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Seabiscuit was the first turtle to receive a satellite tag for this year's Race, and a strange mark on the front of his carapace (or shell) makes him easy to spot. Although we can’t be sure how he got this distinctive mark, it shows that whatever he has faced in his long life, Seabiscuit is one tough turtle.
That should be no surprise, given that this turtle gets his name from a famous racehorse whose heroics on the track inspired a disheartened nation during the Great Depression. This 21st century Seabiscuit hopes to follow in his namesake's footsteps, at a time when we need it most.
Olympic gold medalist Jason Lezak, who is training Seabiscuit for this big Race, knows something about inspirational comebacks. His thrilling come-from-behind anchor leg in the 4x100 m freestyle race in the 2008 Olympics was the fastest split in history and won the gold for the American team.
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Turtle Name
Seabiscuit (Male)
Coach
Jason Lezak
Length
164.8 cm (5 ft 6 in)
Width
122.9 cm (4 ft)
Weight
490 kg (1,080 lbs)
Follow Seabiscuit's tracks on the race map.
Where is he now?
He is still off the coast of French Guiana, likely still seeking opportunities to mate. The leatherback population that nests on the Guiana Shield (Suriname, French Guiana, Guyana) is one of the largest populations in the world, with thousands of females nesting each year. So, like Estéban (and possibly Billy), Seabiscuit has found a very good spot to spend the next month or so.