Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing's Greatest

Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing's Greatest Rivalry

A gripping look at the great duel between Affirmed, the last horse to win the Triple Crownâ€”comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakesâ€”and his archrival, Alydar.

From the moment they first galloped head-to-head in Saratoga Springs, the two chestnut colts showed they were the stuff of racing legend. Alydar, all muscle with a fearsome closing kick, was already the popular favorite to win the Kentucky Derby. Affirmed, deceptively laid-back streamlined elegance, was powered forward by his steely determination not to settle for second place.

In the Sport of Kings, the Triple Crown is the most valued prize, requiring a horse to win not just one race, but three: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes. And 1978 would not be just for the record books, but also one of the greatest dramas ever played out in the racing world.

There were names to conjure with, worthy of the Sport of Kings. The bloodline of Native Dancer. The teen wonderboy jockey Steve Cauthen. The once unbeatable Calumet Farmâ€”the Damn Yankees of the racing worldâ€”now in eclipse and hoping for a comeback. The newcomer Harbor View Farmâ€”owned by brash financier Louis Wolfson, who wouldnâ€™t let even a conviction and a prison sentence for securities violations stand in the way of his dreams of glory. And the racetracks themselves: Belmont, Saratoga, Pimlico. And, of course, Churchill Downs.

It has been thirty-five years since Affirmed and Alydar fought for the Triple Crown, thirty-five years when no other horse has won it. Duel for the Crown brings this epic battle to life. Not just two magnificent Thoroughbreds but the colorful human personalities surrounding them, caught up in an ever-intensifying battle of will and wits that lasted until the photo finish of the final Triple Crown race . . . and Alydar and Affirmed leaped into the history books.
Country USA
Brand Gallery Books
Manufacturer Gallery Books
Binding Hardcover
ReleaseDate 2014-04-22
UnitCount 1
EANs 9781476733203

Country	USA
Brand	Gallery Books
Manufacturer	Gallery Books
Binding	Hardcover
ReleaseDate	2014-04-22
UnitCount	1
EANs	9781476733203

Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing's Greatest Rivalry