Seabiscuit (1939)

[Music] e [Music] a Mustangs descendants of the first horses brought to this continent by Cortez and the conquest of Mexico spurted herds of animals roaming the Prairies of our American Frontiers their thundering hoods heralding the birth of the West captured and broken they became the constant companion and servant of the Indians Pioneer Spirits turned Westward their very lives depending on the endurance of the horse New Frontiers were established and thus began the Roundup of wild creatures forces to Aid Man in building an empire in Mad Fury stallions engage in combat curling Defiance at man or beast as lassus tighten about ponies who struggle for an unfed existence the same indomitable Spirit lives today in the fighting Bronco of wild west Fame although highly mechanized the Army boasts fine horse specimens which make up our cracked Cavalry unit and intelligent breeding is responsible for the amazing sulky Trotters and the thrilling Thoroughbred Polo ponies with speed and stamina to spare but it is at Churchill Downs where America's Finest race horses are to be seen in this country's most famous Turf classic the Kentucky Derby here breeders and Sportsmen enter their blue blood thorough Breads in a performance of speed Sleek powerful bodies pound on it a thrilling page in ky's colorful caval Cade of horses through the air almost within in the shadow of this historic track another event was to transpire bringing more glory to the blueg grass State midnight April 1933 a Watchman makes the rounds at claron farms Paris [Music] Kentucky hello hello doc yeah hurry doc steady swing on and thus the Colt was born a frightened bundle of fuzz reassured by the nickering of its mother and the touch of gentle hands horses at Birth measure the same from the knees down as when full grown like some children Colts too need coaxing at Meal Time and proud indeed of the baby is hard Tac father of the colt and even granddaddy Mana War a champion if there ever was one takes the matter seriously and Demands a bow thus with such names as hard tech and man of war in the family it was decided to name the little fellow Sea Biscuit just a a few hours old yet cocky enough to follow a swing on his mother outside the barn for the first glimpse of a sunrise and a whirl full of strange things right from the start he demanded extra attention a funny little fuzz taale with gangling legs that supported a wee body Carefree hour spent romping with an alert mother whose every action denoted her great maternal pride in this awkward youngster with the passing of time Sea Biscuit grew stronger and so did his appetite he just naturally wanted to eat all the time and when his little tummy got real full sleepy eyes fought against [Music] closing oh hum life was just a bowl of ch arries nothing much to worry about except that even little Colts must be Hal to Broken sooner or later and as far as Sea Biscuit was concerned it was much sooner than he [Music] desired fortunately the halter was only on for short spells allowing him plenty of time to gaze at distant Horizons dreaming of things that only little Colts think [Music] of but mother's commanding WI brings him back to reality gosh he had almost forgotten it was Meal Time Again existence for the cult was a beautiful thing days magically turning into months Sea Biscuit has grown into the weanling stage then tragedy strikes all of the weanlings including Sea Biscuit are rounded up and separated from the Mars mothers they will never see again frantically they Dash about in another enclosure trying to Fathom the separation frighten weedings who do not realize that they have grown up see this alone crowds the rail as a Handler pauses with swing on his mother fearfully he calls but for the first time mother is not by his side just an old mayor whose eyes longingly follow the little Cult of yesterday who now stand separated from her a [Music] man months pass seab biscuit leaves Kentucky Bound for Aqueduct Park New York consigned to his owners The wheatly Stables where he receives his first in and being saddled from James Fitzsimmons veteran trainer time is spent acquainting the horse with just a light cloth repeatedly handlers try it until finally the horse becomes accustomed to the procedure and allows himself to be saddled highly intelligent C biscuit took readily to his lessons accepting the presence of an exercise boy on his back without too much fuss much easier to handle in this respect than his father hard attack this accomplished seab biscuit was prepared for the important task of conducting himself properly at the barrier walkthroughs standing still without nervous displays of temperament all necessary for good barrier manners then the Final Touch in his education breaking from the barrier for the first time and seab biscuit is ready for his racing career I Lea Florida January 1935 Sea Biscuit is entered in his first race an allowance event for 2 year olds a distance 38 of a mile suddenly hores leap in unison and the race is on this is a new thrill for Sea Biscuit never before Eddie heard the Roar of the crowd flying dirt flicks both Horse and Rider sweating beat struggle to overcome the lengthening strides of the leaders seab biscuit answers the urging of jockey Stout with an added burst to speed but ahead of him flying figures still hold their positions jockey Stout attempts to pull on the outside to gain more room there's danger throwing the horse off stride and stout whole Sea Biscuit in Readiness for an opening that never came into the stretch it's wah hay and wise Duke with Sea Biscuit fighting it out with blue Donna for third place but it wasn't his day and C biscuit runs for learning $50 his first winning tired and excited his first race over but still plenty game meanwhile in California Charles S Howard Western racing Enthusiast and breeder was seeking a good thorough breed for his stable one that might be worth staking and assisting him in his search was Tom Smith Howard's veteran trainer Publications devoted to horses were carefully checked for leads that might result in a purchase days on men spent at various racing meets always seeking a horse that would answer their rigid demands not too expensive yet a thoroughbred that possessed that elus of something that makes a winner across the continent seab biscuits still carried the weekly colors never considered a great Horse by his owners he was cast in the role of bread winner in the overnight claiming events in minor Stakes literally a gypsy horse who was running his head off at Eastern tracks 17 times he went pow before winning a race silly campaign his great heart refusing discouragement participating in The Amazing amount of 35 events in his first season enough races to have ruined an ordinary 2-year-old that seab biscuit took it and came back for more ever interesting and colorful is the horse auction turfmen gather from far and wide to swap horses and Yarns here fine thorough breeds are hammered down by doc Bond famous Kentucky Auctioneer still seeking a horse Charles Howard is an interested spectator B 15 go 15 15 14 14 15 now 15 15 thank you 1700 will you I got, 1600 17 go 1700 plenty of horses for sale but none that please Howard and his search still goes on Saratoga August 1936 Howard and trainer Smith watch the Mohawk claiming Stakes a powerful Bay hores streaking Thunder likee past out the thorough bread both men are entranced by his style and performance C biscuit almost seems to sense their eyes upon him and flashed across the line an easy winner shortly after the race Howard and his trainer look C biscuit over both are thrilled and excited their long search is over here is the horse they have been looking for hastily completing his examination Howard immediately contacted the wheatly stable representative who was willing to sell and the price agreed upon was $88,000 $2,000 more than the amount asked for seab biscuit in his last claiming rate there is no question but Howard would have paid twice the purchase price so Keen was his desire to possess this great but misunderstood horse foral is over seab biscuit greets his new owner and comes under the Howard colors for the first time a great break for the animal and a feather in Howard's hat for his shrewd foresight almost immediately the checking over process began allowing owner and trainer the opportunity of closely studying the horse in action here was Championship material that needed only development and care like a load Stone Seabiscuit drew the attention of Grooms and handlers alike while owner and trainer patiently awaited the results to these men seab biscuit was no ordinary horse and he became the focal point of an intense conditioning campaign important was the Foot Care legs and bandage bandage and shoes metal Shaw hooks to grip the turf a picture repeated over and over again here was activity feverish in its intensity a bay colored muscular machine literally taken apart and restyled to satisfy the exacting demand of Howard's Rehabilitation of the Horse no one wanted the Rising Sun of an early morning was the signal which brought seab biscuit out for the necessary workouts an event religiously attended by Howard and trainer Smith seab biscuits every practice performance was a scene to behold here was a page from the past a charger with hooded head balting into space his is an effortless stride to Symphony Of Motion he is not a big horse standing only 15 and 3/4 hands tall extremely quick and clever and very controllable kale set high in flying Sea Biscuit shows no weakness no effects of the 47 races engaged in as a trial horse for the wheatly Stables patience and kindness plus the fine training of Tom Smith have converted sea Biscuit's courage and intelligence into speed speed that was amazingly consistent iy satisfied Howard enters the horse at Detroit for a series of races sporting the white red and white triangle in sign of two owners C biscuit Thunders passed Professor Paul and the great Azu car to win the governor's handicap and over $44,000 for his owner other victories followed including the $5,500 Scarsdale handicap at Empire City then Westward to Bay Meadows California he continued his streak winning two races in succession his earnings totaling over $40,000 at this point Ona Howard called a halt to see Biscuit's activities the horse had made good with a Vengeance and a two-month vacation was ordered days devoted to satisfying his health the appetite a trade he possessed even as a CT within the short period of 4 months this rejected horse weeded out of a great stable became front page news and Rose above his normal Destiny to repay Mr and Mrs Howard for their kindness and affection a fighting horse with a heart that matched his owner's confidence February santanita seab biscuit loses $100,000 by a no to Rosemont in the handicap letting $20,000 for second place the beginning of his amazing Financial march across the tracks of the United States C biscuit took them all on asking no quarter and giving none back and forth he shuttled from train to track covering thousands of miles a sash buckling animal that broke records in horses Hearts sport loving fans had found an idol and backed Sea Biscuit to the Limit 15 times he went postard during 1937 returning millions of dollars to his Legion of admirers winning 11 races placing Second Twice third once and boosting his earnings to over $168,000 1938 seab biscuit thoroughly rested has entered in the Santa Anita $100,000 handicap 18 horses are set to go Dynamite awaiting only a detonation to set them off tenseness grips the crowd All Eyes watch the star and they're off in a Gallop that zo turns out to be one of the most exciting contests of the year pomon and seab biscuit are the faes in this fourth running of the $137,000 Santa an a handicap but seab biscuit is bounced around at the start and has a lot of going to overtake the early leaders the pace is terrific on a fast track aneroids been the leader but sea biscuits coming up and so is stage hand battling pomon and running like the wind as they enter the stretch it's seab biscuit and Stage man St biscuit lost the classic by a nose last year and again he's challenged stage hands right up there with the leader Earl Sand's training shows as The Big C fights off seab Biscuit's effort to pull away a photo finish what a race almost instinctively all eyes turn upward to the photo booth within the confines of this tiny room high above the grand stand a piece of sensitized paper holds the answer that means 100 000 to Seabiscuit or stage hand and thousands more to those who had bet the horses to win a skilled technician realizing the importance attached the still damn picture hurriedly dries and inserts it into a container an eternity for those who anxiously await the outcome yet only a matter of split seconds before the picture is on its way down the Slender wire to the judge's platform tensely Mr and Mrs Howard await the outcome as the judges closely examin the photograph the crowd is almost hushed as penccil and ey determine a microscopic difference tote lights flash a crowd Roars stage hand is the winner a minute difference yet enough to deprive seab biscuit for the second time the honor of winning America's richest stake it mattered not that he carried 130 lbs to the Winner's 100 or the bumping he received at the start just one of those things which made owner Howard realized that even in defeat seab biscuit was still the champ and hurl the horse into another strenuous campaign a campaign of vindication and an attack on sunbo great financial record of over $376,000 Steve biscette turned on the heat track after track saw him in repeated victories that brought more glory and money to own a Howard and the cry went up stopped that horse each race saw additional weight loaded on his back every stride forcing the indicator up and up here was an apparition that defied the impost given him seab biscuit was fighting not only horses but the handicappers who maxed his victories with additional poundage establishing remarkable records despite his backbreaking [Music] handicap meanwhile Howard canceled the match race between seab biscuit and War Admiral and reporters sought the reason sporting Pages throughout the nation demanded the race some intimating that Howard's unwillingness was fear of defeat but Biscuit's legs were ailing and Howard wasn't Taking Chances until his horse was in condition to settle the question of turf Supremacy working tirelessly out for G Vanderbilt vice president of the Maryland Jockey Club finally secures Howard's promise for the second time to enter seab biscuit in the match race and almost immediately War Admiral arrives at Timo ready for the battle of the century unlike seab biscuit War Admiral was not overworked as a 2-year-old and sported the imposing record of 19 wins and 23 starts with earnings of $257,000 Next To Arrive was the old CrossCountry traveler himself Sea Biscuit fresh as a daisy having spent most of the trip sleeping with naria Kink and those powerful legs that had carried him to the post 83 times before with earnings of over $331,000 he had set a pace that was blistering and all almost in every instance SE biscuit when defeated forced his opponents to break track records with only a short time left before the match race Howard and Smith left nothing to chance particular attention being paid to seab Biscuit's special saddle a unique bit of racing tack with its slotted sections each containing birdshot to make up weight that his jockey would lack finally the big day arrives and Howard gives his jockey George wolf a pep talk before the race 40,000 excited Spectators await the event but there is still time to spare calmly jockey wolf gets into the Howard silks his mind already picturing the start the prize is $115,000 but it means more than that to the biscuit and wolf will be in there pitching friendly foes jockey wolf greets Charlie kinger pilot for Samuel riddle whose eyes follow his great horse War Admiral carrying number one the biscuit is the underdog in the bedding but Mr and Mrs Howard know their horse who is the picture of confidence as wolf heads him for the start both horses are jockeyed into position for the walkup start as an entire nation crowds its radios for Graham Mam's description of the event here was the race of the century the answer to America's Turf Supremacy and they're off neck and neck for the mile and 316th [Music] race seab biscuit Bears down at the quar mile pole and pulls ahead by a lake the purse is 15 ,000 and cab biscuit will be the second biggest Money winner of all time if he could keep the pace the backstretch battle is hard on both the horses and it's here that the Admiral makes his bid but seab biscuit hangs right on matching stride Force drive as they reach the 3/4 mile post seab biscuit hangs onto his lead by a nose both horses are a fraction under the track record as they reach the mile pole and enter the stretch it's the Admiral's last bid and he fails seab biscuit is going away increasing his lead with every stride with 40,000 frenzy people cheering him on the great son of hard attac hounds down to the Finish Line in the upset of the year he gets across the finish with a new track record the grandest horse in 40 Years of racing had won his greatest Victory only $30,000 separated him from sunbo as the greatest Money winner of all time whether seab biscuit passes sunbo record is something for the future to decide but we know that when his time comes to leave this existence he'll be breezing along Like A Champion down the home stretch to that paradise reserved for yesterday's grapes 20 grand gallon Fox cavalcade Zev and farlap and our money and hopes will always be on Sea Biscuit [Music] snow h