A Breed Apart: The Horses and the Players

This look at what goes on behind the scenes at the San Francisco Bay area's Golden Gate Fields will interest virtually everyone who has ever visited a racetrack. Helm, publisher of City Miner Books, takes readers on a tour of what the cognoscenti call ``the backside,'' introducing us to trainers and assistants, jockeys, exercise riders and grooms, trackmen, veterinarians, stewards, owners and a racing secretary. He also interviews bettors who claim to have developed methods to beat the system. We're shown that innumerable elements are involved in a horse race, from the physiology and even the psychology of the horse and the sensitivity of trainer and jockey to the condition of the track, which can vary hour to hour, and the racing secretary's ability to furnish good competition. Readers looking to improve their handicapping skills will find Helm a knowledgeable, pragmatic consultant. (May)