Sham Great Was Second Best Phil Dandrea
Download As PDF : Sham Great Was Second Best Phil Dandrea 
In early 1973, a sleek, sturdy bay named Sham was winning races by impressive margins as great as fifteen lengths. After defeating the mighty Secretariat in the Wood Memorial, many turf writers were touting Sham as the Kentucky Derby favorite. The stage was set for Sham-mania to sweep the country at a time when the nation needed a hero. But it was Secretariat who won over the nation. The chestnut colt known affectionately as Big Red, running under the white and blue silks of Meadow Stable, was the embodiment of the American flag. Despite impressive victories and record-breaking performances, Sham's popularity paled in comparison. If Secretariat were America's horse, Sham might well have been everyman's horse, a working-class hero who couldn't get the recognition he deserved. This is the other side of the story of Secretariat's famous Triple Crown season and of his remarkable challenger who found that great was only second best.
Sham Great Was Second Best Phil Dandrea
You will enjoy this book if you remember horse racing in the 1970's. This was a time when people remembered the names of the best horses and followed their careers. Unlike racing today these horses ran multiple races a year and raced at different tracks and distances. This was probably true up through the 1990's and after that horse racing ruined itself through greed. I don't even know the name of any horse racing today and I don't care anymore.I loved horse racing before that though and I was at the 1973 Kentucky Derby. I always liked Sham a lot and felt bad that Secretariat stole all the limelight. I got to see both horses after they retired in Kentucky and remember Sham as a very kind horse as is depicted in the book. I always forget that Forego was born the same year as Secretariat and Sham and is regarded as a great racehorse as he matured later and participated in the handicap races that the other two missed. So really 3 great horses born in the same year!
Loved reliving the period and also that Sham got the recognition that he deserved.
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Sham Great Was Second Best Phil Dandrea Reviews
This book is a good read. What disappointed me was so few pictures and what pictures were included were pretty small. I expected at least a good color close up head shot and a conformation shot. I would also have appreciated more personal details about the horse himself--how he responded to training, any quirks, a little bit about his early life as a foal, etc.--the things that help you get to know a horse. The incident recounting him meeting Mrs. Tweedy was helpful in that regard. I've been around horses all my life and I like to get to know their personalities. They are as individual as people. I had the opportunity to meet Secretariat about ten years after he retired and it was a wonderful experience. Never had that privilege with Sham and I hoped this book would help me get to know him a little more personally. It was a good read, just disppointing in the two areas I mentioned.
This books both objective about and sympathetic to the great horse, Sham, without detracting from Secretariat's greatness. Exceptionally well researched, with over 75 pages of bibliography and endnotes, this book is an authoritative, reliable work on the life of the great Sham. I like the excellent balance of the book dealing with the people involved in Sham's life and career, and the horse himself. The chronological order and chapters devoted to each important race make the book easy to refer to for statistics and facts. The photographs on quality paper also add to the interest and understanding of the book.
The only additions I would suggest would be an appendix listing the who/what/where/when of the major events and races. It's already done very well within the content of the book, but the addition of the appendix would make referring to the information a bit more efficient. I would also have appreciated a pedigree, for a number of reasons, including showing the relationship between Sham and Secretariat. They were cousins.
e individual touches that I was particularly interested in. Although Dandrea is not critical of Penny Tweedy, he does paint a slightly different picture than of the woman depicted in the film, Secretariat as well as books about her and Secretariat. I'm thinking in particular of the publicized news conference with her and Pancho Martin. Unless I'm confused about the scene, there could have been two different women in Tweedy's body at that conference--the same goes for the interpretation of Martin.
Contributions from a number of people who were center, or on the periphery, of Sham's life and career add both understanding and interest.
I had heard, mistakenly, that Sham had died a lonely and sad death, starved and sickened. I labored under this misconception for years, and was so happy to read that, instead, he lived comfortably and loved to the end of his days. (Unfortunately, that story does refer to another race horse, although I cannot now remember who.)
Finally, there are moments in the story that will give you goose-bumps. The story of the actual hearts of these two great horses examined after their deaths will move many readers, as it did me, with its incredible quality.
For anyone who remembers the great Sham, or anyone who wants to learn about him and do him honor in one's own heart, this is the book to read.
The book is a story of greatness, ambitions, selflessness, and selfishness. It is a story of devotion and dedication. It is ultimately the story of a great horse with great courage.
I've wanted to read this story for a while, ever since watching the movie "Secretariat." I must say that this story didn't really dispute the Disney version of Sham's Trainer Pancho Martin all that much. He still comes across as rather blustery, and arrogant. In the movie, after the Wood Memorial, Martin is shown telling the reporters that the "Secretariat people are going to make excuses" as to why Secretariat lost the Wood. In the book, Martin seems to be the one constantly making excuses why his horse lost. First, he says that Sham lost the Derby because he was in the starting gate too long, and knocked his teeth loose. Then he lost the Preakness because he was slammed against the rail when the gate opened. Martin kept saying he wanted a 'fair' race against Secretariat, which seemed to me like he was somehow blaming the Secretariat team for Sham's misfortunes. I did feel sorry for Sham, trying so hard in the Belmont and failing so badly. It was probably at that time he injured his leg, which led to his retirement shortly after the Belmont.
Overall, the book is good, and a nice alternate view of the 1973 Triple Crown races. I do have a few more comments. Don't published books get proofread by professionals? Why are there misspellings in the book? The word 'percent' is spelled 'per cent' which gives the word a different meaning entirely, and throws the sentence jarringly off kilter. Also, one of my 'pet peeves' are people misspelling the word 'German Shepherd' since I've owned Shepherds my entire life. It's Shepherd, NOT 'German shepard' like the book has it spelled. 'Shepard' is not even a word!
I'd give the book a solid B+, even though I did skim over the part with all the horse's lineage.
You will enjoy this book if you remember horse racing in the 1970's. This was a time when people remembered the names of the best horses and followed their careers. Unlike racing today these horses ran multiple races a year and raced at different tracks and distances. This was probably true up through the 1990's and after that horse racing ruined itself through greed. I don't even know the name of any horse racing today and I don't care anymore.
I loved horse racing before that though and I was at the 1973 Kentucky Derby. I always liked Sham a lot and felt bad that Secretariat stole all the limelight. I got to see both horses after they retired in Kentucky and remember Sham as a very kind horse as is depicted in the book. I always forget that Forego was born the same year as Secretariat and Sham and is regarded as a great racehorse as he matured later and participated in the handicap races that the other two missed. So really 3 great horses born in the same year!
Loved reliving the period and also that Sham got the recognition that he deserved.
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