Mark Shrager is a prolific turfwriter, having published several hundred articles in magazines such as Turf & Sport Digest, American Turf Magazine (ATM), and others. His article, “1,001 Surefire Ways to Lose a Horse Race,” was published in the annual Best Sports Stories anthology. Shrager has also published two books of Breeders’ Cup handicapping information. Six years of research, including stretches in Kentucky and at the Library of Congress, have led to The Great Sweepstakes of 1877. He lives in Altadena, California.

In a time when the Sport of Kings had become a pastime for the masses, the Great Sweepstakes of 1877 stood out for its drama, its spectacle, and its impact on the public consciousness. Mark Shrager has done a masterful job of bringing to life this extraordinary era and one of its most remarkable events.

Mark Shrager is a prolific turfwriter, having published several hundred articles in magazines such as Turf & Sport Digest, American Turf Magazine (ATM), and others. His article, “1,001 Surefire Ways to Lose a Horse Race,” was published in the annual Best Sports Stories anthology. Shrager has also published two books of Breeders’ Cup handicapping information. Six years of research, including stretches in Kentucky and at the Library of Congress, have led to The Great Sweepstakes of 1877. He lives in Altadena, California.

In a time when the Sport of Kings had become a pastime for the masses, the Great Sweepstakes of 1877 stood out for its drama, its spectacle, and its impact on the public consciousness. Mark Shrager has done a masterful job of bringing to life this extraordinary era and one of its most remarkable events.