Seabiscuit: An American Legend

Laura Hillenbrand structures the narrative around three men: the eccentric automobile magnate Charles Howard, the silent and tragic trainer Tom Smith, and the alcoholic jockey Red Pollard. The book details how these three "broken" men found redemption through their partnership with an undersized, difficult horse.

Yes, Hillenbrand's 2001 biography was adapted into a major motion picture directed by Gary Ross in 2003. The film, starring Tobey Maguire as Red Pollard and Jeff Bridges as Charles Howard, was nominated for seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.

Yes, the climax of the book centers on the legendary 1938 match race between Seabiscuit and the Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Hillenbrand goes into great detail explaining how trainer Tom Smith secretly trained Seabiscuit to get a fast start against the heavily favored East Coast champion.

Hillenbrand reveals that Red Pollard suffered from near-blindness in his right eye due to an earlier riding accident, a secret he carefully kept to keep riding. The book also covers his devastating, near-fatal fall at Pimlico that shattered his chest, an injury that remarkably set up Seabiscuit's famous 1940 Santa Anita Handicap comeback.