A quarter of a million people braved miserable conditions at Epsom Downs
on June 2, 1954, to see the 175th running of the prestigious Derby
Stakes. Queen Elizabeth II and Sir Winston Churchill were in attendance,
along with thousands of Britons who were all convinced of the unfailing
superiority of English bloodstock and eager to see a British colt take
the victory. They were shocked when a Kentucky-born chestnut named Never
Say Die galloped to a two-length triumph at odds of 33--1, winning
Britain's greatest race and beginning an important shift in the world of
Thoroughbred racing.
Never Say Die traces the history of this extraordinary colt, beginning
with his foaling in Lexington, Kentucky, as well as the stories of the
influential individuals brought together by the horse and his victory --
from the heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune to the Aga Khan. Most
fascinating is the tale of Mona Best of Liverpool, England, whose
well-placed bet on the long-shot Derby contender allowed her to open the
Casbah Coffee Club. There, her son met musicians John Lennon, Paul
McCartney, and George Harrison, later joining their band.
Featuring a foreword by the original drummer for the Beatles, Pete Best,
this remarkable book reveals how an underdog's surprise victory played a
part in the formation of the most successful and influential rock band
in history and made the Bluegrass region of Kentucky the center of the
international Thoroughbred industry.
