War Admiral entered the world on May 2, 1934. He was the son of the great Man O' War, out of Brushup, by Sweep. He was a beautiful brown colt with not a speck of white on him, resembling his dam more than his sire. At age three he topped out at just a shade over 15.2 hands at age three.
Charley Kurtsinger became War Admiral's regular rider and was aboard him for the first time on July 1 in the six-furlong Great American Stakes at Aquaduct. After setting the pace, he was unable to hold off Fairy Hill at the finish.
A cough and fever forced War Admiral to miss the Saratoga meeting but he returned 11 weeks later for the Eastern Shore Handicap. The Admiral led from wire to wire, the victor by 5 lengths in 1:11 for the six furlongs, setting a new stakes record. Three weeks later he was entered in the Richard Johnson Handicap. The track was muddy and the Admiral slipped repeatedly during the stretch drive, finishing second to Bottle Cap.
War Admiral wintered at Glen Riddle's farm in Maryland, and returned to the racing scene in April of 1937. He barely tipped the scales at 900 pounds but had filled out and muscled up to where his conformation could not be faulted. He won his first start by six lengths.
War Admiral was never a good post horse (like his daddy) and kept them at the gate in the Derby for more than 8 minutes. When the break finally came, he took the lead and stayed there to win by 1 3/4 lengths over Pompoon.
One week later, in the Preakness, War Admiral had only seven rivals. He threw is normal fit at the post and than took his customary position in the front. Pompoon slipped through on the far turn and drew even. They ran as one to the wire, where War Admiral won by a head.
Three weeks later he entered the Belmont Stakes. Once again he held up the start for eight minutes while he drug the start assistants through the gate. Finally, he was allowed to start on the outside. When the break came, he stumbled and almost went down. The Admiral gathered himself and shot to the front. He won by three lengths over his six rivals, including Pompoon. Alone, it was a smashing performance, but when he entered the winners circle, the attention was immediately drawn to the large amount of blood on Admiral's hoof and underbelly. An inch square of his hoof had been torn off, likely when he caught himself at the start. He spent 4 1/2 months recovering and growing a new hoof.
The Admiral returned to beat older horses in an allowance race at Laurel on the 26th and was then entered in the Washington Handicap on the 30th. Seabiscuit was also among the entries but was withdrawn when persistent rain threw him off his training schedule. War Admiral won and closed his unbeaten season just three days later with a win in the inaugural Pimlico Special. Seabiscuit finished the year with the highest earnings and the handicap division championship, but War Admiral took home the title of Horse of the Year.
In late December, War Admiral was shipped to Florida to run the Hialeah's Widener Handicap. After breaking through the gate ten times he was allowed to start on the outside. He faced a dozen opponents, perhaps because of his 130 pound weight impost, but for the Admiral, it was an still easy win.
Both Seabiscuit and War Admiral were entered in the Massachusetts Handicap on June 29, co-weighted with 130 pounds. The rains turned the track to mud and Seabiscuit was scratched 45 minutes prior to the start. War Admiral ran, but tired under his impost and finished fourth. He was given a break and allowed time to rest before returning again.
War Admiral ran several more races and in the meantime, Seabiscuit had come east again. And throughout the summer and fall, Pimlico's young president, Alfred Gwynne Vanderbilt, had been busy finalizing the details of the much anticipated match race. In mid-September, Sam Riddle and Charles Howard signed their names to an undated document titled "Pimlico Match Race." The race was actually the Pimlico Special, so the date and distance were fixed for November 1, and a mile and three-sixteenths. Both colts would carry 120 pounds, the track must be fast and the decision was to made by 8:30 the morning of the race. In deference to War Admirals dislike of mechanical gates, a walk-up start from a flag would be used. The winner would take all of the $15,000 purse. Each owner had to put up a certified check for $5,000 with the Maryland Jockey Club to be held if his horse was a no show, in which case it would go to the entry walking-over.
On November 1, shortly before 4:00pm, the colts paraded to the starting post. The 40,000 patrons backed Man O' War's son at 1-4 and his grandson at 2-1.
After two false starts, George Cassidy dropped the flag and they were off. Seabiscuit sprinted clear early on, taking everyone by surprise. But War Admiral closed the gap and had his rival by the throat on the far turn. But when Kurtsinger asked for more, War Admiral turned up empty. In stunned silence Seabiscuit drew off to win by four lengths in 1:56 3/5, setting a new track record.
Riddle planned to retire the Admiral at year's end. The horse's 1939 season was already booked with 20 mares. But he wanted him to win the Widener Handicap once more and bring home the special trophy for two time winners. War Admiral returned on February 18 and won a seven-furlong prep race, but came up with a fever two days before the Widener and had to be withdrawn. Later he wrenched an ankle, and Riddle retired him with 21 wins in 26 starts, one unplace, and more than $273,000 in earnings.
War Admiral was a highly successful stallion. He led the sire list in 1945 and was ranked among the top 20 sires 11 times.
The great War Admiral died in 1959 and was honored with a place beside his daddy at the base of that heroic statue, deserving the spot. He was voted number 13 in the top 100 racehorses of the 20 century.