Crazy Good: The True Story of Dan Patch, the Most Famous Horse in America

In contrast to Laura Hilldebrand's wildly popular Seabuscuit, Leerhsen's tale of Dan Patch is hardly on anyone's must read list. It's a shame because while the two author's styles differ, the subject of the latter is just as interesting as the former. Fewer folks are familiar with trotters and pacers, but a hundred years ago they were as or more popular than thoroughbreds eventually became decades latter. Leerhsen relates not only the story of Dan Patch but also the rise of the trotters and pacers, the racing world and how Dan Patch for a time became the most well know horse in the world. An excellent social history as well, the book's only failing is when the author injects his own first person stories recounting his efforts to show more research the story. They just aren't all that interesting and break the flow of the narrative. However, they constitute only a small part of the whole book and some people might actually like them. show less

Born in 1896 in the small town of Oxford, Indiana, the horse that was to become a cultural icon was almost put down immediately due to a crippled rear leg. The offspring of an obscurely bred, lame mare and nasty-tempered stallion with a decent harness racing record, Dan Patch went on to become the first horse to pace a mile in 1:56 seconds. He eventually lowered that record, albeit under slightly dubious circumstances, to 1:55.

Dan Patch paced naturally, no hobbles required. (If you've ever seen a trotter race, and it's rare to find a track still in operation anymore, you'll likely have seen horses race in hobbles & assorted other paraphenalia intended to keep them from breaking gait.) He was something of fluke in other ways, too - show more traveling exceedingly well, handling crouds with equanimity, and taking almost every publicity event in stride.

The story Leerhsen writes is at once less and more than the simple biography of a great horse. It's a chatty, sometimes catty, account of a horse's life, of the lives and personalities of the men who surrounded him, and also a window into another time. show less

This is a good read. I spent 43 years in Lexington, Kentucky and all my sons became racing fans by going to the Red Mile, a stop on the Grand Circuit. They have all long since switched to the thoroughbreds. The biographer gives good insights on how he researched the book, managing at the same time to shed light on the people involved in the story both now and in the past. I am about 2/3's through it and really enjoy it.
6/5/10 Still reading and still like it. Leerhsen is a funny writer. One thing that puzzles me is why he refers to the Breeder's Track in Lexington rather than the Red Mile. The Red Mile was established in 1875. I have found no other reference to it being called the Breeder's Track.
6/7/10 Kind of a sad ending, for both the show more horse and its owner. show less