Three Finalists Named for Ryan Book Award

Three finalists have been named for the 13th Annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which honors the best in thoroughbred literature each year. The award, which includes a $10,000 prize, will be announced on Wednesday at an invitation-only event at Castleton Lyons Farm near Lexington, KY.

The judges for the award were Kay Coyte, former manager editor of the Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service; Caton Bredar, television broadcaster and racing analyst; and Jayne Moore Waldrop, a writer, attorney and author.

The finalists:

Around Kentucky With the Bug! by Patrick Lawrence Gilligan

A trainer and, more importantly, a loving father, follows his son’s year as an apprentice jockey in pursuit of a dream, as he attempts to break into a tough, often unforgiving industry. This eloquent journal serves up a heart-warming story of life, love, and family, told with gentle humor and insight. A portion of proceeds from the book fittingly goes to benefit disabled jockeys.

Dixie Luck by Andy Plattner

Plattner, who won this award in 2015 with “Offerings from a Rust Belt Jockey,” was back again in 2018 with another literary gem. This time, it was a collection of character-driven short stories, plus a novella, that brought to life the complex, often flawed people who populate a racetrack. Plattner, a multiple award winner outside of racing, does not shy away from the sport’s darkest corners, as several of his well-crafted tales focus on the devastation wrought by gambling addiction.

Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt who Conquered the Sport of Kings by Linda Carroll and David Rosner

A pair of well-known national journalists teamed to tell this Cinderella tale of 1940s superstar Stymie and his legendary trainer Hirsch Jacobs. It is the story of a Plain Joe colt that nobody wanted, born as a world war simmered, who rose from low level claiming ranks to Hall of Fame status while becoming the first American Thoroughbred to surpass $900,000 in earnings. With his flamboyantly high-headed, “out-of-the-clouds” style of running, Stymie became a blue collar hero to millions during America’s Golden Age of Sports.         

Ryan Book Award Names Six Semifinalists

Six semifinalists have been named for the top award in horse racing literature. The 13th Annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which honors the best books with a horse racing premise or backdrop, carries a top prize of $10,000. The award will be given at an invitation-only ceremony at Castleton Lyons farm near Lexington, KY on April 10.

The semifinalists:

Out of the Clouds: The Unlikely Horseman and the Unwanted Colt who Captured the Sport of Kings

 Authors:  Linda Carroll and David Rosner

 The inspirational Cinderella story of Stymie, a beloved 1940s racetrack hero who ascended from low-level claiming ranks to championship status — and ultimately into the Racing Hall of Fame. The latest from a pair of award-winning journalists.

Around Kentucky With the Bug!

Author: Patrick Lawrence Gilligan

A trainer and proud father follows his son’s year as an apprentice jockey with insight and humor. A portion of the book’s proceeds benefit disabled jockeys.

Dixie Luck

Author:  Andy Plattner

Character-driven short stories and a Faulkner-Wisdom gold medal-winning novella by a previous Dr. Ryan Award winner, bring to life the complex and often flawed people who populate a racetrack.

 Monsieur X

 Author:  Jamie Reid

 A William Hill Sports Book of the Year-winning journalist tells the tragic real-life story of a respected French aristocrat and mathematician-turned inveterate gambler who lost it all in an attempt to beat the system.

 Taking Shergar: Thoroughbred Racing’s Most Famous Cold Case

 Author: Milton C. Toby

 Another former Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award honoree returns with the chilling tale of champion Shergar’s 1983 kidnapping from an Irish stud farm. Though the crime was never officially solved, interesting inroads are made here into likelihoods and possibilities.

 A Stone’s Throw

 Author: James W. Ziskin

 An award-winning mystery series takes its initial step into the racing world, when an intrepid young reporter investigates an apparent double murder at an abandoned horse farm not far from Saratoga.

Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award to be announced Thursday

The richest award in thoroughbred literature will be announced on Thursday in a reception at Castleton Lyons Farm near Lexington. The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which carries a $10,000 prize, has honored the best in thoroughbred lit since 2006. 

You can check out this year's finalists below. You can also check out the background of the award in an article Bourbon & Barns brought to you last year at http://bourbonandbarns.com/blog/2017/3/13/ryan-book-award-honors-best-in-thoroughbred-literature. 

Press Release

Fiction ruled the day in 2017, with all three finalists for the 12th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award falling into that category. This is the first time since the award’s inception in 2006 where works of imagination swept all of the top spots—among semi-finalists as well as finalists. In the five previous years combined, only two novels made the top three. This year’s winner will be announced at a by-invitation evening reception on April 19 at the Ryan family farm near Lexington, Kentucky.

“This certainly has been the Year of the Novel, especially the Mystery/Thriller,” said lead judge Kay Coyte. “Cases could be made for each of the three finalists, all of which were beautifully written, tightly edited, well-presented books. And it's fitting that International Women's Day was this month, as two of the three were written by women, and all have as their protagonist a smart, strong, independent female.”

Finalists include a suspenseful tale of crime at the racetrack; a murder mystery by an author with a famous racing surname; and a young adult novel about a girl with special talents when it comes to horses.

Following are the finalists for 2017, listed alphabetically:

Flamingo Road

Author: Sasscer Hill

Noted mystery author Sasscer Hill’s latest is a spine-tingling tale of crime, gangs, and suspicious racetrack happenings, featuring for the second time, Baltimore police officer Fia McKee. When a horse is stolen, McKee goes to work undercover for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau to find out who’s “gaming the system,” and to recover the animal while bringing the culprits to justice.

Pulse

Author: Felix Francis

Felix Francis continues the tradition of his late father, famed mystery writer Dick Francis, with his seventh solo novel. A classic Francis murder mystery, Pulse begins with the suspicious death of a well-dressed, unidentified man—at a racetrack, of course. Dr. Chris Rankin represents a Francis first as a female lead character.  The complex young ER doctor with a racing connection launches a personal investigation into who the deceased was and why he was killed … and soon finds herself in the crosshairs of trouble.

The Whole Sky

Author: Heather Henson

A mysterious illness sweeps through Thoroughbred farm country, resulting in hundreds of stillborn foals, and veterinarians have no answer. Enter 12-year-old Sky Doran, a “horse whisperer” blessed with the additional gift of hearing horses speak back to her. While dealing with her own tragedies—the death of her mother and an alcoholic father—Sky uses her unique talents to uncover the reason behind the deadly epidemic, and to stop it.                         

The Dr. Tony Ryan Award annually recognizes the best book with a Thoroughbred industry background published in the previous year. A $10,000 winner's prize is offered, with $1,000 going to each of the two finalists. All three also receive Tipperary crystal statuettes of Castleton Lyon's iconic stone tower.

Deadline Approaches for Thoroughbred Book Award

The deadline for the top award in thoroughbred writing is fast-approaching. The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which has been awarded annually since 2006, honors the best in thoroughbred writing and the deadline is December 31, 2017. The author of the winning book will receive $10,000 and a trophy, while other finalists will receive $1,000 and a trophy. 

Eliza McGraw won last year's award for her book Here Comes Exterminator: The Longshot Horse, The Great War, and the Making of an American Hero. You can read the interview Bourbon & Barns conducted with McGraw last year at http://bit.ly/2CeMEZ2. You can purchase her book at http://amzn.to/2B57yMe. 

Bourbon & Barns also interviewed finalist Mark Shrager about his book The Great Sweepstakes of 1877: A True Story of Southern Grit, Gilded Age Tycoons, and a Race That Galvanized a Nation. You can read the interview at http://bit.ly/2zar4FG. You can buy the book at http://amzn.to/2iVuYt4. 

 The third finalist last year was Barbara Livingston for her book Old and New Friends.

For more information about the award, go to http://www.castletonlyons.com/about/dr--tony-ryan-book-award. 

For a nomination form, go to http://www.castletonlyons.com/assets/files/Page_Editor_Files/2017Dr.TonyRyanBookAwardEntryForm.pdf.

You can also check out this article from Bourbon & Barns about the history of the award: http://bit.ly/2lnpdGf. 

Finalists Named for Ryan Book Award

The finalists have been announced for the top award in thoroughbred literature. The Ryan Book Award, which has honored the best in thoroughbred literature since 2006, recognized three books focused on some of the history of horse racing. Of the three finalists, two tell stories of historic races and another is a collection of photos and first-person accounts of 100 retired racehorses. 

The finalists are: 

Here Comes Exterminator! The Longshot Horse, the Great War, and the Making of an American Hero by Eliza McGraw

Old and New Friends by Barbara D. Livingston

he Great Sweepstakes of 1877: A True Story of Southern Grit, Gilded Age Tycoons, and a Race That Galvanized the Nation by Mark Shrager

Here's the press release from the Ryan Book Award announcing the finalists: 

In a year of unprecedented quality in addition to quantity, the three finalists for the 11th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award showcase a pair of handsomely researched histories and a top-notch work of photo-journalism. A near-record number of submissions were received for the 2016 competition, many penned by authors well-known both in and outside of racing. Finalist selections span nearly 150 years of the Sport of Kings’ glorious past and include the tale of an early 20th century champion; the story of a long ago match race; and a pictorial tribute to more recent champions.

Launched in 2006 by the late Dr. Tony Ryan, the Award annually recognizes the best book published in the previous year, focusing on any aspect of Thoroughbred racing. A $10,000 winner’s prize is offered, along with $1,000 to each of two finalists, while all three receive Tipperary crystal statuettes of Castleton Lyon’s iconic stone tower.

The 2016 winner will be announced during a by-invitation reception at the Ryan family’s Castleton Lyons farm near Lexington on the evening of April 20. For further information, contact Betsy Hager at: (859) 455-9222 or at bhager@castletonlyons.com

Finalists

(Alphabetical by Title)

Here Comes Exterminator! The Longshot Horse, the Great War, and the Making of an American Hero by Eliza McGraw

The story of one of racing’s beloved celebrities, 1918 Kentucky Derby winner Exterminator. “Old Bones,” as he was fondly known, was all heart, with legs of iron, winning 50 races during a long career—often under crushing weights unheard of today—while becoming a sporting megastar. The gangly gelding owned America’s collective heart from the closing months of World War I into the Roaring Twenties.

Old and New Friends by Barbara D. Livingston

In this latest by Thoroughbred racing’s premier photographer, Livingston chronicles the lives of 100 retired racehorses, including fan favorites from American Pharoah to Xtra Heat. Filled with lush color photography snapped by the multi-Eclipse Award winner, the volume also includes the author’s written first-person experiences with these extraordinary animals.                                                                                                                    

The Great Sweepstakes of 1877: A True Story of Southern Grit, Gilded Age Tycoons, and a Race That Galvanized the Nation by Mark Shrager

America’s divisive post-Civil War era is brought vividly to life here, culminating in an afternoon 140 years ago when Congress adjourned to attend a horse race. It was an event for the ages, a North vs. South match-up between a trio of future Hall of Fame Thoroughbreds, with ramifications far exceeding that particular day, time, and place. 

Ryan Book Award Honors Best in Thoroughbred Literature

The highest honor in thoroughbred literature will be awarded next month at Castleton Lyons Farm in Lexington, KY. The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, which honors those who "promote the horse through literature," has honored the top books related to horse racing since 2006. The award includes generous prizes of $1,000 for finalists and $10,000 for the winner. (For comparison’s sake, the National Book Award, which honors the best in all literary categories, also offers prizes of $1,000 for finalists and $10,000 for the winners).

The semifinalists for this year’s award, which is open to books published in 2016, will be announced later this week with the three finalists announced around March 27. The award will be presented at an invitation-only event at Castleton Lyons in Lexington, KY on April 20.

The award is named after Dr. Tony Ryan, an Irish businessman who passed away in 2007 after making his fortune in aviation. Ryan built a career in aircraft leasing before establishing Ryanair, which would become one of the largest airlines in Europe. Ryanair revolutionized low-cost air travel in Europe in much the same way Southwest Airlines has done in the United States, according to representatives of Castleton Lyons Farm.

Ryan’s interest in the horse industry led to his ownership of Kilboy Estate, a stud farm in Ireland, which is now owned by his son, Shane. Ryan also owned Lyons Desmesne, a 600-acre country estate in Ireland. Both properties were active breeding operations where Ryan and his family kept broodmares and their progeny, according to Castleton Lyons.

Ryan also raced thoroughbreds in Europe and in America. Shane Ryan has also raced thoroughbreds, notably multiple Grade 1 winner Gio Ponti who earned more than $6 million and finished second in the Breeders Cup Classic. Gio Ponti, who now stands at Castleton Lyons for $7,500, has sired Defrong (winner of the 2016 Breeders Cup Sprint) and Sir Dudley Digges (winner of the $1 million Queen’s Plate at Woodbine in Canada).

Dr. Tony Ryan, a literary fan whose homes were filled with books of all types, created the book award in 2006 to bring together his love of horses and literature.

“We think there is such a natural attraction between humans and horses throughout history,” Castleton Lyons representatives said. “Many horse racing moments have been part of some of the greatest sporting history in this country, and, as with all major achievements, they attract authors that record momentous events. The horse has played an important part of our sporting history and the recording of this through writing has traditionally been very popular due to the demand and interest of the general public.”

The judges for this year’s award are Kay Coyte, Caton Bredar and John Carter. See their bios below from Castleton Lyons:

Kay Coyte, is an Eclipse and American Horse Publications award-winning photographer and former editor and publisher of The Horsemen's Journal Thoroughbred racing magazine. Coyte recently retired from the Washington Post as an editor since 1982, most recently with the Washington Post-Bloomberg News Service. Earlier in her career, Coyte covered racing for The Saratogian newspaper in Saratoga Springs, NY, and her freelance articles have appeared in several racing and sports magazines. 

Caton Bredar is an award-winning broadcast journalist and a respected commentator, analyst and producer at TVG Network.

John Carter is a noted British sports writer who authored Warriors on Horseback and won last year's Ryan Book Award. Carter previously authored the books Newmarket: A Year at the Home of Racing; First Past the Post: History of Horse Racing; and Play the Masters. He co-authored The Stupid Footballer is Dead.    

Winners from the first 10 years of the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award are listed below:

2015 - John Carter, Warriors on Horseback; 2014 - Andrew Plattner, Offerings from a Rust Belt Jockey; 2013 - David Owen, Foinavon: The story of the Grand National's Biggest Upset;2012 - Patrick Smithwick, Flying Change: A Year of Racing and Family and Steeplechasing; 2011 - Milton Toby, Dancer's Image: The Forgotten Story; 2010 - Jaimy Gordon, Lord of Misrule; 2009 - James E. "Ted" Bassett & Bill Mooney, Keeneland's Ted Bassett: My Life; 2008 - Rudy Alvarado, The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita; 2007 - T.D. Thornton, Not By a Long Shot: A Season at a Hard Luck Horse Track; and 2006 - Joe Drape, Black Maestro.

Special thanks to Betsy Hager and Stuart Fitzgibbon of Castleton Lyons who provided information for this story.