PRESS

The following article appeared in THE ARCADIA WEEKLY, THE PASADENA INDEPENDENT, THE SIERRA MADRE WEEKLY, AND THE MONROVIA WEEKLY on Jan 5, 2006.

Legend of Seabiscuit Revered in Original Song

Arcadia resident pens song about celebrated racehorse

By Traci Kratzer

Arcadia resident Red Forrest has captured the legend of celebrated racehorse Seabiscuit in a song he recently wrote. –Photo by Terry Miller

The story of legendary racehorse Seabiscuit has already been documented on paper and in film, but Arcadia resident Red Forrest didn’t realize the magnitude of the little horse until moving to Southern California, and decided to write a song.

Forrest, a native to central New England, had often heard references to Seabiscuit but it wasn’t until he watched the feature film based on the horse’s life that he understood why the horse was so revered.

Seabiscuit’s most memorable race was on Nov. 1, 1938 against War Admiral, which became known as the “Match of the Century.” As a result of the many races he won that year and the victory over War Admiral, Seabiscuit was named “Horse of the Year” for 1938. The only prize that eluded him was the Hundred Grander.

On his first visit to the Santa Anita Racetrack in the late 1990s, Forrest was so fascinated by the look of the grandstand and the sound of the horses racing around the track that he began devising a song to tell the tale of the days of Seabiscuit.

“I turned once, and, looking at the grandstands, was almost overwhelmed by the simple beauty and significance of that area of the racetrack. It was then that I started hearing the song in my head,” Forrest said. “I didn’t start formally writing it [the song] until early 2005, and I am extremely happy to have finished it.”

Although it took Forrest a few months to complete the song, called “Seabiscuit Run,” he said he felt that it was necessary to capture the full potential of Seabiscuit. He said hearing the thunderous sound of the horses running around the track, combined with seeing the people in the stands grow more excited as the horses got closer, gave him the inspiration to write the song.

“It was such a great experience,” Forrest said. “I thought to myself, ‘This is what it was like back then’.”

Forrest presented copies of the song to the Arcadia City Council in November.

“Arcadia is a beautiful community, rich in history and fully proactive in maintaining its status as one of America’s most attractive cities,” Forrest said. “While the city may be better known for its outstanding school system, Santa Anita cannot be overlooked as an historical gem.”

Having moved from New England to Los Angeles in 1984, Forrest resided in different parts of the region before settling in Arcadia last year. He was previously the licensed agent/owner of the Forrest Agency, a company franchised by the American Federation of Musicians to represent union members, from 1995 to 2000. During that time Forrest represented such artists as Dick Halligan, who was a founding member of Grammy award-winning “Blood, Sweat and Tears,” and singer/songwriter Freebo, who was Bonnie Raitt’s longtime bassist.

Forrest earned a bachelor’s of art degree in Professional Music from Berklee College of Music. He also studied electric bass privately with the late John Neves and Greg Mooter, who he said was instrumental in the completion of his studies at Berklee.

In addition, Forrest operates his own project studio, comprised of a combination of digital and vintage recording gear, to write and produce his songs. Having played the bass guitar since he was 4-years-old, he now enjoys the additional roles of songwriter, harmonica player, and producer. For more information about Forrest and to hear the song, visit www.forrest.com.