It wasn't until two weeks ago that Kearns resident Stan Watts realized the significance of his latest project: resurrecting racing legend Seabiscuit by hand, piece by piece.
Through an affiliate organization, Watts, owner of Atlas Bronze Casting in Kearns, was commissioned to cast a life-size replica of a statue of the famed racehorse, which will be placed in its original home on Ridgewood Ranch in Willits, Calif. He feels grateful to be involved with the project.
"It's an honor to be chosen to assist with this ... statue of Seabiscuit," he said.
Seabiscuit captured the heart of the nation and became a cultural icon during the Great Depression, drawing Super Bowl-size crowds. He was an unlikely winner, being small with knobby knees and even known as lazy. However, Seabiscuit blossomed under a new trainer, who understood him, and in 1936 began steadily winning races both on the west and east coasts.
His streak of winning continued throughout 1937, and he became a household name with many people tuning into the weekly radio broadcasts of his races. After he won the race deemed the "Match of the Century" with his half-uncle, Man O' War in November 1938, Seabiscuit was declared Horse of the Year.
Kim Corpany, horse sculptor at Atlas Bronze, said this statue has special significance for her.
"I always heard about Seabiscuit and grew up knowing him as a legend," she said. "It's a wonderful opportunity to work on this project."
The original statue stood at Ridgewood, Seabiscuit's home and final resting place, until 1951 when it was moved to Binglin Stable in Moorpark, Calif., after Charles Howard, the owner of the horse and ranch, died, and his family sold the property. About a decade ago the Howard family donated the monument to the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
Watts said the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation hopes to bring attention to the plight of Ridgewood, which is under threat from developers who want to build on the property, by placing the replica statue there.
Mario Montemeyer, who works for Atlas Bronze, said it's a long process to work through all the details associated with the casting.
"The moulds, waxing, casting, ceramics — there's a lot of details," he said. "We have to take care of these details one by one or the final product won't be good."
Creating the statue is no small feat. It involves multiple steps, which must be done precisely. The process starts with a silicone rubber mould. A wax casting is created by pouring wax into the mould. A ceramic mould, designed to withstand temperatures of 2300 degrees, is poured on top of the wax, which is then burnt out. In the cavity left from the wax, a 2000 degree layer of bronze is poured in and left to harden.
The ceramic mould is broken, so only the bronze casting remains. Welders fix any imperfections and finish the statue by welding the pieces together.
The Seabiscuit sculpture is currently in the wax casting phase and will be complete in about 30 days. Once it's finished, it will be shipped back to California to await its official unveiling in June. Watts said it would be the ultimate honor to attend the invitation-only ceremony.
The general public can view the statue for the first time on June 30. Reservations must be made in advance by calling 707-459-7910. For more information about the statue or the Seabiscuit Heritage Foundation, visit www.seabiscuitheritage.org or email seabiscuit@instawave.net.
E-mail: twalquist@desnews.com