Missionville By Alex Brown
From All-Creatures.org Book, CD and Video Review Guide

 

Author: Alex Brown
Reviewed by: Vivian Grant Farrell, Tuesday's Horse

Publisher:

Review:

Patrick Battuello, chronicler of racehorse killings at Horse Racing Wrongs, recently reported the death of 7-year old Sing the Dream in a claiming race for 4 yo’s+ at Aqueduct, Saturday afternoon, January 27, 2018.

It was Sing the Dream‘s 50th race. Battuello states the horse “fell heavily” (Equibase) and was euthanized where he lay.

American racing routinely kills its horses particularly in contests such as these — the claiming race.

Alex Brown, author of Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and His Legacy, has written a book called Missionville which delves into the lives and activities of the people who work horses in the business of the American claiming race.

Missionville is a well crafted story with credibly drawn characters you can root for or against as the author gives you an unvarnished look at the day-to-day rigors of training and racing horses at a small track and its resulting consequences.

Eclipse award winner Mike Jensen, journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, in his review of Missionville puts it this way:

“Alex Brown, a lifelong horseman, takes you on a journey few are capable of providing. He takes you to the underbelly of the sport. A terrific read”.

Missionville gives true to life insight into what happens to horses when their careers begin to take a downward spiral and tragically end up in the claiming race system.

Missionville is a must read for every racehorse advocate.

About the Author:

Alex Brown is the author of three books, Missionville, Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and his Legacy, and Becoming a Clear Admit: The Definitive Guide to MBA Admissions.

Brown has had a career in horse racing spanning 25 years, and a career in MBA admissions of more than 20 years; both careers overlapped.

Brown started his horse racing career in the U.K. before moving to the United States in 1987. Since that time Brown has worked as an exercise rider and assistant trainer for leading trainers that include Steve Asmussen, Michael Dickinson and Barclay Tagg. Brown returned to the U.K. in 2015.

Brown also gained an MBA degree during his early years in the United States, and then worked in MBA admissions at the University of Delaware, the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School and Clear Admit. During that time he also taught in GMAC's Professional Development Program. Brown has also taught marketing-related courses for more than 20 years, and was a pioneer in the use of the internet for marketing.

Becoming a Clear Admit (2016) is the result of Brown's experiences in the MBA admissions industry and continues his interest for providing better transparency to the industry.

Greatness and Goodness (2011) combines Brown's interests in social media and horse racing. He established the timwoolleyracing.com blog in 2004. This site became the "go-to" resource on the internet for following Barbaro's progress at New Bolton Center after his Preakness injury. Brown maintained the site while Barbaro was fighting for his life, and then for three years afterwards while Brown traveled throughout North America, by racetrack, to do additional research for this book.

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