As an aspiring writer of a fictional horse story involving the race track, Gary Stevens gave me all the research material I could ever wish for, from the early stages of his life (what inspired him) to the jockey room, the paddock, to thrilling descriptions of his view from the backs of too many wonderful horses to count.
Once you get past the Stevens family history and Gary begins talking about his professional riding career in California and other spots, this books picks up. The further it goes, the better it gets as Stevens relates to us a lot of inside information on what makes up a good ride, a good jockey, trainer and/or owner.
He delves into the individuality of horses and how doing your homework before a race is crucial. His stories about his relationships with various trainers and owners are very interesting, especially if you know the names. The same holds true for racetracks, as each is different, and how each country has a different set of rules and track surfaces.
Stevens may not be school-educated, but he is one smart cookie......and an honest one. There are plenty of stories in here where tells us about mistakes he made in judging some horses, along with mistakes he made in human relationships. I particularly liked his touching tribute to the late Chris Antley.
Once again, as in most horse racing books, my high opinion of jockeys is reinforced. No athletes -and Stevens is a prime example - are tougher and undergo hardships and pain like they do.
EX-RACETRACKER
The perfect ride is a very well written book about the life of one of our greatest riders. Gary has the ability to describe a race to bring the rider alongside his horse and experience the race in one's mind. He aparently has the touch it takes to have a horse do what the rider wants it to do without unessary force but with a tender hand. He also goes into great detail about things the general public would not be aware of but he explains in terms a layman can understand. I would recommend this book to any horse lover or anyone interested in reading a really good book.
Average
I've been a Stevens fan since he brought Thunder Gulch home at 24-1 in the 1995 Derby. This book however, is just average at best, even for a Stevens fan. Sure it details his rise to the top of the industry, but it just doesn't flow very well and doesn't have much personality.
recommended reading
I remember seeing Gary ride back at Longacres. Some of the people and horses he talks of in this book were jogged to memory. There's an incredible story of the reality of race riding, and the business, that Gary tells as if sitting across from you. Some of the greatest names in Thoroughbreds and the incredible highs and lows that come with "the game" are there on the page. He doesn't assume the reader knows terminology but doesn't talk down to the reader either. I thoroughly enjoyed the book and would definitely encourage racing fans especially to get this book.
