Due to His precocious nature, Undersized stature
and pure determination…
Following Red Pollard’s horrible accident
aboard Fair Knightess in February, 1938, Seabiscuit’s owner Charles Howard and
trainer tom smith decided that Seabiscuit needed to race. And with Doctors proclaiming
Pollard’s injuries would take a year to mend, a new Jockey was needed!
Pollard lobbied for His friend George Woolf
getting the ride, but instead Raymond “sonny” Workman rode Seabiscuit in the
San Antonio Handicap, in preparation for that year’s Santa Anita Handicap
Stakes race.
Think the Biscuit’ finished fourth in the Lone
Star state? With Smith being furious at Workman for not riding the Horse per
His instructions, and that Workman had to go!
In fairness to Workman, who also became a Hall
of Fame Jockey with more race wins and better winning percentage than the
“Iceman”. Smith didn’t like Eastern riders and Pollard had given Him different
instructions regarding riding Seabiscuit! Making me wonder if Pollard
deliberately sabotaged Him?
With Pollard’s continued encouragement, close
friend and Mega winning Jockey George Woolf was given the nod to ride
Seabiscuit in the following Santa Anita $100,000 Stakes race, where Woolf came
up just inches short in a photo finish, losing to Stagehand! Being two years
younger and carrying a far lower Jockey input weight vs. Seabiscuit.
I also learned that Bing Crosby had been a
founding member of the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club that developed the Del Mar racetrack in 1937.
For which I visited the Fairgrounds once to attend an IMSA GTP race during the
early 1990’s.
Crosby was close friends with Lindsay Howard,
son of Charles; whose father also reputedly had a stake in the Del Mar
racetrack. As Crosby and Lindsay established Binlin Stables to breed and race
Thoroughbred Horses. Along with also Binglin Stock Farm in Buenos Aires,
Argentina.
As many of their Horses would be shipped to the
United States. Including Kayak, whose original name was Kajak. Which Charles
Howard was allowed to purchase, and would go onto become another famous Horse
from the Howard Stables.
Seeking promotion for Crosby’s Del Mar resort,
Lindsay came up with the crazy notion of challenging His father to a Match race
with Seabiscuit racing against Crosby and His Horse Lingaroti in a $25,000
winner take all event.
As substitute Jockey George Woolf, known as the
“Iceman” won the race in August, 1938. Despite Ligaroti’s Jockey Noel “Spec”
Richardson’s dirty, illegal racing efforts!
While Pollard was recuperating from a second riding
accident, after volunteering to help a fellow Jockey with a troublesome Horse, which
should have ended His career!
In 1938 Seabiscuit garnered the most column
inches of newspaper press. Ahead of Franklin D. Roosevelt, Hitler and
Mussolini. Along with Pope Pius XI, Howard Hughes and Clark Gable! Culminated
by His epic Match race victory over War Admiral, the 1937 Triple Crown winner!
Legendous’ Jockey George Woolf rode another
masterful, victorious race at Pimlico Downs on November 1st, in what was called
the Match of the Century! As I love the descriptions of Woolf’s mind games with
War Admiral’s Charlie Kurtsinger, that Woolf and Seabiscuit won by four
lengths; Pollard’s pre-race prediction. Where the phrase “See Yah Charlie!” was
coined.
As Woolf was simply the most amazing Jockey of
His period! Winning nearly 20% of His races, including nearly one hundred major
races. With a total of 721 wins. With the Iceman later exclaiming He’d never
had more fun riding a Horse then that November day against War Admiral!
Yet Woolf suffered from Type 1 diabetes, during
a time prior to today’s mainstream usage of insulin. As the book describes the
horrible measures Jockey’s went to reducing their weight.
Making it even sadder reading that Woolf died
in a Horse race in January, 1946, most likely falling off due to fainting from
His Diabetes, on a day when He hadn’t wanted to ride. With the whole crowd at Santa
Anita hearing the bone smashing crack of His head hitting the racetrack! Dying
at the age of 35.
Woolf rightly has been elected to multiple Hall
of Fames, and bronze statues of Him and Seabiscuit adorn both Santa Anita Park
and His Hometown of Cardston, Alberta.
As both Woolf and Pollard were fast friends,
both racing in Tijuana, Mexico at Agua Caliente in the late 1920’s. Where Woolf
was adorned with the nickname Iceman, and Pollard became known as Cougar. With
both riders cutting their teeth in what was known as the Bush leagues…
But what fascinated me most about Pollard,
besides His tenacity to persevere from repeated horrific injury! Was that He
was blind in one eye, which He kept as a secret from everybody, except His future
wife Agnes, who was His nurse when recovering from that second crash aboard Modern
Youth in June. An out-of-control runaway Colt!
As Pollard’s leg was almost completely ripped
off His body, with Doctors saving it from amputation! Although proclaiming He’d
never walk or ride Horses again…
Pollard’s lost eyesight, due to being hit with
a rock during a training ride immediately made me think of two-times
Indianapolis 500 winner Tommy Milton, who also was blind in one eye.
As Pollard kept His condition a secret like
Milton thru His racing career, since He’d only ever wanted to be a Jockey. It
was All He knew how to do. And discovery of His Handicap would have meant
immediate dismissal and banning of racing Horses…
I only had one complaint against the Howard’s,
who treated Pollard like He was their son, and paid for all of His medical
costs amongst other things. Was Charles Howard’s unfair cruelness against Woolf
when the Jockey raced Seabiscuit in a “tune-up” race, ironically at Santa Anita
Park. Screaming at Woolf why did you do it George repeatedly!
Towards the end of the race, Seabiscuit injured
His leg. As Woolf heard a crack, but thought Seabiscuit had merely stumbled
over a rough patch on the track, and couldn’t detect anything wrong with the
Stallion. Until Woolf gave the Biscuit’ a second crack of the whip at race’s
end, immediately feeling the change in Seabiscuit’s gait!
Thus, with Seabiscuit out of the 1939 Santa
Anita Handicap, Howard and Smith focused upon another of their Horse’s. With Kayak;
also known as Kayak II for registration purposes winning the Santa Anita
Handicap. Although this was of little solace to the Howard’s who’d wanted to
win the “Hundred Grander” race all along with Seabiscuit.
As Woolf’s incident with Seabiscuit, having
ruptured His front left leg’s suspensory ligament was thought to have ended the
magnificent Seabiscuit’s career…
While its clear to me that both of the
Biscuit’s main riders, i.e.; Pollard and Woolf, who were excellent Jockeys
would never intentionally harm their mounts! As I like both of these men, but
was more impressed by Woolf’s panache, honesty and going the extra mile towards
other Jockeys. Which I suppose is why I cried when reading about His death in
the book!
Yeah I know, Real
men Don’t eat Quiche…
Meanwhile, sometime in the early 1940’s, trainer
“Silent Tom” (Smith) finally parted ways with the Howard’s. And subsequently
went to work for none other than Cosmetics tycoon Elizabeth Arden. Where Smith
humoured Her request for Her Horses using Her products. With the Horses getting
cold cream treatments and perfume “spritzes”.
As Smith would win the 1947 Kentucky Derby for Arden. Retiring in 1955 with 29 major Stakes race wins before dying in 1957, some seven years after Charles Howard.
