Seabiscuit: An American Legend

by Laura Hillenbrand

  13 Pollard and Marcela watch race: “Pollard Praises Stagehand,” Los Angeles Examiner, March 6, 1938, p. 7; “The Post Parade,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, March 7, 1938; untitled, San Francisco Examiner, SB, March 1938; “Bill Henry Says,” Los Angeles Times, SB, March 1938.

  14 “We’ve got the race!”: “Bill Henry Says,” Los Angeles Times, SB, March 1938.

  15 Pollard thought it was over: “Hugh Bradley Says,” New York Post, SB, May 1938.

  16 spectators would remember race for as long as they lived: Leonard Dorfman, telephone interview, November 12, 1999.

  17 clapped a hand over Marcela’s mouth: untitled, San Francisco Examiner, SB, March 1938.

  18 “the greatest racehorse in the world …”: “Sports,” New York Journal American, April 26, 1938.

  19 “We’ll try again …”: Beckwith, Seabiscuit, p. 44.

  CHAPTER 13

  1 Howard asked about match: “Sports,” New York Journal American, SB, May 1938.

  2 newsmen petition to see films: “Biscuit Jockey Blamed,” SB, March 10, 1938.

  3 Howard protests suspension: “Seabiscuit Withdrawn,” Los Angeles Times, March 11, 1938; “Hit or Miss,” Los Angeles Examiner, March 11, 1938.

  4 Seabiscuit poses: “Hit or Miss,” Los Angeles Examiner, March 31, 1938; “Sports Mirror,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 1938, p. 12; Charles Hatton, “This Is a Horse,” Turf and Sport Digest, January 1939, pp. 16–32; “Hit or Miss,” Los Angeles Examiner, March 31, 1938; “Sports Mirror,” San Francisco Chronicle, February 12, 1943, p. 2H.

  5 Agua Caliente: Jerry Brucker, “Seabiscuit’s Overlooked Chapter,” Thoroughbred of California, September 1986, pp. 18–27; “Lure of Handicap Day,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, March 25, 1938; “Seabiscuit Top Heavy Race Favorite,” Los Angeles Times, March 26, 1938; “Crowd Sets New Mark,” Los Angeles Examiner, March 28, 1938; “20,000 Watch Seabiscuit,” San Diego Union, March 28, 1938; “The Inside Track,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, March 28, 1938, p. A11; “Seabiscuit Goes North,” Los Angeles Times, March 28, 1938, FD; “Yea, Verily,” SB, n.d.

  6 Match negotiations: “War Admiral and Seabiscuit March for $100,000 Proposed,” Daily Racing Tab, SB, April 1938; “War Admiral, Seabiscuit Duel Arranged,” Baltimore Sun, April 13, 1938; “Biscuit vs. War Admiral?” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, April 1938; “Three Big Offers,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, n.d.; “Coast Seeks,” San Francisco Examiner, April 6, 1938; “Biscuit Runs in Bay Meadows Handicap,” Los Angeles Examiner, April 14, 1938, FD; Marvin Drager, The Most Glorious Crown (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975), pp. 61–75.

  7 Two turn concern: “Pimlico Next on List,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, April 1938.

  8 “Seabiscuit will meet War Admiral anywhere …”: “Board of Directors Meet Today on War Admiral–Seabiscuit Match Race,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, SB, April 1938.

  9 “beat the stuffing …”: “Sports,” New York Journal American, April 26, 1938.

  10 highest weight in California: “Biscuit First, Then Rest,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, April 16, 1938.

  11 Pollard in press box: “Record Crowd Sees Seabiscuit,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, April 1938.

  12 Seabiscuit leaves: “Seabiscuit Shoves Off,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, April 1938.

  13 Captain Billie’s Whizz Bang magazine: “Biscuit Plays Duck,” SB, n.d.

  14 “We’ve got to tear off that guy’s epaulets …”: Ibid.

  CHAPTER 14

  1 slept for most of the trip: “Biscuit Good Sleeper,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, May 1938.

  2 24,265th mile of career rail travel: “Seabiscuit’s Travels,” SB, May 1, 1938.

  3 95 percent of the wagers were on War Admiral: “Little Money Wagered on Seabiscuit,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 7, 1938, FD.

  4 tears down wall between stalls: “Biscuit Will Duck Pimlico,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, n.d.

  5 “Tom had blown his topper …”: “Seabiscuit Gets Recognition at Last,” San Francisco Examiner, February 2, 1944.

  6 gate training: “Off Fast!,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, May 1938; “Biscuit Goes to School,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 11, 1938, FD.

  7 Wise We Boys: “Silent Tom Smith,” SB, March 16, 1940; “Silent Tom Can’t Keep a Secret,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 21, 1938; “Howard Crosses Up Clockers,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, May 17, 1938; “Biscuit Bows Out,” SB; “Bill Leiser,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 22, 1938, p. 3H; “Seabiscuit Tom,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 21, 1938, p. 1H; “Biscuit Bows Out,” San Francisco Chronicle, May 24, 1938, FD.

  8 “He never looked better …”: “Howard Visits New York,” SB, n.d.

  9 paper wants racing board to step in: “State Racing Board Inquiry Is Suggested,” Daily Mirror, May 23, 1938, FD.

  10 War Admiral’s bad training: “Howard Tells of Seabiscuit Program,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Examiner, June 16, 1938; “Biscuit’s Knee Good,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, June 16, 1938, FD.

  11 “Now the one time out of so many …”: “$100,000 Match Race Called Off,” New York Journal American, May 25, 1938.

  12 scratch decision: “Down in Front,” New York Herald Tribune, May 26, 1938; “Biscuit Admiral …” SB, May 1938; “$100,000 Match Race Called Off,” New York Journal American, May 25, 1938.

  13 “I don’t know if he’ll ever come out …”: “On the Line,” Daily Mirror, June 8, 1938.

  14 Howard willing to race for no purse: “$100,000 Match Race Called Off,” New York Journal American, May 25, 1938.

  15 War Admiral scratched: “By Joe Williams,” New York World-Telegram, May 31, 1938; “The Great Race,” Newsweek, June 6, 1938.

  16 “I’ll never again consent to such a thing …”: Drager, Most Glorious Crown, p. 75.

  17 spectators boo War Admiral: “On the Line,” Daily Mirror, June 8, 1938.

  CHAPTER 15

  1 Pollard’s accident: “Howard’s Ace Loses Regular Jockey,” Providence Journal, June 24, 1938; “There They Go,” Daily Racing Tab, July 16, 1938; “King of Horses,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, March 17, 1940; Alexander, A Sound of Horses, pp. 181–82; Edith Wilde, telephone interview, February 2, 1998.

  2 Howard flies in orthopedists: Edith Wilde, telephone interview, February 2, 1998.

  3 “If that isn’t running …”: “War Admiral’s Trainer Balks,” SB, n.d.

  4 War Admiral … balked in workout: “War Minstrel Proves He Will Be ’Cap Contender,” Boston Evening Transcript, June 22, 1938.

  5 “the miracle of the ages …”: “In Best Condition of Career,” Boston Evening American, June 15, 1938.

  6 “We’re still on the fence …”: “War Admiral Runs at Suffolk,” The New York Times June 29, 1938.

  7 NBC radio interview: Alexander, A Sound of Horses, pp. 180–81; David Alexander, “Four Good Legs Between Them,” Blood-Horse, December 24, 1955, pp. 1558–1563; Jack Shettlesworth, telephone interview, March 1998.

  8 “My horse is sharper than a fishwife’s …”: “Sports,” New York Journal American, June 29, 1938.

  9 second-largest crowd ever to attend: “War Admiral ‘Just Another Horse,’” Wilmington Journal June 30, 1938.

  10 Massachusetts scratch: “Setting the Pace,” New York Sun, June 30, 1938; “New England Weathers 1938,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, SB, n.d.; untitled article, SB, June 1938; “Seabiscuit’s Racing Career at End?” SB, June 1938; “The Race Track,” New Yorker, June 9, 1938.

  11 “It seems things are all going wrong …”: “Menow Wins $50,000 Race,” Boston Herald, June 30, 1938.

  CHAPTER 16

  1 “Looks like a cow pony …”: Beckwith, Step and Go Together, p. 117.

  2 condition of track: “War Admiral Next,” SB, July 17, 1938.

  3 “It looked like they were trying to grow corn …”: “Stewards Issue Ultimatum,” SB, July 15, 1938.

  4 Stewards vs. Smith: “Seabis
cuit Is Impressive,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, July 13, 1938; “Seabiscuit’s Trainer Bans” Los Angeles Times, July 14, 1938; “The Morning After,” Daily News, SB, July 15, 1938; “Stewards Issue Ultimatum,” SB, July 15, 1938; “Seabiscuit in Late Breeze,” Los Angeles Examiner, July 15, 1938.

  5 Smith … never had a horse in his care: “Starting Gate for Match Never Built,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, May 1938.

  6 Greenberg runs between barn and office: Sonny Greenberg, telephone interview, December 24, 1999; “Seabiscuit Runs at Hollywood,” Los Angeles Times, SB, mid-July 1938; “Seabiscuit to Run,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, July 15, 1938; “Stewards Issue Ultimatum,” SB, July 16, 1938.

  7 Wayne Wright reducing: Leonard Dorfman, telephone interview, November 12, 1999.

  8 “Let ’em run themselves out …”: “Woolf Gives All Credit,” SB, July 1938; “The Inside Track,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, July 1938; “Praise Woolf for Ride,” Los Angeles Evening Herald and Express, July 19, 1938, p. A12.

  9 “SILENT TOM SMILES!”: “Seabiscuit Wins Race,” San Francisco Examiner, July 17, 1938.

  10 “I know my horse …”: “Seabiscuit Heads for Chicago,” Evening News, July 18, 1938, p. 15.

  CHAPTER 17

  1 Lin-Charles rivalry: Noble Threewit, telephone interview, January 17, 1998.

  2 Bing invested $600,000: Giles E. Wright, “30 Years of Surf and Turf,” Blood-Horse, July 23, 1966, p. 1921.

  3 Side bet: Michael C. Howard, telephone interview, January 18, 1997.

  4 “Ugh!”: “It’s Biscuit to Win,” San Diego Sun, August 11, 1938, p. 15.

  5 “camouflaged as a diesel …”: Ibid.

  6 Bing outfits track: “Rumors of Howard, Son Rift,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, August 12, 1938.

  7 scare him to death: Ibid.

  8 “What are you doing, Spec?”: “Biscuit Race Riders Get Works,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 13, 1938, FD.

  9 fouling: “At Last!,” Los Angeles Examiner, August 17, 1938, FD.

  10 “the dingbustingest contest …”: “Pilots of Biscuit and Ligaroti Set Down for Rest of Meeting,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, August 14, 1938, p. 1.

  11 Woolf scolds Richardson on yelling during race: “Great Stakes Reinsman Honored Today,” George Woolf Memorial Pamphlet, February 10, 1949, p. 4.

  12 newsmen hear Woolf and Richardson arguing: “Stewards Rule Woolf, Richardson off Del Mar,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, August 13, 1938, FD.

  13 Marcela … downed several aspirin: untitled article, SB, n.d.

  14 “I want the newspapers to forget …”: “Riding Orders Poppycock,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, August 17, 1938, FD.

  15 public accusation of wrongdoing: “Inside on Biscuit Race Bared,” San Diego Sun, August 16, 1938.

  16 “make it look close …”: “Hit or Miss,” Los Angeles Examiner, SB, August 1938.

  17 race was now being referred to as a “frameup” and a “fix”: “Riding Orders Poppycock,” San Francisco Call-Bulletin, August 17, 1938, FD; “Seabiscuit-Ligaroti Fixed Race,” Los Angeles Times, August 16, 1938, FD; “Seabiscuit’s Owner Denies Frameup!,” San Francisco Chronicle, August 16, 1938, FD.

  18 Howard’s reaction: “Biscuit Owner Fights New Charges,” Los Angeles Examiner, August 16, 1938, FD; “What Nots,” SB, n.d.; “Seabiscuit-Ligaroti Fixed Race,” Los Angeles Times, August 16, 1938, FD.

  19 “there are a few people in the East …”: “Sports,” New York Journal American, SB, August 1938.

  20 viewing of film: “Just a Case of Jockeying,” Los Angeles Times, August 12, 1988, section III, p. 3; “Del Mar Cleans Up,” SB, September 8, 1938.

  21 Navy planes: Beckwith, Seabiscuit, p. 30; Beckwith, Step and Go Together, p. 118.

  CHAPTER 18

  1 leg broken and reset twice: Alexander, A Sound of Horses, p. 185.

  2 Eighty-six pounds: “Sports,” New York Journal American, SB, n.d.

  3 Pollard’s reading: David Alexander, “Four Good Legs Between Them,” Blood-Horse, December 24, 1955, p. 1553.

  4 “Compensatory spark …”: Carl Bode, ed., The Portable Emerson (New York: Viking, 1984), p. 165.

  5 Red woos Agnes: Norah Christianson, telephone interview, January 26, 1998.

  6 Agnes was certain he was dying: Ibid.

  7 letter from Red: Edith Wilde, telephone interview, February 2, 1998.

  8 Old Waldo … had been right after all: Alexander, A Sound of Horses, p. 187.

  9 Match negotiations: Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Jr., telephone interview, January 29, 1997; “By Joe Williams,” SB, n.d.; Drager, Most Glorious Crown, pp. 61–75.

  10 Milton excuses himself: “Milton Asks New Starter,” SB, October 6, 1938.

  11 secret desire for walk-up: Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, Jr., telephone interview, January 29, 1997; “Thrilling Seabiscuit Story,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, November 1938; Tommy Bell, telephone interview, June 22, 1999.

  12 “I’m going to give them birds the biggest surprise …”: Bill Buck, telephone interview, January 28, 1998.

  13 Pollard and Woolf strategize: “The Post Parade,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, November 3, 1938.

  14 “Seabiscuit’s like a hunk of steel …”: “Starting Gate for Match Never Built,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, May 1938.

  15 “you could kill him before he’d quit”: Alan Goodrich, “All-Time Greatest Jockey,” Sir!, March 1951, p. 66.

  16 Smith and homemade bell: “Smith Recalls Stipulation That Could’ve Stopped Seabiscuit Sale,” Daily Racing Form, February 13, 1953; “Tom Smith Reminisces About Woolf, ’Biscuit,” Daily Racing Form, February 1953; Bill Buck, telephone interview, January 28, 1998.

  17 Grog in Seabiscuit’s stall: “Smithiana,” Thoroughbred Record, February 23, 1957.

  18 “a civil war between the War Admiral Americans and the Seabiscuit Americans …”: “No Matter Who Wins,” San Francisco Chronicle, November 1, 1938, p. 1H.

  19 Kurtsinger’s wife: “Seabiscuit Shows Speed in Workout,” SB, October 27, 1938.

  20 “The storm is past …”: “Passing By,” SB, November 1938.

  21 “bull’s wool” socks: Edith Wilde, telephone interview, February 2, 1998.

  22 “Even George isn’t bad enough …”: The Post Parade,” Morning Telegraph, October 11, 1938.

  23 “I still could have ridden the Biscuit …”: Ibid.

  24 Seabiscuit … to win by four: “The Post Parade,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, November 3, 1938.

  25 Howard barn on strategy: “The Post Parade,” Morning Telegraph/Daily Racing Form, October 30, 1938; “Blue Bloods of the Turf,” Baltimore Evening Sun, October 28, 1938, p. 30; Alexander, A Sound of Horses, p. 180.

  26 “War Admiral won’t outbreak …”: Jimmy Loftus, “Talk o’ the Turf,” Turf and Sport Digest, December 1938, p. 32.

  27 THERE IS ONE SURE WAY … : “Obituary: Red Pollard,” Blood-Horse, March 21, 1981, pp. 1771–72.

  28 Woolf and tractor path: “Now It Can Be Told,” Blood-Horse, April 5, 1941, p.59.

  CHAPTER 19

  1 Spencer inspects track: “40,000 See Howard’s Champion,” The Baltimore Sun, November 2, 1938.

  2 OUR HORSE WILL WIN BY 5 … : “Sports,” New York Journal American, SB, n.d.

  3 $25,000 of his own money: “This Way,” Washington Times, November 2, 1938, p. 19.

  4 Fitzsimmons’s prediction: “Seabiscuit’s Victory Over War Admiral,” New York Press, SB, November 1938.

  5 fans outside track: “Biscuit Wins by Four,” New York Daily News, November 2, 1938, p. 62.

  6 paddock scene: “Roamer’s Ramblings,” Thoroughbred Record, November 5, 1938, p.305.

  7 St. Christopher medal: Jimmy Loftus, “Talk o’ the Turf,” Turf and Sport Digest, December 1938, p. 32; “Cohning Tower,” SB, November 1938.

  8 Bell on stand broken: “Tom Smith Reminisces About Woolf, ’Biscuit,” Daily Racing Form, February 1953.


  9 No assistants, … or no race: “Tom Smith Reminisces About Woolf, ’Biscuit,” Daily Racing Form, February 1953.

  10 “keyed to the highest tension …”: Grantland Rice, “Seabiscuit vs. War Admiral,” The Fireside Book of Horse Racing, ed. David Woods (New York: Simon and Schuster, 1963), p. 243.

  11 forty million listeners: “Seabiscuit Stands Out,” The Pay Off, SB, November 1938.

  12 Roosevelt listens to race: Stoneridge, Great Horses of Our Time, p. 27.

  13 War Admiral favored in press box: “Woolf Shares Purse,” San Francisco Chronicle, SB, November 1938.

  14 prerace: “Thrilling Seabiscuit Story,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, November 1938.

  15 George canters Seabiscuit to backstretch: Ibid.

  16 “we’ll never get a go …”: Loftus, “Talk o’ the Turf.”

  17 “kicks like hell …”: “Thrilling Seabiscuit Story,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, November 1938.

  18 “get on up here with me!”: Harold Washburn, telephone interview, November 9, 1998.

  19 War Admiral never extended: “Seabiscuit Shows Speed in Workout,” SB, October 27, 1938.

  20 writer falling from press box: Jack Mahon, “The Day the Biscuit Beat the Admiral,” Turf and Sport Digest, February 1974.

  21 fans fainting: Mahon, “The Day the Biscuit Beat the Admiral.”

  22 “His eye was rolling …”: Loftus, “Talk o’ the Turf,” p. 33.

  23 tongue shot out the side of his mouth: “Thrilling Seabiscuit Story,” San Francisco Examiner, SB, November 1938.

  24 “So long, Charley …”: Harold Washburn, telephone interview, November 9, 1998.

  25 steeplechase fence collapsed: Ralph Theroux, telephone interview, February 1, 1999.

  26 “He looked all broken up …”: “Winner Pays $6,” San Francisco Chronicle, November 2, 1938, FD; “Biscuit Choice,” SB, n.d.

  27 George yells back at Kurtsinger: 1938 Pimlico Special, downloaded video (New York: ABC Sports, May 14, 1996, accessed March 26, 1997); America Online, ABC Sports racing page.