Book Synopsis
Thad Stevens was not even considered to be a running horse for the first few years of his life. He was entered as a trotter for his first race, from which he was withdrawn beforehand. He served as a carriage horse for his owners for awhile, and then as training fodder for some running stablemates who were projected to be better talents.
Amusingly, he began to beat them in practice. Then he was saddled for true competition to see if it was for real.
In an up and down career, Thad eventually beat whatever rival California trainers sent out against him. Then, in 1873, the best of the nation were invited to San Francisco, for the state's first attempt at hosting a national sporting event. Thad was eight years old, facing top eastern horses half of his age. He was a homebred, taking on whatever Kentucky and the other prestigious breeding centers could muster for a massive prize.
This is his incomparable story, and of those four-legged pioneers who blazed his glorious trail.