I
n this concise, entertaining account, first-time author Kennedy tells the story of Kelso, a scrawny, ungainly gelding who just happened to be one of the greatest Thoroughbreds that ever lived. While Kelso is certainly not unknown to horse race fans, his accomplishments throughout the 1960s have been underappreciated in comparison to those of Secretariat or Man O’ War, in large part because Kelso was a late bloomer who didn’t run in the Triple Crown as a three-year old. Yet Kelso’s achievements include winning the Jockey Club Gold Cup five times—the only horse in history to take a major stakes race five times consecutively—and being named “Horse of the Year” five successive times (again, the only horse to receive such an honor). Kennedy also enlivens the narrative with her own memories of seeing Kelso run in the flesh as a horse-loving girl. Although her research is impeccable, Kennedy seems to have relied on secondary sources for the most part, which detracts from the drama. Still, she makes a compelling argument for the historical stature of her childhood hero. (June)
