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 enlarge | Author: Mary Walsh
Publisher: Aventine Press
Category: Book
List Price: $15.95
Buy New: $9.79
You Save: $6.16 (39%)
New (13) Used (2) from $9.79
Avg. Customer Rating:  8 reviews
Sales Rank: 138166
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 260
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 8.9 x 6 x 0.6
ISBN: 1593305060
Dewey Decimal Number: 798
EAN: 9781593305062
ASIN: 1593305060
Publication Date: October 3, 2007
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: International shipping available
Condition: GREAT BUY!Brand New From US Distributor! WE ARE A 5 STAR SELLER with OVER 3,500,000 BOOKS SOLD!!! OVER ~ 600,000 FEEDBACKS ~ POSTED!!!
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| Customer Reviews:
| Showing reviews 6-8 of 8 | | « PREV | | |
 Filling in the Details December 31, 2007
16 out of 17 found this review helpful
As a thoroughbred racing fan, I've always had the utmost respect and awe for Secretariat, as I feel he was the epitome of the racehorse, and that's why even to this day, other horses are constantly compared to him (and found wanting). Often forgotten, however, is his worthy opponent, Sham, who very likely may also have been a Triple Crown winner if he hadn't had the misfortune to be born in 1970. I've always had a soft spot for Sham because he tried so hard but was chasing a red rocket, impossible to catch. Even Penny Chenery, Secretariat's owner, said she secretly was rooting Sham on, even if just a little, because he was such a fighter. I like to think that Sham helped push Secretariat on to those record-breaking performances.
Although volumes have been written about Secretariat, I never knew much about Sham before his meetings with Secretariat, nor what happened to him after the Triple Crown - so Mary Walsh's "Sham: In the Shadow of a Superhorse" fills a niche. The author weaves Sham's and Secretariat's stories together, because it's truly impossible to tell one without the other, and she adds a nice chapter at the end which tells us what happened to many of the chief players associated with the two horses, as well as some of their equine competition. This book contains a good deal of information I never knew, has lots of photos (although I wish they were in color), and it's written with obvious affection for the subject. If you're a fan of horse-racing history, this book will make a very nice addition to your library.
 Nice Effort But Not All True December 21, 2007
19 out of 20 found this review helpful
Sham was a very good horse who should not be forgotten. However, there is some misinformation being referred to as factual and also some non-information that would at the very least have been useful, leading me to wonder if this is the best way to remember him. Riva Ridge was referred to as "a lithe, handsome, chestnut horse". Riva Ridge was a bay. Lithe and handsome are opinions, however his color is not. It was also said that Riva Ridge, Key to the Mint, Autobigraphy and Cononero II were engaged in a battle for the 1972 Older Male Eclipse Award. Since Riva Ridge and Key to the Mint were three in 1972, neither horse was eligible for said award. Also one of the reasons I bought the book was to find out more about Sham's pre-Sommer/Martin career. One fact I would have loved to find out was who trained Sham for Claiborne? This person is simply referred to as the trainer. All in all though, I'm glad the attempt was made, however I don't know now whether to trust some facts that I don't have commited to memory.
The Heart of a Champion December 11, 2007
6 out of 9 found this review helpful
Mary Walsh's "Sham: In the Shadow of a Superhorse" is a wonderful story of a somewhat forgotten champion who had the misfortune of racing in the same year as the legendary Secretariat. In any other year, he might have been a Triple Crown winner as well.
Mary Walsh had done a thorough job of researching the time and the place. I was particularly impressed by her style of weaving the story of Sham and Secretariat against the turbulent backdrop of 1973, known best for the events resulting from the Watergate break-in.
Walsh also does a terrific job of alternating between the two rivals, Sham and Secretariat, by introducing us to the faces and personalities in both barns.
I highly recommend this title to anyone who loves the history of the sport and those who realize champions are not always those who walk away with roses on their backs.
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