The Sheepish Scribe

Duel for the Crown: Affirmed, Alydar, and Racing’s Greatest Rivalry by Linda Carroll
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alydar is my very most favoritest racehorse of all time. Why? Because I loved watching him battle on and never give up. And because he was more handsome than Affirmed. (And no, you're not going to change my opinion on that.)

So I had to read this book. HAD TO READ IT. And it was well worth the time. As with most books about racehorses - it really isn't. It's about the breeders and owners of the horses. But that's okay, because without them, we wouldn't have the horse.

The first half of the book is about the ancestors of the two horses, Affirmed and Alydar, and the people who owned them. It's good reading if you love horse racing. It might be a little dry if you don't.

The second half of the book is about the greatest rivalry in sports. The dueling 3-year-old colts who captivated a nation in 1978. The lean, elegant colt from the wrong side of the tracks versus the big, burly colt with a pedigree beyond compare and their humans. Fascinating behind-the-scenes look at the rivalry. Even though I've loved this story for years, I gained some new perspective of the horses and the people around them. But - all this new knowledge notwithstanding - Alydar is still my favoritest racehorse ever. ;)