Here comes Exterminator!: the long-shot horse, the Great War, and the making of an American hero

Description

The father of the Kentucky Derby called him "the greatest all-around Thoroughbred in American racing history." Sportswriter Grantland Rice simply called him "the greatest racehorse." Now Eliza McGraw tells the story of how a gangling, long-shot Kentucky Derby winner named Exterminator became one of the most beloved racehorses of all time. Here Comes Exterminator! draws readers into the golden age of racing, with all its ups and downs, the ever-involving interplay of horses and people, and the beauty, grace, fear, and hope that are a daily part of life at the track. Caught between his hotheaded millionaire owner and his knowledgeable trainer, Exterminator captured fans' affection with his personality, consistency, athleticism, and heart. Exterminator's success would dramatically change the world of horse-racing. He challenged the notion that American horses would never live up to Europe's meticulously charted bloodlines and became a patriotic icon of the country after World War I. And his longevity established him as one of the public's most beloved athletes, paving the way for equine celebrities like Seabiscuit and showing Americans they could claim -- and love -- a famous racehorse as their own.;Uncle Henry -- "One of those larger-than-life figures" -- All-American thoroughbred -- The 1918 Kentucky Derby -- "One of the greatest three-year-olds of the season" -- Remarkable gameness -- "The color of the 1920s" -- Iron horse -- Paper record -- "I could stand against the world" -- "A finer, truer horse never lived." Uncle Henry -- "One of those larger-than-life figures" -- All-American thoroughbred -- The 1918 Kentucky Derby -- "One of the greatest three-year-olds of the season" -- Remarkable gameness -- "The color of the 1920s" -- Iron horse -- Paper record -- "I could stand against the world" -- "A finer, truer horse never lived."