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Come on, Seabiscuit!
Master storyteller Ralph Moody tells the thrilling story of a plucky horse who refused to quit, a down-on-his-luck jockey who didn’t let horrendous accidents keep him out of the saddle, and a taciturn trainer who brought out the best in both. During the Great Depression, Seabiscuit captured the hearts of Americans from the streets to the White House, winning more money than any horse at that time and shattering speed records across the country. In this real-life story Moody captures the hoof-pounding excitement of the explosive early races to an unforgettable showdown with the feared Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Moving and inspirational, Come on Seabiscuit! is a reminder of the qualities that make a real American champion.
Ralph Moody is best known for his eight Little Britches books, which have delighted generations of readers and are all available in Bison Books editions.
Ralph Moody captured the hearts of young readers everywhere with his beloved Little Britches saga. In this Bison Books edition of his 1963 classic, Moody brings to life the story of a knobby-kneed little colt called Seabiscuit, who against all odds became one of the most celebrated racehorses of all time.
Although Seabiscuit was the grandson of the legendary Man O' War, he was neither handsome nor graceful. His head was too big, his legs too short, and his gallop was awkward. His owners gave up on Seabiscuit when he was two, raced him too heavily, and tried unsuccessfully to sell him. It took the keen eyes of trainer Tom Smith to recognize the heart, courage, and gallant determination of Seabiscuit, the qualities of a truly great horse. Smith's unfailing patience and astute treatments, the love and skill of jockey Red Pollard, and the continued support of owner Charles Howard forged Seabiscuit into a champion.
Ralph Moody is best known for his eight Little Britches books, which have delighted generations of readers and are all available in Bison Books editions.
Ralph Moody captured the hearts of young readers everywhere with his beloved Little Britches saga. In this Bison Books edition of his 1963 classic, Moody brings to life the story of a knobby-kneed little colt called Seabiscuit, who against all odds became one of the most celebrated racehorses of all time.
Although Seabiscuit was the grandson of the legendary Man O' War, he was neither handsome nor graceful. His head was too big, his legs too short, and his gallop was awkward. His owners gave up on Seabiscuit when he was two, raced him too heavily, and tried unsuccessfully to sell him. It took the keen eyes of trainer Tom Smith to recognize the heart, courage, and gallant determination of Seabiscuit, the qualities of a truly great horse. Smith's unfailing patience and astute treatments, the love and skill of jockey Red Pollard, and the continued support of owner Charles Howard forged Seabiscuit into a champion.
172 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1963
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396 people want to read
About the author
Ralph Moody
63 books197 followersRalph Moody was an American author who wrote 17 novels and autobiographies about the American West. He was born in East Rochester, New Hampshire, in 1898 but moved to Colorado with his family when he was eight in the hopes that a dry climate would improve his father Charles's tuberculosis. Moody detailed his experiences in Colorado in the first book of the Little Britches series, Father and I Were Ranchers.
After his father died, eleven-year-old Moody assumed the duties of the "man of the house." He and his sister Grace combined ingenuity with hard work in a variety of odd jobs to help their mother provide for their large family. The Moody clan returned to the East Coast some time after Charles's death, but Moody had difficulty readjusting. Following more than one ill-timed run-in with local law enforcement, he left the family home near Boston to live on his grandfather's farm in Maine. His later Little Britches books cover his time in Maine and subsequent travels through Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Kansas—including stints as a bust sculptor and a horse rider doing "horse falls" for motion pictures—as he worked his way back toward Colorado while continuing to support his family financially.
Moody's formal education was limited, but he had a lifelong interest in learning and self-education. At age 50, he enrolled in a writing class, which eventually led to the publication of Father and I Were Ranchers. In addition to the Little Britches series, Moody wrote a number of books detailing the development of the American West. His books have been described as crude in the language of the times but are highly praised by Moody's readership and have been in continuous publication since 1950.
After a period as livestock business owner in rural Kansas, Moody sent to Massachusetts for his former sweetheart, Edna. They married and moved to Kansas City. They had three children.—Source
After his father died, eleven-year-old Moody assumed the duties of the "man of the house." He and his sister Grace combined ingenuity with hard work in a variety of odd jobs to help their mother provide for their large family. The Moody clan returned to the East Coast some time after Charles's death, but Moody had difficulty readjusting. Following more than one ill-timed run-in with local law enforcement, he left the family home near Boston to live on his grandfather's farm in Maine. His later Little Britches books cover his time in Maine and subsequent travels through Arizona, New Mexico, Nebraska, and Kansas—including stints as a bust sculptor and a horse rider doing "horse falls" for motion pictures—as he worked his way back toward Colorado while continuing to support his family financially.
Moody's formal education was limited, but he had a lifelong interest in learning and self-education. At age 50, he enrolled in a writing class, which eventually led to the publication of Father and I Were Ranchers. In addition to the Little Britches series, Moody wrote a number of books detailing the development of the American West. His books have been described as crude in the language of the times but are highly praised by Moody's readership and have been in continuous publication since 1950.
After a period as livestock business owner in rural Kansas, Moody sent to Massachusetts for his former sweetheart, Edna. They married and moved to Kansas City. They had three children.—Source
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September 14, 2020
This is the book Laura Hillenbrand read and loved as a child that inspired her award-winning biography, Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Ralph Moody's passion for horses stirs his readers to excitement as they follow the life and career of one of the most best Thoroughbreds to ever run. You might assume Seabiscuit's distinguished lineage meant he was born into a world of privilege, but you'd be wrong. Born May 23, 1933, the mud-colored grandson of Man o' War—arguably the finest racer in history—looked nothing like a champion. Seabiscuit inherited his mother's knobby knees, and had no special coloring to distinguish him. A colt named Granville emerged as the star of their class, while Seabiscuit lagged far behind. The renowned "Sunny Jim" Fitzsimmons was brought in to train Seabiscuit's class, but he couldn't see past the horse's awkwardness and lack of size to the potential within. Fitzsimmons wrote Seabiscuit off as too much like his stubborn father, Hard Tack; Fitzsimmons insisted on treating Seabiscuit with tough love, which did him no favors with the proud colt. Seabiscuit fought him at every turn, and the trainer responded by racing him more than advisable for a horse with weak lower legs. In his first two years Seabiscuit entered more races than Man o' War ran in his career, and the damage never entirely healed. Fitzsimmons wanted to sell the two-year-old, but no suitable offer was made until August 1936, after Seabiscuit impressively won the Mohawk Claiming Stakes. Seabiscuit was about to meet the three men who would define his career.
Charles Stewart Howard purchased the overworked three-year-old on the recommendation of Tom Smith, a gifted trainer who saw a champion's fire in Seabiscuit. Tom had traveled a long road from obscurity to prominence as a horse whisperer, so he understood Seabiscuit's angst. The horse's degenerative knees could give out at any time, but Tom applied every medical secret he knew to prevent that. He found the perfect lead pony for Seabiscuit, a palomino named Pumpkin; almost ten years old and no athletic specimen, Pumpkin was a pleasant fellow whose presence calmed Seabiscuit when he had to be transported long distance for races. Under Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, Seabiscuit developed an array of nervous habits, but Pumpkin helped him relax and not expend unnecessary energy in the hours and days before a race. Seabiscuit's team was completed with the addition of Jack "Red" Pollard, an inexperienced jockey who fell into an easy rhythm with Seabiscuit right away. Charles Howard, Tom Smith, and Red Pollard would be Seabiscuit's "own-folks" for most of his career, and they were poised to take the racing world by storm.
Patience was required to mitigate the damage Fitzsimmons had inflicted on Seabiscuit. His knee and foreleg tendons were chronically inflamed, and only Tom Smith's therapeutic ministrations improved his condition. Red was instructed not to push Seabiscuit hard in races, but the headstrong horse won his fair share of purses, quickly earning back the $8,000 Charles Howard paid for him. He captured the Governor's Handicap, an illustrious race in Detroit; the Hendrie Handicap, which netted $2,010; and the Scarsdale Handicap, worth $5,570. This was his three-year-old season, in which superstar Thoroughbreds make their bid at winning the Triple Crown, but the early mishandling by Fitzsimmons meant such a run was out of the question. Seabiscuit would have to make his mark in less traditional ways, via a record of wins as eclectic as it was impressive.
Media interest in Man o' War's grandson grew as he entered his prime. Seabiscuit looked nothing like Man o' War's most famous son, War Admiral, a paragon of excellent breeding. But Seabiscuit—knobby, tender knees and all—reeled off win after win, long past when Fitzsimmons had figured his body would break down. Fans flocked to Seabiscuit as a sentimental favorite, a tenacious competitor who feared no one. He placed first in races from coast to coast, and in February 1937 Charles Howard and his wife set their sights on California's $100,000 Santa Anita Handicap, run at a multi-million-dollar track intended to lure all the best horses. Tom Smith and Red Pollard took this contest seriously, but at the final wire Rosemont crossed first, largely due to the subpar ride that Red gave Seabiscuit. The race had seemed theirs, the ultimate prize to bolster Seabiscuit's case as the best horse in the world, but the richest payout in racing history slipped away in the final furlongs. Seabiscuit was in his four-year-old season, retirement age for elite Thoroughbreds; would he have a realistic shot at the Santa Anita Handicap in 1938?
Howard, Smith, and Red continued racing Seabiscuit, though handicappers frequently saddled him with more extra weight than his own-folks considered fair. Regardless, Seabiscuit outpaced his vaunted rivals by eight lengths at the San Juan Capistrano Handicap. Tom Smith planned to take it easy for the rest of the year in anticipation of the Santa Anita Handicap, though to keep Seabiscuit sharp they ran him in a few high-stakes races. This backfired when he pulled up lame during the Butler Handicap, which he somehow still won. A badly gashed leg and sprained suspensory tendon cast his future in doubt, but Tom Smith's medical wizardry had him running again before year's end. Public interest was on the rise for a matchup with War Admiral, winner of the 1937 Triple Crown. Which horse was the world's greatest? The own-folks of both racers wanted the match, believing theirs to be the superior runner, but conditions would have to be perfect for the contest to occur. Heading into 1938, Seabiscuit's own-folks had another goal: the career winnings record, held by Sun Beau at $376,744. Eclipsing the mark appeared unlikely for an older horse with rickety knees, and previous attempts at the record ran up against a supposed jinx, but Howard, Smith, and Red saw no limit to what Seabiscuit could achieve. 1938 was going to be his year.
A debilitating injury to Red Pollard meant he couldn't ride Seabiscuit for a while, but Tom Smith handpicked Georgie Woolf to replace Red. The handicapper for the Santa Anita put Seabiscuit at a drastic weight disadvantage; the spirited horse would have blown past Stagehand in the final stretch otherwise, but instead came up short in what seemed likely to be his last chance at the $100,000 prize. Meanwhile, War Admiral was dominant in his four-year-old season, stoking public demand for a race versus Seabiscuit before the horses were too old. A special $100,000 stake was offered, enough to get Charles Howard and Samuel Riddle—War Admiral's owner—discussing specifics about making the event happen. But leg problems flared up for Seabiscuit, and Red Pollard suffered a gruesome broken leg that doctors declared the end of his career. Georgie Woolf would be Seabiscuit's jockey from now on, but how much longer would the horse's knees last? A face-off with War Admiral was arranged for the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs, but mere hours ahead of the race Seabiscuit was withdrawn due to a bowed tendon in his foreleg. The race directors and 70,000 fans in the stands were outraged, but doctors examined the aging Thoroughbred and confirmed the injury. They called it career-ending, but these men didn't count on Tom Smith's healing touch or Seabiscuit's competitive fervor. The champ would not let it end like this.
Late in 1938 Seabiscuit returned to the track in reasonable health, ready to confront War Admiral on Samuel Riddle's terms. Seabiscuit easily won several prep events, proving that age and injury had not diminished his awesome speed. The race was scheduled for the Pimlico track in New York, and Red Pollard poured his heart into advising Georgie Woolf what he needed to do for Seabiscuit to triumph. A fast start was essential; War Admiral had demoralized many opponents by leaping out to a big lead, but if Seabiscuit left the Triple Crown winner in his wake at the start, he just might cross the finish line first. There was no last-minute scratch this time, and the two titans engaged in a battle of wills and athleticism never to be forgotten. Who would win the day and be lauded as the premier racer of his generation?
Pursuit of Sun Beau's winnings mark was a longshot in light of Seabiscuit's health, and a severe foreleg injury in February 1939 at a tuneup for the Santa Anita Handicap forced Charles Howard to retire him. Not even Tom Smith could repair a ruptured suspensory ligament. As Seabiscuit settled into retirement, permitted to indulge his hearty appetite without concern for weight gain, Red Pollard recuperated his own shattered leg enough to gingerly climb back into Seabiscuit's saddle, where he belonged. The two broken-down athletes enjoyed loping around the Howard ranch, and Red loved his equine partner more than ever. It surprised him to see Seabiscuit running a bit, using a new gait that protected his ruptured ligament. The champion horse became impatient with nothing to do but sire colts and fillies; his career was over, but Seabiscuit didn't seem to agree. When Tom Smith was brought in to analyze his new gait, he tentatively suggested it was possible for Seabiscuit to race without ruining his leg. Should he enter the Santa Anita Handicap one last time to accomplish his final two goals? The Sun Beau "jinx" had repeatedly struck Seabiscuit, but after shedding a hundred pounds of fat and placing well in a few minor races, he was in as good a position as he'd ever be to finish his career with a flourish. His jockey would be the one and only Red Pollard, risking his own leg by returning for the race. Their career together had dwindled to its last two minutes, the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, where Seabiscuit would have his chance to go out on a high note. Could the plucky champion pull out one last win with everything on the line?
"The main issue in life is not the victory but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought well."
—inscription on a medal awarded Seabiscuit, quoted on P. 172 of Come on, Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit's story is inspiring in too many ways to count, and Ralph Moody's telling of it is filled with emotion. What might have been had Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons correctly assessed the colt's value? Seabiscuit bore no resemblance to the brawny horses who usually dominated the sport, but heart counts for at least as much as physical attributes, and Seabiscuit didn't allow Fitzsimmons's mismanagement to derail his career. He took an unconventional route to stardom; Seabiscuit courted greatness on his own terms and couldn't be coerced into following anyone else's blueprint. It's easy for an unimposing physical specimen like Seabiscuit to be overlooked, a mistake even a veteran appraiser of talent like Fitzsimmons can make, but when you're discounted by people who don't believe in you, the faith of a single dissenter can change everything. Tom Smith salvaged Seabiscuit's career when he recognized the heart of a winner. "(Tom) became obsessed with a love and admiration for Thoroughbred race horses, and his greatest joy in life was to rebuild the ones that other men had discarded as hopeless." Anyone can ride the coattails of a superstar prophesied as such from birth, but to nurture the wounded spirit of a competitor ignored by everyone, to gamble all you have on them reaching the utmost heights, yields a richer reward. The world needs Seabiscuits to remind us that miracles happen, and it needs Tom Smiths to prevent those miracles from slipping through the cracks. We can all draw wisdom and encouragement from Seabiscuit's life.
In a discussion of the finest racehorses, few are mentioned on equal terms with Man o' War and Secretariat. Their dominance was otherworldly, as though they were a different species from their on-track rivals. If Seabiscuit isn't on their level, he's no more than a notch below, a champion whose crazy detours to immortality only boost him in the regard of racing fans and historians. It's difficult to conceive of any horse better in his prime. Come on, Seabiscuit is a book that sports enthusiasts as well as non-fans will enjoy, and Robert Riger's drawings splendidly capture the action, comparable to the work of beloved horse illustrators like Will James, Wesley Dennis, and Robert Lougheed. I almost feel as though I watched Seabiscuit race in person. I'd rate this Ralph Moody biography three and a half stars, and if you want a winsome introduction to the "Sport of Kings" for young readers, this is it. I'll always view Seabiscuit with special affection because of this book.
Charles Stewart Howard purchased the overworked three-year-old on the recommendation of Tom Smith, a gifted trainer who saw a champion's fire in Seabiscuit. Tom had traveled a long road from obscurity to prominence as a horse whisperer, so he understood Seabiscuit's angst. The horse's degenerative knees could give out at any time, but Tom applied every medical secret he knew to prevent that. He found the perfect lead pony for Seabiscuit, a palomino named Pumpkin; almost ten years old and no athletic specimen, Pumpkin was a pleasant fellow whose presence calmed Seabiscuit when he had to be transported long distance for races. Under Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, Seabiscuit developed an array of nervous habits, but Pumpkin helped him relax and not expend unnecessary energy in the hours and days before a race. Seabiscuit's team was completed with the addition of Jack "Red" Pollard, an inexperienced jockey who fell into an easy rhythm with Seabiscuit right away. Charles Howard, Tom Smith, and Red Pollard would be Seabiscuit's "own-folks" for most of his career, and they were poised to take the racing world by storm.
Patience was required to mitigate the damage Fitzsimmons had inflicted on Seabiscuit. His knee and foreleg tendons were chronically inflamed, and only Tom Smith's therapeutic ministrations improved his condition. Red was instructed not to push Seabiscuit hard in races, but the headstrong horse won his fair share of purses, quickly earning back the $8,000 Charles Howard paid for him. He captured the Governor's Handicap, an illustrious race in Detroit; the Hendrie Handicap, which netted $2,010; and the Scarsdale Handicap, worth $5,570. This was his three-year-old season, in which superstar Thoroughbreds make their bid at winning the Triple Crown, but the early mishandling by Fitzsimmons meant such a run was out of the question. Seabiscuit would have to make his mark in less traditional ways, via a record of wins as eclectic as it was impressive.
Media interest in Man o' War's grandson grew as he entered his prime. Seabiscuit looked nothing like Man o' War's most famous son, War Admiral, a paragon of excellent breeding. But Seabiscuit—knobby, tender knees and all—reeled off win after win, long past when Fitzsimmons had figured his body would break down. Fans flocked to Seabiscuit as a sentimental favorite, a tenacious competitor who feared no one. He placed first in races from coast to coast, and in February 1937 Charles Howard and his wife set their sights on California's $100,000 Santa Anita Handicap, run at a multi-million-dollar track intended to lure all the best horses. Tom Smith and Red Pollard took this contest seriously, but at the final wire Rosemont crossed first, largely due to the subpar ride that Red gave Seabiscuit. The race had seemed theirs, the ultimate prize to bolster Seabiscuit's case as the best horse in the world, but the richest payout in racing history slipped away in the final furlongs. Seabiscuit was in his four-year-old season, retirement age for elite Thoroughbreds; would he have a realistic shot at the Santa Anita Handicap in 1938?
Howard, Smith, and Red continued racing Seabiscuit, though handicappers frequently saddled him with more extra weight than his own-folks considered fair. Regardless, Seabiscuit outpaced his vaunted rivals by eight lengths at the San Juan Capistrano Handicap. Tom Smith planned to take it easy for the rest of the year in anticipation of the Santa Anita Handicap, though to keep Seabiscuit sharp they ran him in a few high-stakes races. This backfired when he pulled up lame during the Butler Handicap, which he somehow still won. A badly gashed leg and sprained suspensory tendon cast his future in doubt, but Tom Smith's medical wizardry had him running again before year's end. Public interest was on the rise for a matchup with War Admiral, winner of the 1937 Triple Crown. Which horse was the world's greatest? The own-folks of both racers wanted the match, believing theirs to be the superior runner, but conditions would have to be perfect for the contest to occur. Heading into 1938, Seabiscuit's own-folks had another goal: the career winnings record, held by Sun Beau at $376,744. Eclipsing the mark appeared unlikely for an older horse with rickety knees, and previous attempts at the record ran up against a supposed jinx, but Howard, Smith, and Red saw no limit to what Seabiscuit could achieve. 1938 was going to be his year.
A debilitating injury to Red Pollard meant he couldn't ride Seabiscuit for a while, but Tom Smith handpicked Georgie Woolf to replace Red. The handicapper for the Santa Anita put Seabiscuit at a drastic weight disadvantage; the spirited horse would have blown past Stagehand in the final stretch otherwise, but instead came up short in what seemed likely to be his last chance at the $100,000 prize. Meanwhile, War Admiral was dominant in his four-year-old season, stoking public demand for a race versus Seabiscuit before the horses were too old. A special $100,000 stake was offered, enough to get Charles Howard and Samuel Riddle—War Admiral's owner—discussing specifics about making the event happen. But leg problems flared up for Seabiscuit, and Red Pollard suffered a gruesome broken leg that doctors declared the end of his career. Georgie Woolf would be Seabiscuit's jockey from now on, but how much longer would the horse's knees last? A face-off with War Admiral was arranged for the Massachusetts Handicap at Suffolk Downs, but mere hours ahead of the race Seabiscuit was withdrawn due to a bowed tendon in his foreleg. The race directors and 70,000 fans in the stands were outraged, but doctors examined the aging Thoroughbred and confirmed the injury. They called it career-ending, but these men didn't count on Tom Smith's healing touch or Seabiscuit's competitive fervor. The champ would not let it end like this.
Late in 1938 Seabiscuit returned to the track in reasonable health, ready to confront War Admiral on Samuel Riddle's terms. Seabiscuit easily won several prep events, proving that age and injury had not diminished his awesome speed. The race was scheduled for the Pimlico track in New York, and Red Pollard poured his heart into advising Georgie Woolf what he needed to do for Seabiscuit to triumph. A fast start was essential; War Admiral had demoralized many opponents by leaping out to a big lead, but if Seabiscuit left the Triple Crown winner in his wake at the start, he just might cross the finish line first. There was no last-minute scratch this time, and the two titans engaged in a battle of wills and athleticism never to be forgotten. Who would win the day and be lauded as the premier racer of his generation?
Pursuit of Sun Beau's winnings mark was a longshot in light of Seabiscuit's health, and a severe foreleg injury in February 1939 at a tuneup for the Santa Anita Handicap forced Charles Howard to retire him. Not even Tom Smith could repair a ruptured suspensory ligament. As Seabiscuit settled into retirement, permitted to indulge his hearty appetite without concern for weight gain, Red Pollard recuperated his own shattered leg enough to gingerly climb back into Seabiscuit's saddle, where he belonged. The two broken-down athletes enjoyed loping around the Howard ranch, and Red loved his equine partner more than ever. It surprised him to see Seabiscuit running a bit, using a new gait that protected his ruptured ligament. The champion horse became impatient with nothing to do but sire colts and fillies; his career was over, but Seabiscuit didn't seem to agree. When Tom Smith was brought in to analyze his new gait, he tentatively suggested it was possible for Seabiscuit to race without ruining his leg. Should he enter the Santa Anita Handicap one last time to accomplish his final two goals? The Sun Beau "jinx" had repeatedly struck Seabiscuit, but after shedding a hundred pounds of fat and placing well in a few minor races, he was in as good a position as he'd ever be to finish his career with a flourish. His jockey would be the one and only Red Pollard, risking his own leg by returning for the race. Their career together had dwindled to its last two minutes, the 1940 Santa Anita Handicap, where Seabiscuit would have his chance to go out on a high note. Could the plucky champion pull out one last win with everything on the line?
"The main issue in life is not the victory but the fight; the essential thing is not to have won but to have fought well."
—inscription on a medal awarded Seabiscuit, quoted on P. 172 of Come on, Seabiscuit
Seabiscuit's story is inspiring in too many ways to count, and Ralph Moody's telling of it is filled with emotion. What might have been had Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons correctly assessed the colt's value? Seabiscuit bore no resemblance to the brawny horses who usually dominated the sport, but heart counts for at least as much as physical attributes, and Seabiscuit didn't allow Fitzsimmons's mismanagement to derail his career. He took an unconventional route to stardom; Seabiscuit courted greatness on his own terms and couldn't be coerced into following anyone else's blueprint. It's easy for an unimposing physical specimen like Seabiscuit to be overlooked, a mistake even a veteran appraiser of talent like Fitzsimmons can make, but when you're discounted by people who don't believe in you, the faith of a single dissenter can change everything. Tom Smith salvaged Seabiscuit's career when he recognized the heart of a winner. "(Tom) became obsessed with a love and admiration for Thoroughbred race horses, and his greatest joy in life was to rebuild the ones that other men had discarded as hopeless." Anyone can ride the coattails of a superstar prophesied as such from birth, but to nurture the wounded spirit of a competitor ignored by everyone, to gamble all you have on them reaching the utmost heights, yields a richer reward. The world needs Seabiscuits to remind us that miracles happen, and it needs Tom Smiths to prevent those miracles from slipping through the cracks. We can all draw wisdom and encouragement from Seabiscuit's life.
In a discussion of the finest racehorses, few are mentioned on equal terms with Man o' War and Secretariat. Their dominance was otherworldly, as though they were a different species from their on-track rivals. If Seabiscuit isn't on their level, he's no more than a notch below, a champion whose crazy detours to immortality only boost him in the regard of racing fans and historians. It's difficult to conceive of any horse better in his prime. Come on, Seabiscuit is a book that sports enthusiasts as well as non-fans will enjoy, and Robert Riger's drawings splendidly capture the action, comparable to the work of beloved horse illustrators like Will James, Wesley Dennis, and Robert Lougheed. I almost feel as though I watched Seabiscuit race in person. I'd rate this Ralph Moody biography three and a half stars, and if you want a winsome introduction to the "Sport of Kings" for young readers, this is it. I'll always view Seabiscuit with special affection because of this book.
January 27, 2019
This was a lot of fun & interesting. It's definitely for the younger crowd & those who aren't very familiar with horse racing. He explains a lot about how handicapping, breeding, & races are done, although this is back in the late 1930s so some things have changed. Not as much as you might think, though.
He really brings Seabiscuit & his people to life. My heart went out to poor Red Pollard. Tough man who tried hard, but had a lot of tough breaks literally. The races were well described. Often Moody cribbed directly from newspaper accounts & transcriptions of the race itself. Fantastic.
I'll put this right up with Old Bones the Wonder Horse, an old favorite. Highly recommended to young & old.
He really brings Seabiscuit & his people to life. My heart went out to poor Red Pollard. Tough man who tried hard, but had a lot of tough breaks literally. The races were well described. Often Moody cribbed directly from newspaper accounts & transcriptions of the race itself. Fantastic.
I'll put this right up with Old Bones the Wonder Horse, an old favorite. Highly recommended to young & old.
August 23, 2020
Laura Hillenbrand lists this old book as one of the reasons why she wrote her bestselling book about Seabiscuit. I read this book long before Hillenbrand even though of her book- seriously I was in grade school. I even remember getting it, or making my parents get it, at an used bookstore in New Orleans.
Moody's book is written for children to access but can be enjoyable by adults. He does not talk down or gloss over things. The book has a sportwriter's tone to it, but not overly so.
If you have a child who like horses, this is a good read.
Moody's book is written for children to access but can be enjoyable by adults. He does not talk down or gloss over things. The book has a sportwriter's tone to it, but not overly so.
If you have a child who like horses, this is a good read.
January 20, 2022
The story about Seabiscuit is told in a concise and pleasing way. The drawings in the book are amazing and it's definitely a keeper for my collection.
January 9, 2022
Well written and informative.
April 9, 2018
I've had this book on my shelf for years and had never gotten around to reading it. And despite the love I had for horses growing up, I also have not seen the movie they made a few years ago based on Seabiscuit's life. All that to say that I honestly didn't really know what happened with this horse and was genuinely on the edge of my seat during his major races. Not going to lie, I had tears in my eyes when he finally won the Santa Anita Handicap.
It's genuinely almost unbelievable that this is a true story. It reads like fiction. This book is aimed at younger readers (middle school-ish), so I can definitely see myself picking up a more detailed biography of Seabiscuit in the future, as he was a horse with a seriously exciting life, full of drama and happy endings.
It's genuinely almost unbelievable that this is a true story. It reads like fiction. This book is aimed at younger readers (middle school-ish), so I can definitely see myself picking up a more detailed biography of Seabiscuit in the future, as he was a horse with a seriously exciting life, full of drama and happy endings.
January 17, 2015
I like all his books, but this one is great - about the legendary horse Seabiscuit. Yes, there's another more recent and much thicker book out there about the same story, but I like this one much better because it's short and exciting.
January 7, 2022
I'm not a fan of horse racing but this book is so evocative that I was on the edge of my seat (as were the children!). I didn't know the story at all, so it was fresh and surprising, too.
October 20, 2022
Part of my difficulty might be that I was expecting more of a historical fiction and this was strictly a non-fiction narrative. Form informs!!
October 15, 2022
Definitely for horse lovers but also others can appreciate it.. wise advice even for human relationships… kinda neat, the fact that this is a true story
January 10, 2015
This book took me by surprise. I picked it up because I had to read Hillenbrand's Seabiscuit for my book club, but I love Ralph Moody! I thought his book might be fun to read with the kids while I read the other on my own. But then this one pulled me in, and even without the kids, I couldn't put it down. I learned a lot about parenting, goal setting, perseverance, and hope. I've since started the Hillenbrand's book, and love that I have the collector's edition with lots of photos, and am getting to know the people behind the bourse better.
February 5, 2009
seabiscuit is a throughbred bred from man'o war and many great race horses but he is also bred from hard tack and swing on with hard tacks large temper and swing ons nobby knees and lazy attitude
he has been given up on with many trys from many amazing horse trainers about to be put away from racing one old mis judged horse trainer takes him in and gives him a chance at racing can he improve him? read come on seabiscuit by Ralph Moody to find out!!!!
he has been given up on with many trys from many amazing horse trainers about to be put away from racing one old mis judged horse trainer takes him in and gives him a chance at racing can he improve him? read come on seabiscuit by Ralph Moody to find out!!!!
February 16, 2012
This book was pretty interesting. I don't know how much stuff can be put into the author's attribution of motivations to the horse. I know that as humans we are prone to assign our own motivations to similar behavior we see in animals, and at times this can be silly. Even so, the drama is compelling.
May 28, 2008
Great to have read an account by someone who actually lived at the time and witnessed the life and accomplishments of Seabiscuit.
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December 13, 2024I love the story of Seabiscuit, et al. And this was a fun way to revisit the story again after reading Laura Hillenbrand's amazing book a couple of years ago.
March 30, 2010
This is the book that first got me interested in this endearing and daring horse.
July 26, 2016
Second reading: July 2016
First reading: March 2015
Family friendly. Impossible not to fall in love with Seabiscuit; Moody's love for this underdog is palpable and contagious.
First reading: March 2015
Family friendly. Impossible not to fall in love with Seabiscuit; Moody's love for this underdog is palpable and contagious.
January 20, 2017
I listened to this story as an audiobook with my family on a recent road trip and we all LOVED it! The personality of this horse comes to life through this story. It was so sweet and inspiring.
June 16, 2021
This is a book for older children or younger teenagers about Seabiscuit, a champion racing horse. Seabiscuit was something of a mongrel horse, but was the grandson of Man O' War and because of that he was raised to race. The book is about 80% horse-racing and 20% about Seabiscuit's upbringing and training and whatnot. This is a nonfiction book and it does get into the gambling side of horse-racing a little bit. It also goes into some depth about handicapping horse races and how and why it's done, so I did learn a little bit from this. There is no mention of alcohol or substance use, no adult language, no sexual scenes, and no "real" violence aside from the jockeys occasionally using a whip in a race. That's it. This is a good book for older kids/ younger teenagers. You could pair it with the Seabiscuit film from 2003 as they are both about the same horse but I think don't manage to spoil each other. I liked it.
September 2, 2018
This was one of my absolute favorites in elementary school.
I don't remember which grade I first read it in, because I checked it out and read it probably dozens of times.
It's about the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, as one might surmise.
I might elaborate on this later, by writing an actual review, if I get a chance to re-read it- but for now I just really wanted to say it was one of my favorites back in the day.
I don't remember which grade I first read it in, because I checked it out and read it probably dozens of times.
It's about the legendary racehorse Seabiscuit, as one might surmise.
I might elaborate on this later, by writing an actual review, if I get a chance to re-read it- but for now I just really wanted to say it was one of my favorites back in the day.
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June 26, 2020I appreciate the story of Seabiscuit and the details of the people and relationships involved in discovering, training, riding, owning, etc. this amazing horse. I am so impressed with his spirit (I love horse books in general, read a lot of Marguerite Henry growing up). I am looking forward to reading the more recent version that was read aloud on Chapter-a-Day. I missed most of it and I am on a waiting list.
October 26, 2016
Okay, even if you don't think you are interested in racing, horses, amazing true stories, or well-written awesomeness, you should read this book!!
Ralph moody is one of my favorite authors be causes his style is to the point and succinct but still brings in edible emotion to the moment!
Come On Seabiscuit is an amazingly true story that leaves you cheering- triumphant!
Ralph moody is one of my favorite authors be causes his style is to the point and succinct but still brings in edible emotion to the moment!
Come On Seabiscuit is an amazingly true story that leaves you cheering- triumphant!
June 9, 2017
I am generally uncomfortable with the sport of horse racing, but the story of Seabiscuit- one of great courage, deepest love, and ultimately, glorious triumph- is not to be missed. Ralph Moody captures the ups and downs of the race horse's life and career with beautiful care, and Jim Weiss delivers it with characteristic perfection in his audiobook narration.
July 9, 2018
This was my introduction to the story of Seabiscuit long before Laura Hillenbrandt wrote hers. I was the kid who read every animal story I could get my hands on but especially horses. I still have my paperback copy hanging around somewhere. I loved the story then, even more so when my mom added her memories of the races during her childhood in the Depression era.
July 9, 2020
I listened to the audiobook. Seabiscuit endures a series of injuries and comebacks. He thrives under the care of his devoted owner, trainer, and rider because they accept him as he is and believe in his potential.
February 14, 2023
If you’re not crying at the end of this book you are probably one of the few! The courage and heart of this magnificent horse, and the love of his owners, trainer, and jockey are truly inspiring. Beautiful book.
January 8, 2024
It had no main character and the whole book was just 3rd person perspective or omniscient narrator or something so it was had to get close or dear to this story, I felt. It was very informative and there were lots of cool stories and facts about horse racing.
April 19, 2024
While I had heard of Seabiscuit before, I didn't know his history or why he was so beloved by many. This book covers his life from young and gangly to his rise in the racing world. I learned loving the details of Seasbiscuit's life.
May 17, 2017
Great detailed facts.
June 25, 2017
We listened to this while driving and we all loved it. The reader made it feel like we were at the horse races my kids really got into it.
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