KINGSTON, Jamaica - After many years of toil, sweat, and anxiety, the book My Journey with Thoroughbreds is now complete.
The book, of which this medium was able to get an advanced copy, looks primarily at the journey of noted owner and breeder, the charismatic and thoroughly racehorse-committed Howard Hamilton.
This addition to the archives of horse racing in Jamaica provides readers with the history of the local development of racing and, to top it off, the book showcases a detailed account of past derby winners with some old, albeit fading, but compelling photographs. The photographs that embellish this Hamilton production are sufficient by themselves to provide a platform for racing enthusiasts to learn and appreciate the splendour of horse racing.
The commitment and passion of horse racing imbued in the genes of Hamilton is well-known. He has had to overcome a series of let-downs before achieving his ultimate goal in racing – winning the blue riband Jamaica Derby.
Hamilton’s A King Is Born, and Distinctly Irish have both etched their names permanently in the annals of local racing history as worthy winners of the derby.
The treatment by Hamilton of the Jamaica Derby is truly stunning. The most prestigious event on the racing calendar is given pride of place in the book, and, as far as, this critic is concerned, the Derby paragraphs are compulsory reading for especially those with a connection to racing, and even for those outside of the sport.
In the foreword to this significant contribution to the “Sport of Kings”, Hamilton testifies that “owning a thoroughbred racehorse is the ultimate thrill afforded humankind”.
All aspects of racing are covered in My Journey with Thoroughbreds, including a historical overview, betting and gaming, and breeding. To add even greater quality to the work, the writer highlights in detail some key personalities in Jamaican horse racing, inclusive of jockeys.
In the closing chapter of his book Hamilton takes an analytical look at the way forward for racing in Jamaica, interspersed with good advice.
As former chairman of the Jamaica Racing Commission Dennis Lalor offered in the preface about Hamilton: “He loves it, warts and all, and it is this that gives the book, from starting gate to wire, the rich entertainment of a story well told.”
Lalor further endorses the book by stating that the “publication by Howard Hamilton is a much-needed tribute to an unsung innovator. It is a story which deserves to be told...Howard leads the reader down a number of intriguing paths, and it becomes clear, as the journey through the books unfolds, that Howard’s love affair with the sport can be described as eternal.”
One serious omission from Hamilton’s book is his popular nickname “Benbow”, otherwise it is a superb and welcomed addition to the racing stables.
Buy it and read it, you won’t be disappointed.
