Get 'em before they're gone

We've had a number of visitors here recently, and I plan on responding to them soon, but first this news flash:

DRF Press is having a sale! Some big savings can be had on a number of titles in the bargain basement, but the QQ Pick of the Litter is The Daily Double: both Laughing in the Hills by Bill Barich and Scared Money by Mark Cramer for the rock-bottom price of $9.98.

Barich's tale of his season at Golden Gate Fields has a certain introspective bent that I enjoyed mightily, and focuses as much on the people of the track as his wagering. Stories of trainers and grooms, jockeys and owners are interspersed with a smattering of comparisons to Florence during the Renaissance. Barich goes to the track looking for something - renewal? redemption? - and returns with something a lot like hope. It's a wonderul book.

Cramer is a well-known, and more importantly, well-respected horseplayer, and his novel Scared Money follows a financially-crunched musician as he tries to succeed at playing the ponies. The book offers a rare look at how horse players think -- and how thinking affects the number of tickets cashed. It's one of those books I re-read now and again for its insights.

Other titles available at reasonable prices include Champions (the ultimate reference book: past performances of champion horses from 1893-2004!), Six Secrets of Successful Bettors, and the lovely collection of racing pieces, Finished Lines.

Oh, and with the meets half-over, the Saratoga Trainer Stats and Del Mar Trainer Stats books are half off, too.

The DRF Press sale ends Friday, Aug 15 at midnight, so you'll need to hurry to catch the savings. Of course, if you miss the sale, there's always your friendly neighborhood librarian to help you borrow a copy!