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A Year at the Races: Reflections on Horses, Humans, Love, Money, and Luck | 
 enlarge | Author: Jane Smiley
Publisher: Anchor
Category: Book
List Price: $13.95
Buy New: $3.15
You Save: $10.80 (77%)
New (26) Used (37) from $0.01
Avg. Customer Rating:  26 reviews
Sales Rank: 203296
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 304
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.6
ISBN: 1400033179
Dewey Decimal Number: 798
EAN: 9781400033171
ASIN: 1400033179
Publication Date: April 19, 2005
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
“Every horse story is a love story,” writes Jane Smiley, who has loved horses for most of her life and owned and bred them for a good part of it. To love something is to observe it with more than usual attention, and that is precisely what Smiley does in this irresistibly smart, witty, and engaging chronicle of her obsession.
In particular she follows a sexy filly named Waterwheel and a grey named Wowie (he “tells” a horse communicator that he wants it changed from Hornblower) as they begin careers at the racetrack. Filled with humor and suspense, and with discourses on equine intelligence, affection, and character, A Year at the Races is a winner.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 21 more reviews...
 A Year at the Races April 4, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
My understanding is that the horse Waterwheel was sold at auction by Jane Smiley for $1000 and was lame and in foal, not a happy caring ending provided by Ms. Smiley This makes Jane Smiley appear to not be all she claims to be in terms of providing quality care for this horse and makes me strongly question her use of this horse to sell books and then rid herself of her in a very uncaring way. Many healthy horses sold at auction, especially for this little money, can begin a downward spiral and are at high risk of eventually going to slaughter in Canada or Mexico. I suggest Ms. Smiley address this issue. I would love to know where Waterwheel is and hope she is well and beloved somewhere in a forever home.
 Is it immoral to sell horses, then? April 2, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
Jane Smiley sold a racehorse broodmare at California's premier auction house for thoroughbred racehorses. She did not "dump" the mare at an auction where she could have gone to slaughter.
Selling horses is a normal part of owning horses, especially racehorses. Auctions are the primary method of selling racing bloodstock. Writing a book about one's experiences owning racehorses does not obligate Smiley to keep every horse she has ever owned forever. People are actually suggesting that it would have been better to kill the mare than send through the ring at Barretts???!!!!
These reviews are absurd, and these reviewers need to get a life.
Horse Lover? April 1, 2008
1 out of 3 found this review helpful
The first book I have read of Smiley's, I was not impressed. It felt disjointed, awkward, and rather silly at times. She humanizes her horses to the point where it feels absurd. I fell in love with her horses, but I was less impressed with the author.
After reading the book, I learned that Waterwheel, one of the horses featured in the book, was dumped at auction (Barrett's January mixed sale) lame and pregnant, and sold for the near rock bottom price of $1000. After bringing her owner in so much money through this book, she couldn't afford to keep her retired? Sorry, but I refuse to buy books written by a hypocrite, and I will never read a Smiley book ever again.
No excuse... April 1, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
For dumping your racehorse at an auction because she wasn't good enough for you.
I read the book a few years ago. I wasn't terrible, but a little too touchy-feely for me (and I'm the type of person who spoils her horses), but rest assured I will never buy another book from an author that "disposes" of any unwanted horse at an auction. What does she think will happen to a broken down mare (she'll never be sound enough for work) that has a record of 2 unplaced starts and less than 5k in earnings? To Ms. Smiley: Show a bit of responsibility and either keep the mare or euthanize her. Use some of that book money. Don't risk her ending up at the killers.
Waterwheel dumped at auction... April 1, 2008
3 out of 5 found this review helpful
Why did Smiley not end the book with a chapter describing how she dumped her beloved Waterwheel, pregnant and broken-down, at an auction where she could have easily been purchased for slaughter? Unfortunately, this is where many ex-racehorses end up, brutally slaughtered. Smiley is no different than the unfeeling horse owners she vilifys in her books as she apparently could not be bothered to provide for a mare she gushed about in her book. She made money off her mare and then cruelly disposed of her horse.
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