Review: Tracking Barbaro’s Brothers

Few horses have captured the public’s attention as Barbaro did with his win in the 2006 Kentucky Derby, breakdown in the Preakness, and subsequent fight for life. Although Barbaro eventually lost his life to laminitis, fans have found new hope in two full brothers to Barbaro, Nicanor and Lentenor. Nicanor is currently a 3-year-old who just broke his maiden, and Lentenor is a 2-year-old preparing to race later this year. There’s also another full brother who was born in March, still unnamed.

The Blood Horse has chronicled the lives of the young horses in a blog on its website, “Tracking Barbaro’s Brothers.” The blog has been managed by a few different people since it debuted in early 2008; it’s currently run by the magazine’s online managing editor, Ron Mitchell.

If you are just becoming involved with racing, this blog is a must-read. It has chronicled every step in the journey a young horse takes from playful foal to professional racehorse. From Nicanor’s earliest lessons accepting tack and a rider in Florida, to his van ride to Maryland to meet trainer Michael Matz for the first time, from his first timed workouts and growing pains, through three losses that helped Matz discover how to make the horse a winner, through his maiden win two weeks ago, I have gotten to feel like I am right there with this horse. If you’re curious about the process of raising and training a racehorse, this is an invaluable read.

The various writers involved with this blog have made sure to carefully explain the jargon they use and why thing happen a certain way, so this is by no means an overwhelming read if you’re new to the sport. The blog also occasionally includes interviews and comments from those who are close to Nicanor and Lentenor, as well as photos and videos.

Review: Sham, In The Shadow of a Superhorse

He was a talented runner lost in the wake of Secretariat’s brilliance, one who would have been a champion runner any other year. That’s what Mary Walsh sets out to prove in her first book, Sham: In The Shadow of a Superhorse.

Sham won the Santa Anita Derby and several other stakes races leading up to the 1973 Kentucky Derby. He was considered a threat to win the race, but of course, crossed paths with the brilliant Secretariat. Sham ran second to the other colt in both the Derby and Preakness; his second-place Derby finish is still the fastest time in the race’s history. A badly tired Sham finished last in the Belmont and never raced again.

Walsh researched her book with exquisite care for detail, tracing Sham’s story back to his conception and birth. She lays out his earliest development and training, as well as each race of his career, as well as his stud career after his retirement. Meanwhile, she also keeps tabs on Secretariat’s parallel development, as well as the stories of the humans connected to both horses. The result is an intricate tapestry and a rich story. The imagery is vivid, and the thrill of races and the peace of mornings on the farm leap of the pages.

In terms of writing style, Walsh’s book is a must-read for new racing fans. She tells the stories of Sham and Secretariat using clean, simple language that is pleasant to read. Along the way, she explains why trainers make the decisions they do, what key racing jargon means and which lessons are most important for a young horse to learn.

Review: Equination

Are you an armchair trainer? Did you spend Triple Crown season analyzing and second-guessing preps trainers used for their horses? Did you shake your head if you thought someone gave their horse a too-fast workout during Derby week?

You can put your strategies to the test with Equination, a realistic virtual horse-racing game that allows you to breed, train and race your own horses.

A “basic” membership on Equination is free and gives you 45 total stalls, the ability to breed your horses, training access, and the opportunity to race in various claiming levels, as well as allowance levels. In order to run in stakes races, as well as “special events” like the Equination Derby, Paramount and Classic (which make up the site’s version of the Triple Crown), one must be a “premium” member. This costs $45 a year and includes other perks like extra stalls, special breeding features, a video race viewer and the ability to participate in special auctions.

The $45 cost can be difficult to manage for many players, especially younger ones. And it can be frustrating to constantly strive for excellence in the game and to have options limited by the free membership. Still, the site offers more for free than most sites do, and the stall space and racing opportunities are more than adequate for new players just getting their feet wet in the game. It’s best to begin with a basic membership, learn the ropes, establish some quality stock, and decide if you enjoy the game enough where the membership upgrade would be useful and enjoyable.

New players start off with an empty barn and $50,000 in “EQ money.” It’s best to start off with a few cheap horses, either claimed or purchased on the game’s sales board, and experiment with training and racing techniques. What makes the game incredibly realistic is that just like in real life, there are all different types of horses. They can run sprints, middle distances or marathons on turf or dirt (thankfully, no synthetic surfaces yet!). Some need a workout between every race; others need one every two races. Some horses prefer longer works, others need short, fast works. Some horses will achieve the gold standard, running “ratings,” which determine a horse’s quality of 120 or more. Others will run around 100 as useful allowance horses, while some will be claimers topping out at around 50. It’s up to you, the trainer, to determine a horse’s true potential.

The site also offers a breeding option, giving you the ability to select which bloodlines might cross well and produce and train your own homebreds.

The best way to learn about training strategies and prized bloodlines on the site is to visit its attached forum. This even includes a “newbie forum” where experienced players occasionally give away horses or money that may help you build your operation.