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Thoroughbred #57
Faith in a Long Shot
Will it be victory – or tragedy – when Triple Crown fever hits the Thoroughbred series?
When Image comes in second in the Florida Derby, Melanie and Jazz decide to enter her in the Kentucky Derby. Image has proven she has what it takes to win against colts. But competition will be tough. Image will be running against Wonder's Star, Gratis, and Celtic Mist. Will the race to win the Derby be Star's greatest success?
176 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2003
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 4, 2024
There actually was a decent story in here, but it was marred by some incredibly embarrassing series continuity errors. This was written by series veteran ghostwriter Alice Leonhardt, who really should've known better.
Perfect Image, a filly, is running in the Kentucky Derby. It's pointed out time and time again in this book that only three fillies have ever won the Derby.
Yes. In the real world.
But this is about 60 books into a series, where the main event in the WHOLE DAMN SERIES was that Wonder won the Kentucky Derby.
That would mean that there were FOUR fillies that won the Derby, in the context of this series. Wonder is barely mentioned in this book at all. When she is, it's usually in the context of being Star's mother.
Okay, this isn't just getting half a horse's name wrong, or something similar, but ignoring a major point in the series .... it's like if the newest incarnation of Doctor Who suddenly couldn't time travel, and NEVER DID time travel.
Wonder winning the Derby WAS THAT IMPORTANT.
There were other continuity errors, but that was the biggest, and most painfully obvious.
Now, there were times when the Thoroughbred series was eerily prophetic. Soon after publication of Pride losing the Triple Crown by a nose, in the real world, Real Quiet would lose the Triple Crown by a nose. Another book talked of a Horse losing the Triple Crown because he stumbled out of the gate in the Belmont. A few years later in the real world, War Emblem would do just that.
And now we have a black filly breaking down just after she crosses the finish line in the Derby.
Five years later, an almost black filly named for an Andrew Wyeth painting, Eight Belles, broke down after finishing second to steroid-filled Big Brown. Unlike Image, Eight Belles had to be destroyed on the track.
Thoroughbreds are bred to run. However, they are not bred to survive running.
Although it was sad to read about Image, I was glad that Alice Leonhardt was brave enough to stick this in. I have no idea if HarperCollins was taking money from the gambling industry, but it wouldn't surprise me. The whole series was designed to lure young people, and their betting money, to the races, horses be damned. This was one of the only times when the "sport" was questioned.
It almost made up for the continuity errors.
Perfect Image, a filly, is running in the Kentucky Derby. It's pointed out time and time again in this book that only three fillies have ever won the Derby.
Yes. In the real world.
But this is about 60 books into a series, where the main event in the WHOLE DAMN SERIES was that Wonder won the Kentucky Derby.
That would mean that there were FOUR fillies that won the Derby, in the context of this series. Wonder is barely mentioned in this book at all. When she is, it's usually in the context of being Star's mother.
Okay, this isn't just getting half a horse's name wrong, or something similar, but ignoring a major point in the series .... it's like if the newest incarnation of Doctor Who suddenly couldn't time travel, and NEVER DID time travel.
Wonder winning the Derby WAS THAT IMPORTANT.
There were other continuity errors, but that was the biggest, and most painfully obvious.
Now, there were times when the Thoroughbred series was eerily prophetic. Soon after publication of Pride losing the Triple Crown by a nose, in the real world, Real Quiet would lose the Triple Crown by a nose. Another book talked of a Horse losing the Triple Crown because he stumbled out of the gate in the Belmont. A few years later in the real world, War Emblem would do just that.
And now we have a black filly breaking down just after she crosses the finish line in the Derby.
Five years later, an almost black filly named for an Andrew Wyeth painting, Eight Belles, broke down after finishing second to steroid-filled Big Brown. Unlike Image, Eight Belles had to be destroyed on the track.
Thoroughbreds are bred to run. However, they are not bred to survive running.
Although it was sad to read about Image, I was glad that Alice Leonhardt was brave enough to stick this in. I have no idea if HarperCollins was taking money from the gambling industry, but it wouldn't surprise me. The whole series was designed to lure young people, and their betting money, to the races, horses be damned. This was one of the only times when the "sport" was questioned.
It almost made up for the continuity errors.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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November 1, 2019My book I read this quarter is called Faith In A Long Shot. It is by Joanna Campbell the reading level is 5.0. Miss Johnson and I could not find the Lexile.
The book was about Jazz and Taylor, who are horse jockeys. They had to win the next races they had. They were training their horses. One time when they were practicing with them and the horses were not listening. After one of the races, the characters were leaving they thought they hooked up the trailer, but it wasn ́t and the horse trailer rolled backwards. During final race one of the other jockeys was cheating and whipping Jazz ́s horse. But, Jazz was able to win the race.
The story is taking pace at a horse farm and track. The biggest problem is they keep on losing races. I think the setting affects the characters because if they were not at the track and practicing, they would not act the same. Some things that the author does in the book that affects the reader is that he makes the reader feel sad because throughout the book one of the horse jockeys gets hurt.
So I hate the book but like horse riding but the rest was boring to read. It was kind of hand to under stand but. It was hard to read also. The ending did not make sense. It left of with a clif hanger and i hate when it does that.one more thig was that carters send rude to each other I would recommend this book for someone that is more in to horse rasing not just trail riding
The book was about Jazz and Taylor, who are horse jockeys. They had to win the next races they had. They were training their horses. One time when they were practicing with them and the horses were not listening. After one of the races, the characters were leaving they thought they hooked up the trailer, but it wasn ́t and the horse trailer rolled backwards. During final race one of the other jockeys was cheating and whipping Jazz ́s horse. But, Jazz was able to win the race.
The story is taking pace at a horse farm and track. The biggest problem is they keep on losing races. I think the setting affects the characters because if they were not at the track and practicing, they would not act the same. Some things that the author does in the book that affects the reader is that he makes the reader feel sad because throughout the book one of the horse jockeys gets hurt.
So I hate the book but like horse riding but the rest was boring to read. It was kind of hand to under stand but. It was hard to read also. The ending did not make sense. It left of with a clif hanger and i hate when it does that.one more thig was that carters send rude to each other I would recommend this book for someone that is more in to horse rasing not just trail riding
August 27, 2023
Despite only giving it 3 stars, this is one of my favorite Thoroughbred books (maybe nostalgia is to blame haha). It has a few instances where facts change or aren’t clear, but overall I still enjoy it, though some of the family drama can be frustrating. It’s definitely a book I recommend, at least if you are looking for a short, fun read.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews