Pete Fornatale and Jonathon Kinchen have a brilliant podcast called the In the Money Podcast, where they talk about handicapping, racing previews, and more. I recently appeared on the show to talk about books, artwork, and other gift ideas for the horse racing person in your life. Here are the books that I recommended!

Better Lucky Than Good is a collection of stories directly from people who work in all sectors of horse racing in the Louisville, KY area. From grooms and hot walkers to residents of the neighborhoods around Churchill Downs, the book shares perspectives on the sports directly from those who live it and breathe it every day.

Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century by Peter Lee tells the story of how an inexpensive steel gray colt became a speedy phenomenon, only missing the Triple Crown by a safety pin. If you don’t know the story of the Bid, you need to read Lee’s exploration of the career of this legend.

Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory by Lenny Shulman explores Justify’s 2018 Triple Crown from the words and perspectives of the people who lived it; everyone from Bob Baffert to John and Tanya Gunther add to the story of how this brawny colt came out of nowhere to take down America’s most prestigious prize. Shulman had unprecedented access throughout Justify’s run and uses that access to give you a complete picture of this once-in-a-lifetime horse.

The Travers: 150 Years of Saratoga’s Greatest Race by Brien Bouyea and Michael Veitch chronicles the history of the Midsummer Derby, a race that carries almost as much gravitas as the Triple Crown races themselves. From Man o’ War to Native Dancer, Whirlaway to Arrogate, you will find photos and more on every running of the Travers as Bouyea and Veitch regale you with stories and details of each year’s renewal. You can read more about the book here.

My last recommendation comes from the very computer I’m typing this blog post on: Sir Barton and the Making of the Triple Crown! Nearly six years of work went into researching and writing the story of Sir Barton, from his purple pedigree to his lasting impact on the sport. I hope you will consider picking up a copy for yourself or for someone on your list! (Want a signed copy? Order here!)

Here is the link to the Degenerates’ Gift-Giving Guide! So many great gift ideas from a variety of sources in this nearly two-hour podcast. This surely will help you finish your holiday shopping! I appear about twelve minutes in. Happy Holidays!