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Chat wrap: Laura Hillenbrand


Laura Hillenbrand
Welcome to ESPN.com's moderated chat room. On Friday, May 18, horse racing writer Laura Hillenbrand dropped by to take user questions on the 126th Preakness Stakes.

Hillenbrand, author of the bestselling Seabiscuit: An American Legend, has been writing about Thoroughbred racing since 1988 and has been a contributing writer/editor to EQUUS magazine since 1989. Her work has also appeared in American Heritage, Talk magazine, ABC Sports Online, The Blood-Horse, Thoroughbred Times, The Backstretch, Turf and Sports Digest, and many other publications. Her 1988 American Heritage article on Seabiscuit won the Eclipse Award for Magazine Writing, the highest journalistic honor in Thoroughbred racing.

Hillenbrand is currently serving as a consultant on a Universal Pictures movie based on Seabiscuit: An American Legend. Born in Fiarfax, Virginia, Hillenbrand lives in Washington, D.C. and can be found at www.seabiscuitonline.com.

For a list of upcoming ESPN.com chat guests, visit the Community section.

Laura Hillenbrand: Thanks to everyone for coming ...

AI: If Monarchos doesn't win the Preakness tomorrow, what will there be to look at when the Belmont rolls around? What will you be watching for?

Laura Hillenbrand: It really depends on what we see in the Preakness. Monarchos could certainly lose but he could lose to an extraordinary horse which would only raise interest in the Belmont.

steven: What do you make of Point Given's latest flair up? Should Baffert be nervous?

Laura Hillenbrand: I see Point Given not as a rouge or as a nervous horse but as an overly good feeling horse. The horses I worry about are the very nervous ones who wash out very badly "leave their race in the paddock" Point Given is not that kind of horse. He is playful and head strong but he is not intimidated by racing. I don't see it as having an impact on his performance. Fusaichi Pegasus was the same way.

Alan: I just read the story about Baffert and deciding where he will saddle Point Given and Congaree. What do you think he will do?

Laura Hillenbrand: I would imagine he would choose to saddle indoors in the normal paddock.

Highmaybulin (San Diego): Nice to see you back... What are the major obstacles to monarchos repeating in the preakness?

Laura Hillenbrand: In the Kentucky Derby, Monarchos had a dream trip. He had a blistering pace set ahead of him which killed off all speed horses and then he had a ground saving trip throughout the race. It could not have developed more perfectly for him. I don't see that kind of pace developing in the Preakness. This may not compromise him but it can't help either.

Steve, Chicago: One more time. Aside from pressure from his owners, wouldn't it be wise to run only Congaree in the Preakness and save Point Given for the 1.5 mile Belmont.

Laura Hillenbrand: I think that while Congaree ran the better race in the Derby and was probably the best horse in the field, Point Given has an enormous chance to win the Preakness. He didn't show up for the Derby but that was not like him. I expect him to return to his brilliant form in the Preakness. Congaree may be the better racehorse but I am concerned that he had such a rigorous race in the Derby and may not have recovered enough to run his best race in the Preakness.

Mike, NY: Do you see any long shots having a chance tomorrow?

Laura Hillenbrand: The strongest horse aside from the top three is probably A P Valentine. But he has not run well against top competition this year. He had an extremely difficult trip in the Derby and probably would have placed a lot higher had he had a clean trip. But I don't have a lot of faith in that horse. I think the race is between Point Given, Monarchos and Congaree.

Barry (NYC): So, what did Point Given do to tick off the gods of post positions?

Laura Hillenbrand: I think his post position isn't going to handicap him much. The horse is very tractable in a race and Gary Stevens can place him anywhere he wants to so I don't think it will hurt him.

Boston: Are you related to Shea Hillenbrand of the Boston Red Sox?

Laura Hillenbrand: Not that I know of .. people ask me that ALOT.

Steve, Plattsburgh, NY: Will Dollar Bill recover from the horrible run he had at The Derby?

Laura Hillenbrand: Dollar Bill is the unluckiest horse in America. He seems to find trouble wherever he goes. I think he might need more of a pace to run at. He might hit the board but I don't see him having much of a chance to win.

Ken (Washington): I have to sneak one book question in, especially after ringing up a week's worth of library fines. Your book notes mentioned that you bought a copy of the Biscuit/War Admiral race. Any chance that it could be added to your website to watch?

Laura Hillenbrand: Unfortunately no because I don't own the broadcast rights to it. However, TVG will be doing a feature on Seabiscuit sometime soon and they will be showing it and you can tape it then. I will post the airdate when I learn it on my website www. seabiscuitonline.com.

Lisa/Redmond, WA: Loved your book on Seabiscuit. What excellent reporting.

Is Monarchos getting a bad rap? He ran in fabulous time in the Derby. Why is everyone still talking about Point Given?

Laura Hillenbrand: Monarchos did indeed run very fast in the Derby however the time is somewhat suspect because the track was exceptionally fast that day. Three track records were set that afternoon including one by a two-year-old. On a normal track his time would probably be more like 2:01 or 2:02. But Monarchos is a very very strong contender in this race. His victory in the Derby was not a fluke.

I think a lot of us are gravitating back to Point Given because he has shown so much brilliance in the past that the Derby appears to have been an aberration.

Jimbo: If you were a horse what would your name be?

Laura Hillenbrand: How about Secretariat? Or maybe that is wishful thinking ...

Brian Cleveland Brooklyn,NY: How is the Pimlico racing surface different today than in 1938?

Laura Hillenbrand: It is very different. The composition of racetracks today is very different than it was back then. I am not an expert on track surface but you can see in the old racing films, huge amounts of dust coming up under their feet so that closers are often completely obscured from view. Tracks were about 2-3 seconds slower than they are today. Track maintenance was very different back then so that tracks drained unevenly and appear to have stayed wet longer.

Steve Fenwick, Washington, DC: Invisible Ink came back from the dead to finish second in the Derby. His sire is Thunder Gulch. His dam's father is Conquistador Cielo. If he is healthy, could he win The Belmont?

Laura Hillenbrand: He has a good shot but contrary to popular belief, closers rarely win the Belmont. Though it is an extremely long race, tactical speed is very important to winning. So I would look more for a horse with more early speed, a frontrunner or a pace stalker.

Ron (Okla. City): Would it be safe to say that the combination box of Monarchos,Congaree and Point Given would be the best bet in a trifecta in the Preakness this year?

Laura Hillenbrand: It probably wouldn't pay much! But is is the most logical. But in Triple Crown races, there is almost always a big surprise. Someone you didn't consider as having a big chance hitting the board.

Brian: Who is your favorite horse of all time?? Mine is Charismatic[he inspired me to never give up, always keep trying. I just recv'd my degree @37] Plus I made a ton of cash on him ;-)

Laura Hillenbrand: Seabiscuit. He is the most charismatic and likeable horse I know of. His story is endlessly fascinating to me. I also love him because of his owner, trainer and jockey who were all immensely talented, likeable and similarly star crossed individuals. Together they make the ultimate underdog story.

Laura Hillenbrand: My other favorites are Exterminator, Coaltown, and Alysheba and Easy Goer.

Tommy Rogers (Huntingtown MD): How long did it take to write your book and who has the best story to win the Preakness?

Laura Hillenbrand: I spent four years writing the book. As for the best story, I would say Dollar Bill. He is a horse who has encountered extraordinary bad luck in his last three races including clipping heels and coming an inch from somersaulting to the track two starts ago. He is a very courageous horse who tries very hard in spite of the hurdles he has encountered. It would be pleasing to see him win.

Mazzochi (Arizona): My thinking is that Monarchos because of the short track at Pimlico will not get there. What does Chavez have to do to win?

Laura Hillenbrand: More than anything else, Chavez needs to be able to sense how fast the pace is ahead of him and position his horse accordingly. If the pace is very fast as it was in the Derby, he needs to let the horse to drop back and let the speed horses burn each other out. If the pace is slower, he must position the horse closer to the pace so he can prevent the horses up front from stealing the race. He rode a perfect race in the Derby and he is capable of doing it again in the Preakness. If you see the horses up front setting a pace of 47 seconds or slower for the half mile, and Monarchos is still lagging at the back of the pack, it is unlikely that he will be able to catch up.

Jim (Worcester): Percy Hope is a horse that can get out front and hold it. He did this last over Filthy Stars in the LoneStar Derby. I think if you are looking for a good horse to hit the board this is the one. What are your feelings?

Laura Hillenbrand: He is a very nice horse but he will be competing for the lead against the considerable early speed of Richly Blended and Congaree. I doubt that those two horses would let him get an early lead which is what he would need to hang on.

Travis, Montreal: What about Richly Blended, do you think not running in the derby will help him to contend?

Laura Hillenbrand: Skipping the Derby was probably a terrific decision by his handlers. He is not a mile and a quarter horse and their was an abundance of early speed in the Derby. If he had run there, he probably would have finished last or close to last. In the Preakness, horses with early speed traditionally fare better and the race is shorter which is an asset for Richly Blended who is not an average distance horse, he is more of a miler. But he has an outside chance to hit the board in the Preakness I think.

Mo: I was wondering what the best way to break in the horse training business is?



Laura Hillenbrand: The best trainers are those who work as assistants to talented trainers. Great training skills are developed over a long period of time and through observation of those who know their craft.

mike, ny: if i was down to my last $10, what horse would you tell me to pick?

Laura Hillenbrand: I am not an expert handicapper, I am a historian! If it were my money, I would put it on Point Given. My faith in him remains strong.

JOEL--CLEVELAND: LOVE THE BOOK!! NEVER THOUGHT A CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ON A HORSE COULD BE SO INVOLVED..ANY HORSES IN THE CURRENT ERA STRIKE YOU AS POSSIBLE FUTURE NOVEL FODDER???

Laura Hillenbrand: Thank you for your compliments, I'm glad you liked the book. Seabiscuit was a singular horse and I don't know of any athlete equine or otherwise who had a more compelling story than he did. But racing is full of fascinating characters and involving stories. I don't have any in mind right now but I imagine I will find one.

JohnfromJersey: Ms. Hillenbrand, congratulations on your successful book. Do you think Cigar is the closest comparison in recent years to Seabiscuit? His success came after 3years old also and the country became fascinated with his 16 race win streak that tied Citation.

Laura Hillenbrand: Yes, I would agree with that. Cigar had a very good story. I may be biased but it paled in comparison to that of Seabiscuit. I think historically the horse who most closely resembles him was John Henry a $1500 claimer who earned $6 million.

Greg (Austin): How are you feeling these days? Will you be well enough to make it up the road to the Preakness?

Laura Hillenbrand: I am afraid I have to miss the Preakness. My health is just not good enough for me to undertake the trip. It breaks my heart to miss it. I used to stand at the finish line every year for the Preakness and it still feels strange not to be there.

Laura Hillenbrand: Thank you all for coming. I hope you enjoy the Preakness. If you are interested in learning more about my book Seabiscuit: An American Legend come visit my website at www.seabiscuitonline.com.

We'll talk again come Belmont time!