The Education of a Racehorse [antikvár]

FOREWORD In the summer of 1967 a photographer suggested an unusual story to a London magazine. He wanted to do the pictorial biography of a runner in the Derby. His plan was to follow the horse's career from birth to three years old, the age at which the Derby is run, and to publish the story just before the race. He would therefore need to take photographs over a period of about three-and-a-half years. I was asked to supply the words. All we needed was to find a foal who would grow up to be a Derby runner. In 1967 6,021 thoroughbred foals were born in Britain. In the same year 590 horses were named for the 1968 Derby at the initial stage of entry, the spring of their two-year-old year, although about forty per cent of these were from France or Ireland. When the time came around for the 1968 Derby only thirteen of the original 590 were still down to run. The most prestigious races for flat horses in England are the five 'classics': the One Thousand Guineas, the Two Thousand Guineas, the Derby, the Oaks, and the St Leger. All are for three-year-olds only, and a victory in any one of them will ensure the winner's value at stud. But the greatest race of the lot is the Derby. The moment the winner goes past the post his value is assured at not less than L2^0,000. Most Derby winners are home-bred by owner-breeders who regard the British racing prize with little less than fanaticism. 15