Seabiscuit was one of the greatest and most popular thoroughbreds in the history of American horse racing. Thoroughbreds are horses whose ancestry can be traced to three Arabian stallions that were brought to England, probably from the Middle East, in the late 1600’s and early 1700’s. Stallions are male horses that can be used for breeding.
Seabiscuit raced from 1935 to 1940, competing in low-quality races at the start of his 89-race career. He won 33 races, finished second in 15, and third in 13. He won a total of $437,730, then a record. Seabiscuit’s success made him a national hero and a symbol of hope during the Great Depression, the worldwide economic slump of the 1930’s.
Seabiscuit was born on May 23, 1933, at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky. His dam (mother) was Swing On. His sire (father) was Hard Tack, a son of the famous Man o’ War. Seabiscuit was small for a race horse, and he had little success early in his racing career. However, he eventually reached the top of the horse-racing world under the guidance of trainer Tom Smith, jockey Red Pollard, and owner Charles Howard.
On Nov. 1, 1938, Seabiscuit defeated the great race horse War Admiral in a match (head-to-head) race at the Pimlico Race Course. That race was perhaps the sports event of the year in the United States, and Seabiscuit was named Horse of the Year for 1938. Seabiscuit died on May 17, 1947.
See also Horse racing ; Man o’ War .
