Edward L. Bowen is considered one of Thoroughbred racing's most insightful and erudite writers. A native of West Virginia, Bowen grew up in South Florida, where he became enamored of racing while watching televised stakes from Hialeah Racetrack in Miami. Bowen entered journalism school at the University of Florida in 1960, then transferred to the University of Kentucky in 1963 so he could work as a writer for The Blood-Horse, the leading weekly Thoroughbred racing magazine. From 1968 to 1970, he served as editor of The Canadian Horse, then returned to The Blood-Horse as managing editor. He rose to the position of editor-in-chief before leaving the publication in 1993.

Bowen is president of the Grayson-Jockey Club Research Foundation, which raises funds for equine research. In addition to Legacies of the Turf, Bowen has written thirteen books, including Man o' War, War Admiral, and At the Wire: Horse Racing's Greatest Moments. Bowen has won the Eclipse Award, horse racing's greatest honor, for magazine writing and other writing awards. He lives in Versailles, Kentucky, with his wife and son.

What was your intent in writing Legacies of the Turf?

The short answer is to try to entertain the reader while honoring a series of truly fascinating individuals. One of the strengths of Thoroughbred racing is that it is constantly attracting new people. This means that at any given time there may be a large segment within the industry which has a relatively limited frame of historical reference. I believe enhanced enjoyment of the business -- and perhaps, once in awhile, a catalyst for decision making -- can result from knowledge of the past. Although it is true that the term "breeder" means a range from the hobbyist to the national leader, each echelon faces some similar decisions and harbors similar ambitions. The hope is that a look at the careers of those who have had outstanding success will be seen as interesting to participants and fans today who have a curiosity about what went before them.

Legacies of the Turf has been divided into two volumes, with volume one focusing on the great breeders of the first half of the 20th century and volume two (to be published Fall 2004) focusing on the latter half of the century.
What was the purpose behind this format and how do you think it benefits readers?

The lives and careers of outstanding Thoroughbred breeders tend to be lengthy -- another strength of the business. To condense too many chapters into one book seemed to give insufficient opportunity to describe these outstanding breeders. The idea behind breaking up the sequence into two volumes was to create two comfortably readable books rather than one so large as to be awkward to read.

What are some of the common threads that connected the 20 horsemen and women profiled in this volume?

I am a great believer in the importance of luck in Thoroughbred breeding, and clearly all the great breeders had a good deal of luck. The great John E. Madden, in fact, laid most of his success to luck, perhaps in a moment of
exuberant modesty. Most of the great breeders benefitted from a few key purchases which became a foundation to lasting success. Outside their Turf pursuits specifically, it has always fascinated me how many successful
people in Thoroughbred racing and breeding had outstanding careers and influences on other aspects of American business and society.

Which personalities did you come to admire most through your research and writing of their stories?

We all admire the scuffler who succeeds after starting with very little, but I also have always admired those who come into racing with the personal wherewithal to treat it as a dalliance and yet devote great energy and
passion to the welfare of the Turf. One who in a way combined these was Bull Hancock: Although he took over Claiborne Farm from his father after it already had been established, Mr. Hancock faced a great challenge in
bridging eras at Claiborne. He not only returned the farm to its former status, but built upon that to become singular on the international Turf scene by the end of his life.

Were there any surprises in your research that led you in a completely different direction than you planned?

The key surprise was in finding that some breeders whom I had always venerated -- and still do -- had less actual measurable success than I had always assumed. Without naming names, I was well into one chapter about a fascinating individual when it dawned on me that in four decades of breeding he averaged only about one stakes winner a year. I was somewhat forlorn at recognizing that the chapter should be omitted. Another element that was put into focus more than I had ever recognized was that the breeding of a great
race horse -- while still a mystery -- is much closer to a predictable phenomenon than the breeding of a colt who becomes a truly great stallion.

What do you hope readers will take away from Legacies of the Turf?

The first hope is that they will find it interesting and informative. Underlying that is the hope that some of them will find that knowing more about the history of their game will help them put into perspective the engulfing dramas we all see on the Turf everyday. And lastly, I hope the book does justice in helping preserve an appreciation of some extraordinary individuals.

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