Seabiscuit had his first start at Hialeah on January 19, 1935, and ran an indifferent fourth. He ran again three days later. The trainer didn't expect victory. He was just trying to get the colt off his hands, entering him in a five hundred dollar claiming race. Seabiscuit finished well to get second place, but wasn't claimed. He faced the starter for the fifth time on March 8, and ran fourth. He then joined assistant trainer G. Tappen in Maryland.
    There, Seabiscuit ran another five times in a space of twenty one days, but did no better than a second and two thirds. The son of Hard Tack then rejoined Sunny Jim's main string. On the first of May Seabiscuit ran second in an allowance race at Jamaica. Two days later he ran again, this time well out of the money. He improved marginly at Rockingham, being placed twice in three starts, and was then sent to face stakes opposition.

    Still a maiden, Seabiscuit improved to run third in the Juvenile Handicap, and was second three days later in a maiden special weight. Finally he scored his first win on June 22, 1935, winning an allowance race by two lengths at Rockingham Park. His time of 1:01 equaled the track record for five furlongs. Four days later Seabiscuit took the Watch Hill Claiming Stakes by two lengths, breaking the track record in the process, but the winning streak did not last. He only managed to place once in his next five starts, running second in an allowance race at Suffolk Downs.
    By the end of September Seabiscuit was sixth behind future Kentucky Derby winner Bold Venture in an allowance race at Saratoga, was sixth again in the Babylon Handicap at Aqueduct, and two days later was third in the mud. He finally got to the winner's circle again after winning a weaker race, then ran fourth in the Eastern Shore Handicap.
    A week later he was a well beaten ninth in the Remsen Handicap, and could do no better in the Constitution Stakes, finishing tenth. Finally given two weeks off, Seabiscuit won the Springfield Handicap at Agawam in track record time, then won the Ardsley Handicap at Empire City by 3 lengths, again setting a new record. He was second in the Pawtucket Handicap, and was unplaced in the Walden Handicap, where he pulled up sore, ending his first season.

    Seabiscuit had run thirty five times as a Two year old, winning five times, running second seven times, and earning $12,510.

     The cranky disposition that Seabiscuit developed that winter was sometimes attributed to the fact that he was never allowed to win any of the gallops he had with stablemate Granville. The cause could have simply been pain in his inflamed knee or a lack of recreation, but regardless of the reason, Seabiscuit became moody, losing weight and condition.
    Seabiscuit began his three year old campaign at Jamaica, running second and third in the space of only five days. After a couple of fourths, he won an allowance race at Narragansett. He was then outclassed in the New Hampshire Handicap, sixth in an another weak handicap, and tenth in the Commonwealth Handicap before scoring again, this time in an allowance race at Suffolk Downs. He was fourth in the Miles Standish Handicap, then scored a six length win in the Mohawk Claiming Stakes and a week later he won an overnight handicap by four lengths.

     Tom Smith then took an interest in the bay son of Hard Tack, and bought him on behalf of Charles Howard for the bargain price of $7,500. Becoming involved with Seabiscuit was the turning point in Tom Smith's career. The first thing Tom Smith did for Seabiscuit was provide him with a social life. He first tried putting a goat in the stall, but when the creature got between Seabiscuit and his dinner, the horse picked it up by the neck and set it firmly outside the door. So instead, the trainer put Pumpkin, the stable pony, in with Seabiscuit. Through the rest of his career, Seabiscuit either roomed with Pumpkin, or was put in the stall next door, and his trainer would cut a hole in the wall so the two horses could visit. Tom Smith was obviously an innovative trainer and also devised a knee and ankle brace for Seabiscuit to wear in the stall, and also kept the horse rather creatively bandaged. The horse's crankiness faded with time. The story goes that the first time Tom worked his new charge, he rode the horse himself and he bolted with him. The horse only stopped when he realized his rider wasn't making any attempt to slow him down.
    It was also at this time that Red Pollard, a former boxer who had won only three stakes races in his entire career, became Seabiscuit's new regular rider, and the pair seemed to hit it off almost immediately.
    Seabiscuit next raced in Detroit, running in the Motor City Handicap, and ran fourth to champion mare of that year Myrtlewood. Next came an overnight handicap, and Seabiscuit found trouble but still flew home for third. Then he won the Governor's Handicap, beating Professor Paul, who had been third in the Motor City Handicap, by a neck.
    After running unplaced in the De La Salle Handicap, Seabiscuit ran once more in Detroit, winning the Hendrie handicap by four lengths. Then it was on to River Downs in Ohio.
    Seabiscuit then ran third twice, finishing fast both times before winning the Scarsdale Handicap at Empire City in a photo finish. He was third again when he ran out of galloping room in the Yorktown Handicap, then went on to Bay Meadows and won the prestigous Bay Bridge Handicap by five lengths. In his final start of the season, Seabiscuit led from pillar to post to win the World's Fair handicap by five lengths. Having broken two track records in a row, he had certainly earned a lengthy spell.

     After winning easily first up in an open Handicap, Seabiscuit was an unlucky fifth in the San Antonio Handicap. He was forced to race wide after severe interference and still flew home at the finish. Tom Smith was impressed with the run and immediately set him for the world's richest horse race, the Santa Anita Derby.
    In a race that he should have won with his ears pricked, Pollard took him to the front too soon although he fought on gamely, Rosemont emerged from the ruck and flew home down the middle of the track. He won by a nose in the final stride.
    Red Pollard correctly blamed his own overconfidence for the loss, and the pair quickly set about making amends for the defeat.

    One week later Seabiscuit took the San Juan Capistrano Handicap, by seven lengths in track record time, followed by the Marchbank Handicap which he coasted in to win by three lengths, then he won the Bay Meadows Handicap easily, by a length and a quarter.
    Seabiscuit returned to the east coast and in one of his strongest efforts fought off Aneroid to win the Brooklyn Handicap by a nose. The Santa Anita Derby winner Rosemont was among the beaten brigade.
    After a brief letup he then easily won the Butler Handicap at Empire City by a length and a half, giving away weight and winning even after suffering severe interference. He then took the Yonkers Handicap by four lengths carrying almost 59 kg, breaking another track record, and carried 59 kg to victory in the Massachusetts Handicap after War Admiral was scratched.

     Refusing to give the iron horse a rest, Seabiscuit gamely carried 60 kg in the Narragansett Special on a slow track. Calumet Dick splashed home the winner by a length, while Seabiscuit ran third. A month later he won the Continental Handicap at Jamaica by five lengths, and then showed true grit in dead heating with Heelfly in the Laurel Handicap while giving him almost 6 kg. He carried 59 kg to victory at Pimlico, then was beaten an inch by Esposa, after giving the speedy mare almost 7 kg.
    Finally satisfied with the season, Smith and Seabiscuit returned to the west coast to train for the Santa Anita Handicap. He had earned $168,580 as a four year old, winning eleven of his fifteen races. He had lost two photo finishes, and had only been unplaced once, in the San Antonio. He was named champion handicap horse, and he was also the season's leading money winner, but War Admiral was crowned Horse of the Year, having won the Triple Crown. That the two hadn't met that year was very disappointing to the racegoers and connections.

     Red Pollard was seriously injured in the San Carlos Handicap, and Seabiscuit began his five year old season with a substitute rider, Sonny Workman. He scored a hard fought second in the San Antonio Handicap, getting nosed out by Aneroid while giving him 5.5 kgs. Smith blamed Workman for the loss, and George Woolf was hired to ride Seabiscuit until Pollard recovered.
    Seabiscuit's next race was his second try at the Big Cap. Eighteen horses went to post for the 1938 Santa Anita Handicap. Seabiscuit was top weight with 59 kg. Pompoon and Aneroid were each to carry 54.5 kg. Strangely the three-year-old Stagehand somehow got in the race with the feather weight of 45.5 kg, despite having won the Santa Anita Derby.
    After suffering severe interference at the start, Seabiscuit struggled to make up ground during the race. In a magnificent effort he surged from the turn to hit the front from Aneroid, but was bloused in the shadows of the post by the lightly weighted Stagehand.

     A leading Sportswriter of the time, Clem McCarthy wrote the next day:
"Seabiscuit, how great a horse - and how unfortunate! What kind of a race is it that makes such things possible? The pitting of a horse burdened with 130 pounds against one carrying an even hundred! Where are the reason, equity, the sportsmanship, involved? The money went to the three-year-old with a feather on his back. But nothing can ever give him the glory or take it away from the little horse with 130 pounds. A brilliant race, a wonderful race, a magnificent, a thrilling, a record-breaking race. Pile up the adjectives as you will. But one in which the best horse was unjustly beaten."

    War Admiral, in the meantime, had won the Widener Cup at Hialeah. Both Arlington and Belmont Parks offered $100,000 purses to host a winner-take-all match race. Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons stated that Seabiscuit would win if the race took place, but Seabiscuit's connections would not let him go to post in such an event until Red Pollard could ride again.
While Pollard healed, Seabiscuit went to Mexico and won the Agua Caliente Handicap. He carried 60.5 kgs to victory in the Bay Meadows Handicap, and then went to New York for his date with destiny to meet the Triple Crown winner, the mighty War Admiral.
    Unfortunately for everyone, Seabiscuit and War Admiral spent weeks enduring a media circus before the event was cancelled, due to Seabiscuit's knee becoming badly inflamed. He was rested, and the meeting between the two champions was rescheduled. They would meet in the upcoming Massachusetts Handicap instead.
    Incredibly disaster struck again when Red Pollard climbed aboard a problem horse and was thrown into the running rail. The distraught Pollard was told by doctors he would never ride again, and would be lucky if he could even walk. George Woolf was the logical choice to ride Seabiscuit against War Admiral.
    The day of the Massachusetts Handicap arrived, and while the weather was lovely the track was heavy. Seabiscuit still might have gone to post, but when he was unbandaged his tendon was found to be inflamed. To the bitter disappointment of the record crowd, Seabiscuit was scratched after the track veterinarians inspection.
    War Admiral failed to handle the heavy conditions and instead of going to the lead immediately, as was his normal racing pattern, he was well back throughout. He showed none of his usual fight and failed to run on at any stage. Previous juvenile champion Menow cantered to a remarkable eight length win while the Triple Crown winner faded to fourth.
    When Seabiscuit returned to the races he flew home after a bad start to finish second in the Stars and Stripes Handicap while conceding 10.5 kg to the winner, then carried 60.5 kg to easily win the Hollywood Gold Cup.

     A match race was arranged between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti, an Argentinian speed machine who had won a number of stakes races for owner Bing Crosby. In a thrilling race the two were never more than a head apart, and at the post Seabiscuit won by a nose. He had given away almost 7kgs. Next it was back to the east coast for the Manhattan Handicap. Caught in traffic and forced wide, Seabiscuit was third. He redeemed himself by beating Menow in the Havre de Grace Handicap while giving him 4 kgs.
    Seabiscuit was beaten by the brilliant Jacola when he tried to give her a ridiculous 11 kgs in the Laurel Stakes, and therefore he had lost his most recent race when the 'Match of the Century' finally took place in the Pimlico Special, which War Admiral had won the previous year. War Admiral seemed to have all of the advantages. The conditions of the race included a walk up start and level weights. In a match race, the horse who gets the early lead usually has the advantage, and War Admiral was accustomed to leading throughout, while Seabiscuit normal racing pattern was to come from behind. But Tom Smith had other plans.

    Seabiscuit was schooled in secret for the walk up starts, and he bolted away from the Triple Crown winner. In an epic contest for the ages, the Biscuit as he was affectionately being known and with a radio audience of over 40 million cheering him on, refused to surrender the lead and cruised to the post to win easing up by four lengths.

     Seabiscuit could have retired the undisputed champion of his day. The win over War Admiral had clinched for him Horse of the Year honors, and it didn't seem he had anything more to prove. When he ran second in an allowance race at Santa Anita in February, it seemed his racing days were over. Tragically he pulled up lame, and was finally retired to stud.
    However there was yet another chapter to be written, and Seabiscuit returned to the races at the age of seven. Successful sporting comebacks are rare, and horses simply were not brought out of retirement after a year at stud. Remarkably, Seabiscuit's connections were determined to try. Red Pollard climbed up on the champion, claiming that they had four good legs between them, and Seabiscuit ran in an overnight handicap at Santa Anita. He gave 4.5 kgs to Heelfly, with whom he had dead heated three years before, and finished third. He then finished out of a place in the San Carlos Handicap.
    It was decided to give the horse one more chance, and in the San Antonio Handicap, the unbelievable happened and the mighty horse was back, streaking home to win by two and a half lengths. He was immediately set for a final try at the Santa Anita Handicap, in which he was to carry 59kg. There can be few Champions that dominate a race of the calibre of the Santa Anita Handicap the way the magnificent Seabiscuit did that day. Red Pollard kept close to the early leaders, but wide, then took command at the top of the straight. At the post it was Seabiscuit, winning easily by a length and a half. His time of 2:01 1/5 was a new track record. The win made him the all time leading money winner, topping Sun Beau by $60,986 with $437,730 in lifetime earnings. Seabiscuit was then finally and permanently retired.

    It is surely fitting that a life sized bronze statue of Seabiscuit stands at Santa Anita, reminding racegoers for all time of his mighty triumphs.