Seabiscuit – One Of The Fastest Horses In 20th Century America
The Great Depression left a devastating mark on America in the 1930s. Due to a crash in the stock market, many people were suddenly stricken with poverty and left with nothing. Because of this, it is understandable that Seabiscuit’s nationwide popularity rose tremendously during this trying time. Seabiscuit was what the public needed — an underdog. No one expected an unwanted horse with a lame hind leg to win races, let alone him becoming one of the fastest horses at the time, and that is exactly what Seabiscuit did. During the Depression, people needed hope, and Seabiscuit’s immense success seemed to be the only thing going right, so, naturally, he became a beacon of hope for Americans. Today, Seabiscuit probably would have been equally, if not more, popular as he was back then. With so many terrible events happening all around us (deportation, climate change, gun control), I think we all need an underdog to look up to.
Although the War Admiral and Seabiscuit were both sons of the Man O’ War, it is evident which horse got the better gene pool. The Man O’ War was a competitive horse with a mean temper, whereas Seabiscuit was the complete opposite — apathetic and lethargic. Man O’ War, a highly-regarded horse from birth, represented the rich and luxurious that got everything handed to them — people who were born with not one, but two silver spoons. On the other hand, Seabiscuit, a lame horse, symbolized the common man — proletariat with no social nor economic mobility — which made people empathize with him during the Depression.
Despite being in great risks of life-changing medical conditions, Woolf and Pollard continued to indulge themselves in competitive horse racing. They both craved the coveted fame and media coverage that came with each win, and racing was their main source of income (even though they barely make anything), but the sport meant more to them than that. Having grown up around horses, Woolf and Pollard developed a special connection and love for the animal. They genuinely enjoy horse racing despite its increased likelihood for diseases. To them, the high after every win outweighs the medical threats of horse racing.
Publicity was key to the Seabiscuit phenomenon. All eyes were on Seabiscuit — every move he made was recorded, and every race broadcasted. This greatly boosted the horse’s career. During the Depression, not everyone could afford a ticket into the races, but through ways of press and radio, people who did not attend Seabiscuit’s races could hear about his sensational performance. Howard took advantage of this. Since Seabiscuit was getting such great coverage, he started marketing the horse to people who tuned in to the races. Because of that, Howard was able to garner more bets on Seabiscuit and made more money. However, since Seabiscuit’s life was now an open book, he was more prone to harsh criticism whenever he made mistakes.
Seabiscuit brought three people who were essentially polar opposites of each other together, and changed their lives. He brought Howard’s dream to life by winning the Santa Anita Handicap race, gave Pollard a second chance to redeem himself, and immortalized Smith as one of the greatest trainers to ever live. Seabiscuit also gave hope to those suffering from the Great Depression; he served as evidence that one’s life is not dictated by what he has, but by what he makes of it.
Red Pollard was an impoverished jockey with no economic mobility due to his constant, high-priced medical expenses. Tom Smith was a poor trainer since he rarely got paid. Charles Howard was the complete opposite- a billionaire with two silver spoons. Pollard and Smith have a deep love and connection with horses from having both grown up surrounded by them. However, Howard introduced a new age of automobiles and desperately wanted them to take over the horses. Howard and Pollard loved being at the center of the front page, whereas Smith rarely spoke to the media. These differences were instrumental to Seabiscuit’s phenomenal success. Howard, with his seemingly never-ending riches and elite connections, was able to provide fundings for Seabiscuit and his publicity, and secure spots in high-end races. Pollard, fueled by his passion for horses, was able to ride with Seabiscuit to copious victories. Smith, a man of few words, was able to turn Seabiscuit into a competitive horse, and helped the horse to avoid the intensity of the press in his early days.
A critical attribute that Howard, Smith, and Pollard shared was ambition. Howard never lost sight of his goal to win the Santa Anita Handicap race, Smith yearned to unlock all of Seabiscuit’s potential, and Pollard, despite suffering from fatal injuries, wanted to ride with Seabiscuit to innumerable victories.
Pollard and Seabiscuit were similar physically. Pollard suffered a fatal injury to his leg, and Seabiscuit was born lame. This developed a strong connection between the unusual pairing, and the two won countless victories together. Smith, like Seabiscuit, was not very expressive. Smith was a man of very few words, and Seabiscuit was apathetic and masked his immense potential behind a laid back facade. Smith related with Seabiscuit, and the two brought out the best in each other — Smith with Seabiscuit’s talented capabilities, and Seabiscuit with Smith’s training skills. Howard and Seabiscuit both loved fame. Howard enjoyed being on the front page of the newspaper, and Seabiscuit was always camera-ready. Howard garnered a lot of publicity for Seabiscuit, which was vital in boosting the horse’s confidence.
A lesson learnt from the successes of Seabiscuit and his team is that the key to success is to focus on one’s goals, not obstacles. Pollard and Seabiscuit were both faced with disabilities, yet they did not let their circumstances define them, and continued to win copious races together. Smith wanted to find the right horse and train it, and he did not stop looking despite struggling with financial difficulties. Howard never lost sight of his goal to win the Santa Anita Handicap race, and he worked hard to overcome whatever hardships life throws at him. He made sure that his efforts would bear fruit.
