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Lexington

THE EXTRAORDINARY LIFE AND TURBULENT TIMES OF AMERICA'S LEGENDARY RACEHORSE

Now in paperback. USA Today Booklist, ABA Indie BESTSELLER hardcover nonfiction, Amazon #1 bestseller in Horse Racing.

The early days of American horse-racing were grueling. Four-mile heats—races four miles long, run two or three times in succession!—were the norm, rewarding horses who possessed the ideal combination of stamina and speed, attributes that pioneering Americans prized. The stallion Lexington, named after the city in Kentucky where he was born, exemplified these winning qualities, encouraging a war-torn nation in those perilous times that the extraordinary was possible.

After shattering the world speed record for a four-mile race, Lexington continued his winning career until deteriorating eyesight forced his retirement in 1855. But once his groundbreaking achievements as a racehorse ended, his role as a sire began. Horses from his bloodline won more money than the offspring of any other Thoroughbred sire—an annual success that led Lexington to be named America’s leading sire an unprecedented sixteen times. Yet with the Civil War raging, Lexington’s years at a Kentucky stud farm were far from idyllic. Confederate soldiers ran amok, looting freely and kidnapping horses from the top stables. They soon focused their desires on the prized Lexington and his valuable progeny.

Kim Wickens, a lawyer and dressage rider, became fascinated by this legendary horse when she learned that twelve of Thoroughbred racing’s thirteen Triple Crown winners descend from Lexington. She spent years meticulously researching the horse and his legacy—and with Lexington, she presents an absorbing, exciting account that will transport you back to the raucous beginning of American horse racing and introduce you to the stallion at its heart.

Reviews & Praise

“I quickly became immersed in the real-life story of a horse I had never heard of, but whose achievements were such that I believe every horse enthusiast on both sides of the Atlantic should know his name.”—Horse & Hound, UK

AMAZON’s July editor’s pick for a best book in history.

“In this colorful debut biography, equestrian Wickens relates the life and legacy of the eponymous equine, who was foaled near his namesake city in Kentucky in 1850. Lovers of both history and horses will take enjoyment from this thoroughly told tale.”
—Publishers Weekly

“Wickens explores the life of the steed at the center of Geraldine Brooks’s superb novel Horse [in this] spirited biography of a famed Thoroughbred. Fans of horse racing and American history alike will enjoy this lively story.”
—Kirkus Reviews

“The preview promised a colorful cast of characters and the story delivers. Sabotage from bitter competitors, the tragedy of Lexington’s fading vision, and interstate rivalries peppered much of the early racing landscape. The bedlam—while scandalous at the core—provides for a most amusing reading…A work worth the time to sink into..There is a lot to marvel at.”
—Thoroughbred Daily News

“Did you love Geraldine Brooks’ novel Horse? This is the true story of that horse, Lexington, the racing superstar of the 19th century and a foundation sire of what we now know as the American Thoroughbred (12 of the 13 Triple Crown winners have him in their pedigree.) The author’s years of research not only gets the racing history right but also the turbulent times – Civil War, bushwackers, Sue Mundy and all. Highly recommended for fans of books about hidden history or Laura Hillenbrand’s Seabiscuit.”
—From Sam’s Picks at Carmichael’s Bookstore, Louisville, KY

“Like its inimitable subject, this book races to the Winners’ Circle. Blind in one eye, Lexington racked up stellar victories, and went on to sire dozens of thoroughbred champions. Wickens vividly conveys the colorful world of mid-19th Century American horse racing, while not stinting on the dark backdrop of violence and slavery.”
—Reviewed by Mike Hare, Northshire Bookstore, Saratoga Springs, NY

“This incredible-but-true story barrels along at a thoroughbred’s gallop, introducing us to one of America’s most fascinating forgotten champions and the tumultuous times he lived through. Kim Wickens brings to life the courageous stallion Lexington, the breeders, gamblers, saints and scoundrels who crossed paths with him, and the indelible imprint he left on the American Thoroughbred breed.”
—ELIZABETH LETTS, New York Times bestselling author of Eighty Dollar Champion and The Perfect Horse

“Best Racehorse Book Ever. A First-Place Blue-Ribbon of a book, Lexington is sure to wind up in the Winner’s Circle wreathed in roses. Author Kim Wickens clearly knows horses inside out. This exceptional book about the history of American racing is full of engrossing, surprising, and sometimes even startling detail about how Americans horse-racing got its start. A must-have classic for every equestrian’s shelf.”
—WENDY WILLIAMS, author of The Horse: The Epic History of Our Noble Companion

“Over my sixty years’ involvement with horse racing journalism and history, I have encountered the tale of the singular horse Lexington on many occasions. Now, I find that what I regarded as a working knowledge of the horse and his times has been multiplied manyfold by this remarkable volume. Kim Wickens’ deep and indefatigable research provides a knowledge akin to a master’s degree. And her compelling writing style renders the acquisition of knowledge a personal pleasure. Further, Ms. Wickens provides a sense of insight into such astounding situations as armies raiding farms to replenish mounts for the pursuit of warfare within America’s borders!”
—EDWARD L. BOWEN, racing journalist, historian, and author of The Lucky Thirteen

“If you want to know why horse racing was America’s first sport, it’s all here – the dreamers and schemers, the my-horse-is-faster-than-yours ethos that wove itself into our national character, and horse racing’s hold on a country amidst a civil war. At the center of it all is a racehorse named Lexington, an unlikely cornerstone for America’s modern thoroughbred breeding industry.”
—JOE DRAPE, the New York Times bestselling author of American Pharoah: The Untold Story of the Triple Crown Winner’s Legendary Rise

“Researched with breathtaking thoroughness, written with imagination and verve, Kim Wickens has unearthed a vivid portrait of America’s greatest stallion, the larger-than-life men who raced and bred him, and the dramatic times in which they lived. A fascinating account from start to finish.”
—Geraldine Brooks, Pulitzer Prize winning author and author of Horse

“A totally engrossing story of one of the greatest horses which ever lived. I loved it.”
—Nacho Figueras, Champion Polo Player and Author of High Season

In this meticulously researched and skilfully drawn telling, Kim Wickens brings to vivid life “the forgotten horse” — Lexington. It defies belief that no book was ever written on this near blind, at times cantankerous bay Thoroughbred who left such an indelible mark on 19 th -century horseracing. For his extraordinary stamina and speed in the era of four-mile heats, and for the dizzying success of his progeny, he was called “King of the Turf.” Indeed. Long live the King.
—Lawrence Scanlan, author of The Horse God Built: The Untold Story of Secretariat, the World’s Greatest Racehorse