Thoroughbred (series) facts for kids

A Horse Called Wonder, the first book in Thoroughbred series, was published in 1991

The Thoroughbred book series is a collection of exciting novels for young adults. It's all about Kentucky Thoroughbred horse racing and equestrianism, which means riding and caring for horses. The series began in 1991 with Joanna Campbell and grew to 72 books, plus special "super editions" and a spin-off series called Ashleigh. It finished in 2005.

The stories follow a main group of characters, like Ashleigh Griffen, Samantha McLean, Cindy Blake/McLean, and later Ashleigh's daughter Christina and her friends. At first, the books were about Ashleigh growing up. Then, they focused on young Samantha McLean. As Samantha got older, the stories shifted to Cindy Blake McLean, Samantha's adopted younger sister. Later in the series, there was a big time jump, and the books started focusing on teenage Christina and her cousin Melanie.

These books are mostly for pre-teen girls. They explore adventures in horse racing, eventing (a sport with three parts: dressage, cross-country, and show jumping), and steeplechase (racing over obstacles). Christina and Melanie are both jockeys, which means they ride horses in races. Many books deal with their challenges on and off the track. While their life with horses is the main story, school, friends, and family life often add interesting subplots. Most of the series takes place at the Reese family farm, called Whitebrook.

The Thoroughbred series is published by HarperEntertainment. Twelve different authors helped write the series over 15 years. More than two million Thoroughbred books have been printed!

How the Books Are Told

The Thoroughbred series is written in the third-person narrative, which means the story is told by someone outside the story, using "he," "she," and "they." Usually, you see the story from just one character's point of view.

For the first 23 books, the story was told from the viewpoints of Ashleigh Griffen (books #1-5), Samantha McLean (books #6-12), and Cindy McLean (books #13-23). After book #23, the series started a "New Generation" and jumped forward ten years. A new group of characters became the focus: Christina Reese, Melanie Graham, Parker Townsend, and a few other friends. These books were still in the third person, but the viewpoint would change between characters in different books.

Series Storyline

The First Books

The early books mainly follow Ashleigh Griffen and her adventures at Townsend Acres. This is a farm for racing and breeding horses, owned by Clay Townsend. Ashleigh's parents, Derek and Elaine Griffen, start working at Townsend Acres after their own farm has to be sold. This happened because a sickness spread and killed many horses.

At first, Ashleigh doesn't like her new life. But she starts to feel better after an older mare named Townsend Holly gives birth to a tiny filly. Ashleigh names this filly Wonder. Wonder is very weak and almost dies many times. But with Ashleigh's care, Wonder grows up to be a champion racehorse, winning big races like the Kentucky Derby and Belmont. After Ashleigh grows up, the stories then focus on Samantha McLean.

The New Generation

After book #23, Cindy's Honor, the series jumped forward ten years. The new stories focused on eventing. Ashleigh Griffen's daughter, Christina, traded Wonder's latest foal, Wonder's Legacy, for a racehorse named Sterling Dream. Christina trained Sterling Dream to be an eventing horse. After 12 books, the series quickly switched back to racing. Fans really wanted more racing stories!

After Ashleigh's horse Wonder passed away, Christina became very close to Wonder's last foal, Wonder's Star. From this point on, the series mostly focused on Thoroughbred racing again. Eventing became Parker Townsend's main sport, and he became a regular character. The series then centered on Christina and Melanie and their horses: Wonder's Star, Perfect Image, and Hi Jinx.

The Last Main Character

Allie Avery was the last main character introduced in the Thoroughbred series. She was the daughter of Craig and Jilly Avery, who had been in the series earlier. Allie was interested in both eventing and racing. She eventually decided to become a jockey. When she was 14, she received Wonder's Legacy, a son of Ashleigh's Wonder, as a gift.

The Thoroughbred series officially ended in late 2005. The very last book was Legacy's Gift. This book focused on Allie and Wonder's Legacy, and the birth of Legacy's daughter, Allie's Wonder. Many fans were upset when the series ended, even though some felt the quality of the stories had changed.

Main Characters

• Ashleigh Griffen Reese: She is the middle child of Derek and Elaine Griffen. Ashleigh was the jockey for Wonder in the Breeders' Cup Classic. She also became a trainer and later the owner of Whitebrook Farm. She marries Mike Reese and has a daughter, Christina. Ashleigh appears in all the books.
• Caroline Griffen: Ashleigh's older sister. Caroline is scared of horses because one almost ran away with her. She loves fashion, makeup, music, and boys.
• Rory Griffen: Ashleigh's younger brother. Rory loves horses, just like Ashleigh and their parents. He is too young to fully understand why his family moved to Townsend Acres. Rory eventually gets a new pony named Moe 2.
• Derek Griffen: The father of Caroline, Ashleigh, and Rory. He is a breeding manager at Townsend Acres. Derek worried about Ashleigh getting too close to Wonder because Wonder was so weak. He also wanted Ashleigh to work on her math.
• Elaine Griffen: The mother of Caroline, Ashleigh, and Rory. She is also a breeding manager at Townsend Acres. Elaine believes school is more important than horses. When Ashleigh's grades dropped because she spent too much time with Wonder, Elaine and Derek grounded her.
• Clay Townsend: The owner of Townsend Acres and Parker Townsend's grandfather. He was very kind to Ashleigh and the other characters.
• Charles "Charlie" Burke: An experienced horse trainer who was kind to young people. He helped Ashleigh care for Wonder, train her, and race her. He also helped Ashleigh start her jockey career. Charlie died from a heart attack on Ashleigh and Mike's wedding day.
• Samantha McLean Nelson: Ashleigh's close friend. She was the jockey for a horse named Sierra. Samantha marries Tor Nelson. Later, she runs an eventing school called Whisperwood, where Christina and Parker attend. Samantha's mother died in a riding accident when Samantha was young. Her father, Ian, didn't want her to ride again to keep her safe, but eventually allowed her to.
• Brad and Lavinia Townsend: The wealthy owners of Townsend Acres. They are Parker's parents.
• Cindy Blake McLean al-Rihani: Samantha and Kevin's adopted sister. She was a jockey until she hurt her shoulder. Cindy marries Ben al-Rihani, and they adopt their daughter Allie. Cindy's birth parents died in a car accident.
• Ian McLean: Head trainer and breeding manager at Whitebrook Farm. He is Samantha and Kevin's father and Cindy's adoptive father. He married Beth Raines. Ian was very protective of Samantha after her mother died.
• Elizabeth "Beth" Raines McLean: Samantha's stepmother, Kevin's mother, and Cindy's adoptive mother. She is strict about healthy eating and bedtimes.
• Kevin McLean: Ian and Beth McLean's son. He is Samantha's half-brother and Cindy's adoptive half-brother. He dated Melanie Graham for a while.
• Amanda "Mandy" Jarvis: A brave little girl who wears leg braces. She owns a pony named Butterball and dreams of jumping in the Olympics.
• Christina Reese: Ashleigh and Mike's daughter. Christina is the jockey for Wonder's Star. Her boyfriend is Parker Townsend.
• Melanie Graham: Christina's cousin, who is also a jockey.
• Parker Townsend: Christina's boyfriend. He is the son of Brad and Lavinia and the grandson of Clay Townsend. He competes in three-day eventing.
• Allison "Allie" Avery al-Rihani: The daughter of Jilly Gordon and Craig Avery. Cindy and Ben adopt Allie after her parents pass away.
• Jilly Gordon Avery: The mother of Allie Avery. She was the jockey for Ashleigh's Wonder. Jilly later died from Leukemia.
• Craig Avery: The father of Allie Avery. Craig died in a racing accident two years after Jilly passed away.
• Michael "Mike" Reese: Ashleigh's husband and Christina's father. Mike starts as Ashleigh's boyfriend and they get married.
• Suzanne McLean: Ian's late wife and Samantha's birth mother. She died in a riding accident when Samantha was 12.
• Tor Nelson: Samantha's husband.

Main Horse Characters

• Ashleigh's Wonder: A sickly foal that Ashleigh helps become healthy. Wonder becomes a champion racehorse, winning the Kentucky Derby, the Belmont Stakes, and the Breeders' Cup Classic. She is the daughter of Townsend Holly and Townsend Pride. Wonder has six foals: Wonder's Pride, Townsend Princess, Mr. Wonderful, Wonder's Champion, Wonder's Legacy, and Wonder's Star. She dies after having her last foal.
• Townsend Prince: Wonder's half-brother and racing rival. He dies in an accident early in the series.
• Fleet Goddess: A filly that Ashleigh buys and trains after Wonder retires. Fleet Goddess has a successful racing career and becomes a good mother horse. Her foals include Fleeting Moment, Precocious, Limitless Time, and Fleet Street.
• Wonder's Pride: Wonder's first male foal. He is a very successful racehorse, winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Breeder's Cup Classic. He retires from racing due to a twisted intestine.
• Townsend Princess: Wonder's first and only female foal in the series. She gets injured early in her training and has to retire from racing at a young age. Princess is the mother of Wonder's first granddaughter, Honor Bright.
• Mr. Wonderful: Wonder's second male foal. He is described as honey-colored. He wins the Champagne Stakes and other big races. He retires from racing due to a mysterious sickness.
• Shining: Wonder's half-sister. Samantha McLean receives her as a gift. Shining becomes a star racer for Whitebrook Farm, winning several races including the Breeder's Cup Distaff.
• Wonder's Champion: Wonder's most successful foal. He wins the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing and the Dubai World Cup. He is known for being mischievous and getting into trouble.
• Sierra: A liver chestnut stallion that Samantha McLean and Tor Nelson train to be a successful steeplechaser.
• Lord Ainsley: A horse bought by Brad Townsend, who becomes Pride's main racing rival.
• Her Majesty: A filly owned by Lavinia Townsend, who rivals Samantha Nelson's horse, Shining.
• March to Glory: A stolen horse rescued by Cindy McLean. He becomes a star for Whitebrook Farm. Glory wins the Breeder's Cup Classic by a large margin.
• Storm's Ransom: A grey sprinter. He gets a fatal illness and dies. Cindy was responsible for his early training.
• Wonder's Legacy: Wonder's fifth foal, often forgotten. Christina Reese trades her share in Wonder's Legacy for Sterling Dream. Legacy is later given to Allie Avery in the last books.
• Sterling Dream: Owned by Christina Reese. She becomes an eventing horse after being abused. Sterling is the mother of Allie's Wonder.
• Wonder's Star: Wonder's last male foal. He wins the Belmont Stakes and runs best for Christina Reese.

Authors

Joanna Campbell wrote the first 14 Thoroughbred books, and the first two books in the spin-off series, Ashleigh. After Campbell stopped writing, Karen Bentley took over and wrote books 15 through 23. After Karen Bentley left, many other authors contributed, including Allison Estes, Alice Leonhardt, Dale Blackwell Gasque, Lois Symanski, Mary Newhall Anderson, Karle Dickerson, and Jennifer Chu. Thoroughbred #36, Without Wonder, was written by an unknown author using the pen name "Brooke James."

List of Thoroughbred Books

List of Thoroughbred novels

Special Books and Spin-offs

The "Super Editions"

There are four "super edition" Thoroughbred books. These special stories often happen between two of the regular books. For example, Ashleigh's Christmas Miracle is set between books 18 and 19. The four super editions are:

• Ashleigh's Christmas Miracle: This book tells about Christina's birth.
• Ashleigh's Diary: This book covers events before Ashleigh moved to Townsend Acres in A Horse Called Wonder.
• Ashleigh's Hope: This book comes before the Ashleigh spin-off series.
• Samantha's Journey: This book follows Samantha's early life before she met Ashleigh.

These super editions sometimes have small differences from the main series. For example, in Ashleigh's Christmas Miracle, Brad and Lavinia Townsend's son is named Ross, but in later main series books, his name changes to Parker Jamison Townsend.

Wonder's Legacy Trilogy

Wonder's Legacy is a group of three books (numbers 36-38) within the main series. This trilogy is about what happens after Wonder, Ashleigh's favorite racehorse, dies. It also covers Christina's decision to switch from eventing to racing so she can be the jockey for Wonder's last foal, Wonder's Star. Some fans were surprised by this change, as Christina had always loved eventing.

Cindy's Lost Diaries

Cindy's Desert Adventure and Cindy's Bold Start (books 47 and 48) are two "lost diary specials." They were published within the regular series to help explain what happened to characters and stories during the ten-year jump between Cindy's Honor and the New Generation. These books tell about Ashleigh's second pregnancy, what happened to Wonder's Champion, and Cindy McLean's travels before she returned to Whitebrook Farm.

Samantha's Arc

Samantha also had two special books (numbers 65 and 66) within the regular series. These books, Bridal Dreams and Samantha's Irish Luck, are not called "special" in their titles, but they are seen that way. They help explain Samantha's story during the ten-year gap. The books describe Samantha's marriage to Tor, their move to Ireland, Samantha's change from horse racing to eventing and show jumping, and the birth of her children.

Ashleigh Spin-off Series

The Ashleigh spin-off series is supposed to take place between Ashleigh's Hope and Ashleigh's Diary. However, this spin-off has some differences from the main series. For example, in the main series, Ashleigh says she's never been to a live horse race before. But in the Ashleigh series, she attends several races. Also, in the Ashleigh series, it says Rhoda Kat is the first female jockey to win the Kentucky Derby, but in the original series, Jilly Gordon clearly is. Because of these differences, the Ashleigh series feels like its own separate story.

Ashleigh's Thoroughbred Collection

In 1998, HarperCollins re-released three books as part of the Ashleigh's Thoroughbred Collection. These books were similar to Thoroughbred and written by some of the same authors. Only characters from Battlecry Forever! have been mentioned in the main Thoroughbred series. The books in this collection are stand-alone stories that don't usually affect the main Thoroughbred storylines.

Star of Shadowbrook Farm

Written by Joanna Campbell, Star of Shadowbrook Farm was first published in 1992. It's about two unexpected eventing champions, Susan Holmes and Evening Star. The characters and story in this book are not connected to the Thoroughbred series.

The Forgotten Filly

Written by Karle Dickerson, The Forgotten Filly was published in 1993. The characters and story in this book are not connected to the Thoroughbred series.

Battlecry Forever!

Written by Joanna Campbell, Battlecry Forever! was first published in 1992. This story is about Battlecry, a wild black stallion, and Leslie D'Andrea, who tries to make him a champion. Battlecry is the father of Fleet Goddess, a filly that Ashleigh Griffen buys in the Thoroughbred series. This is the only book written outside the main Thoroughbred series that is considered part of the official story.