BROKEN

The Suspicious Death of Alydar
and the end of Horse Racing’s  golden Age

The Story

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November 13, 1990. 9:00 pm. Calumet’s stallion barn holds five of its most valuable horses, including Alydar, who is insured for a total of $41.5 million. Runner up to Affirmed in all three 1978 Triple Crown races, Alydar is the top breeding horse in the country.

Cowboy Kipp, the regular night watchman, is off this night, and Alton Stone has taken his place. Stone checks on Alydar at 9:30 p.m. and all is well. The night watchman starts his rounds of the 762-acre farm, but sensing something wrong, returns to Alydar’s stall at 10:00 p.m. The horse has a broken right rear leg, his coat is steaming, and there is terror in the whites of his eyes. The roller bracket holding the stall door is sheared off and lying in the middle of the floor, but the door is latched closed. Stone panics. How could it have happened? The stall is padded, and the floor is rubber. There are no fresh kick marks on the stall door. Alydar is euthanized two days later. The insurance companies conclude that Alydar accidentally fractured his right leg by kicking his stall door and paid the $41.5 million claim. If only they knew why Cowboy Kipp had taken that night off…..

Named One of the “Top 100 Books Of 2023”
Kirkus Reviews

Winner National Indie Book Award-Nonfiction

Finalist National Indie Book Award-True Crime

Winner Independent Book Publisher Award 2024-Best True Crime

Winner IBPA’s Benjamin Franklin Award 2024-Sport & Recreation

Winner IBPA’s Bill Fisher Award 2024-Best New Book-Nonfiction

Best Equine Book 2023
Taborton Books

Winner Feathered Quill Award 2024-Animal Adult

Finalist Feathered Quill Award 2024-Historical

 

"It's a heartbreaking but compelling story, meticulously researched and skillfully written. Kray's love of horse racing shines in his recaps and equine descriptions, and his pacing and storytelling skills make this true-crime mystery feel like a gripping thriller. A poignant and thorough look at a real-life horse-racing mystery. With this book, Kray has indeed given Alydar his day."

—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"I was stunned by how much I learned and how much of an effect the book was having on those who read it. It's a love story: of a man for a horse. Don't take it to the beach. It deserves much more than that."

—Frank Michell, The Paulick Report

"A well-told book for the love of one of the most renowned racehorses and sires America has ever known. It's really a love story between the author and Alydar. We see this horse and feel his spirit, courage, love, frustrations and fears. Kray is a gifted writer.

—Kim Wickens, author of Lexington

"The story told is compelling and worthy of a place on the bookshelf of both students of horse racing history and fans of the true crime genre. It will certainly have an honored place on mine.

—Avalyn Hunter, author of Dream Derby

"Kray writes with this kind of matter-of-fact, spine tingling suspense. The cast of characters involved on multiple sides of the scandal is something worthy of a Martin Scorsese adaption."

—Garth Thomas, The Hollywood Digest

Drawing from firsthand accounts and never-before-seen evidence, Kray constructs a narrative that is as tense as a photo finish, and as poignant as the loss of a beloved champion. His meticulous research and deft storytelling transport readers to the very heart of the mystery, culminating in an unexpected and jaw-dropping revelation. "Broken" is not just a chronicle of a crime but a heartfelt tribute to the golden age of horse racing

—J. Alexander Greenwood, author and host of the Mysterious Goings On Podcast

"Kray's passion for this topic is evident, and he possesses the requisite skills to follow a labyrinth of clues and misstatements that go back forty-plus years. Broken flows rather like a true crime memoir. If Fred Kray had defended Alydar, at the very least, he might have had his day in court."

—J.N. Campbell, Thoroughbred Daily News

"An effective amalgam of Truman Capote's In Cold Blood and Laura Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit. Kray writes with this frenetic, emotional candor and cold, unsparing fastidiousness. Reminiscent of works like Stephen L. Carter's The Emperor of Ocean Park, and even Dan Brown's The DaVinci Code."

—Alexander, Goodreads

"This true crime story reads with the passion and immediacy of a dramatic novel, featuring the ability to draw readers outside the true crime genre. A rollicking good read that puts Dick Francis to shame."

—Reviewer’s Choice,  Midwest Book Review

"Kray, a former civil trial attorney and a current animal law expert, brings a detailed investigative approach to the now decades old tragic demise of Alydar. It is part race horse history, detailed fraud investigation, and advocate for animals all wrapped up into a who-done-it mystery."

—Hank Jackson, Florida Bar Magazine

"Reading about Alydar brought back beautiful memories of his racing career, and Kray got everything right. I thought I knew everything about Alydar's death until I read the exhaustive investigation contained in this book. It was thorough, comprehensive and like nothing I have ever read before. Kray uncovered facts nobody else did."

—John Veitch, Alydar’s trainer, inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 2007

"The last time I spoke with trainer John Veitch before his death, he told me he had received Mr. Kray's work and that "it is one of the best manuscripts I have ever read." Mr. Kray's work does provide a compelling collation of events and possible interpretations thereof. The tapestry thus created reflect Herculean research along with a graceful appreciation for the sport of racing. John Veitch's deep affection for and pride in Alydar show through to provide a poignance to the story of a great Thoroughbred."

—Edwin L. Bowen, author of The Lucky Thirteen: The Winners of America’s Triple Crown of Horse Racing

"Drawing from firsthand accounts and never-before-seen evidence, Kray constructs a narrative that is as tense as a photo finish, and as poignant as the loss of a beloved champion. His meticulous research and deft storytelling transport readers to the very heart of the mystery, culminating in an unexpected and jaw-dropping revelation. "Broken" is not just a chronicle of a crime but a heartfelt tribute to the golden age of horse racing.

—J. Alexander Greenwood, author and host of the Mysterious Goings On podcast

"When I think of sports legends of the 20th Century, an animal does not come to mind. But Fred M. Kray has changed that with Broken. It feels as exciting as a legal thriller. It may be a must-read for fans of horse racing, but it is extremely accessible to those interested in history, mystery and true crime without prior knowledge of the sport. It reveals an intriguing world filled with secrets and thrills, and makes a hero of its subject."

—Akram Herrak, Independent Book Review

"Broken brings the reader into the courtroom as Kray presents his investigative findings for all to see. He is methodical in his approach, tackling the saga of Alydar from the fateful night of his injury to the investigations. The compelling emotional element in the story is the bond formed between Alydar and his riders, grooms and trainer. Broken delivers a true crime masterpiece that resonates with racing fans and true crime lovers."

—Philip Zozzaro, Readers’ Favorite

"Fred Kray's painstaking investigation and recounting of Alydar's case leads relentlessly to the conclusion that only the worst intentions can explain the tragic end to one of history's greatest and most beloved Thoroughbred stallions. Kray's love and respect for Alydar and his achievements illuminate his passionate and determined quest for justice on the horse's behalf.

—Mary Perdue, author of Landaluce: The Story of Seattle Slew’s First Champion

"Fred Kray's crackling story of Alydar's tragic demise is history at its best...painstakingly researched and deeply felt. Kray honors the horse himself and that's clearly a superior form of justice."

—Michael Blowen, founder of Old Friends Thoroughbred Retirement Farm.

"Broken is a fascinating read. Endlessly researched and easy-flowing, the book grabs you from the start and never lets go. This book is a must read for any fans of Alydar or Thoroughbred racing."

—Bill Heller, Eclipse winning author of The Will to Win: Ron Turcotte’s Ride to Glory

"An excellent true story. Kray eloquently writes the story of the famous racehorse Alydar. This book had me fascinated. Kray truly left no stone unturned and no detail left from this story. Any reader who enjoys true stories, horses, sports or crime would like this book."

—Theresa Kadair, Los Angeles Book Review

Racing
Evidence
Verdict

Meet the Author

Fred M. Kray is a civil trial attorney who for the last 20 years has limited his practice to animal law. Whether rescuing a stolen Great Dane with a SWAT team or freeing innocent dogs from death row, it has always been his life’s purpose to give animals a voice. He was introduced to horse racing working at a race track in Nebraska while attending law school. He fell in love with a horse named Alydar in Miami, watching him run in the Flamingo Stakes and the Florida Derby. Reintroduced to Alydar’s story when he moved to Gainesville, he spent four years researching, interviewing and writing about Alydar, producing a story that celebrates the horse’s legacy while at the same time exposing the greed and corruption behind the gates of Calumet.

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