“My book covers much territory over a long breadth of time and is necessarily based on thousands of documented facts AND personal recollections…

“While I had dozens of conversations with Laz Barrera about lots of horses, including J. O. Tobin, it is unfortunate that I apparently mixed up his views about this horse…

“…I may have confused conversations Laz had with me about his desire to beat Spectacular Bid in the Jockey Club Gold Cup with Affirmed and superimposed those comments with references I said he made about J. O. Tobin ... or the comments were related to what he thought about trainer Johnny Adams.

‘Recollections were clearly wrong’
“… Either way, my personal recollections were clearly wrong and I am embarrassed by them. At the bottom line I regret the error. My thanks to Jon White for pointing this error out. My apologies for making it.”

“My intention is to have the error corrected at my personal expense in the next printing of this book and to mention it at every seminar, book signing and radio interview I’m involved in…”

A personal aside: I am included in the section on Allumeuse, whose disqualification was ranked No. 1 by Steve as the worst DQ in racing history. Working in the Saratoga press box for New York Newsday in 1986, I was the reporter who rushed into the steward’s stand, reviewed the tape replay with them and said: “I respectfully submit you took down the wrong horse.”

This was the second time this incident made print. The first was is Bill Heller’s “Saratoga Tales.” In a phone interview conducted by Heller with me, I needed him to recount some facts from the chart footnote. I couldn’t recall the name of the real perpetrator, Syntonic, and that Jerry Bailey was knocked over the inner hedge. I was directly involved yet forgot essential details.

So now, what if Bee Bee Bee upset Riva Ridge on a sloppy track? Someone had to win that Preakness. Everybody knew Riva Ridge couldn’t stand up in the slop. And how can Hall of Famer Bob Ussery not make everyone’s top dozen? Name another jockey who revolutionized race-riding by sling-shotting down Aqueduct’s banked turns, known thereafter as “Ussery’s Alley.” After Richard Migliore and others began doing the same, the track was forced to reduce the slope of the bank. How can John Henry not be one of the most popular horses of all time?

But I’m not about to beat up a friend over this and other things. I’m sure Steve’s doing a good job of that all by himself. But the error is not the focal point here. “The Best and Worst of Thoroughbred Racing” is well researched and thought provoking, written with passion by someone who not only was there but who has been a conscientious advocate for the sport and horseplayers alike. Whether you agree or not, it’s a good and worthwhile read.

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