At his three-year-old debut in June 1960, no one could know that a small, deerlike gelding named Kelso would come to dominate American racing like no other horse before or since.

A descendant of the immortal Man O’War on his dam’s side and the British champion, Hyperion, on his sire’s, the scrawny and obstreperous Kelso, like Seabiscuit, was not earmarked as a contender and missed the Triple Crown races. But Kelso’s greatness was decisive: he regularly defeated Triple Crown race winners along with the best of every year’s challengers. Author Linda Kennedy tells the remarkable story of one of the greatest athletes of the ages, recreating the excitement of Kelso’s unique and brilliant career.