As a jockey, Joe Agresta only had 15 rides. Although he was a self described terrible jockey, he loved horses and felt he had plenty left to offer the racing industry. He started to ride quarter horses and became a champion and a legend in that sport. In 1980 he started working for Bart Cummings. There have not been many horsemen with the talent of Bart Cummings. Joe worked at his stable for 34 years and witnessed the master at work. His job was to ride Barts horses in work, follow his or his foremans instructions, and report back on how they were handling. Occasionally he was asked for his two cents worth; sometimes he gave his opinion for free. But he must have done something right, because he outlasted just about everyone else who ever worked for Bart. This is his story. Trackrider is a glimpse behind the stable door, full of Joes stories of the day to day life of a trackrider, as well as the lessons Joe learned from Bart and his fellow riders, including Roy Higgins, Harry White and Robert (Bob) Ball. Charting the ups and downs of three decades in racing with Bart, from being broke to winning Melbourne Cups, Trackrider is an ode to one of the sports most enduring partnerships and is an intimate look at Joes career and his life with one of horse racings greats.
