‘Seabiscuit’: more than a story

HOW I READ IT

When I first heard about this book, I wondered how the life story of

a horse, even a legendary one, could be very interesting. So, what

makes this a great read? It’s the people behind the horse -- the

owner, George Howard, the trainer, Tom Smith, and the jockey, Red

Pollard -- three very different personalities whose lives were

changed forever by an unspectacular, underachieving, little horse

named Seabiscuit. The story documents the emotional roller-coaster

ride of horse racing and the rigors of owning, training and riding

these incredibly powerful animals.

The year is 1938. The country is in the middle of a deep economic

depression. California defeats Alabama in the Rose Bowl. The Green

Bay Packers are the NFL champs. The Chicago Black Hawks win the

Stanley Cup. Hank Greenberg hits 58 home runs and the New York

Yankees win the World Series. Henry Armstrong is the welterweight

champ. But it is Seabiscuit that gets more press than any of these

events.

The story leads the reader to two incredible races. The first is

the Nov. 1, 1938 match-race between Seabiscuit and the 1937

Triple-Crown winner and that year’s Horse of the Year, War Admiral.

The second is Seabiscuit’s last race on March 2, 1940, the Santa

Anita Handicap, which he had never won. Prior to this final race,

jockey Pollard had not ridden in more than a year and a half because

of a severe leg fracture. Seabiscuit, who was six years old, had not

raced in more than a year due to a ruptured ligament.

“During those incredible six years, Seabiscuit had won

thirty-three races and set thirteen track records at eight tracks

over six distances. He had smashed a world record in the shortest of

springs, one half mile, yet had the stamina to run in track record

time at one and five-eighths miles all while conceding massive

amounts of weight to his opponents. He earned a record $437,730,

nearly sixty times his price.”

A movie has been made of this story. If you are going to see it,

bring along a big box of tissues! The emotional ending of this story

should make the championship fight in “Rocky” seem like a meaningless

preliminary bout.

You’re in the saddle for all of Seabiscuit’s important races in

this well-documented book, so hang on for an exciting ride.

Check it out!

* DOUG BOWLER is a native Californian who along with his wife has

been experiencing the good life of Laguna Beach for the past 18-plus

years.