Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit was born in 1933, the son of the hot-tempered Hard Tack, who was out of Man o' War. The 'biscuit was bred by the famed Wheatley Stable of Mrs. Henry Carnegie Phipps and her brother, Odgen Mills. The horse's name was derived from the fact that hard tack was the name given by the military to the hard, long-lasting bread that was served aboard naval ships.

Seabiscuit made his debut on January 19, 1935 at Hialeah Park. He finished fourth at 17-to-1. He didn't break his maiden until 17 races later at Narragansett Park in Rhode Island. By yearend, under the care of legendary trainer Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, Seabiscuit had started an amazing *35* times -- sometimes in claiming races -- as a juvenile at 11 different tracks. He won five of those races.

Sunny Jim didn't think much of Seabiscuit, and after the horse raced ten times as a three-year old, he was again entered to be claimed for $6,000. There were no takers. However, a few days later, San Franciscan Charles S. Howard, who had made a fortune building the largest Buick agency in the country, was looking for a nice allowance runner. His trainer, "Silent" Tom Smith, convinced him to buy Seabiscuit from the Wheatley Stable for $7,500. Seabiscuit finished his sophomore season with nine wins in 23 starts, including some small stakes. In his first two seasons on the track, he went to post 58 times -- and his championship years were yet to come.

In his first start at four in 1937, Seabiscuit won the Huntington Beach Handicap at Santa Anita. Later that month, in his third start, he was beaten a head by Rosemont in the Santa Anita Handicap, the world's richest horse race. The son of Hard Tack then went on a terror, winning 10 stakes in his next 11 starts, including the San Juan Capistrano Handicap, Brooklyn Handicap, Butler Handicap, Massachusetts Handicap and Riggs Handicap. He was voted champion older horse and he was the leading money-earning Thoroughbred in 1937. His record for the year: 11 wins in 15 starts ($168,580).

At five in 1938, Seabiscuit would win only six of 11 starts, but his last race that year would be enough to secure Horse of the Year honors. He again was beaten a head in the Santa Anita Handicap, this time by Stagehand. He won the Bay Meadows Handicap and the Hollywood Gold Cup -- both races under the impost of 133 pounds. He won a controversial match race at Del Mar, defeating Ligorotti. He then won the Havre de Grace Handicap and finished second in the Laurel Stakes before his meeting with War Admiral in the Pimlico Special.