Against the Odds
Called by some the "Michael Jordan of racing," Bailey has endured tumultuous times both on and off the track. In this honest but cliché-ridden memoir, the jockey recalls his life's milestones, paying particular attention to his bout with alcoholism. Aided by sportswriter Pedulla (USA Today), Bailey, 47, exposes the risks jockeys face during a race, the corruption rampant at some tracks, the nobility of racehorses, the arrogance and humility of various owners and the thrill of winning. He recalls his boyhood excitement at racing horses against neighborhood friends in his native Texas. Driven by his love of horses and his competitive spirit, he entered the racing world, first as a trainer, and eventually becoming a world-class jockey. Yet early in his career, he drifted into alcoholism; with the help of his wife and an AA counselor, he became sober. Although Bailey was successful as a young jockey, his glory days have come in the last 16 years with his Kentucky Derby, Preakness and Belmont Stakes wins and numerous other honors. Bailey weaves interviews with friends and family with his own words to create an often poignant memoir of the triumph of the human spirit, but his prose reads more like a trot around the track than an exhilarating run for the roses. Photos not seen byPW.Agent, Equisponse. (Apr. 21)Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.