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John Henry—the Legend Lives On

LEXINGTON, KY — October 10, 2007 — With the passing of the legendary John Henry just yesterday, many fans are looking for a way to celebrate his life. Over the years, John Henry got a myriad of recognition through Eclipse Press books including Old Friends, Horse Racing’s Top 100 Moments, Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, and Thoroughbred Legend: John Henry, the only John Henry bio ever written.

In John Henry, award-winning author Steve Haskin guides the reader through the joyful highs, heartbreaking lows, and pure twists of fate that followed this unassuming little gelding on his journey to becoming one of horse racing’s most beloved and enduring champions.

“For me, John came alive in every page I wrote, as if allowing me entrance into his very being,” said Haskin. “That was the only way his story could be told. I became immersed not only in the story of John Henry, but in the phenomenon of John Henry. His road to greatness was unpaved and rocky. No one had ever traveled over it, nor would they ever again.”

In Top 100 Racehorses of the 20th Century, John Henry ranks No. 23, partly due to his being the first horse to earn $3 million, $4 million, $5 million, and then $6 million. At age nine, when most horses are retired from racing, he was winning an Eclipse Award as Horse of the Year and being named by People magazine as one of the 25 most intriguing “people” of 1984. In, Horse Racing’s Top 100 Moments, John Henry’s win over The Bart at the inaugural Arlington Million earned him moment No. 30. In the now out-of-print Old Friends, award-winning photographer Barbara D. Livingston visits with John Henry in retirement at the Kentucky Horse Park. Old Friends is now available as part of a collector’s edition with More Old Friends.

“Photographing John Henry wasn’t easy as he was plain and difficult to impress,” said Livingston. “Yet in those moments when his ears flicked forward and his eyes stared down the camera, I recognized I was photographing one of the all-time greats.”

Eclipse Press books are available at your local bookstore or from Exclusively Equine at 1-800-582-5604 or http://www.exclusivelyequine.com

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Eclipse Press is the award-winning book publishing division of Blood-Horse Publications, publishers of The Blood-Horse; The Horse; TBH MarketWatch; Keeneland magazine; the official Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup souvenir magazines; and equine-related books, videos, CD-ROMs, and annual references. Blood-Horse Publications also operates a family of popular websites including bloodhorse.com, BloodHorseNow.com, TheHorse.com, EclipsePress.com, and Keenelandmagazine.com. In addition, Blood-Horse Publications operates Exclusively Equine (http://www.ExclusivelyEquine.com), the Official Store of Blood-Horse Publications. The Blood-Horse, BloodHorseNow, The Horse, Eclipse Press, Exclusively Equine, and TBH MarketWatch are registered trademarks of Blood-Horse Publications.

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