Perdue Brings Landaluce Story to Life for Modern Fans

Mary Perdue is a freelance turf writer and winner of the Equus WINNIE Award. Her passion for horseracing shines through in her first book, "Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew's First Champion," about a spectacular filly whose career was brief but profound. 

BloodHorse: What inspired you to tell the story of Landaluce?

Mary Perdue: It had always been on my bucket list to go to the Keeneland library. I didn’t have any particular plan, but I just wanted to go. When I walked in there, I had no idea that it wasn't a lending library—that you couldn't just go in there and take books off the shelves. So, the gentleman behind the desk asked me if there was a particular horse that I was interested in, and I said the first name that came to mind, which was Landaluce. I picked her because I thought, "That's a horse they'll have a lot of information about that a regular library wouldn’t." He went in the back and came back with a file folder that was pretty skinny. It had some clippings in it and photos and I said, "This is it? You mean nobody's written a book about her?" and he said, "Evidently, not." Standing there, I thought, "Well, why not me?" I just couldn't believe that a book hadn’t already been done.

BH: Why do you think no one else had written about her?

MP: I don’t know, really. She had a very brief career; she only raced five times in 1982. I remember, after the book came out, someone in racing asked another friend of mine in racing, "Well, can you really make a book out of only five races?" and the answer is, "Yes, you can." I think maybe that's what might've made some people think that there wasn't enough there for a book. 

BH: Why do you think it is important to bring the story of historical horses, like Landaluce, to modern audiences?

MP: Well, this book is published on the 40-year anniversary of her life and career, which I wanted to do. It doesn’t take very long for horses to be forgotten because the generations turn over so fast. I really didn’t want her to be forgotten. She was so spectacular, and she was historically significant. I really felt like if people knew the circumstances surrounding her life and career, they would find it very interesting. My hope is that the next person that walks into the Keeneland library will have the book put in their hand and they will have the opportunity to learn what an extraordinary filly she really was. 

BH: How did you discover your own passion for horse racing?

MP: I wish I could tell you. I have always loved it, and I don’t know where it comes from, I really have no idea. There is no one in my family who has even the remotest interest in horses in general, much less Thoroughbred racing. I don’t have any of the traditional pathways into the sport, but ever since I was a kid, I have just always loved Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred racing. I did all the "horsey" things as a kid: drawing pictures of them, yearning for them, watching every race I could on TV, and always following the races. I got a subscription to the BloodHorse when I was in my early 20s for one of my birthdays—that's what I wanted. It's just always been there. I don't know where it came from, or why. It's just something, if you have it, it's there. You don't question it, you follow it. 

BH: Although your book is non-fiction, the way that you’ve written it feels very much like a story and you are really able to connect with the reader in that sense. What inspired you to write Landaluce in this style?

MP: It was super important to me that it did read like a story and that it showed the feelings that horses create in people and the feelings that people had when they saw her. I think that is a lot of what draws people to racing. I really didn't want it to be a chronicle like a lot of racing books are: "She won this race," "She won that race," statistics, and recounting. I wanted it to read like a novel or like a story because I think that it is more interesting for the reader but also generates that emotion that I really hoped would come through in the story.

BH: Where can readers meet you in person?

MP: I just came from Ocala, Fla. I spent two days there, and there are a bunch of signed copies at the Barnes and Noble in Ocala. The next event that I have coming up is this coming weekend, Oct. 15-16. I’ll be at Santa Anita Park for both days with Jon White, who wrote the foreword to the book. We are going to present the trophy to the winner of the Oct. 16 Anoakia Stakes, which will commemorate Landaluce's 40-year anniversary of her winning that race. After that, I go to Lexington Oct. 28-29. On Oct. 28, there is a special presentation at Spendthrift Farm, through Horse Country with John Williams and me. I will be signing books there, and on Oct. 29, I will be at the Kentucky Book Fair at Joseph-Beth. And you can always pick up a copy online!