Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit was a gelding just like Red rum ....

Apart from Seabiscuit was a flat racer and Red

rum was a Steeplechaser...

Seabiscuit was a bay with dark points and no white markings.

A bay horse is brown with black mane and tail, sometimes with darker areas on the nose, ears, and legs. Bay colorings can range from dull brown or near-black to reddish- or golden-brown. Seabiscuit himself was a plain dirt-brown.

The X Factor is a gene passed down by the dam (mare) that gives the recipient horse an extraordinarly large heart. Traced by to a Thorourbred mare named Eclipse, foaled in the late 1700's, the X Factor can now be traced from this one mare to three different breeds, Thoroughbred-Quarter Horse-Standardbred.

Discovered during the autopsy of the great Secretariat, it can now be detected by MRI's of living horses. Man O War, War Admiral, John Henry, Seabiscuit, Ruffian and many other outstanding race horses are now suspected of this 'enlarged heart' gene, and all can trace their pedigrees back to the mare Eclipse.

In the 2003 movie Seabiscuit Red Pollard said to fellow jockey George Wolfe, the speed is not in his feet, it's in his heart. Pollard didn't know about the X Factor but he was right on where Seabiscuit was concerned. It was in his heart.

Many people believe he was poisoned some people believe he died in pain some people believe he died because he was getting old

George Wolfe was played by real-life jockey, Gary Stevens.

Seabiscuit is a film based on a novel by Laura Hildenbrand called Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Both the novel and the film are based on the racing career of Seabiscuit, an unlikely horse that went on to achieve great success.

Seeing those exteriors on the big screen was breathtaking, I agree. Those exteriors, mostly with actor Chris Cooper, were filmed in the Southern California town of Santa Clarita. North of downtown Los Angeles, Santa Clarita is about 20 miles into the hills. This is a very popular spot for movie making due to it's pritistine landscapes and the added appeal of being in the TMZ (thirty mile zone) or sometimes called the Sudio Zone. Basically, undeveloped land close to the studios.

Seabiscuit is the classic underdog story. The small, brokendown horse that beat everybody. It's a great story, especially since it's true.

Seabiscuit [May 23, 1933 - May 17, 1947] never won any Kentucky Derby. He was named 'Horse of the Year' in 1938. But that was for his performance in races other than the Derby. It also was for his victory of November 1, 1938 over War Admiral [1934 - 1959], the Triple Crown winner of the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont and Preakness Stakes in the previous year.

In horsespeak, Seabiscuit's grandsire on the top was Man-O-War, which translates to MOW was he grandpa on the father's side, or paternal grandparent.

Of his 89 lifetime starts, 33 where firsts, 15 seconds and 13 thirds. His percentage of wins was %37.07. The most amazing thing about Seabiscuit was most of his wins came at an age when most of his contemporaries had already been retired to stud. The only horse that comes close is the legendary John Henry who was finally retired at the age of 11.*

*John Henry, like Seabiscuit had a bad temperment, and was gelded at some point in his career. It did little to alter his bad attitude but did not effect his ability to win, only his ability to sire future champions. It is rare for male racehorses to be gelded if they win. The big money is not in purse money but future stud fees.

Yes indeed. In fact, if you watch the 1970's classic, "Chinatown", you will see a picture of the horse -- and the name -- on the front page of a racing paper in the scene where Jake is sitting in on a meeting of the town council.

I don't think it has ever run on TV.

Seabiscuit was a once-in-a-lifetime type of horse. He was not only loved by his millions of fans across the country but he was dearly loved by Charles Howard. Mr. Howard would never have dismembered or otherwise mutilated something that he loved so much. In fact Seabiscuit's grave is unmarked for a particular purpose. Mr. Howard was afraid that as famous as the horse had been, someone might try to desicrate his grave, possibly to sell to the highest bidders. Someone tried it with President Lincoln's body, so why not a famous horse like Sebiscuit.

Pollard was a "track-rat" hanging around race tracks trying to get hired to ride people's horses. The actual meeting of these two men happened because of Howard's trainer Tom Smith. In his time, Smith was an uncoventional trainer, Howard an unconventional owner, Pollard an unconventional jockey (much taller than most jockeys) and of course Seabiscuit was an unconventional race horse. Just an added-most people don't know that War Admiral and Seabiscuit were related.

Seabiscuit was the 'goodwill ambassidor' for depression-era America. More popular than President Roosevelt, the small racehorse proved that the underdog could win. Most people love a rags-to-riches story and Seabiscuit was the perfect example. Even when not racing The Biscuit could draw and hold a crowd like none other before him.

Seabiscuit died at his home in Northern California and still attracts fans to the ranch, numbering thousands every year, to pay their respects to one of the most celebrated racehorses in the history of Thoroughbred racing.

*Point of interest:There is a life-sized statue of Seabiscuit at Santa Anita Racetrack to honor the life of this amazing animal.

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