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Not by a Long Shot: A Season at a Hard Luck Horse Track ReviewAmid the glimmer and glitz, pomp and pageantry surrounding thoroughbred racing's famed Triple Crown it is very easy to forget that most of the folks who choose to make a living in the racing game toil in relative anonymity and many have a very difficult time just making ends meet. Author T.D. Thornton has been around racetracks for virtually all of his adult working life. "Not By A Long Shot: A Season At A Hard Luck Horse Track" is a story that Thornton felt really needed to be told. For only a tiny percentage of the horses, trainers and jockeys will ever see the big time. Yet without those who ply their trade at "mid-level" tracks like Suffolk Downs in Boston, Charles Town in West Virginia and Rockingham Park in New Hampshire, events like the Kentucky Derby and the Breeders Cup simply could not happen. "Not By A Long Shot" takes a look at the current state of thoroughbred racing in this country. Years in the making, "Not By A Long Shot" chronicles the 2000 spring meet at Boston's Suffolk Downs, a once proud facility now struggling to merely survive. Those who follow the sport will certainly understand what T.D. Thornton is writing about. For the rest of us, this book proves to be a real eye opener.In the early chapters of "Not By A Long Shot" T.D. Thornton spends some time reviewing the history of thoroughbred racing in these United States. In the 1930's and 1940's thoroughbred racing was at the peak of its popularity. Enormous crowds filled the grandstands on a daily basis at major tracks across the country. Thoroughbreds like "Seabiscuit", "Whirlaway", "Citation" and "War Admiral" were household names. In this era, thoroughbred racing was not just the sport of kings but the sport of the common man as well. With the advent of television racetrack operators balked at the idea of putting their product on TV. They felt that frequent exposure on TV would adversely affect attendance and the handles at their facilities. It was a major tactical mistake. In the meantime, the major professional team sports teams gladly offered their games to the new medium and the popularity of these sports increased exponentially. And as Thornton explains the racing industry would never fully recover. Then in the 1960's and 1970's thoroughbred racing faced more stiff new competition from new state sponsored lotteries that would further diminish the sport. And now the racing industry is reeling from the vigorous competition spawned by the opening of dozens of new casinos all across the nation. Indeed, the future of live horse racing seems to be hanging in the balance.
At various points throughout "Not By A Long Shot" T.D. Thornton introduces us to a number of the colorful charactors who make up the fabric of his beloved Suffolk Downs. Readers will come to appreciate just how difficult it is for most of these folks to eke out a decent living in this business and how dangerous the sport can be as well. Thornton tells the tragic tale of top jockey Rudy Baez who was paralyzed in a serious accident during a race at Suffolk in August of 1999. In an instant his career was over and his life changed forever. Thornton also introduces his readers to many of the "Sufferin' Downs" regulars. A motley crew to say the least! At the same time Thornton gets us all up to speed with some spicy racetrack slang. Although it has been many years since I have been to the races T.D. Thornton has succeeded in whetting my appetite. I hope to visit Suffolk Downs before the current meet ends.
I found "Not By A Long Shot" to be a thoroughly entertaining read from cover to cover. T.D. Thornton is a superb writer who is extremely passionate about his subject. An excellent choice for sports fans and general readers alike. Highly recommended!
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