The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-04-13
Ten Famous
Horse Races
This Ii the seventh In q series
Of 10 stories on famous horse
horse races Of the past.
By CHARLES MOREY


United Press STAR Correspondent
New York, April Is - CU.PO -
CALIFORNIA; native sons are famous
for their loyalty TO their home state.
It's climate, scenery and football
teams. Thus It was no surprise when
they adopted Charles s. Towards
Seablscuit Is their favorte race
In 1887 as he started his swift drive
TO the worlds money winning crown,
q title he held until displaced by
Whirlaway.
In the 100000 Santa Anita Han
dicap Of 1897 Seabiscuit was beaten
nose as Rosemont came from no"
where In the final furlong. Through
the remainder Of that year the Bis
cult became O sensation and car
ried the red and white Howard silks
to glory against the best the turf
could offer.
When the 1898 Santa Anita
rolled around, Howard and the en-
tire state OF California were sure
the Biscuit couldn't lose. He
trained we'll and, although defeated
q nose by Aneroid in the San An
tonic, he was q solid 2-to-l favorite
with the $1,000 fansw no crammed
the Santa Anita plant as the field
reached the starting gate for the
mile and one-quarter race.
It was O large field - 10 thor
oughbredS stretching out across
the track and Seabiscult with
George Woolf up, was In the mum.
Der IL post Outside him In num-
Der 10 was Count Atlas. 60-to-l
shot. In number three was the ID
to-5 second choice, Colonel Maxwell
Towards Stagehand, q hard-run-
ming three year-old who had won
the Santa Anita Derby the week be-
fore and, just inside the Biscuit,
was the racy Pompoon.
Adams Lashed
The bell rang and sharp.eyed
bettors in the stands groaned as
they saw Count Atlas lug in and
slam Seabiscuit, sending him to his
knees. Woolf, for a split second
forgetting the race, dashed Johnny
Adams on Count Atlas with his
whip and then got the Biscuit into
motion. He was q poor 18th as the
field drove for the first turn, with
Whichone and Anerodd fighting for
the lead.
Down the backstretch, in the
shadow Of the Sierra MadreS, the
big field stretched out and when 1t
reached the far turn Aneroid was
a length and one-half in front.
Woodbury. had moved into second
place, Pompoon was coming to con-
tention along the rail and on the
outside the Biscuit was moving fast
as he picked UP horse after horse
In a wild charge.
Midway OF the final bend the
game son Of Hard Tack had reached
the lead. But springing from the
pack with O late drive was Stage
hand, the lightweight Of the field
under 100 pounds, and with Nick
Wall hustling him along the rangy
bay colt was at the Biscuits throat
as they turned into the stretch.
Stagehand BY A Nose
Down they came, pulling away
from the rest with every stride. The
great champion, with his high
weight Of 1870, and the young chal-
lenger with his feather burden. 1t
was a tight At as they neared the
wire. but the weight and poor start
were too much for the Biscuit, and
Stagehand dropped his head in
front in the final strides. The Bis
cult was an easy second by six
lengths over Pompoon. The time
Of 2:01 3-5 was o new track record
and the young son Of Sickle had
completed the only Santa Anita
Derby Handicap double In history.
It was q tough blow for those who
loved Seabiscuit. The following
year 1t seemed worse as he pulled
UP lame while training for another
crack at the big stake. But In 1910
the Biscuit roared back to win the
Santa Anita on his third try in the
last start Of his great racing career.
NEXT (Sea Biscuit War
Admira1)