Seabiscuit Anniversary Celebration Planned
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On March 7 at Santa Anita Park the track and Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation (SHF) will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of Seabiscuit and Red Pollard's history-making win in the Santa Anita Handicap of 1940.
Festivities will include a presentation of a bronze sculpture of Seabiscuit and Pollard titled "Final Victory" to the 2015 Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) winner by Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation president Jacqueline Cooper.
"It is an honor to help commemorate the 75th anniversary of this historic achievement at Santa Anita Park. Seabiscuit was a depression-era hero that, thanks to Laura Hillenbrand, continues to inspire. The horse embodies hope," said Cooper, adding that Seabiscuit's owner, C.S. Howard, one of Santa Anita's original investors, would have been pleased.
The winning jockey will receive a St. Christopher medal from June Donaldson, SHF media and public relations director. Apparently, prior to the 1940 race, Marcela Howard, Seabiscuit's registered owner, pinned a St. Christopher's medal on the left side of Seabiscuit's saddle blanket and Agnes Pollard (Red Pollard's wife) had given him the same medal to wear in the race, thus the significance of the gift.
Donaldson also will present the winning jockey with an inscribed copy of a poem written by Norah Pollard Christianson. The poem is called "Questions I Never Asked My Father" and it is from Norah Pollard's book of poems called "Leaning In," a tribute to Pollard and his passion for his craft.
The March 7 program will further include a chance for race fans to win a limited edition Seabiscuit print from the Howard family private collection. The original artwork was commissioned by Marcela Howard and is said to be a personal favorite. Proceeds will support ongoing historic preservation and conservation efforts at historic Ridgewood Ranch, home and final resting place of the legendary racehorse. Members of the Howard and Pollard families will be present to participate in the events at Santa Anita.
The Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation also will have a display table at the Big 'Cap where information on the foundation, membership, Ridgewood Ranch tour information, and Seabiscuit buttons will be available to racing fans.
On Saturday, Feb. 28, Santa Anita Park has announced that it will host a post-race screening of the 2003 movie "Seabiscuit."