Racetracks of America Wins Dr. Tony Ryan Award
The 440-page history of Thoroughbred racing venues took the 20th Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award in Lexington.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Equestrian
The Racetracks of America, a 440-page history of Thoroughbred racing venues nationwide, won the 20th Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award. Brien Bouyea and Roda Ferraro accepted the award on behalf of the book's authors at a reception in Lexington on November 4.
Why it matters
The award recognizes excellence in Thoroughbred racing literature and honors a book that documents racing venues from the pre-Civil War era to the 21st century. It highlights the historical record of an industry closely tied to Lexington's horse country.
The book spans 440 pages and includes more than 70 essays and 600 visual items, and the award carries a $10,000 first prize and a Tipperary crystal trophy. The source does not detail the sales or readership figures for the book.
The players
Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award
An annual award recognizing excellence in Thoroughbred racing literature, presented by the Ryan family.
National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame
A Saratoga Springs institution devoted to preserving the history of Thoroughbred racing, with Brien Bouyea accepting the award on its behalf.
Keeneland Library
The research library of Keeneland, the Lexington racecourse and horse-sales institution, with Roda Ferraro accepting the award on its behalf.
The details
The award was presented during a reception at Castleton Lyons' stallion barn in Lexington on November 4, 2026. The book, which features contributions from numerous BloodHorse writers, was selected over Death of a Racehorse: An American Story by Katie Bo Lillis and Reinventing the American Thoroughbred: The Arabian Adventures of Alexander Keene Richards by Gary O'Dell.
Timeline
November 4, 2026: Award ceremony held in Lexington and winner announced.
November 6, 2026: Article published on BloodHorse.com.
Season Trajectory
The 20th edition of the Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award marks two decades of recognizing Thoroughbred racing literature. This win adds The Racetracks of America to the award's record of honoring major historical works on the sport.
Racing fans and book readers interested in Thoroughbred history can look for The Racetracks of America in bookstores or through libraries. The book's breadth, covering venues from the pre-Civil War era to today, makes it a reference for anyone studying the sport's geography.
The takeaway
The award's 20th edition shows that Thoroughbred racing history continues to attract serious scholarly and popular writing. Readers wanting a broad view of the sport's racetracks will find this book a useful starting point.
Further reading
Explore more Equestrian coverage for context on the Thoroughbred racing world behind this award.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Blood Horse Interactive.
