son, filling the void left by Howard's loss. Although Howard seeks media attention and is outspoken, beneath his bravado lies a gentle and kind-hearted man.

Lin Howard

Charles Howard's eldest son, Lin, joins forces with Bing Crosby to establish a stable of thoroughbreds and compete with his father's prominence on the racing circuit. His wife is Marcela Zabala's sister, and it is Lin and his spouse who introduce Marcela to Charles.

Marcela Zabala Howard

Marcela, Charles Howard's second wife, is the sister of his daughter-in-law. A striking brunette, she is a former actress and was once crowned the Lettuce Queen of Salinas, California. Despite being half Howard's age, they are well-suited to each other. They share a vibrant empathy, a passion for horses and the limelight, and a zest for life.

Agnes Pollard

Agnes Pollard serves as Red Pollard's nurse during his recovery from a life-threatening riding injury. Despite their stark differences in social class and education, she eventually becomes his wife. Together, they have two children, Norah and John. Besides being his devoted nurse and soulmate, Agnes comprehends her husband's need to continue his career despite his physical setbacks. She succumbs to cancer just two weeks after Red's death in 1981.

Johnny Pollard

See Red Pollard

Seabiscuit's main jockey, Johnny "Red" Pollard, is a refined and physically fit intellectual with striking orange hair. Born in 1910 in Edmonton, Canada, as one of six siblings, Pollard enjoyed a prosperous upbringing until a flood destroyed his father's brick factory, wiping out the family fortune. Despite being a bright child with a passion for literature, Pollard was too restless and adventurous to pursue an academic path. Instead, he developed a love for two sports that would shape his life: horse racing and boxing. While one of his brothers became a champion boxer, Red often found himself being used as a punching bag by more skilled fighters. At fifteen, he moved to the United States and embarked on a career in the bush leagues—a rough, unregulated, and occasionally illegal form of horse racing. Although he quickly picked up the skills, he struggled to win races and had to rely on boxing to avoid starvation.

Despite starting as an unlikely and awkward jockey, Red built a reputation for handling challenging horses well, eventually crossing paths with Howard, Smith, and Seabiscuit. This partnership seemed ideal until a series of bizarre accidents forced Pollard into recovery, during which he was told he'd never ride again. He also faced battles with alcohol and drug addiction. However, like Seabiscuit, Pollard refused to give up. He fashioned a brace for his injured leg and returned to racing, winning the Santa Anita Handicap with Seabiscuit.

Samuel Riddle

Samuel Riddle, the owner of Man o'War and War Admiral, Seabiscuit's main competitors, represents the traditional, stern, and affluent East Coast racing elite. Although the book lacks a clear antagonist, Riddle is portrayed as a stubborn businessman and tough negotiator. He stands in stark contrast to Howard, leading to frequent conflicts between the two throughout the story. Riddle's horse, War Admiral, is widely regarded as Seabiscuit's chief rival among racing enthusiasts.

Seabiscuit

Seabiscuit, the unlikely hero of the story, is a three-year-old, mud-colored colt who brings the main characters together. Despite his unassuming appearance, Seabiscuit comes from champion lineage, being the grandson of the renowned Man o'War and the son of Hard Tack. Unlike his illustrious ancestors, Seabiscuit is short, stocky, and low to the ground with a short tail, square knees, and stubby legs, making him look far from a winner. In fact, his favorite activities include eating and taking long naps, which is not typical thoroughbred behavior. When he runs, he sways from side to side rather than moving straight ahead and often trips over his own feet.

Before meeting trainer Smith, Seabiscuit had been pushed to his limits by previous trainers and riders, resulting in near burnout from an exhausting routine. Beneath his sorrowful and unkempt appearance, the horse possessed a spirited demeanor—exactly what Smith and Howard were looking for. With generous amounts of kindness and attention from both Smith and Pollard, Seabiscuit began to trust humans. Despite facing injuries and obstacles, he confidently stepped into the national spotlight, breaking records in both speed and earnings while capturing the hearts of American racing enthusiasts.

Tom Smith

Tom Smith navigates the edges of two worlds, longing for the cowboy era of the Old West while existing in a rapidly modernizing society. This seasoned wrangler has spent much of his life with animals, training mustangs for the British cavalry and moving between ranch foreman jobs and Wild West shows. Reserved and introverted, he seldom speaks to people, preferring to live outdoors or in barn stalls where he perfects his ability to communicate with horses.

By the 1930s, Smith appears older than his late fifties and carries an air of near invisibility. He is an unremarkable man with gray hair, always wearing a gray felt fedora. Even in his youth, Smith favored the company of animals over humans, dedicating his early years to hunting deer, tracking mountain lions, and herding cattle across the plains. As the Wild West tames, Smith drifts away from the disappearing frontier to the Unaweep Cattle Range in Colorado, where he spends two decades as a ranch foreman. When the ranch is sold in 1924, the aging and jobless cowboy joins Charlie Irwin's Wild West Show, where his talent as a trainer is recognized and flourishes. By the time he meets Howard and deals with Seabiscuit, Smith is renowned as a miracle worker with challenging horses.

Sunny Jim

See James Fitzsimmons

War Admiral

War Admiral, the offspring of Man o'War—who also fathered Seabiscuit's sire—is the top racehorse in the eastern United States and becomes Seabiscuit's chief rival. With a jet-black coat and a regal demeanor, War Admiral conquers the Triple Crown, surpassing his sire's track record and setting an American record for speed. With these achievements, he is the horse to beat during the mid-1920s and 1930s.

Alfred Vanderbilt

Alfred Vanderbilt is the young owner of the Pimlico racetrack in Maryland, the venue for the Preakness Stakes. He successfully orchestrates a head-to-head race between Seabiscuit, representing the new wave of western racing, and War Admiral, the pride of the eastern establishment. Vanderbilt acts as a mediator between Howard and Riddle, determining the purse and persuading Riddle of the match's significance.

George Woolf

Woolf, Seabiscuit's secondary jockey, epitomizes the quintessential professional cowboy. Clad in exaggerated western attire, Woolf, often referred to as the Iceman, commands respect with his calm demeanor, unaffected by others' opinions and unfazed by the unpredictability of his lifestyle. A true perfectionist, Woolf abandons his dream of joining the Canadian Mounties and channels his skills into horse racing instead. He meticulously studies the sport, his competitors, and the racecourses, ultimately becoming one of the nation's top jockeys. Woolf and Pollard share a friendship rooted in their intellect and humor. When Pollard is unable to ride due to physical limitations, he suggests Woolf to Howard as his successor; it is Woolf who guides Seabiscuit to victory in the legendary race against War Admiral.