Bred to Run: The Making of a Thoroughbred
Beyond the excitement of thoroughbred racing's stretch run is the very big and sometimes very lucrative business of horse breeding, where the payoff for a Kentucky Derby or Breeder's Cup winner can mean millions of dollars in future breeding revenue. Helm ( A Breed Apart , LJ 4/15/91) surveys the breeder's art by focusing on the operations at Claiborne Farms, a long-time breeding industry leader. He outlines the development of the breed and details the breeding philosophies and practices at Claiborne, where intuition and tradition are as evident in the process as are science and economics. Helm's descriptive passages on breeding and foaling and his dialogs with Claiborne personnel reveal much of the industry's color and culture. His literary, narrative style makes for pleasurable reading. Careful readers can gather insights about bloodlines for their handicapping strategies. Recommended for most public libraries, especially those in the Bluegrass Region.- David Van de Streek, Pennsylvania State Univ. Libs., YorkCopyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.