BROKEN

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

The Story

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. Nobody knew why Cowboy Kipp had taken the night off. It wouldn’t come to light until the FBI got involved six years later…

Named to Kirkus Reviews Best Books Of 2023
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"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,” “Legacies of the Turf: A Century of Great Thoroughbred Breeders,” and Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Magazine Writing.

"It's a 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 work feel like a gripping thriller. The last portion of this book offers a poignant closing argument that Kray says he would have made if he tried the case. "Today, I am representing Alydar, who never had a voice of his own. Today, I will be his voice," he says, in part, to his imaginary jury. "Today will be his day. He deserves that, at the very least." With this book, Kray has indeed given Alydar his day."

—Kirkus Reviews 2023.

"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 Indepent Book Review.

"Kray had his work cut out for him in his investigatory deep dive into a long dormant cold case. 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 fatefull 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 Throughbred Retirement Farm.

"Alydar did everything that was asked of him. Second always to the Triple Crown Winner, Affirmed, he was caught in the financial corruption to save and protect those who deserved no protection. He was a sacrificed athlete that Fred Kray has memorialized. Thanks to Kray's professional training inspired by his sincere love for the racehorse, Alydar, the true story is now ours forever to learn from, to protect others from, to deepen our understanding of the forces that corrupt a sport."

Shelley Fraser Mickle, author of Barbaro, America’s Horse and American Pharoah, Triple Crown Champion

"BROKEN is a fascinating read. Endlessly researched and easy-flowing, the book grabs you from the start and never lets go. By interviewing so many people close to Aldyar and his death, Kray allows the reader to review their dissimilar statements and make his or her own conclusion. 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, Graveyard of Champions, Saratoga’s Fallen Favorites and 25 other books

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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