Racing My Father: Growing Up with a Riding Legend

by Patrick Smithwick

Becoming a steeplechase jockey takes great courage, especially when following in the footsteps of a legendary father. Growing up, Patrick Smithwick idolized his father, A.P. Smithwick, considered the greatest steeplechase jockey in America at the time. In this compelling memoir, Patrick Smithwick recalls how his father's success shaped his own ambitions and dreams. Despite witnessing the pinnacle of the sport, the younger Smithwick started his own journey without a leg up. He mucked stalls and lived in tack rooms, learning the sport from the bottom up. After his father was severely injured in a racing accident, young Patrick did not sway from pursuing his dream. Though he may not have reached the career heights of his father, Patrick Smithwick succeeded in carving his own niche as a top steeplechase rider.

Genres: Sports, Memoir

240 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Patrick Smithwick's FLYING CHANGE won the $10,000 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award on April 10, 2013 and accepted it at Castleton Lyons farm in Lexington, KY. A Washington Post editor was the judge. Submissions came from all over the globe.

Smithwick has been working with horses all of his life. At a very young age he began working with his father, the legendary steeplechase jockey, A.P. Smithwick, who became a trainer after retiring from riding. Smithwick then worked his way through school and college by exercising Thoroughbreds at major East Coast racetracks and riding steeplechase races at such venues as Belmont Park and Saratoga Race Course, and hunt meets such as the Maryland Hunt Club and the Grand National.

Smithwick received a Bachelor or Arts from Johns Hopkins University in 1973 followed by a Master of Arts in creative writing from Hollins College in 1975. After working in the newspaper business for several years, Smithwick began teaching English, philosophy, photography, and journalism at both the high school and collegiate levels. In 1988, he received a master of liberal arts from Johns Hopkins University and in 2000 he received his degree in education for ministry from University of the South. During this time, Smithwick taught as well as held the position of director of publications and public relations at two different schools.

He has now turned his two biggest passions into two business - writing and training. Thoroughbred steeplechase horse and riding. He also gives talks, teaches part-time, and does freelance writing.

In addition to Racing My Father, Smithwick has written The Art of Healing: Union Memorial Hospital and Gilman Voices, 1897-1997. He has also written for many publications including Mid-Atlantic Country, The Maryland Horse, Horsemen's Journal, and The Chronicle of the Horse.

Smithwick resides on the horse farm where he was raised in Monkton, Maryland, with his wife Ansley. They have three children: Paddy, Andrew and Eliza.

Reviews

[Debbie Zapata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nov 23, 7am ~~ Review asap.

735pm ~~ This book is divided into five parts, each covering a phase of the author's life, but the true main character is Pop: A. Patrick 'Paddy' Smithwick, the author's father and one of the most successful jockeys in American steeplechase racing. Paddy rode, his brother Mikey trained, and they both made history.

Little Paddy (the author) grew up in Maryland and at horse tracks like Pimlico and Saratoga, learning from his father, living the same life even as a youngster. I was surprised at the end that only 21 years had passed by in the young man's life since the first page. Somehow it felt like he did twice that amount of living during those years.

He was a bit of a wild man, plenty of drinking going on, and he said repeatedly that he loved the life on the track, loved working the horses (and he was good with them, almost as good as his father) but he also discussed wanting to break away and be his own man, follow his own star. Would he ever be able to be someone besides Little Paddy?

I think I expected to like this book more than I actually did. There were some breathless moments, but also a few somewhat crass moments (typical of any young man's thoughts, I suppose, but I could have gone all day without reading them). I was quite moved in places and annoyed in others. I was intrigued by the behind the scenes look at the track, not surprised by some of the shenanigans there, and completely in awe of the author's (and his father's) ability to ride pretty much any rogue horse.

I don't think there will be riders like Pop ever again. What a treat to get to know him a little bit here.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book on several levels. I grew up in the same area & knew Patrick, his family & many of his friends, although I don't recall meeting his father. He's about 8 years older than I am, I think. I know the area & the people, so there are a lot of memories in here for me.

This is a cathartic book for him, obviously, not something I normally like, but he does it very well. The scenes are somewhat disjointed, but that came across better, with more life, than a straight account would have.

If you like horses & want a view into what the horse racing life was like, this is a must read. Few areas in this country are as 'horsey' as the Monkton scene. Even today it is possible to ride for miles across the area.

[John Horst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before reading this book, I knew nothing of the world of Steeple Chasing. Patrick Smithwick has a great gift as a writer and a great story to tell. I've also been offered the chance to read Flying Change before it was published and am confident it will also be well received by the fans of horses, horse racing and the community of the old horse families of Maryland.

[Vonnie Crist · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're interested in memoir and steeplechase riding, you'll enjoy this book. Patrick Smithwick writes about his relationship with his father, Hall of Fame Steeplechase jockey, AP "Paddy" Smithwick, and Paddy's struggle to return to the winner's circle after an accident leaves him paralyzed.