Tom Smith

The public hero Seabiscuit was the most famous horse trained by Robert Thomas “Silent Tom” Smith, who also trained four other champions and a Kentucky Derby winner.

Inducted

2001

Born

May 20, 1878, Georgia

Died

Jan. 23, 1957, Glendale, California

Career

1933-1957

Biography

The public hero Seabiscuit was the most famous horse trained by Robert Thomas “Silent Tom” Smith, who also trained four other champions and a Kentucky Derby winner.

Born in the hill country of Georgia in 1878 but raised in the West, Smith worked for both the racing stable and Wild West Show owned by C. B. “Cowboy” Irwin, twice the nation’s leading trainer in wins. Smith later became trainer for Charles S. Howard, and they purchased the Hall of Famer Seabiscuit for $8,000. The horse became the leading money earner of the time with $437,730 and was Horse of the Year and champion handicapper in 1938. Seabiscuit won stakes from coast to coast, including the Pimlico Special against Hall of Famer and Triple Crown winner War Admiral and the Santa Anita Handicap.

Smith also trained champion handicappers Kayak II and Mioland. Later training in the East for Maine Chance Farm, he conditioned both the juvenile male and juvenile filly champions of 1945, Star Pilot and Beaugay, respectively.

In 1947, Smith won the Kentucky Derby with Maine Chance’s Jet Pilot.

Smith led all North American trainers in earnings in 1940 and 1945. His 29 stakes winners also included Lord Boswell, Porter’s Cap, and War Jeep.