The Turcottes - by Curtis Stock (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"The Turcottes story is a remarkable one. For those who are interested in Canadian sports history, there are lots of moments in this book capturing the highs and lows of an incredible family!" -- Peter Mansbridge

Finalist for the 2023 Dr. Tony Ryan Book Award

"Drawing upon three decades of reporting and interviews, Stock, a veteran of the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald, writes with accessible, energetic prose, blending oral history, family biography, and imaginative techniques drawn from creative non-fiction... It can be hard to resist a sports narrative that mixes rags and riches, triumphs and tragedies. The Turcottes has it all in spades... Stock's The Turcottes further recognizes Ron Turcotte's star-studded but often overlooked racing career and determined recovery... Although much of the well-spun hard-luck story of the Turcotte brothers is heartbreaking, once you crack open this book, it's hard to put down."
-- Literary Review of Canada

Fifty-one years ago, Secretariat, a horse so brilliantly fast and powerful that many of his records still stand, completed his historic Triple Crown victory. Secretariat's rider was Ron Turcotte, a master of his craft who grew up as one of 14 children in the small lumberjack town of Drummond, New Brunswick.

Four other Turcottes -- Noel, Rudy, Roger and Yves -- followed their older brother onto North American racetracks and into the winner's circle. The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty is the story of this family's journey from their little corner of the woods to the top of the thoroughbred racing world. Each Turcotte found outstanding success, collectively winning a staggering 8,251 races for purse earnings just shy of $60 million. The name Turcotte meant one thing in thoroughbred racing: winning.

But the jockey's life takes a toll. Each brother was in a neverending battle to maintain his riding weight. Noel, Rudy and Roger fought the bottle. And then came the losses, the injuries and the heartbreaks. The unlikely triumph of one of horse racing's greatest families was not without tragedy.

Drawing upon over 30 years of reporting and interviews, journalist Curtis Stock takes readers on an unforgettable ride through the major players and race days of thoroughbred racing. Part biography, part oral history and part creative nonfiction, The Turcottes: The Remarkable Story of a Horse Racing Dynasty is a true underdog story and sure bet for any sports fan.

Review Quotes

[Review of hardcover edition: ] A new book by Sovereign Award-winning turf writer Curtis Stock shares the tragedies and triumphs of this extraordinary family, one which deserves a spot in any racing fan's library... It chronicles the improbable story of five brothers from a rural New Brunswick village creating a dynasty in the saddle, forever linking the family name with success at the sport's highest levels.--Jennifer Kelly "America's Best Racing" (7/19/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] Curtis Stock is the ultimate storyteller... Stock brings his uncanny, but not surprising, wit and compassion to produce word wizardry in this page-turner, can't-put-it-down book.--Cam Tait "Edmonton Sun" (6/3/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] Drawing upon three decades of reporting and interviews, Stock, a veteran of the Edmonton Journal and the Calgary Herald, writes with accessible, energetic prose, blending oral history, family biography, and imaginative techniques drawn from creative non-fiction... It can be hard to resist a sports narrative that mixes rags and riches, triumphs and tragedies. The Turcottes has it all in spades... Stock's The Turcottes further recognizes Ron Turcotte's star-studded but often overlooked racing career and determined recovery... Although much of the well-spun hard-luck story of the Turcotte brothers is heartbreaking, once you crack open this book, it's hard to put down.--Paul W. Bennett "Literary Review of Canada" (9/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] It is a riveting actual account ripped from newspaper articles, interviews and in-person conversations... The 357-page read has the makings of a triumph-to-tragedy Hollywood movie.--Anna Borowiecki "St. Albert Gazette" (6/16/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] Stock... was continually surprised the more he learned about the Turcottes and their respective journeys into racing... In the final chapter, Stock outlines how horse racing is "an addictive but unforgiving sport, especially for the jockeys, whose careers are generally short. Once it's in your blood, it stays there".--Dan Ralph "Toronto Star" (6/10/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] The 25th chapter, in particular, is an exciting telling of Secretariat's Triple Crown races, each race written from a stride-by-stride perspective. It will leave you breathless... With his insider's view of the Turcotte family's lives, career highs and lows, no other author could have penned this story.--Glenda Fordham "The Rider" (5/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] This book tells their remarkable journey from a small lumberjack town in New Brunswick to the top of the thoroughbred racing world, including not only all of their successes, but also their challenges and heartbreaks along the way.-- "Prarie Books Now" (6/1/2023 12:00:00 AM)

[Review of hardcover edition: ] Well worth reading.--Randy Goulding "Vancouver Sun" (6/8/2023 12:00:00 AM)

About the Author

Curtis Stock is a Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame inductee and 11-time Sovereign Award-winning writer for best thoroughbred story of the year. A sports writer for over 30 years with the Edmonton Journal and Calgary Herald, Stock has loved horse racing since he was in junior high school, where he would tape the Daily Racing Form into his binders. The marketing and publicity director for Northlands Park Race Track for eight years and a horse owner of several thoroughbreds, Stock is a proud father of two wonderful children, Dallas and Maia, with his wife of 30 years, Barb.