Describes the life and accomplishments of the race horse Seabiscuit, who thrived with a loving jockey and trainer and won the hearts of millions around the country.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the author of the runaway phenomenon Unbroken comes a universal underdog story about the horse who came out of nowhere to become a legend. Seabiscuit was one of the most electrifying and popular attractions in sports history and the single biggest newsmaker in the world in 1938, receiving more coverage than FDR, Hitler, or Mussolini. But his success was a surprise to the racing establishment, which had written off the crooked-legged racehorse with the sad tail. Three men changed Seabiscuit’s fortunes: Charles Howard was a onetime bicycle repairman who introduced the automobile to the western United States and became an overnight millionaire. When he needed a trainer for his new racehorses, he hired Tom Smith, a mysterious mustang breaker from the Colorado plains. Smith urged Howard to buy Seabiscuit for a bargain-basement price, then hired as his jockey Red Pollard, a failed boxer who was blind in one eye, half-crippled, and prone to quoting passages from Ralph Waldo Emerson. Over four years, these unlikely partners survived a phenomenal run of bad fortune, conspiracy, and severe injury to transform Seabiscuit from a neurotic, pathologically indolent also-ran into an American sports icon. BONUS: This edition contains a Seabiscuit discussion guide and an excerpt from Unbroken. Praise for Seabiscuit “Fascinating . . . Vivid . . . A first-rate piece of storytelling, leaving us not only with a vivid portrait of a horse but a fascinating slice of American history as well.”—The New York Times “Engrossing . . . Fast-moving . . . More than just a horse’s tale, because the humans who owned, trained, and rode Seabiscuit are equally fascinating. . . . [Laura Hillenbrand] shows an extraordinary talent for describing a horse race so vividly that the reader feels like the rider.”—Sports Illustrated “REMARKABLE . . . MEMORABLE . . . JUST AS COMPELLING TODAY AS IT WAS IN 1938.”—The Washington Post

An introduction to the life and career of Seabiscuit, the race horse who set sixteen track records and won more prize money than any other horse.

Award-winning nonfiction picture book creator Meghan McCarthy tells the story of how an undersized, crooked-legged horse became one of the greatest racing champions of all time. In the late 1930s, times were tough. The United States was in the middle of the Great Depression, and people were desperate for something to believe in. They found their inspiration in Seabiscuit, a rags-to-riches, crooked-legged, overweight horse who ran more like a duck than a champion. Seabiscuit was the descendent of Man O’ War, one of the greatest racing horses in history but he had yet to win a single race. How did this downtrodden horse come to rise through the ranks and face off against Triple Crown champion, War Admiral? In her trademark easy-to-follow narrative voice, Meghan McCarthy brings the ultimate underdog story to life in this fact-filled picture book.

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. Moving and inspirational, "Come on Seabiscuit!" is a reminder of the qualities that make a real American champion.

In a monumental and important work for the Thoroughbred industry, author and pedigree researcher Avalyn Hunter provides extensive pedigree analysis of every American classic race winner from 1914 through 2002.

Experience the greatest horse race in history as Seabiscuit, the Western underdog, takes on Triple Crown Champion, War Admiral, in the 1938 Pimlico Special. Both horses are record-breaking Thoroughbreds. Both have the best trainers and jockeys in the country. Both possess lightning speed, good breeding, and competitive instincts. Find out who wins the match race of the century and what happens in the final seconds of the race that lands one horse in the winner's circle while the other is left in the dust. Seabiscuit vs War Admiral is based on a true story. Includes classroom discussion topics, writing assignments, a glossary of over 70 horse racing terms, and other resources for teachers.