Monday, November 16, 2015

In Seabiscuit: An American Legend, what were the qualities that made this horse a winner?Seabiscuit possessed all the qualities for which the...

I guess I have to differ from the premise of the
question.  If one looked at Seabiscuit, I think that the most evident elements of a
prototypical thoroughbred are not present.  He lacks those elements that a horse such as
Man O' War so broadly displays.  Seabiscuit's talent lies in his spirit and his ability
to overcome fear to trust in order to display his talent.  The idea that is so cliched,
but so very true in this instance, is that Seabiscuit lacked the credentials of the
so-called "winner," but possessed the spirit to win in his heart that made him a
champion.  I don't think that Seabiscuit presented himself as part of the racing legacy
and establishment.  Rather, his background of being abused by establishment trainers and
stakeholders caused him to relegate himself to the periphery, similar to Pollard, Smith,
and Howard.  These figures were not accepted as overall "winners," but became so through
an irrepressible desire to form community and trust in the bonds of
solidarity.

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