience in the racing world does not know what is coming his way at the age of fifteen all he should have to worry about are his grades in school which he struggles with and taking the trash out you will also see he is one to never backdown from a challenge。 He has a horse trainer Buddy Delp who almost lost his whole stable to fire and his comeback would end up with over 3，000 wins and over forty million in purse winnings。 Buddy to the outside world looks like a person who will provide a wholesome and protective environment for the young jockey but as you will read it is far from it。 Then you have the owners of Spectacular Bid they are not much better and if you believe the story， they tell the did not know。 The author describes many facets of the world of horse racing including the many struggles jockeys face with losing or maintaining weight by the use of drugs， the drugs they use to cope with the pain。 One example of a jockey after an accident at the track is taken to the hospital and is given an IV for nourishment and in 24 hours gains 12 pounds。 Also the many ways these jockeys and the money they earn are taken advantage of。 You also learn about some of the many ways unscrupulous people use to give their horse and advantage。 The author did not get permission from some of the people who he writes about but had some of the people that were in the middle of all this that provide the information and it is amazing to be how so many people were unaware or turned a blind eye and or did not ask questions that need to be asked。 Over all this was a good read。 Thank you to Netgalley and University of Nebraska Press for an ARC for a fair and honest review。 。。。more

Olive Fellows （abookolive） ，

Review forthcoming in the Christian Science Monitor！

Colleen ，

The Fast Ride is the story of Spectacular Bid and people directly associated with him。 Racing is about winning and hopefully winning big。 This is a wonderful story about a horse and the jockey who loved him。 Unfortunately there is a seedier side to racing that is not at all glorified。 Jack Gilden shares the information he researched and was told by those in the know that either witnessed or were aware of the activities。 Some lied to protect themselves and their "image。" I found the drugs and par The Fast Ride is the story of Spectacular Bid and people directly associated with him。 Racing is about winning and hopefully winning big。 This is a wonderful story about a horse and the jockey who loved him。 Unfortunately there is a seedier side to racing that is not at all glorified。 Jack Gilden shares the information he researched and was told by those in the know that either witnessed or were aware of the activities。 Some lied to protect themselves and their "image。" I found the drugs and party life hard to read。 The lack of concern for Ronnie Franklin as a young man by the trainer is sad。 I was disappointed to read how Franklin was treated while in his "care。" All he ever wanted to do was be a jockey and race。 For most of us all we see are the beautiful horses and jockeys in their silks; grooms leading the horses to the gate; the horses entering the gate for the most important race， the one about to start。 We hear the announcer giving each horse it's due as it progresses around the track until they arrive in the home stretch， and then it comes down to the finish line。 The jockey's that win， we know by name， the ones that lose we generally have forgotten。 In this case we have been assured to remember Ronnie Franklin due to Trainer Delp who maligned him and continued to do so for long after the race was lost by Spectacular Bid。 Someone always has to take the blame， rarely is it the correct person in these instances。One of the reason's I requested this book， my husband is a huge racing fan and I have been lucky enough to watch and attend many races well after the time period of Spectacular Bid。 I bought him a print of the famed race with Affirmed and Spectacular Bid， not knowing at the time how important this race really was to history。 This book has not only increased my knowledge but my enjoyment of the sport。 Oftentimes while reading it， I could hear the announcer in my mind as down the stretch they came。 Some to glory most to defeat。 I will surely keep Spectacular Bid in my heart as I watch all future races。 I highly recommend this book to all who love and are interested in horse racing， the sport of Kings。I received an ARC from NetGalley for an unbiased review。 。。。more

Paul ，

I loved Seabiscuit and this， even though I don't pay attention to any of the major races or follow the sport。 Human nature in these stories is what interests me here。 This probably won't be as popular as Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit， but it's a very well told story。 Recommended。I really appreciate the free ARC for review！！ I loved Seabiscuit and this， even though I don't pay attention to any of the major races or follow the sport。 Human nature in these stories is what interests me here。 This probably won't be as popular as Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit， but it's a very well told story。 Recommended。I really appreciate the free ARC for review！！ 。。。more

Edward Bryant ，

I am a casual race fan so I really didn't have much knowledge about what goes on behind scenes。 This detailed informative book was a real eye opener。 I am also a history buff so I loved how Jack introduced so much history of Baltimore and the Preakness。 Throughout the story you are aware of the pressure on a teenager from Dundalk who was not prepared for the celebrity and money that came his way。 Also you reflect on how the insensitive media shows no mercy to young athletes。 The book was much m I am a casual race fan so I really didn't have much knowledge about what goes on behind scenes。 This detailed informative book was a real eye opener。 I am also a history buff so I loved how Jack introduced so much history of Baltimore and the Preakness。 Throughout the story you are aware of the pressure on a teenager from Dundalk who was not prepared for the celebrity and money that came his way。 Also you reflect on how the insensitive media shows no mercy to young athletes。 The book was much more than I expected and I enjoyed it very much 。。。more

Abby ，

His name was Spectacular Bid and spectacular he was。 The Fast Ride: Spectacular Bid and the Undoing of a Sure Thing by Jack Gilden is a fascinating account of the Bid’s quest to be the third-straight Triple Crown winner as the 1970s came to a close。 tGilden goes in-depth into the Bid’s background as well as sharing the background of and showing readers what and who made the young jockey Ronnie Franklin who he was and， ultimately， whose influence prevailed。tThe undoing of Franklin has over the de His name was Spectacular Bid and spectacular he was。 The Fast Ride: Spectacular Bid and the Undoing of a Sure Thing by Jack Gilden is a fascinating account of the Bid’s quest to be the third-straight Triple Crown winner as the 1970s came to a close。 tGilden goes in-depth into the Bid’s background as well as sharing the background of and showing readers what and who made the young jockey Ronnie Franklin who he was and， ultimately， whose influence prevailed。tThe undoing of Franklin has over the decades since the Bid’s loss at the Belmont Stakes been viewed as the main factor in the loss。 It was a big factor， but Gilden presents a view that shows the influence trainer Buddy Delp had not just in Franklin’s rise but also in his fall。 tI would have enjoyed a more detailed account of the Bid’s final years racing but that wasn’t what this book was about or intended to be。 With that in mind， Gilden did a nice job of keeping the focus on the early development of the Bid and Franklin and that 1979 season。 tReaders don’t have to be an avid racing enthusiast to enjoy this book。 Not only is the ride a fast one， it’s a thrilling one at the Bid’s and Franklin’s high points and sorrowful at their low points。 In short， exactly what a book tackling the Bid and Franklin should be。 Thanks to the University of Nebraska Press for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Sunny ，

I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with horse racing so I was excited to get my hands on The Fast Ride。 This was an in-depth look into one of the greatest racehorses of all time Spectacular Bid and all who was connected with him including his owner， trainer and jockey。 This book also dove into the history of horse racing， Baltimore， the Preakness and Pimlico， and also touched on other topics including civil rights and anti-semitism。 This book also focuses on the darker side of horse racing， I’ve always had a bit of a fascination with horse racing so I was excited to get my hands on The Fast Ride。 This was an in-depth look into one of the greatest racehorses of all time Spectacular Bid and all who was connected with him including his owner， trainer and jockey。 This book also dove into the history of horse racing， Baltimore， the Preakness and Pimlico， and also touched on other topics including civil rights and anti-semitism。 This book also focuses on the darker side of horse racing， on the corruption and drug use that was very prevalent。The Fast Ride was very fascinating， and I highly recommend it not only to those with an interest in horse racing but to anyone who wants to know more about this piece of U。S。 history。Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review。 。。。more

Chris ，

WOW！ Such a good book-the behind the scenes was very detailed and engrossing。 I remember when this all happened but had no idea of the "real story" of what went down。 The author gives the reader a full picture of how the racing world really works and what happens when all the tv cameras leave after the races are over and it's just stable after stable full of basically money on the hoof。 Parts of this book were hard to read because it was just horrific， but I flew through it and highly recommend WOW！ Such a good book-the behind the scenes was very detailed and engrossing。 I remember when this all happened but had no idea of the "real story" of what went down。 The author gives the reader a full picture of how the racing world really works and what happens when all the tv cameras leave after the races are over and it's just stable after stable full of basically money on the hoof。 Parts of this book were hard to read because it was just horrific， but I flew through it and highly recommend it to any race fan。 I received a copy-the review is my own opinion。 。。。more

Barry Gogel ，

A must read for anyone interested in history， sports and the human condition。

Lance ，

The decade of the 1970’s was considered to be one of the best in horse racing history。 After not having a Triple Crown winner in 25 years， the decade saw three horses accomplish that feat – Secretariat in 1973， Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed in 1978。 In 1979， a horse named Spectacular Bid had many qualities to be the fourth in the decade and third in a row to join that exclusive club。 This excellent book by Jack Gilden tells a tale of what could have been and the many factors that kept the “B The decade of the 1970’s was considered to be one of the best in horse racing history。 After not having a Triple Crown winner in 25 years， the decade saw three horses accomplish that feat – Secretariat in 1973， Seattle Slew in 1977 and Affirmed in 1978。 In 1979， a horse named Spectacular Bid had many qualities to be the fourth in the decade and third in a row to join that exclusive club。 This excellent book by Jack Gilden tells a tale of what could have been and the many factors that kept the “Bid” （what he calls the horse throughout the book） from winning that coveted title。While his jockey was a young newcomer to the sport， teenager Ronnie Franklin had already ridden the Bid to the winner’s circle before the first leg of the Triple Crown， the Kentucky Derby。 From his humble beginnings in Dundalk， a factory town near Baltimore， Franklin found himself becoming immersed in the business of horse racing under the tutelage of legendary trainer Buddy Delp。 While he was becoming an overnight sensation to the fans and public， underneath the surface was an ugly picture of substance abuse， horrific working conditions and treatment at Delp’s stables and unkind treatment by fellow jockeys and the press。 When the Bid won the Derby and the Preakness Stakes， that put even more pressure on the young jockey when the toughest of the three races arrived， the Belmont Stakes。 Delp instructed Franklin to run Spectacular Bid hard right from the gate， in complete contrast to the manner in which horse and rider won the previous two races。 Following his boss’s order， the Bid failed to win the Crown and even worse， Delp， the press and the public blamed Franklin for the horse’s downfall when there were many reasons behind the poor showing by the Bid。That is what makes this book so good – Gilden’s writing about those other factors in not only why the Bid lost that race， but the entire picture behind the fall of Franklin。 There was a lot of drug abuse in the Delp stables， led by Buddy himself and his son Gerald， who became Franklin’s best friend and led him down a destructive path。 The owner of the horse， Harry Meyerhoff， also plays a role in the downfall of the Triple Crown path and even a horse doctor who was not supposed be on Belmont property but on the day of the race performed a procedure on Spectacular Bid to remove a pin from his hoof that would have otherwise been certain to keep him from running that day。Gilden gleaned his information from interviews as much of the story that he writes was not published。 He cited three main contributors for which he gave enormous praise in the acknowledgments – Gerald Delp， Franklin’s nephew Tony Cullum and Cathy Rosenberger， who was a long-time employee of Buddy Delp and helped develop Franklin as a jockey。 From these interviews， Gilden gathered enough information that behind the beauty and speed in which Spectacular Bid ran his races - he would go on to win some more races after the Triple Crown – the ugly story of what happened on that Saturday in June 1979 is now being brought to light。 Gilden takes the reader inside the stables and development of a jockey and a race horse in a manner that shows both the beauty and the ugliness of this sport。 This is a book anyone interested in horse racing， especially during that era， must add to their bookshelf。 I wish to thank University of Nebraska Press for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review。https://sportsbookguy。blogspot。com/20。。。 。。。more