"The fleet-footed American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner's Legendary Rise rides into the winner's circle via effortless prose, well-reported insider details, a compelling human cast of characters - and an irresistible horse: smart, focused and fast."—USA Today, 3 1/2 stars

"The tale [Drape] spins ends up being one that transcends athletics, a story of adolescence and smalltown life. . . . From the opening practice to the Redmen's final game, Drape flawlessly paints a picture of how Smith Center achieves perfection year after year. . . . Drape gives the reader a team worth rooting for."—Publishers Weekly

"American Pharoah is lucky to have Joe Drape. Actually, they're lucky to have each other. No horse has given the preeminent chronicler of 21st century thoroughbreds better material and no other writer could do justice to such a terrific athlete and story. They deserve each other-and anyone who cares about horse racing deserves this book."—Jeremy Schaap, author of Cinderella Man and Triumph

"There is much to admire in this comprehensive and often candid book."
—Washington Post

"There is much to savor in the 292 pages...Drape delivers lively accounts of the sport's biggest events and the assorted newsmakers, on and off the track."—Bergen Record

"Drape takes the reader behind the gate for the inside story of American Pharoah's climb, and to the track for every dust-flying, crowd-roaring minute."—Garden and Gun

"Nobody writes about horses like Joe Drape. He takes you around the track, makes you hear the roar, feel the thrill, see the rich, shadowy, behind-the-scenes world so few us really understand. His writing is as effortless as it is necessary. American Pharoah is an epic American classic, a modern-day Seasbiscuit. If you read just one book about horse racing, read this one."—Drew Jubera, author of Must Win: A Season of Survival for a Town and Its Team

"A page-turner .... With his deep knowledge of horse racing, and sharp eye for detail, Drape weaves a compelling narrative from an unlikely cast of characters around an even more unlikely four-legged hero."—National Book Review

05/15/2016
It would be hard to imagine going a year without a World Series winner or a Super Bowl champion. Yet that is akin to what horse racing fans have endured for more than 30 years while awaiting a horse with the ability to win the three races that comprise the Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes. New York Times sportswriter Drape (Our Boys: A Perfect Season on the Plains with the Smith Center Redmen) covers the entire life (so far) of American Pharoah (AP). The author provides a full picture of the major figures in the horse's life including trainer Bob Baffert; jockey Victor Espinoza; and Ahmed Zayat, the controversial and outspoken businessman who bred the horse despite looming bankruptcy. Drape further details the many others who cared for AP or had some part in his path to racing stardom. VERDICT A captivating story woven with an affectionate yet honest portrayal of the sometimes seedy sport of kings, this work will appeal to horse-racing fans and anyone who enjoys athlete biographies.—Sara Holder, McGill Univ. Libs., Montreal

Joe Drape's writing captures the excitement of a Triple Crown run, and Aaron Abano narrates it with the breathless excitement of a racetrack announcer. American Pharoah's 2015 Triple Crown might have been an underdog story in an earlier age; an ankle scrape would have branded the colt as an iffy prospect. Science, however, told his backers that American Pharoah was a winner. Abano captures the building tension of something amazing about to happen. Listeners might actually feel Pharoah's nervousness in the din of the Kentucky Derby. Drape's passionate reporting on the business of racing and the people behind Pharoah makes for interesting listening. Abano's reading reaches listeners at a gut level that keeps going to the finish line. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine