The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-03-04
BY JACK GUENTHER United Press Racing Edit0r)

(Un1ted Press Racing EdttOr)
 Arcadia, Cal, March 4.-(UP)-No fiction magazine would have pub- lished it. No movie studio would have filmed 1t. No racing man would have believed it. The story of Seabiscuit had to be lived.
 He ran IS times before he could win his first race-yet he has hum bled the proudest thoroughbreds of his generation.
 No one would buy him for claiming price of $2,500-yet he won more money than any other horse in the history of the turf.
 He was forced into retirement with an injury from which horses never come back-yet he returned to win the richest race in the world in the fastest time of his life.
 He started life as a clown, so lazy he wouldn't run-yet today he is known from Suffolk Downs to Santa Anita for honesty and heart.
 Those are the bare facts of Sea- biscuits story. There are two men in it, too. There is Charles s. How ard, who parlayed 6 bicycle shop and a few second hand cars into mil- lions. He bought the homely cast off for $7,500. There is Tom Smith the one time rodeo rider, known as silent Tom. He taught the ugly duckling how to run. There are other men and other horses, but they will come in their places.
 Seabiscuit was foaled in Paris, Ky, at the Claiborne stud on May 23, 933. He was odd looking, even for a foal, with homely head and a barrel like body that looked too heavy for his legs. He was bred and owned by Wheatley stable, which was operated by H. s. Phipps and the late Ogden Mills.
 He stayed in Kentucky for more than year, until his skinny legs took on flesh and his back began to broaden and swell. Then he started into training under sunny Jim Fizsimmons, the grand old man of the turf. From the start the two of them didn't get along and we'll let sunny Jim tell you why.
 Dead Lazy
 "He fooled mo for quite spell" he explains. T had him for more than year and all the while I thought he simply couldn't run. We all thought SO. l sent him out 17 times and watched him lose before I sent him out the 18th and saw him win. Even then he wasn't run ming as well as he should have. He prefererd to clown around and frolic.
 Then found out why he wasn't running. It wasn't that he couldn't, 1t was that he wouldn't. He was lazy, dead lazy.
 "One of my rules is that I never whip horse. But decided to fool the Biccuit to prove to him he wasn't fooling me. I told Jimmy Stout, he was the stables contract jockey, to get himself 8 long flat stick, some- thingthat would sting but wouldn't hurt. Then we brought out the Bis cult.
 well sir, told Jimmy to get up, get out and start smacking that baby on the trump. Jimmy did it. and how the Biscuit stepped. We knew then he could run"
 But the knowledge came too late. Seabiscuit,s first season had been a poor one. He had started 35 times on the eastern circuit but was able to win only five races. and those in poor fields. He ran in three cliam- ing races for $2,50 and nobody claimed him. When the next season came and SeabiScuit turned three years old, Suny Jim was training Granville for the Kentucky derby and he had no time for loafers. By August Seabiscuit had won only four starts, so Wheatley decided to sell.
 BarrOni Bid Too Late
 They sold-to Howard-for $7,50O an hour before A. A. Baroni, the owner of Top Row, got in his bid. Seabiscuit went west with silent Tom Smith and there n rise began.
 When he started the year 1897, Seabiscuit had run 58 times and had won only IA of his starts. He was just another horse. But just around the bend of 1887 was his biggest season.
 tTemorEOw: Our Hero Proves His WOFkhl