Thoroughbred Race Horses

Greystone's Secret - Suspenseful Tale of Efforts to Address Soundness of Thoroughbred Race Horses

by Robert Sharp

Nathan Hunter does not believe in coincidences-a broken stirrup leather, untied mooring line, Meg Callahan's incredulous fall in a top equestrian event, horses testing positive for illegal substances, and the suspicious barn fire which claimed the life of Meg's grandfather. Then things get worse, confirming his beliefs.

Sited on the headwaters of the Chesapeake Bay and the outlet of the Susquehanna River, the historic town of Havre de Grace, Maryland was once home to a nationally acclaimed racetrack nicknamed "The Graw." Little did Nathan Hunter know when he first visited the Callahan dairy farm nearby, that what lay buried at the old track would be the key to unraveling a series of sinister events that had already claimed the life of one Callahan and several of their Thoroughbred race horses.

Nathan Hunter's dreams of one day improving the breed of the Thoroughbred horse for soundness are encouraged by Andrew Callahan-a strong, charismatic, dairy farmer who provides Nathan with the father figure he never knew. With Liz, a sharp shooting southern belle as his wife, Nathan is able to overcome his infatuation for Callahan's gifted equestrian daughter, Meg, and-with the help of Callahan resources-pursue his goal. Unfortunately, because of his relationship with the Callahans, someone seems bent on seeing that Nathan's dreams never become reality. When a fire meant to kill Andrew and his son, Eric, destroys the Callahan horse barn and leads to the discovery of a secret hideout for slaves, valuable documents of grandfather Callahan are found which point to ominous acts by a top racing and breeding farm to ruin competition at all costs-including murder. In their efforts to prove the merit of the elder Callahan's breeding program, Nathan, Eric, Meg and Liz become the targets of the same forces suspected of murdering Eric's grandfather; disaster threatens them from Ireland, through Havre de Grace, and right into Professor Nathan Hunter's classroom in Lexington, Kentucky.

Although the story is fictional, it is unique in that the author introduces factual data and some basic research to allow the reader to think critically about current practices in racing and breeding Thoroughbreds which may be contributing to breakdowns. Attention is given to Artificial Insemination-not now recognized by The Jockey Club-as a means to assist breed improvement.

Dick Francis Rides Again!

By: M. Rudd "Always Reading" (Washington, D.C.)

This review is from: Greystone's Secret: Suspenseful Tale of Efforts to Address Soundness of Thoroughbred Race Horses (Paperback & Kindle) This very impressive first novel is riveting fiction, but it also is a story that sets the reader down smartly in the midst of the exclusive thoroughbred horse racing world. I found it to be my favorite kind of novel--one that both entertains and (painlessly) informs.

The mystery is indeed reminiscent of the late Dick Francis, whose novels about crime and horse racing are great on both points, as is "Greystone's Secret." The hero, Nathan Hunter, is a solid man of integrity, the kind I knew growing up in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. He is so good that you root for him to get to the bottom of the malice that threatens the family who have been like family to him and the wife he loves so much. In the beginning, you don't quite realize the extent of that malice, but it unfolds in horrifying detail as you read on. By the middle of the book, you are living in the horse world, and you don't want to leave.

But when you do reluctantly leave that world, you take with you a deeper understanding of the dangers to thoroughbred race horses and what might be done to protect these glorious animals.


About the author:

Born in Wilmington, Delaware, Dr. Robert R. Sharp moved to the Bluegrass region of Kentucky to be close to the Thoroughbred world. He completed his doctorate in Agricultural Economics at the University of Kentucky in Lexington. He accepted a teaching position at a nearby college where he taught economics. He also developed and taught "Introduction to the Businesses of Thoroughbred Horse Racing"; authored and co-authored several published academic papers dealing with Thoroughbred racing; and bred Thoroughbreds for the commercial market. Among some of his publications are: "The Impact of Lotteries on Thoroughbred Horse Racing"; "The Impact of Social Change on Racing"; "A Review of Economic Aid for Kentucky's Race Track Industry"; "An Econometric Model to Predict the Supply and Demand of Thoroughbred Yearlings Brought to Auction."

Now retired from teaching, Dr. Sharp resides on a small farm in central Kentucky, with his wife, LaRue, and maintains strong interest in issues affecting the Thoroughbred industries.

Greystone's Secret - Suspenseful Tale of Efforts to Address Soundness of Thoroughbred Race Horses ~~~~~~3/23/11