by Andrew Pack
With a strong belief in the humane treatment of animals, I regularly volunteer at my local Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA) animal shelter. I also enjoy reading about animals, and one of my favorite books is Seabiscuit: An American Legend, by Laura Hillenbrand. Now a major motion picture, the book presents the inspiring true story of a horse’s triumph over adversity. Born in 1933, Seabiscuit came from an impressive equine lineage, as his grandsire was the famous racehorse Man o' War. A disappointing finisher in his early competitions, Seabiscuit was sold to automobile businessman Charles Howard, and flourished under the unorthodox training of Tom Smith. In two short years, from 1936 to 1938, Seabiscuit rose to elite status among racehorses, eclipsed only by Triple Crown-winner War Admiral. Finally, in late 1938, Seabiscuit and War Admiral went head-to-head in what was dubbed by the media "The Match of the Century." Seabiscuit won that race by four lengths, and with it the honor of Horse of the Year. The following year, Seabiscuit suffered a seriously injured leg ligament, and many veterinarians declared his career over. However, by the end of 1939, Seabiscuit had made a remarkable comeback, culminating in his $121,000 victory in the La Jolla Handicap in Del Mar, California, in early 1940. Two months later, Seabiscuit officially retired and was put out to stud, siring 108 foals over the remaining seven years of his life. Interestingly, Hillenbrand’s story mimics that of Seabiscuit in many ways. As a child in the 1960s, she loved bareback horse riding, and was enamored with a children’s book about the famous horse, Come On Seabiscuit. While in college, Hillenbrand contracted a debilitating condition, chronic fatigue syndrome, which she has struggled with ever since. Writing articles for equestrian magazines, Hillenbrand found herself returning to the story of Seabiscuit over and over as a source of inspiration. Finally, in 2001, she published her account of the famous horse as her first full-length book, and achieved enduring success. I highly recommend Seabiscuit: An American Legend to any reader seeking an inspiring book that captures a vivid sense of time and place.
