Duel for the Crown - 9781476733203

A gripping look at the great duel between Affirmed, the last horse to win the Triple Crown—comprised of the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes—and his archrival, Alydar.

More than sixteen million Americans watched the 2013 Kentucky Derby, and the three Triple Crown races combined drew more than thirty million viewers. But most people might not realize that it’s been thirty-five years since one horse won the US Triple Crown—Affirmed was the last horse to win, in 1978. Now, in Duel for the Crown, the stirring rivalry between Affirmed and Alydar, two horseracing legends, is brought to vivid life with the rich detail it deserves.

Alydar was horseracing royalty, while Affirmed grew up on a backwoods Florida farm. But scrappy Affirmed held off Alydar by an ever-narrowing margin to win each of the three races in the Triple Crown. These two horses and their epic battle are horseracing’s crowning glory. In the bestselling tradition of Seabiscuit, this book tells the tale of two Thoroughbreds along with their respective owners, trainers, and jockeys in an ever-intensifying battle of wills and wits. With a cast of human connections as colorful as the horses themselves, Duel for the Crown is a galloping ride as fast and exciting as the actual races.