Synopses & Reviews
Gary Stevens is always looking for the perfect ride. In this exhilarating, candid autobiography, he recounts the extreme highs and devastating lows of a stellar career that has spanned two decades, taken him around the world on the backs of some of the 20th century's greatest horses, and led to a role in the motion picture
Seabiscuit.
From the adrenaline-pumped moments in the starter's gate at the Kentucky Derby to the fiercely competitive, sometimes hostile environment inside the jockeys' room, Stevens lays bare the thrills and perils of his ambitious ascent and the doubts, fears, and failures he confronted both on and off the track as his all-consuming passion nearly became his undoing. More than a racetrack reminiscence, A Perfect Ride is the remarkable story of a man who has triumphed over a lifetime of adversity. Searing in its honesty, vivid in its recollections, here is the inside track on a life lived at full tilt, as told by a farm boy who rode his way to the top.
Review
"It's a first-class performance....The Perfect Ride is the perfect read." Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
"A racehorse cannot tell you how it feels to be hurtling down the stretch, neck and neck with its archrival. The next best thing is the jockey's perspective, and readers are fortunate to have Hall of Famer Gary Stevens share his hard-riding story." Chicago Tribune
Review
"A Perfect Ride is a great read, not only for horseracing fans, but for anyone interested in how the American dream really works." Jack Whitaker, Hall of Fame sportscaster
About the Author
Jockey Gary Stevens fell in love with Thoroughbred racing at age twelve and won his first Kentucky Derby at age twenty-five aboard the three-year-old filly, Winning Colors. It was a wire-to-wire win and a stunning triumph one of many in Stevens's award- and injury-studded career. He is a member of the Horse Racing Hall of Fame and the recipient of the prestigious Eclipse Award.
Mervyn Kaufman grew up with a horse of his own and a devotion to Thoroughbred racing. A publishing veteran, he is the author of numerous books, essays, and articles.