Semifinalists Named for 2024 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Awards

Six semifinalists for the 19th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award have been selected by a panel of judges, representing excellence in Thoroughbred sports literature published in 2024. These six titles illustrate the scope of the Book Award, including histories, biographies, a memoir, and two works of fiction. They were chosen from nearly 20 submissions, an indicator that literature on horse racing remains very much alive despite Thoroughbred industry controversies and the global economic hardships of recent years. With a $10,000 winner's prize, this competition has for nearly two decades ranked among the most lucrative in all of publishing—offering more than the Hugo, Edgar, and Nebula Awards, and with money equal to that of the prestigious National Book Award and Bancroft Prize. The late businessman/philanthropist Dr. Tony Ryan launched it in 2006 as the Castleton Lyons/Thoroughbred Times award, to recognize a long-overlooked segment of race-writing: the book. After Dr. Ryan's passing a year later, his son Shane carried on, while changing the name of the award to honor his late father. Three finalists will be announced in coming weeks and a winner will be crowned this fall at a cocktail reception at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons farm near Lexington. For additional information, contact Kerri Cahill at kcahill@castletonlyons.com Following is a synopsis of the six semi-finalists published during the 2024 calendar year, listed alphabetically by title. A Beggar's Ride, by John Perrotta Author Perrotta's latest mystery is a sequel to his 2015 novel If Wishes Were Horses, in which he introduced runaway teenager and New York backstretch worker Hamilton Greer. In A Beggar's Ride, Greer is ten years older and still learning the hard lessons of life. The nomadic young man eventually lands in Europe, where he finds love and adventure both on and off the racetrack--not all of it good. Along the way, Greer becomes unwittingly involved with a shady group of characters, including smugglers, killers, and drug dealers, which makes for a rollicking, albeit dangerous, romp to the dark side. Dark Horses: A Memoir of Redemption, by Arthur B. Hancock III Dark Horses is the story of a pre-eminent racing family, a legendary Thoroughbred farm, a personal and profound fall from grace, and, ultimately, a triumphant redemption--one that propelled Arthur B. Hancock III to the heights of the Thoroughbred industry. It is told from the heart and with sometimes painful vulnerability by the man himself, who seems to hold nothing back as he chronicles his wild-child youth filled with boozing, fighting, and debt, to the point where he walked away from his family's historic Claiborne Farm and rebuilt his life on his own terms. Eventually, Hancock would establish his own very successful Thoroughbred operation and became the first of his family to be the xbreeder and owner of a Kentucky Derby winner. Throughout the memoir, Hancock bares his soul in the country music lyrics he penned, a passion that continues today. The History of the Kentucky Derby in 75 Objects, by Kentucky Derby Museum and Jessica K. Whitehead Released in time for the sesquicentennial celebration of the Kentucky Derby, this lovely coffee-table book tells the fascinating story of America's longest continuously held sporting event. Both visual and textual, it highlights important points in the Derby's 150-year history by focusing on 75 objects housed in the Kentucky Derby Museum at Churchill Downs. It was written and pulled together by Museum historian and Senior Curator of Collections Jessica Whitehead, who brings readers along on a cultural journey through time, beginning with the Derby's birth during the Gilded Age, through the rise of black and female jockeys, and beyond. Jockey Queen: Lillian Jenkinson Holder, Horse Racing's Fearless Lady, by Roger Peach Long before women were licensed to ride in American parimutuel races, a girl from Nebraska was tearing up the rough, tough bush tracks of the Midwest, often putting chauvinistic male riders to shame. Where Lillian Jenkinson Holder (1909 -1992) rode for 47 years, there were no rules, no restrictions, no safety equipment, no holds barred. All that was required was skill in the saddle and courage, both of which Holder had in abundance during her 10,000+ races under cutthroat conditions. Jockey Queen traces the life of this extraordinary woman who made national news three times pursuing her denied right to ride in parimutuel races. For decades her remarkable story somehow flew under the radar of racing history, but not anymore. Letters From Country Life: Adolphe Pons, Man o' War, and the Founding of Maryland's Oldest Thoroughbred Farm, by Josh Pons Josh Pons is a two-time Eclipse Award-winning writer, third-generation horseman, and co-owner of Maryland's famed Country Life Farm. In 2016 he uncovered a treasure trove of letters in the century-old farmhouse basement—trunks packed with correspondence to his grandfather Adolphe Pons. Those letters provided a rare glimpse into the life of a special man, told by voices from the deep past. The elder Pons, who founded Country Life during the Great Depression, had served as personal secretary to August Belmont II, and had a hand in the breeding and eventual sale of a yearling named Man o' War—among many other contributions to the sport. Who wouldn't want a peek inside the letters that came his way? Even better, the author shares his own erudite thoughts on the wisdom and joy gleaned in discovering this long-ago family history. What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma, by Jay Privman For decades Jay Privman has been one of the most respected and decorated journalists in racing, in print and on television. Now, he is a children's author. Long passionate about Thoroughbred aftercare, Privman has become increasingly involved in that arena. His latest literary effort, What Horses Do After Racing: The Story of Good Carma, features four ex-racehorses who dream of what their second careers might be--whether show jumping, trail riding, dressage, or therapy. In simple words accompanied by charming illustrations by Christine Siegel, Privman's book is an enchanting primer for young readers who love and care about horses. All proceeds benefit the California Retirement Management Account (CARMA), a nonprofit to providing funds for the rehabilitation, retraining or retirement of horses that have raced in California