Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century
Horses in History
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Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century
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Narrated by:
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Chaz Allen
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By:
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Peter Lee
About this listen
On the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. He had impressively won the first two races - the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness - but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport's third straight Triple Crown champion.
But that loss did not prevent him from becoming one of horse racing's greatest competitors. After taking two months to recover, the battleship gray colt would go on to win 26 of 30 races during his career, with two second-place finishes and one third. He was voted the 10th greatest Thoroughbred of the 20th century according to BloodHorse magazine, and A Century of Champions places him ninth in the world and third among North American horses - even ahead of the renowned Man o' War.
This horse biography tells the story of the honest and not-so-glamorous colorful characters surrounding the champion - including Bud Delp, the brash and cocky trainer who was distrustful of the Kentucky establishment, and Ron Franklin, the 19-year-old jockey who buckled under the stress and pressure associated with fame.
The book is published by The University Press of Kentucky. The audiobook is published by University Press Audiobooks.
"Peter Lee has written a fast-paced and exciting look at the life and times of one of the modern era's most impactful horses." (Barry Irwin, owner of and former writer for the BloodHorse)
"From beginning to end, it's a book that you cannot put down!" (Brian Zipse, managing partner of Derby Day Racing)
"Peter Lee does a masterful job telling the back story of how "The Bid"…developed into what many still call "The perfect racehorse." (Steve Haskin, BloodHorse Senior Correspondent)
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Story4 out of 5 stars 4,039
History was made at the 2015 Belmont Stakes when American Pharoah won the Triple Crown, the first since Affirmed in 1978. As magnificent as the champion is, the team behind him has been all too human while on the road to immortality. Written by an award-winning New York Times sportswriter, American Pharoah is the definitive account not only of how the ethereal colt won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes, but how he changed lives. Through extensive interviews, Drape explores the making of an exceptional racehorse, chronicling key events en route to history.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Narrated like a Pre-School Teacher
- By Michael on 05-06-18
By: Joe Drape
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Come on, Seabiscuit!
- By: Ralph Moody
- Narrated by: Cameron Beierle
- Length: 4 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 109
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Story5 out of 5 stars 108
During the Great Depression, Seabiscuit captured American hearts from the soup kitchens to the White House. In this classic story, Ralph Moody recounts the true story of a plucky horse that refused to quit, a down-on-his-luck jockey determined to help his horse win, and the trainer who brought out the best in both.
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5 out of 5 stars
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A MUST read/listen!!!
- By skater on 08-08-19
By: Ralph Moody
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Out of the Clouds
- By: Linda Carroll, David Rosner
- Narrated by: Kevin T. Collins
- Length: 10 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 193
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 178
In the wake of World War II, as turmoil and chaos were giving way to optimism, Americans were looking for inspiration and role models showing that it was possible to start from the bottom and work your way up to the top—and they found it in Stymie, the failed racehorse plucked from the discard heap by trainer Hirsch Jacobs. Taking listeners on a crowd-pleasing ride with Stymie and Jacobs, Out of the Clouds unwinds a real-life Horatio Alger tale of a dauntless team and its working-class fans who lived vicariously through the stouthearted little colt they embraced as their own.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Mostly about the people, not much about the horse
- By BDM on 11-12-20
By: Linda Carroll, and others
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Seabiscuit
- An American Legend
- By: Laura Hillenbrand
- Narrated by: George Newbern
- Length: 13 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,877
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,478
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,483
Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail.
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4 out of 5 stars
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See you in the winner's circle
- By Janice on 06-26-13
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The Horse God Built
- The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World’s Greatest Racehorse
- By: Lawrence Scanlan
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 113
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 102
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 102
In The Horse God Built, best-selling equestrian writer Lawrence Scanlan has written a tribute to an exceptional man that is also a backroads journey to a corner of the racing world rarely visited. As a young black man growing up in South Carolina, Eddie Sweat struggled at several occupations before settling on the job he was born for - groom to North America's finest racehorses. As Secretariat's groom, loyal friend, and protector, Eddie understood the horse far better than anyone else.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent book and perfectly written
- By Jeffrey P. Allen on 09-01-17
By: Lawrence Scanlan
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The Eighty-Dollar Champion
- Snowman, the Horse That Inspired a Nation
- By: Elizabeth Letts
- Narrated by: Arthur Morey
- Length: 11 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 375
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 332
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Story5 out of 5 stars 328
November 1958: the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Into the rarefied atmosphere of wealth and tradition comes the most unlikely of horses - a drab white former plow horse named Snowman - and his rider, Harry de Leyer. They were the longest of all longshots - and their win was the stuff of legend.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Heartwarming and historical
- By Skipper on 07-01-20
By: Elizabeth Letts
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The Greatest Gambling Story Ever Told
- A True Tale of Three Gamblers, the Kentucky Derby, and the Mexican Cartel
- By: Mark Paul
- Narrated by: Will Damron
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 206
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 164
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 161
In the late 1980s, a spectacular three-year-old female racehorse named Winning Colors was being groomed for success under her famous Hollywood trainer D. Wayne Lukas and the billionaire owner of the San Diego Chargers pro-football team Eugene Klein. Meanwhile, three fun-loving gamblers Miami Paul, Dino Mateo, and Big Bernie believed that Winning Colors could be the unlikely female winner of the 1988 Kentucky Derby.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Exciting & Entertaining Story
- By TeeRex81 on 04-17-20
By: Mark Paul
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Three Weeks, Eight Seconds
- Greg Lemond, Laurent Fignon, and the Epic Tour de France of 1989
- By: Nige Tassell
- Narrated by: Shaun Grindell
- Length: 8 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 30
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 25
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 25
For a race as long as the mighty Tour (three weeks of testing the limits of human endurance), to have the ultimate victory decided by a margin of just eight seconds almost boggles the mind. But that's exactly what happened between American legend Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon. After more than 2,000 miles in the saddle, it remains the smallest margin of victory in the Tour's 100-plus-year history.
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5 out of 5 stars
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LOVED IT!
- By Ashley Green on 07-03-23
By: Nige Tassell
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The Man Who Listens to Horses
- By: Monty Roberts
- Narrated by: Ed Sala
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 271
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 244
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Story5 out of 5 stars 242
Monty Roberts' father, a traditional horse trainer, had taught his son to dominate a horse in order to "break" it. But when he was 13, Monty made a discovery that changed his life. As he watched a mare tame a rebellious colt, Monty saw that she was speaking to it through eye and body movements. Astonished, Monty realized that he could train horses by using their language, speaking to them in ways that would form trust and understanding. Developing techniques based on what he learned from the horses around him, Monty embarked on a remarkable career - one that would bring him international fame as the real Horse Whisperer.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great read/listen for any horse lover
- By Anonymous User on 09-07-18
By: Monty Roberts
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Horse People
- Scenes from the Riding Life
- By: Michael Korda
- Narrated by: Julian Elfer
- Length: 11 hrs and 32 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 38
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 32
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 32
Best-selling author Michael Korda's Horse People is the story - sometimes hilariously funny, sometimes sad and moving, always shrewdly observed - of a lifetime love affair with horses, and of the bonds that have linked humans with horses for more than 10,000 years. It is filled with intimate portraits of the kind of people, rich or poor, Eastern or Western, famous or humble, whose lives continue to revolve around the horse. Korda is a terrific storyteller, and his book is intensely personal and seductive, a joy for everyone who loves horses.
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4 out of 5 stars
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good yarn for nag lovers
- By bj bell on 03-27-21
By: Michael Korda
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Saving Baby
- How One Woman's Love for a Racehorse Led to Her Redemption
- By: Jo Anne Normile, Lawrence Lindner
- Narrated by: Gabra Zackman
- Length: 9 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 92
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 83
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 85
Jo Anne Normile was not supposed to keep the foal, an exuberant Thoroughbred with only a few white hairs on his reddish-brown forehead. But she fell in love with the young horse, who had literally been born into her arms. The breeder finally said she could keep the colt, whom she nicknamed "Baby" - but only if she raced him. It was difficult to take Baby away from the safety of his pasture. But Normile had made a promise.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Excellent book! Worth reading or listening to it.
- By L. Collins on 10-05-17
By: Jo Anne Normile, and others
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Running with Sherman
- The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero
- By: Christopher McDougall
- Narrated by: Christopher McDougall
- Length: 12 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 2,036
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 1,789
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 1,783
When Chris McDougall agreed to take in a donkey from an animal hoarder, he thought it would be no harder than the rest of the adjustments he and his family had made after moving from Philadelphia to the heart of Pennsylvania Amish country. But when he arrived, Sherman was in such bad shape he could barely move, and his hair was coming out in clumps. Chris decided to undertake a radical rehabilitation program designed not only to heal Sherman's body but to heal his mind as well - and so Chris decided to teach Sherman how to run.
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5 out of 5 stars
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amazing story
- By scott on 10-19-19
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In the Middle Are the Horsemen
- By: Tik Maynard
- Narrated by: Tik Maynard
- Length: 10 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 88
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 85
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Story5 out of 5 stars 85
In 2008, 26-year-old Tik Maynard faced a crossroads not unlike that of other young adults. A university graduate and modern pentathlete, he suffered both a career-ending injury and a painful breakup, leaving him suddenly adrift. The son of prominent Canadian equestrians, Maynard decided to spend the next year as a "working student." In the horse industry, working students aspire to become professional riders or trainers, and willingly trade labor for hands-on education.
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5 out of 5 stars
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The journey of an inspiring Horseman
- By Kelley on 01-16-25
By: Tik Maynard
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The Perfect Mile
- Three Athletes. One Goal. And Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve It
- By: Neal Bascomb
- Narrated by: Nelson Runger
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 502
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 300
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 298
In the tradition of Seabiscuit, critically acclaimed author Neal Bascomb reaches back to the golden age of sport and crafts an utterly captivating narrative of what may be the most remarkable athletic feat of all time.
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5 out of 5 stars
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nailbiting, on the edge of your seat
- By Todd on 08-10-04
By: Neal Bascomb
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I'm Here to Win
- A World Champion's Advice for Peak Performance
- By: Chris McCormack, Tim Vandehey
- Narrated by: Howard Brunner, Chris McCormack
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 344
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 288
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 292
As the winner of the 2010 Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Chris "Macca" McCormack may be the world's greatest athlete. In I'm Here to Win, McCormack shares his story along with training tips and practical advice to help listeners develop their own routines, diet, exercise programs and race strategies. Chris McCormack has dedicated his life to training for - and winning - the Ironman World Championships, one of the most grueling tests of mental and physical endurance in the world.
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1 out of 5 stars
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It takes an Ironman to finish
- By Robert on 03-21-12
By: Chris McCormack, and others
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The World's Fastest Man
- The Extraordinary Life of Cyclist Major Taylor, America's First Black Sports Hero
- By: Michael Kranish
- Narrated by: David Sadzin
- Length: 11 hrs and 48 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 150
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 138
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Story5 out of 5 stars 136
In the tradition of The Boys in the Boat and Seabiscuit, a fascinating portrait of a groundbreaking but forgotten figure - the remarkable Major Taylor, the Black man who broke racial barriers by becoming the world’s fastest and most famous bicyclist at the height of the Jim Crow era.
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5 out of 5 stars
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before there was Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson
- By Leo on 07-29-19
By: Michael Kranish
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Horse Heaven
- By: Jane Smiley
- Narrated by: Shelley Thompson
- Length: 25 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 230
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 156
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 156
Many astonishing and affecting things happen at the racetrack, and the mysterious universe of horse racing, passionate, cold-hearted, pure, corrupt, is woven into a marvelous tapestry of joy and love, chicanery, folly, greed, and reckless courage. Spanning two years on the circuit, from Kentucky and California to New York and Paris, Horse Heaven, puts us among trainers, nervey jockeys, billionaire breeders, and restless track wives.
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4 out of 5 stars
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I wish I could review book and narrator separately
- By Julie Delio on 03-21-07
By: Jane Smiley
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Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
What listeners say about Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Robert White
- 12-23-23
Excellent content and presentation.
Great detail and depth also very well presented.I really enjoyed from start to finish.Well worth purchase.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kendon Eck
- 02-16-23
Awesome Horse Racing Book
Loved this book, amazing details about each race and excellent coverage of an outstanding Super Horse !
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- BranWick
- 10-09-22
Great story, poor narration
The story of Spectacular Bid and his connections is splendid, but it deserved better narration. More specifically, the editing was terrible and the pronunciation was all over the place. There were dozens (maybe100s) of places where it was obvious that the some of the text was reread and poorly cut into the original narration. Very distracting - this book deserved so much better.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- FBTaber
- 07-14-23
Outstanding Narration
Articulation of details in this book is superb. To a horse enthusiast it was greatly appreciated.
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Overall2 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- heather Collins
- 06-07-24
Good book horrible narrator
The book and story is great.
I’ve read it before.
I like listening to books on tape while I am working on my farm however this narrator though is absolutely the worst. The cadence is horrible and it feels like he went over and dubbed over parts with another take of narration, all in all would listen to it again with a different narrator
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