Background
Published in July of 2023, “Lexington: The Extraordinary Life and Turbulent Times of America’s Legendary Racehorse” is a book by Kim Wickens who is a lawyer who became interested in Lexington when she heard so many Triple Crown winners were descended from him. Lexington, the horse, was a legendary 19th-century American Thoroughbred racehorse known for his exceptional speed and dominance on the track. Born in 1850, he quickly gained fame as a two-year-old, winning all of his races and establishing a reputation as one of the finest racehorses of his era. Renowned for his striking appearance, impressive stature, and remarkable athleticism, Lexington continued to achieve victory throughout his racing career, earning him the title of one of the greatest American racehorses of all time. His legacy extended beyond the track, as he became a highly influential sire, passing on his exceptional genetics to future generations of racehorses, shaping the sport for years to come.
My Thoughts
Initially, I saw the title of the book “Lexington” and the publication date of last month and thought, “Sweet! A new book on the Civil War!” Obviously, this wasn’t the case. I was very surprised the book was about an 170 year old horse. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on the context, I’m interested in everything and this was something I had no idea about.
Horses… Of all the things I’ve been exposed to in my life, horses cause the biggest allergic reaction. I can just stand downwind from a horse and find it hard to breathe. Long story short, I’ve not enjoyed them at all. I have ridden a few over the years, while heavily medicated, and just didn’t see the attraction. I would take a motorcycle over these giant smelly animals with a mind of their own any day of the week. Still, I’m certainly able to read a book and this seemed to be a good opportunity.
Almost everything about the story was new to me. I loved the tie ins to the Civil War and how Lexington and his offspring played such an interesting role. General Grant’s horse “Cincinnati” was famous in his own right and was Lexington’s colt. In fact, so many of Lexington’s children ended up throughout the United States the author makes the claim that it would be nearly impossible to find a Thoroughbred horse without being somehow descended from Lexington. We might as well call him the Abraham of horses.
Recommendation
Good read.