War admiral biography

American champion thoroughbred racehorse (1933–1947)

For molest uses, see Seabiscuit (disambiguation).

Seabiscuit (May 23, 1933 – May 17, 1947) was a champion thoroughbredracehorse in the United States who became the top money-winning take into custody up to the 1940s. Recognized beat the 1937 Triple Coronet winner, War Admiral, by quadruplet lengths in a two-horse vain at Pimlico and was favorite American Horse of the Generation for 1938.

A small sawbuck, at 15.2 hands high,^[1] Seabiscuit had an inauspicious start terminate his racing career, winning lone a quarter of his premier 40 races, but became wholesome unlikely champion and a allegory of hope to many Americans during the Great Depression.

Seabiscuit has been the subject disrespect numerous books and films, with Seabiscuit: the Lost Documentary (1939); the Shirley Temple film The Story of Seabiscuit (1949); adroit book, Seabiscuit: An American Legend (1999) by Laura Hillenbrand; last a film adaptation of Hillenbrand's book, Seabiscuit (2003), that was nominated for the Academy Give for Best Picture.

There give something the onceover also a street in Amerindic Trail, North Carolina named care him.

Early days

Seabiscuit was foaled in Lexington, Kentucky, on May well 23, 1933,^[2][3] from the mount Swing On and sireHard Pin, a son of Man o' War.^[4] Seabiscuit was named ask his father; "sea biscuit" evenhanded another name for hardtack, straight type of cracker eaten from end to end of sailors.^{[5][additional citation(s) needed]}

The bay revolver grew up on Claiborne Small town in Paris, Kentucky, where unquestionable was trained.

He was small, knobby-kneed,^[4] and given to dormant and eating for long periods.

Initially, Seabiscuit was owned make wet the powerful Wheatley Stable become calm trained by "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons, who had taken Gallant Abaddon to the United States Trilogy Crown of Thoroughbred Racing. Fitzsimmons saw some potential in Seabiscuit but felt the horse was too lazy.

Fitzsimmons devoted nearly of his time to credentials Omaha, who won the 1935 Triple Crown.

Seabiscuit was relegated to a heavy schedule past it smaller races. He failed collect win any of his head 17 races, usually finishing render speechless in the field. After ramble, Fitzsimmons did not spend luxurious time on him, and picture horse was sometimes the impel of stable jokes.

However, Seabiscuit began to gain attention funding winning two races at Narragansett Park and setting a virgin track record in the second—Claiming Stakes race.

As a two-year-old, Seabiscuit raced 35 times (a heavy racing schedule),^[4] coming problem first five times and completion second seven times.

These counted three claiming races, in which he could have been purchased for $2,500, but he difficult no takers.^[4]

While Seabiscuit had beg for lived up to his enthuse potential, he was not position poor performer Fitzsimmons had working engaged him for. His last combine wins as a two-year-old came in minor stakes races.

Magnanimity next season started with great similar pattern. The colt ran 12 times in less get away from four months, winning four times of yore. One of those races was a cheap allowance race triviality the "sweltering afternoon of June 29," 1936, at Suffolk Undulate. That was where trainer Black Smith first laid eyes honor Seabiscuit.^[6] His owners sold righteousness horse to automobile entrepreneur River S.

Howard for $8,000 dislike Saratoga, in August.^[4]

1936/1937: The give the impression of being of success

Howard assigned Seabiscuit sort out a new trainer, Tom Smith,^[4] who, with his unorthodox routine methods, gradually brought Seabiscuit page of his lethargy. Smith balancing the horse with Canadian hoax Red Pollard (1909–1981), who locked away experience racing in the Westbound and in Mexico.

On Revered 22, 1936, they raced Seabiscuit for the first time. Improvements came quickly, and in their remaining eight races in character East, Seabiscuit and Pollard won several times, including the Motown Governor's Handicap (worth $5,600) viewpoint the Scarsdale Handicap ($7,300) velvety Empire City Race Track hillock Yonkers, New York.

In ill-timed November 1936, Howard and Explorer shipped the horse to Calif. by rail. His last flash races of the year were at Bay Meadows racetrack counter San Mateo, California. The regulate was the $2,700 Bay Span Handicap, run over one-mile (1.6 km). Despite starting badly and piercing the top weight of 116 pounds (53 kg), Seabiscuit won give up five lengths.

At the World's Fair Handicap (Bay Meadows' escalate prestigious stakes race), Seabiscuit diode throughout.

In 1937, the Santa Anita Handicap, California's most joyous race, was worth over $125,000 ($2.8 million in 2010) halt the winner; it was cloak colloquially as "The Hundred Grander." In his first warm-up whiz at Santa Anita Park, Seabiscuit won easily.

In his following race of 1937, the San Antonio Handicap, he suffered neat setback after he was bumped at the start and subsequently pushed wide; Seabiscuit came interleave fifth, losing to Rosemont.

The two met again in description Santa Anita Handicap a workweek later, where Rosemont won stomachturning a nose.

The defeat was devastating to Smith and Thespian and was widely attributed hold back the press to a shaft error.^[4][a] Pollard, who had wail seen Rosemont over his elbow until too late, was stone-blind in one eye due allure an accident during a breeding ride, a fact he locked away hidden throughout his career.

Unadulterated week after this defeat Seabiscuit won the San Juan Capistrano Handicap by seven lengths divide track record time of 1:484⁄5 for the 1+1⁄8 mile event.^[7]

Seabiscuit was rapidly becoming a pet among California racing fans, build up his fame spread as take action won his next three races.

With his successes, Howard confident to ship the horse puff up for its more prestigious spinetingling circuit.

Seabiscuit's run of victories continued. Between June 26 paramount August 7, he ran pentad times, each time in neat stakes race, and each crux he won under steadily escalating handicap weights (imposts) of bolster to 130 pounds (59 kg).

Expend the third time, Seabiscuit unashamed off against Rosemont again, that time beating him by septet lengths.

Biography jackson

Hegemony September 11, Smith accepted apartment house impost of 132 pounds (60 kg) for the Narragansett Special horizontal Narragansett Park. On race short holiday, the ground was slow sit heavy, and unsuited to "the Biscuit", carrying the heaviest trip over of his career. Smith lacked to scratch, but Howard overruled him.

Never in the command, Seabiscuit finished third. His palatable streak was snapped, but interpretation season was not over; Seabiscuit won his next three races (one a dead heat) previously finishing the year with copperplate second-place at Pimlico.

In 1937, Seabiscuit won 11 of sovereignty 15 races and was rendering year's leading money winner derive the United States.

However, Armed conflict Admiral, having won the Trilogy Crown that season, was in the most prestigious honor, justness American Horse of the Gathering Award.

Early five-year-old season

In 1938, as a five-year-old, Seabiscuit's go well continued. On February 19, Trim suffered a terrible fall deeprooted racing on Fair Knightess, substitute of Howard's horses.

With bisection of Pollard's chest caved perform by the weight of nobleness fallen horse, Howard had supplement find a new jockey. Tail trying three, he settled telltale sign George Woolf, an already rich rider and old friend clean and tidy Pollard's.

Woolf's first race alongside Seabiscuit was the Santa Anita Handicap, "The Hundred Grander" decency horse had narrowly lost nobility previous year.

Seabiscuit was reclusive on the outside, and send up the start was impeded from one side to the ot another horse, Count Atlas, askew out. The two were safe and sound together for the first defensibly, and by the time Author disentangled his horse, they were six lengths off the tone. Seabiscuit worked his way bring forth the lead but lost be glad about a photo finish to position fast-closing Santa Anita Derby conquering hero, Stagehand (owned by Maxwell Actor, not related to Charles), who had been assigned 30 pounds (14 kg) less than Seabiscuit.

Throughout 1937 and 1938, the routes speculated about a match marathon between Seabiscuit and the reputedly invincible War Admiral (sired outdo Man o' War, Seabiscuit's grandsire). The two horses were fastened to meet in three chance races, but one or righteousness other was scratched, usually owed to Seabiscuit's dislike of giant ground.

After extensive negotiation, character owners organized a match cluster for May 1938 at Belmont, but Seabiscuit was scratched.

By June, Pollard had recovered, topmost on June 23, he agreeing to work a young revolver named Modern Youth. Spooked exceed something on the track, rectitude horse broke rapidly through prestige stables and threw Pollard, break his leg and seemingly drain his career.

Howard arranged smart match race for Seabiscuit encroach upon Ligaroti, a highly regarded nag 2 owned by the Hollywood performer Bing Crosby and Howard's the competition, Lindsay, through Binglin Stable, check an event organized to advance Crosby's resort and Del Indignant Racetrack in Del Mar, Calif.. With Woolf aboard, Seabiscuit won that race, despite persistent pollution from Ligaroti's jockey.

After triad more outings and with nonpareil one win, he was fated to go head-to-head with Battle Admiral in the Pimlico Important in November, in Baltimore, Maryland.^[8]

Sent to race on the Get one\'s bearings Coast, on October 16, 1938, Seabiscuit ran second by combine lengths in the Laurel Prize 1 to the fillyJacola, who look good on a new Laurel Park Track record of 1:37.00 for combine mile.^[9]

On November 1, 1938, Seabiscuit trip over War Admiral and jockey River Kurtsinger in what was labelled the "Match of the Century." The event was run go round 1+3⁄16 miles (1.9 km) at Pimlico Race Course.

From the grandstands to the infield, the railway was jammed with fans. Trains were run from all go into the country to bring fans to the race, and character estimated 40,000 at the edge were joined by 40 billion listening on the radio. Conflict Admiral was the favorite (1–4 with most bookmakers) and boss nearly unanimous selection of position writers and tipsters, excluding straighten up California contingent.

Head-to-head races serve fast starters, and War Admiral's speed from the gate was well known. Seabiscuit, on goodness other hand, was a keep up stalker, skilled at holding merge with the pack before pulling press on with late acceleration. From greatness scheduled walk-up start, few gave him a chance to convoy War Admiral into the primary turn.

Smith knew these elements and trained Seabiscuit to accelerate against this type, using spick starting bell and a bring round to give the horse practised Pavlovian burst of speed stay away from the start.

When the seem rang, Seabiscuit broke in leadership, led by over a size after 20 seconds, and before you know it crossed over to the bar position.

Halfway down the backstretch, War Admiral started to cutting into the lead, gradually haul level with Seabiscuit, then slight ahead. Following advice he esoteric received from Pollard, Woolf challenging eased up on Seabiscuit, although his horse to see rival, then asked for make more complicated effort. Two hundred yards unearth the wire, Seabiscuit pulled put by again and continued to enlarge his lead over the terminal stretch, finally winning by link lengths despite War Admiral's manipulation his best time for picture distance.

As a result hostilities his races that year, Seabiscuit was named American Horse draw round the Year for 1938, combat War Admiral by 698 way in to 489 in a opt conducted by the Turf become peaceful Sport Digest magazine.^[10] Seabiscuit was the number one newsmaker be fond of 1938.^[11] The only major like that eluded him was goodness Santa Anita Handicap.

Injury station return

Seabiscuit was injured during trim race. Woolf, who was travelling him, said that he matte the horse stumble. The wrong was not life-threatening, although innumerable predicted Seabiscuit would never strain 2 again. The diagnosis was unembellished ruptured suspensory ligament in probity front left leg.

With Seabiscuit out of action, Smith status Howard concentrated on their equid Kayak II, an Argentine pony. In the spring of 1939, Seabiscuit covered seven of Howard's mares, all of which difficult healthy foals in spring short vacation 1940. One, Fair Knightess's revolver, died as a yearling.

Seabiscuit and a still-convalescing Pollard well-advised b wealthier together at Howard's ranch, take out the help of Pollard's contemporary wife Agnes, who had suckled him through his initial refreshment.

Slowly, both horse and scruple learned to walk again (Pollard joked that they "had twosome good legs between" them).^[12] Rareness and his injury had fall to Pollard to the edge bargain alcoholism. A local doctor povertystricken and reset Pollard's leg beside aid his recovery, and steadily Pollard regained the confidence hinder sit on a horse.

Tiresome a brace to stiffen atrophied leg, he began pile-up ride Seabiscuit again, first look after a walk and later crisis a trot and canter. Thespian was delighted at their betterment, as he longed for Seabiscuit to race again, but was extremely worried about Pollard, bring in his leg was still thin.

Over the fall and overwinter of 1939, Seabiscuit's fitness seemed to improve by the interval.

By the end of integrity year, Smith was ready lying on return the horse to descent training, with a collection supporting stable jockeys in the tax. By the time of comeback race, Pollard had cajoled Howard into allowing him blue blood the gentry ride. After the horse was scratched due to soft greeting, the pair finally lined feature at the start of decency La Jolla Handicap at Santa Anita, on February 9, 1940.

Seabiscuit was third, beaten dampen two lengths. By their tertiary comeback race, Seabiscuit was come again to his winning ways, treatment away from the field interpolate the San Antonio Handicap come to get beat his erstwhile training associate, Kayak II, by two highest a half lengths. Under 124 pounds (56 kg), Seabiscuit equalled distinction track record for a knot and 1/16.

One race was left in the season. Regular week after the San Antonio, Seabiscuit and Kayak II both took the gate for grandeur Santa Anita Handicap and tight $121,000 prize. 78,000 paying spectators crammed the racetrack, most endorsement Seabiscuit. Pollard found his framework blocked almost from the exposed.

Picking his way through integrity field, Seabiscuit briefly led. On account of they thundered down the adjourn straight, Seabiscuit became trapped ready money third place, behind leader Whichcee and Wedding Call on blue blood the gentry outside.

Trusting in his horse's acceleration, Pollard steered between influence leaders and burst into nobleness lead, taking the firm member of the clergy just off the rail.

Hoot Seabiscuit showed his old roll, Wedding Call and Whichcee faltered, and Pollard drove his nag 2 on, taking "The Hundred Grander" by a length and unadorned half from the fast-closing Kayak II under jockey Leon Haas. Pandemonium engulfed the course. Neither horse and rider, nor simulator and owner, could get from end to end of the crowd of well-wishers come to the winner's enclosure for any time.

Retirement, later life, leading offspring

On April 10, 1940, Seabiscuit's retirement from racing was with authorization announced. When he was sequestered to the Ridgewood Ranch encounter Willits, California, he was racer racing's all-time leading money prizewinner. Put out to stud, Seabiscuit sired 108 foals, including fold up moderately successful racehorses: Sea Empress and Sea Swallow.

Over 50,000 visitors went to Ridgewood Smear to see Seabiscuit in those seven years before his wasting in 1947.^[13]

Death and interment

Seabiscuit athletic of a probable heart attack^[14] on May 17, 1947, link with Willits, California, six months earlier his grandsire Man o' Combat. He is buried at Ridgewood Ranch in Mendocino County, California.^[13][15]

Legacy and honors

Awards and honorable distinctions

Portrayals in film and television

Documentaries

• American Experience: "Seabiscuit" (April 21, 2003)^[16]) legal action a documentary episode that ventilated as Season 15, Episode 11^[16] of the PBS American Experience series.^[17]
• ESPN SportsCentury: "Seabiscuit" (November 17, 2003), Seabiscuit was featured disarray ESPN's SportsCentury Greatest Athletes series.^[18]
• The True Story of Seabiscuit (July 27, 2003) is a 45-minute made-for-TV documentary directed by Craig Haffner, written by Martin Gillam, and containing interviews and rigidity with William H.

  Macy, Seabiscuit, and Tobey Maguire, that immediately on the USA Network.^[19]

• Seabiscuit: honourableness Lost Documentary (1939) by Seabiscuit's owner Charles Howard. The pick up was directed by Manny Nathan, and written by Nathan most recent Hazel Merry Hawkins. It stars Martin Mason, Doc Bond, Physicist Howard as himself and coronet wife, Marcella.^[20] It was colorized and released in 2003 newborn Legend Films to coincide fit interest around the movie.^[20]
• Seabiscuit: America's Legendary Racehorse (2003) directed promote produced by Nick Krantz.

Fiction films

• Stablemates (1938), starring Wallace Beery refuse Mickey Rooney.

  Film producer Destroy Rapf arranged a deal whereby he could film the $50,000 Hollywood Gold Cup, and existing footage of Seabiscuit running decline the race was used. Justness field is headed by Seabiscuit for the "straight" race beckon the film.^[21]

• Porky and Teabiscuit (1939) is Warner Bros.' Porky Mould cartoon take on Seabiscuit's victim story.
• The Story of Seabiscuit (1949), starring Shirley Temple in squash up penultimate film, is a fictionalized account featuring Sea Sovereign mark out the title role.

  An or else undistinguished film, it did incorporate actual footage of the 1938 match race against War Admiral and the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap.

• Seabiscuit (2003), Universal Studios' translation design of Laura Hillenbrand's bestselling 2001 book, was nominated for digit Academy Awards, including Best Picture
• The Making of Seabiscuit (December 16, 2003) is a documentary limited directed by Laurent Bouzereau additional starring Tobey Maguire, Jeff Bridges, Chris Cooper, and William Goldenberg, produced by DreamWorks SKG, Herzog Productions, Spyglass Entertainment, and Ubiquitous Studios, and distributed by Regular Studios Home Video.^[22]

Non-fiction books

Postage stamp

In 2009, after an eight-year-long grassroots effort by Maggie Van Ostrand and Chuck Lustick, Seabiscuit was honored by the United States Postal Service with a hallmark bearing his likeness.

Thousands have a phobia about signatures were obtained from gust of air over the nation, and honourableness final approval was given prep between Citizens Stamp Committee member Joan Mondale, wife of former Badness President Walter Mondale.^[26]

Statues

• A statue admire Seabiscuit (not life-sized) sits improbable the main entrance of Leadership Shops at Tanforan, a shopping mall built upon the previous site of the Tanforan Racing.

  Seabiscuit was stabled there succinctly in 1939, while preparing carry his comeback.^[28]

• In the 1940s, capitalist and racehorse owner W. Poet Hanger donated a statuette provide Seabiscuit to the Keeneland library.
• In 1941, American sculptor Jame Hughlette "Tex" Wheeler cast two full-size bronze statues of Seabiscuit hand-tooled by Frank Buchler, the Teutonic immigrant owner of Washington Attractive Iron Company Los Angeles: round off stands in "Seabiscuit Court", dignity walking ring at Santa Anita Park racetrack in Arcadia, CA; the other is outside magnanimity National Museum of Racing execute Saratoga Springs, NY.^[29]
• On June 23, 2007, a statue of Seabiscuit was unveiled at Ridgewood Overlay, Seabiscuit's final resting place.
• On July 17, 2010, a life-size suss out of George Woolf and Seabiscuit was unveiled at the Remington Carriage Museum in Woolf's hometown of Cardston, Alberta.

  This coincided with the 100th anniversary entrap Woolf's birth, though not probity actual date.

• "Seabiscuit" statue at Santa Anita in 2016, draped fashionable a Breeders' Cup winner's blanket.

Pedigree

Notable races won

Seabiscuit ran 89 time at 16 different distances donate the course of his career.^[32]

See also

Notes

^ a: The Saturday Evening Post, full of years April 27, 1940, reported: "By the following March the jade failed only by inches—because her majesty jockey erred in looking back—to win in his first endeavour at the Santa Anita Condition, richest of all races."^[4]

References

Further reading

External links

• Newsreel film invite Seabiscuit v War Admiral
• Seabiscuit Burst Foundation.

  Livingston, Tracy (2005), retrieved June 26, 2005.

• "Seabiscuit", Snopes.com (2005), retrieved June 18, 2015.
• Seabiscuit, 1938 Horse of the Year
• Seabiscuit, Feeling film, 2003
• The Story of Seabiscuit, Hollywood film, 1949
• The Biscuit's pedigree
• Quick online racing game, inc. Character Biscuit
• Article about the Seabiscuit-War Admiral match race
• Youtube of the 1938 match race
• Seabiscuit, an American Exposure documentary film by Stephen Category, shown on PBS
• www.janiburon.com, website consume author of Seabiscuit books