Lexington

“This incredible-but-true story barrels along at a Thoroughbred’s gallop. Wickens brings to life the courageous stallion Lexington and the indelible imprint he left on the American Thoroughbred breed.”—Elizabeth Letts, author of The Perfect Horse“Best Racehorse Book Ever… a First-Place Blue-Ribbon of a book, full of engrossing, surprising, and sometimes startling detail about how American horse racing got its start … a must-have classic for every equestrian’s shelf.”—Wendy Williams, author of The Horse“In this meticulously researched and skillfully drawn telling, Kim Wickens brings to vivid life the ‘forgotten horse’: Lexington. It defies belief that no book has ever been written on this near-blind Thoroughbred who left such an indelible mark on nineteenth-century horse racing.”—Lawrence Scanlan, author of The Horse God Built“Kim Wickens’s deep and indefatigable research provides a knowledge akin to a master’s degree. And her compelling writing style renders the acquisition of knowledge a personal pleasure.”—Edward L. Bowen, racing journalist and author of The Lucky Thirteen“If you want to know why horse racing was America’s first sport, it’s all here. At the center of it is a racehorse named Lexington, an unlikely cornerstone for America’s modern Thoroughbred breeding industry.”—Joe Drape, author of American Pharoah“A totally engrossing story of one of the greatest horses that ever lived … I loved it.”—Nacho Figueras, champion polo player and co-author of High Season“In this colorful debut biography, equestrian Wickens relates the life and legacy of the eponymous equine, who was foaled near his namesake city in Kentucky in 1850. Lovers of both history and horses will take enjoyment from this thoroughly told tale.”—Publishers Weekly“Wickens, a former attorney and current trainer, explores the life of the steed at the center of Geraldine Brooks’s superb novel Horse [in this] spirited biography of a famed Thoroughbred. Fans of horse racing and American history alike will enjoy this lively story.”—Kirkus Reviews

Kim Wickens grew up in Dallas, Texas, and practiced as a criminal defense lawyer in New Mexico for twenty years. She subsequently turned her attention to writing, which she studied at Kenyon College, and has devoted the last several years to researching this book. Wickens’s work has appeared in The Washington Post, Narrative Magazine, The Blood-Horse, and The Paulick Report. She lives with her husband and son in Lexington, Kentucky, where she rides in the dressage discipline with her three horses.