Fans of Barbaro Celebrate

Last weekend was the Second Celebration of Barbaro's Life event hosted by the Fans of Barbaro at Delaware Park. Timed to coincide with the Barbaro Stakes, in which the Jacksons' horse ran a game third, the event included a fundraiser on Friday evening, a day of activities at Fair Hill on Saturday (including a surprise appearance by Nicanor) and a day of racing on Sunday.

I was unable to attend due to last minute family obligations, but I did catch a glimpse of the gathering on Sunday on ESPN 2 during their Summer Racing program and know that Edgar Prado stopped by the tent for a visit. ESPN also televised the Barbaro Stakes and showed a glimpse of the Jacksons who were in attendance. I gather from the information on the message board that the events were successful.

I also gather from Amazon book sales that the same cannot be said about Edgar's book, My Guy Barbaro, written with sportswriter John Eisenberg. According to Amazon, it is 9,194 from the top in sales, which is not to be confused with a best seller. It is a shame that the public memory for valiant horse stories is so short and that a soon-to-be inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame (Aug. 4) jockey can not command a greater audience.

All of which demonstrates the incredible fickleness of the reading public, which seems to be growing less attentive by the day. What sells? Books written by celebrities (although you would think Prado would qualify as such), spy thrillers that aren't too complicated, feel-good romances, some cookbooks and some self-help. The bottom line seems to be you have to be somebody to get a book deal and then you have to write something that middle America wants to hear.

The rare exception may be the marvelous novel that I am in the midst of: The Life of Edgar Sawtelle--a first time novel that was TEN YEARS in the making. TEN YEARS. Who hangs in there for ten years? Patient people who are writing timeless stories.

Am I growing increasingly disenchanted with the publishing world? Gee, can you tell? Am I giving up on my Barbaro tome? It may be that the story has to go away and come back but I think the story has actually moved on to Part II and I wonder if anyone really cares.

It's a continual shame of course, because it is the ultimate timeless morality tale......