The Longshot Horse, the Great War, and the Making of an American Hero
by Eliza McGraw
Critics' Opinion:
Readers' rating:
Published Apr 2016
336 pages
Genre: History, Current Affairs and Religion
Publication Information
The father of the Kentucky Derby called him "the greatest all-around Thoroughbred in American racing history." Sportswriter Grantland Rice simply called him "the greatest race horse." Now, Eliza McGraw tells the story of how a gangling, longshot Kentucky Derby winner named Exterminator became one of the most beloved racehorses of all time.
Eliza McGraw's Here Comes Exterminator! draws readers into the Golden Age of Racing, with all its ups and downs, the ever-involving interplay of horses and people, and the beauty, grace, fear, and hope that are a daily part of life at the track. Caught between his hotheaded millionaire owner and his knowledgeable trainer, Exterminator captured fans' affection with his personality, consistency, athleticism, and heart.
Exterminator's staggering success would dramatically change the world of horse-racing. He challenged the notion that American horses would never live up to Europe's meticulously charted bloodlines and became a patriotic icon of the country after World War I. And his longevity established him as one of the public's most beloved athletes, paving the way for equine celebrities like Seabiscuit and showing Americans they could claim - and love - a famous racehorse as their own.
"A beguiling tale of an ungainly gelding, gawky, awkward, and practically lop-eared, who held the racing world in thrall during his career (1917–24) and still holds the record of 33 stakes wins by a Thoroughbred raced in North America." - Booklist
"Readers who couldn't get enough of Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit will welcome this new title; with its colorful cast of characters and exciting down-to-the-wire action, it should have wide appeal." - Library Journal
"Before Seabiscuit, before Man o' War, Exterminator raced his way into America's heart. Eliza McGraw shows how his cheerful endurance still wins our enduring love."- Dorothy Ours, author of Battleship: A Daring Heiress, a Teenage Jockey, and America's Horse
"A great book about a great horse." - Susan Richards, author of Chosen by a Horse
"Eliza McGraw's story of an unflappable, courageous, almost-overlooked champion, Exterminator – who shocked the racing world when he won the Derby in 1918 – is an exciting, mud-soaked, triumphant journey from starting gate to finish line." - Martha Sherrill, author of Dog Man: An Uncommon Life on a Faraway Mountain
"This horse deserves a monument! Eliza McGraw takes us on an incredible ride on the back of one amazing horse. With impeccable research she meticulously weaves this lost tale of a champion of champions. A great horse - a great story - a truly great read!" - Robin Hutton, author of the New York Times bestseller Sgt Reckless: America's War Horse
"Yes, there was another race horse who also stole America's heart. And now there is a book that artfully captures this love affair between 'The Galloping Hatrack' and his fans. Meticulously researched and a compelling read about the golden age of horse racing. Well done, Ms. McGraw. You don't even have to be a horse nut to love this book." - Jody Jaffe, author of the Natalie Gold series
This information about Here Comes Exterminator! was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Eliza McGraw is a contributing writer for EQUUS magazine and author of two instructional equestrian books as well as two academic works. Her horse-related writing has appeared in The Chronicle of the Horse, The Blood-Horse, Mid-Atlantic Thoroughbred, Raceday 360, the New York Times' racing blog, and The Washington Post. She has taught at American University and earned degrees from Columbia University and Vanderbilt University. She lives in Washington, D.C., with her family, and keeps her paint mare Sugar in Potomac, Maryland.
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