Bigger Than The Game: On The Horse That Was Too Small

The Story of Seabiscuit

In the midst of the Great Depression, sports became more than just sports. Fans escaped the drudgery of their daily lives by plopping down a few cents to watch their home team for a few hours forgetting the worries on the other side of the stands. Attendance at sporting events doubled and sometimes even tripled in the midst of the Depression as fans not only got away from their problems, but also got to see some most memorable sporting moments in history. More than baseball, football, or basketball, sports readily bet on were the most popular. Horseracing, along with Boxing, entered into its Golden Age because of its speed, danger and betting appeal. Lured by the thought of quick money or a lucky break, people flocked to the big tracks such as Churchill Downs, Pimlico, and Santa Anita. Aside from the cathedrals, fans could find smaller tracks and open field to bet on the “Sport of Kings.”


Fans were not let down either. During the Depression, the “Match of the Century” between a horse that was too small, and a horse that was just too good proved to be a defining point in a dark period. More than any other horse in racing history, the story of Seabiscuit stands out as the truest David of all time. Jockeyed by a replacement rider, owned by a man who had experienced the hardest of hard, this horse epitomized all that people hoped while their worlds crumbled around them.

The Horse

Seabiscuit came from one of the better lines in horse racing history, but for some reason the horse never developed the traditional attributes of a top rate racer. In his early years, he was prone to sleeping long periods of time, eating too much and at only 15 hands he was passed over for prime horses that had better chances at winning the big stakes races. Instead of running for money, Seabiscuit spent most of his early years as a stable horse running against faster horse in need of a training partner. Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, no stranger to good horse flesh, knew the horse for what it was and despite what Hollywood might have you to believe, treated the Seabiscuit well. Fitzsimmons even indulged the laziness and over eating so long as the horse ran well in pacing laps and worked out the other horses without problems. Such was the practice of many horse farms and trainers even today. By the time Charles Howard bought the horse, the life of a practice pacer was will entrenched in Seabiscuits mind. This would eventually pay off, but little knew that at the time.

The Owner

Charles Howard did not come from hardscrabble beginning like the other players in this story, but his wealth came at a great cost. Howard, who had served in the United States Cavalry in the early 1900’s, was an avid horse racing fan long before he bought Seabiscuit for chump-change in 1921. His money had been made as a successful Buick salesman in San Francisco and was one of the few with operating cars at the time of the Great Earthquake of 1906. Those functioning cars were sold at a great price to the city and Howard made his fortune.

 The Trainer 

Along with Jockey Red Pollard, trainer Tom Smith tells the story of the Great Depression. Smith, who was born into poverty in Georgia, escaped west as trainer of work horses in the westward expansion of the late 1890’s and early 1900’s. There he rode for ranchers and from time to time circuses. By the time Charles Howard found him, he was working in Mexico as a trainer at one of the most seedy tracks of that time. Howard saw the potential of Smith and hired him on the recommendation of a friend who knew Smith to be a good trainer.

Tom Smith With Seabiscuit

The Jockey

 Part time boxer, Red Pollard would lose sight in one eye which took him out of horse racing for several years. He too was riding in seedy Mexican tracks, but also occasionally riding in for big stakes in America when Howard hired him for to ride Seabiscuit. Known as one of the most aggressive jockeys around the paddocks of Santa Anita raceway, Pollard had ridding to some success before jockey a string of bad horse. That run of bad luck landed him as a groom/warm up rider at two bit tracks along the Mexican border.Around this time, Howard found him and decided Pollard was the best rider for Seabiscuit  With time, Pollard was able to ride Seabiscuit to a string of big money wins, but Pollard’s luck ran out just before the “Match of the Century” when working out a horse. Rather than risk lasting injury Pollard chose George Woolf to ride in the race.

The Race.

Leading up to the November 1, 1938 race, Seabiscuit had one a string of big stakes races that brought about attention from not only the west coast racing scene but from farms on the eastern seabord. Ever one from promotion Howard talked up the race between War Admiral and jockey Charles Kurtsinger as the "Match of the Century." The event was to be run over 1 and 3/16 miles (1.91 km), at the Pimlico Race Course. Drawing special attention when it was announced that the infield (traditionally left empty for those in the grandstand to better see the backstretch) would be opened for the paying public, the event became an even bigger hit with fans. Trains were run from all over the country to bring fans to the race, and the estimated 40,000 at the track were joined by some 40 million listening on the radio. War Admiral was the 1-4 favorite over Seabiscuit when the special arranged starting bell rang.

Right away Seabiscuit ran away. Despite being drawn on the outside, Woolf led by over a length after just 20 seconds and soon crossed over to the rail position. Halfway down the backstretch, War Admiral started to cut into the lead, gradually pulling level with Seabiscuit, then slightly ahead. Following advice he had received from Pollard, Woolf had eased up on Seabiscuit. Harkening back to his early days as a pacing horse, Seabiscuit was able to see his rival, and Woolf was able to ask for more effort. Two hundred yards from the wire, Seabiscuit pulled away again and continued to extend his lead over the closing stretch, finally winning by four clear lengths despite War Admiral's running his best time for the distance.

Why It Was Big

The very nature of the event lent itself to the times. Americans needed something to hang their well worn hats on. Seabiscuit was certainly something they could hope for, despite the fact that in deed the horse had winning potential long before the race was even thought of. Still regarded as one of the biggest upsets of all times, the race resonated with the public due in part to the media coverage of the event, and for the story. A replacement jockey, feeble horse, unsuccessful trainer, and a by-chance millionaire owner, up against a horse that was just too good. To many Americans it was something they could relate to.

At One Point Kirtsinger Actually Help Seabiscuit's Saddleblanket
In Effect Getting A Tow From The Little Horse. 

Aside from the Hollywood, “David beats Goliath”, “Little Engine That Could” elements of the story, there lies a hard truth to the “Match of the Century.” People made serious money. No records show exactly how much money was bet on the race but it is estimated in the millions. With odds of 1-4 in favor of War Admiral, a winning bet of a dollar would have only paid out $.25 had the horse won. Taking that into account, any money risked on Seabiscuit would rendered a small fortune. If you take into consideration the 1937 Kentucky Derby pay outs were but a few pennies less than the 2013 Derby, you will get a good idea about how much money could have been made on a one time, long shot odds race like this.

Overall the “Match of the Century” was an event that Americans could be a part of. If it meant getting a ticket to the Santa Anita infield, or laying a side wager with a friend, Americans were involved with the story because they could relate with the story. It was the first time in a long time, that there stood a change, albeit a small chance, that the little guy might win. Anytime from 1929 to well into 1942, that the little guy stood a chance, people paid attention. In this case it just so happened that paying attention paid out big.