He is one of the chosen few that has transcended the sport of Thoroughbred racing.

The most popular horse of his era, countless individuals followed him as he went from a career claimer to champion racehorse. He accomplished all this in the face of the Great Depression, and his rags-to-riches tale made him a symbol of hope for racing fans around the country.

In terms of natural ability, there have been more talented horses. But very few can rival him in popularity, determination, and iconic status. Those elements have made him one of the true rock stars of the sport.

None of that would have seemed possible in the early days of Seabiscuit's career, though. The first years saw him bounce around all over the East, and he spent a while as a maiden before getting his diploma in start number eighteen. Overall, much of the first two seasons Seabiscuit saw action consisted of him dividing his time between maiden, claiming, allowance and handicap races.

Though he won several contests (including some handicaps), he also racked up his share of starts where he went unplaced. A couple of trainers had him in their stable back then, but none could get the best out of him. That included Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons, a conditioner of no less than two Triple Crown champions.

But one trainer had the gift of making Seabiscuit a champion: Tom Smith.

The man known as Silent Tom knew horses, and he proved to be a master with the little son of Hard Tack. Training for Thoroughbred owner and automobile figure Charles S. Howard, Smith took over training duties for Seabiscuit in the summer of 1936. Improvement was evident early on, for the Biscuit began developing more consistency. He won more races and showed up regularly in the top three. It was in that first start under Smith that jockey John "Red" Pollard took the reins for Seabiscuit. And that completed one of the most magical ensembles in all of Thoroughbred racing.

If Seabiscuit improved in the last part of 1936, he turned into a tremendous force in 1937. That marked the first year he became part of the Southern California racing scene. Though he continued to be nomadic like he was in the early years (and would continue to be for just about the rest of his career), Seabiscuit began crafting his legend at Santa Anita. It was during that time he won the San Juan Capistrano and narrowly missed victory in the Santa Anita Handicap, where he famously took second to Rosemont in a photo finish.

But the Biscuit had an outstanding year overall, winning stakes at Bay Meadows and Tanforan in Northern California, and then heading back East a completely different horse than he had been two years prior. Among his victories in that area of the United States were the Brooklyn, Massachussetts and Yonkers Handicaps, all with Pollard wearing the familiar red and white silks of the Howard stable.

In fifteen starts in 1937, Seabiscuit was third or better in all but one of them. And he won eleven times overall, which netted him the title of Champion Handicap Horse.

As the old saying goes, what a difference a year makes.

Seabiscuit's 1937 campaign happened to progress as a colt named War Admiral completely dominated the three-year-old division. In fact, he went undefeated that year as he swept the Triple Crown and took Champion Three-Year-Old and Horse of the Year honors. Both he and Seabiscuit were both popular, and they were also descendants of the legendary Man O'War. And they were destined to meet on track.

Both horses continued their excellent form throughout 1938. Seabiscuit toured the country, winning or placing in stakes in California, Illinois, New York and Maryland. He again lost the Big 'Cap by a nose (this time to Stagehand), but that year also saw him become the very first winner of the Hollywood Gold Cup, and he also repeated as champion of the Bay Meadows Handicap and later beating Ligaroti in a highly publicized race at Del Mar. He also took second in the Stars and Stripes Handicap at Arlington and took the Havre de Grace Handicap in Maryland. As for War Admiral, he went largely unbeaten as he took events like the Widener and Whitney Handicaps.

Both the Biscuit and the Admiral were competing for Horse of the Year honors, and they were going to settle the debate. After much waiting, the match race was set for Pimlico Race Course on November 1, 1938. The distance was a mile and three-sixteenths. The pride of the East against the Best in the West. And the winner was going to get Horse of the Year.

But Seabiscuit would not have Pollard for the big event. A fall earlier in the year sidelined the jockey, and noted money rider George "The Iceman" Woolf took over for much of the season. With the exception of Pollard, no one rode the Biscuit like Woolf, and the two shared many a victory together over time. In short, when it came to teaming with Seabiscuit against War Admiral, and with Pollard out, Woolf was the only man for the job.

Thousands packed Pimlico for the showdown, and the race was broadcast on radio for folks all over the country. Even President Franklin Roosevelt reportedly stopped a meeting to tune into the broadcast. Though both horses certainly had their backers, everybody that heard or witnessed the race live no doubt agreed they never forgot that day.

With just the two horses squaring off, Woolf got Seabiscuit in the front first. War Admiral liked to orchestrate the tempo early, but Seabiscuit beat him to it. The two horses were never that far apart as they commanded the attention of the patrons at Pimlico. They alone turned the race into a battle for the ages.

But on that day, the Biscuit was better. He pulled away from War Admiral, and there was no mistaking the winner in the stretch. Seabiscuit conquered the Triple Crown champion, and at the same time clinched Handicap and Horse of the Year honors. In a way, the little bay horse came full circle when he beat War Admiral. His career began on the East Coast, and it began with a long losing streak before he even won his first race. Almost four years later, he stood as the top horse in the land.

Seabiscuit did not really get the chance to build on his 1938 success the following year. Injured in his debut race, he would not return to the races until 1940. Now seven years old, he was not ready to retire yet. After a third against allowance company and a sixth in the San Carlos Handicap, Seabiscuit took the San Antonio Handicap, the prep race for the Santa Anita Handicap. He was going to give it a third try after just missing in 1937 and 1938, and the fans backed him at odds-on.

An enormous crowd headed to Santa Anita to see their hero try for the Hundred Grander, the one race they wanted him to win. Favored in a field of thirteen, the Biscuit and Pollard (who reunited with him at the start of the 1940 season) traveled along the Santa Anita oval like they had several times before. They were not far from the front as the Big 'Cap progressed, and Seabiscuit's fans watched as they wondered whether victory in California's biggest horse race was going to go to him.

The excitement grew in the stretch as Seabiscuit and Pollard took the lead. Stablemate Kayak II, the defending race winner, followed suit, but the day Seabiscuit's connections and fans had long hoped for finally arrived. Seabiscuit got to the wire in front to the elated roar of the crowd in what instantly turned into both a classic race and one of the most popular moments in Santa Anita history. Along with the trophy, Seabiscuit claimed another title that day, for he became the highest earning Thoroughbred in history.

It could not have happened in any other race. The horse who once started in low-level claiming contests had just taken one of the most presitigous races available in front of his home crowd. And he became the richest Thoroughbred around as he did so. It was a true storybook ending to one of racing's most exalted and fantastic careers.

Seabiscuit retired a champion, and he moved on to life as a stallion. He found far less success in the breeding shed than he did on track. He did sire a couple of stakes winner, however. Sea Swallow captured the 1944 Haggin Stakes at Hollywood Park, and Sea Sovereign won the 1945 Santa Catalina Stakes (now known as the Robert B. Lewis) at Santa Anita.

Seabiscuit lived to the age of fourteen, passing on in 1947. Howard made Ridgewood Ranch, the Biscuit's home, his final resting place. The grave is unmarked, but the Biscuit was buried under a large tree. And though decades have passed since he raced, Seabiscuit has been a part of Southern California racing for much of that time. And that has not been limited to just the history books.

A statue of the Biscuit has long been a part of Santa Anita, and fans can see it in the walking ring behind the grandstand. Underneath the statue is a plaque detailing the fact he was owned by Howard and that he won the 1940 Big 'Cap to become the highest earning Thoroughbred at the time. After years of competing and winning at Santa Anita, the little horse who turned into racing's biggest star still oversees his old stomping ground.

Over at Del Mar, the Seabiscuit Handicap is part of the stakes schedule for the Bing Crosby Season each autumn, a nice nod to the equine who gave Del Mar its first big race when he took on Ligaroti.

Throughout the years, old-timers who had been around the sport (and specifically the Northern and Southern California circuits), no doubt remembered Seabiscuit and his adventures. But a whole new generation was introduced to him at the dawn of the twenty-first century thanks to author Laura Hillenbrand. She wrote a highly regarded biography on the Biscuit, and that served as the basis for a hit movie. Both works ensured that Seabiscuit's story will be handed down throughout the twenty-first century, and that will only enhance his already abundant popularity.

He was Thoroughbred racing's quintessential underdog who defied all odds to become a champion. And he did so in one of the toughest times in American history. But Seabiscuit was not one to just quit and go home. He fought for everything he ever achieved, and that has made him into one of the sport's undisputed icons.

Smith, Howard, Pollard and Woolf all believed in him. And the fans believed in him. Seabiscuit was not just a racing champion. He was the people's champion.

But most of all, he is an inspiration to millions in the present day.