Secretariat, Updated Edition

Clearly Mr. Woolfe loves Sec, but has the good sense not to present a bunch of flowery poetry as the argument for being #1 horse. He's even wise to leave open the #1 horse argument when it's brought up in the course of the story (not that I'd really blame a Sec fan in his own book for saying Sec is greatest, but this way he's avoided alienating those of us with different opinions). Yet, Woolfe's "emotional" enough to have brought a tear to this "non-Secretariat" fan's eye at his retirement. I think Woolfe did it mainly through his generally even-handed coverage of Sec's career all along, covering him both in fact and engaging "human/horse interest" narrative, so that by the end all of us are sad at his departure from the track because we all sort of felt like Sec was our pet. Even those of us "veterans" numbed and hardened by the "Who's the Greatest Horse" Wars. ;-)

I was also touched by the coverage of Riva Ridge. It was nice to see him get so much attention. He may not have been Secretariat, but he was an excellent horse (with striking coloration - like a golden-red dun almost!) and it was nice he could "tag along" even in this book.

It didn't convert me to Sec-is-#1 Camp, but it's an excellent book on its own. I think Woolfe could have made us cry over any horse the way he set this up.