Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award Finalists Announced
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2019 DR. TONY RYAN BOOK AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED
Three wonderful but very different books have been selected by a panel of industry judges as finalists for the 14th annual Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award, honoring titles published in 2019. These include a unique collaboration of stories told by members of the racing community; an insider's look at the career of America's most recent Triple Crown winner; and the roller-coaster life story of a legendary European trainer.
The finalists are: "Better Lucky Than Good: Tall Tales and Straight Talk from the Backside of the Track," by various authors, from Louisville Story Program, edited by Joe Manning; "Justify: 111 Days to Triple Crown Glory," by Lenny Shulman, and "The Triumph of Henry Cecil: The Authorised Biography," by Tony Rushmer.
These three exceptional books were selected from 15 high quality submissions and were evaluated based on "clarity and elegance" of writing, ability to entertain, and as always, with regard to what the late Dr. Ryan himself might have liked.
In a normal year, the Book Award process would have culminated this past April with a ceremony in the historic stallion barn at the Ryan family's Castleton Lyons, near Lexington, Ky. But this is not a normal year. From necessity, the Award timeline was altered and ultimately delayed in hopes that the global Covid-19 pandemic would ease, thus making an in-person winner's reception possible later in the year. That scenario looks increasingly doubtful. As of mid-August, plans for how to reveal and celebrate the winner remain in limbo. But whether done in person, in a Zoom-type setting, or by other means, announcement of the winner will likely be made sometime in November.
The Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award was established by the noted businessman, entrepreneur, and philanthropist in 2006 to honor the best books published in a given year on the subject of horse racing. Dr. Ryan attached to it a $10,000 winner's prize, making it one of the world's most lucrative literary awards. Winners have since included beautifully penned fictional novels and short story collections; well-researched biographies, both human and equine; in-depth sporting histories; and even a National Book Award recipient.
For additional information, contact Betsy Hager at bhager@castletonlyons.com.