Eclipse Press, the equine book publishing division of The Blood-Horse, Inc., has announced the publication of Native Dancer, the seventh book in the Thoroughbred Legends series.Author Eva Jolene Boyd owes her interest in Thoroughbred racing to Native Dancer, whom she saw on television in 1953. She continued to follow Native Dancer's racing career and later, his stallion career, keeping track of his deeds for posterity. Now, this effort has culminated in Native Dancer.Known as "The Gray Ghost" because of his color and his amazing ability on the racetrack, Native Dancer won all but one of his 22 starts. His lone loss came in the 1953 Kentucky Derby when he was upset by Dark Star. Native Dancer went on to win the Preakness and Belmont Stakes. But his brilliance was evident even at two, when he won all nine of his starts and was named co-Horse of the Year, an honor not bestowed on a two-year-old horse again until 20 years later when Secretariat was named Horse of the Year in 1972.
In addition to relating Native Dancer's racing career, Boyd looks at the human connections as well, including owner Alfred Vanderbilt, trainer William C. Winfrey, and jockeys Eddie Arcaro and Eric Guerin. This in-depth look at one of America's greatest racehorses will be something for fans to treasure for years to come.
