Overview

Sahadi tells the dramatic story of Affirmed and his young jockey . . . showing in detail how the 'underdog' Affirmed won the Triple Crown. --New York Post ( Required Reading pick) In 1978, racing fans witnessed the culmination of an epic rivalry when a horse named Affirmed faced off against the celebrated Alydar and emerged victorious. In this long-overdue biography of Affirmed, veteran sportswriter Lou Sahadi captures the life and spirit of this indomitable horse who twice earned Horse of the Year honors and placed #12 on the Blood-Horse list of Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century. Sahadi chronicles how the initially docile chestnut colt began his stellar rise in 1977. Entering the 1978 season, many experts speculated that Alydar, the latest prize product from the storied Calumet Farm, would prove himself the better horse. Yet under trainer Laz Barrera's careful strategy and the eighteen-year-old reigning Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year jockey Stevie Cauthen, Affirmed bested his rival and mesmerized even the most casual of sports fans. Drawing on interviews with Cauthen, some members of the Wolfson family, and many more, Sahadi delivers fascinating subplots, including that of jockey Laffit Pincay, Jr., and owner Louis Wolfson, the Wall Street financier whose federal conviction led to the resignation of a Supreme Court justice. Telling a story that transcended the Thoroughbred racing world, Affirmed finally gives this courageous horse his due.

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9781250007339

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Reviews

Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. -- Sun-Sentinel (Florida)

Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net<br><br> There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter<br><br> One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post <br><br> Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald <br><br> No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor<br><br><p> Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. -- Sun-Sentinel (Florida)

Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. --Sun-Sentinel (Florida) Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life The book is a winner. Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. Sun-Sentinel (Florida) Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. -- Sun-Sentinel (Florida)

Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. --Sun-Sentinel (Florida) Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life The book is a winner. Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. Sun-Sentinel (Florida) Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. -- Sun-Sentinel (Florida)

Sahadi has successfully covered horse racing and has done justice to Affirmed and Alydar, as well as their human connections and many fans, forever connected in history as the combatants of the greatest rivalry ever seen on the American turf. Sahadi specializes in writing about sports history and keeping the reader's interest from cover to cover, and he clearly succeeds here, aided by an already exciting story that just needed to be told by such a master of his craft. This book is highly recommended for all fans of racing history, as well as to fans of American sports history, as the 1970's truly were the golden age of horse racing. --Horse-Races.net There is no greater atmosphere than the Triple Crown and Sahadi captures the spirit of it. A must read for everyone. --Hank Goldberg, ESPN reporter One of the greatest racing rivalries of all time deserves an equally world-class storyteller to make it come alive so many years later. Mr. Sahadi gets you so close to the action, you can almost smell the hay in the stalls of these two equine superstars. --Leonard Shapiro, columnist, The Washington Post Brings to life a time in racing that no longer exists. --Ron Borges, columnist, Boston Herald No question, Affirmed-Alydar is racing's greatest rivalry. Lou Sahadi is a masterful storyteller who vividly brings it back to life...The book is a winner. --Sal Marchiano, former sports anchor Sahadi, as always, does a great job telling the story. --Sun-Sentinel (Florida)

Author Information

LOU SAHADI is the author of several classic sports books, including Johnny Unitas: America's Quarterback, Say Hey: The Autobiography of Willie Mays, The Winning Edge, the autobiography of Don Shula, and They're Playing My Game, the autobiography of Hank Stram.

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