About This Book

The Inspiring True Story of One of the Most Successful and Beloved Thoroughbreds in Racing History

At his three-year debut in June 1960, no one could know that Mrs. Allaire DuPont’s small, deerlike gelding named Kelso would come to dominate American racing like no other horse before or since. For five unprecedented years, he would reign as Horse of the Year, setting records and endearing himself to millions of fans. Always considered among the top four horses of all time—with Man O’ War, Secretariat, and Citation—for many, Kelso is the greatest racehorse, since he won at sprints and endurance races, won on turf and dirt, carried unprecedented handicap weights, and raced both foreign and national thoroughbreds. Kelso was crowned champion of the Jockey Gold Cup, one of the most prestigious racing events, an astounding five straight times. Like Seabiscuit, Kelso was not earmarked as a contender and missed the Triple Crown races. But Kelso’s greatness was decisive: he regularly defeated Triple Crown race winners.

In Kelso: The Horse of Gold, Linda Kennedy tells the remarkable story of one of the greatest athletes of the ages, recreating the excitement of “Kelly’s” unique and brilliant career while placing his unparalleled achievements in the context of racing history.

Linda Kennedy is a writer who lives in rural Maine. As a girl, she saw Kelso win the 1963 Whitney Stakes at Saratoga, New York.

Praise for Kelso: The Horse of Gold:

“Ms. Kennedy has captured the grandeur of the horse in a simple, straightforward way that will charm and excite those who saw Kelso run and remember his stirring deeds. . . . Kelso’s racing record through eight seasons is simply breathtaking.”—Wall Street Journal

“In this concise, entertaining account, Kennedy tells the story of Kelso, a scrawny ungainly gelding who just happened to be one of the greatest Thoroughbreds that ever lived.”—Publishers Weekly

“Seeking a feel-good read? Try Kelso, The Horse of Gold by Linda Kennedy. . . . Kelso, an unmatched five-time horse-of-the-year, ranks with the greatest of all time. . . . Kelso, who never weighed more than 1,000 pounds, won the highly-regarded Whitney Stakes as an eight-year-old 130 pounds. Kennedy’s race descriptions compares with Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit, still a treasure with this reviewer.”—Burt Angeli, The Daily News (Iron Mountain-Kingsford, Michigan)

“An excellent portrayal… so intense that one has the sensation of being right there with the crowd and cheering Kelso on.”—Tom Trotter, Former New York Racing Secretary

“He was the greatest horse I ever rode.”—Eddie Arcaro, rider of Triple Crown champions Whirlaway, Assault, and Citation