Six Weeks in Saratoga

Brendan O'Meara is a freelance writer who has written on racing and sports for the Saratogian, Paulick Report, and Horse Race Insider. He lives in Saratoga Springs.

• AcknowledgmentsPrologue1. Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on ’Toga’s Door2. Health, History, Horses3. Is She the One? 4. Lunch with Trophy5. No Fear6. Christmas Eve7. Opening Day8. The Problem with Pairs9. A Shot at No. 3 10. Where He Still Races11. Old Smoke12. The Triple Crown Assembled13. Enshrined14. Out of the Fog and into the Fog15. Fragility Illustrated16. For Clarity’s Sake17. The Fog Lifts18. A Good Guy19. One Tough Throat20. The Travers Stakes21. Comings and Goings22. The Rachel Show23. The Orphan24. The Cusp25. Alexandra the Great 26. King Henry V27. Farewell to the Champ EpilogueReferencesIndex

"O'Meara narrates the drama-filled story with behind-the-scene details that will grab the interest of racing enthusiasts and non-fans alike." — Hudson River Valley Review"…O'Meara will make your pulse pound and breath run short. The story of this amazing filly and controversial year in horse racing is a deeply informative and a fast-paced read with a journalistic, Spartan use of language that brings the smell of turf, dirt, horse sweat, and anticipation directly to the reader." — Sacramento Book Review"Going behind the scenes of three-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra's 2009 triumph … O'Meara makes her story gallop and gleam." — Chronogram"The [book] is one of enjoyable promise, and as the author recounts little moments and inside conversations, he provides an intimate glimpse into the lives of the figures he covers. The narrative keeps game pace with outside literary standards and features bursts of brilliance, and I found it a refreshing change from the selection of racing-themed volumes available today. As O'Meara brings his subjects to life, you find yourself thinking this is the kind of guy whose work I want to follow." — Claire Novak, ESPN.com"O'Meara … provide[s] a tremendous amount of detail from behind the scenes that the reader would not have otherwise enjoyed … Six Weeks is essentially a Rachel book, but it's told without neglecting the always rich backdrop of a Saratoga meet. That means there's history, surprises, characters (human and equine), great racing, foggy mornings and sun-splashed afternoons—plenty of material through which O'Meara could exercise his descriptive abilities." — Schenectady Daily Gazette"O'Meara fell for a magical place and magnificent horse, which is a lovely malady that often befalls horse people, and with a great deal of heart he tells us how and why. You'll never forget his Six Weeks in Saratoga, either." — Joe Drape, author of Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen"Brendan O'Meara tells the story of this proud horse with verve and great historical insight. Six Weeks in Saratoga marks the debut of an exciting new talent." — Wil Haygood, author of Sweet Thunder: The Life and Times of Sugar Ray Robinson"Brendan O'Meara's Six Weeks in Saratoga is a victory to be savored by those who treasure good writing in general and tales of the track in particular. Horses may win races, but they also win hearts as this impressive book proves beyond doubt. A memorable, sure-footed debut." — Madeleine Blais, author of In These Girls, Hope Is a Muscle