YA Novel about horse racing - Forgotten name of!

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Folks, I’m convinced that I read a book a couple of years back on recommendation (or warning!) from COTH. The bits of it I can remember:

• Set around the backside of the seedier racetracks / bullpens, think it might have been about Quarter Horse racing
• Young male protagonist steals his favourite racehorse and sets off to take it to a family member (his dad?) for safekeeping
• Doesn’t have a happy end for the horse…

I’m sure that that novel is named for the racehorse…

Can anyone help? No, it is NOT Lord Of Misrule either…

Thank you!!

[rockonxox]

Maybe it is listed in this? I see some racing books:
http://www.chronofhorse.com/forum/showthread.php?470708-Favorite-Non-fiction-horse-themed-books-Or-books-to-avoid

[sirbeastmom]

This probably isn’t it, but Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley? I think one of the story arcs in there is about a young boy who races at some bushleague tracks.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Thanks guys - no dice so far… Definitely not Horse Heaven, that’s one of my favourites, and I own both it and the audio version.

I definitely saw the book mentioned on this forum - with a warning that it was sad - sometime between 2012 - early 2015. I know this because I found the book was available as an ebook at the local library, and I remember reading it during that period of time. I remember that there was the protagonist who worked for or helped someone with race horses (possibly quarter horses, not TBs) and they were going to kill his favourite horse, so he decamps with it. The horse ends up dying regardless. Fairly certain that it had a strange name, which was the name of the horse…

God! So frustrating! Believe me I’ve been Googling and searching like a boss trying to find this book…

[Bluey]

Since no luck here, how about trying in the Off Topic forum?

There may be someone there that could remember, of have those special, magic searching skills that could find it for you?

[Alagirl]

if you got it at the library, ask the staff there! They usually know their stock, or how to look it up!

[Emily_amp_Jake]

I know there’s a Disney? movie with a similar plot; could be it’s a book too. It’s called Flash, or something similar.

[merrygoround]

[QUOTE=sirbeastmom;8678674]
This probably isn’t it, but Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley? I think one of the story arcs in there is about a young boy who races at some bushleague tracks.[/QUOTE]

Not in Horse Heaven, which is a great book though.

[Sancudo]

The Fire Pony? YA book, don’t recall it being sad, but it is about a young boy escaping to his older brother, and a racehorse, but it’s a mare I think.

It does sound like that Disney movie, Flash! But that wasn’t sad either.

[Old_Mac_Donald]

Lean on Pete! I finally found it, and it has just been made into a movie!

[2DogsFarm]

@Old Mac Donald Thanks for the tip - this one looks good!

& here’s the trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddmyEuNrXD4

& more:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR6MLM1PKoU