Dwyre was named national editor of the year by the National Press Foundation in 1985 for the papers coverage of the 84 Olympics and winner of the Red Smith Award in 1996 by the Associated Press Sports Editors for sustained excellence in sports journalism. An asterisk before the odds means that Seattle Slew was the post-time favorite. The time of 1:4935 was considered unimpressive, but his connections were pleased by the horse's demeanor. The Jockey Club Gold Cup on Oct. 14, 1978, was like a great boxing showdown. Secretariat's damsire. He set his own pace and opened a large lead moving into the final turn. Web1978 Marlboro Cup -- Seattle Slew defeats Affirmed Wasted Century 395 subscribers Subscribe 435 Share Save 57K views 6 years ago September 16, 1978. After the racing legend retired, Steamboat was given to a school for handicapped children. WebSeattle Slew. Affirmed came up on the inside, but Seattle Slew responded to beat Affirmed by three lengths, with the third-place horse a further five lengths back. "[16], The "Slew Crew" then relocated to Churchill Downs where the Taylors set up a camper opposite the colt's stall in Barn 42, which traditionally houses the favorite for the Kentucky Derby. Secretariat broke well, but it was Seattle Slew who set the early pace. Rounding the final turn into the stretch, Cordero allowed Slew to swing wide. Triple Crown race wins: Kentucky Derby (1977)Preakness Stakes (1977)Belmont Stakes (1977). Now 8-years-old, he is a successful stallion with a stud fee of $200,000. Seattle Slew was a dark bay horse with a small white patch of hair by his left rear hoof. He hit 22.3 seconds for the first quarter and 45.1 for the half, and Affirmed was right there on his right shoulder for most of that. Learn More. [8] Slew was set to make his first start at the end of August but injured himself in his stall. In the immediate afterglow of American Pharoahs unprecedented Grand Slam sweep, trainer Bob Baffert said exceptional mechanics are what truly set the colt apart his singular ability to soar over the ground with tremendous, free-flowing strides. Nonetheless, Seattle Slew went off as the almost even-money favorite. [4] In 2002, ESPN telecast a "SportsCentury" on Seattle Slew. . In 1997, Exceller, the only horse ever to beat two Triple Crown champions in the same race, was sold for the value of his meat and butchered in a slaughterhouse. He completed the distance of 1+18 miles in a time of 1:4545, just two-fifths of a second off the world record set by Secretariat in the 1973 Marlboro Cup. By comparison, Secretariats longest streak was five. Secretariat, a two-time Horse of the Year and 1973 Triple Crown champion, entered the race as a 7-2 favorite, followed by Citation (4-1), Seattle Slew (5-1) and Affirmed (5-1). Churchill Downs pledged to match $1 million in donations to COVID-19 relief efforts. After buying the colt, his owners then sent him to former steeplechase rider Billy Turner for training. Tobin to the lead. Seattle Slew went on to win the Triple Crown, the first horse to do so since Secretariat in 1973. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Ducks three-game win streak snapped in overtime loss to Capitals, High school basketball: Southern California and Northern California Regional results and updated pairings, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame overcomes deficit to win Mission League opener, Still in UCLAs corner, Ben Howland stressed importance of getting No. Seattle Slew sired 1,103 named foals, of which 537 (48.7%) were winners and 111 (10.1%) were stakes winners. However, not every mystery will be solved this side of eternity. There isn't a horse in the world that could have beaten him today. Neither horse would have met rejection from an amorous filly. When Did Seattle Slew Die? Secretariat was a two-time Horse of the Year and swept the Derby, Preakness and Belmont, winning the last race by a record 31 lengths, in 1973. Showing his growing maturity, Seattle Slew remained relaxed throughout the week leading up to the race. The final time of 2:0215 was considered slow, particularly as the final quarter mile was run in 2615 seconds. Sired by Bold Reasoning out of the Poker mare My Charmer, Seattle Slew was a beautiful dark brown colt with a small white patch of hair by his left rear hoof. 15 Best Racehorses of all Time. "[7] At maturity, he stood 1612hands (64.5inches, 164cm) high at the withers with strong hind legs and a powerful shoulder. Affirmed and Seattle Slew were both known as front-runners but Seattle Slew's new jockey Angel Cordero Jr. felt that Affirmed had benefited from setting slow early fractions in his early races. Citation, the 1948 Triple Crown champion, came in second, while Seattle Slew finished third. Affirmed, the 1978 champion, was fourth, followed by American Pharoah. The second choice was Run Dusty Run, who had been the second-ranked two-year-old and had run second in several major Derby prep races. There is no doubt he will be in demand with everyone, Seaman said. There are so many factors, tangible and intangible, that combine in the making of a great racehorse, from the lightning interaction of genes at the time of conception to the blades of grass and grains of oats consumed, to basic luck in avoiding injury. Thats a winning percentage of 86.6%, better than Affirmed, Dr. Fager , Count Fleet and even Secretariat, who won only 76.1% of his races. Secretariat had 16 wins, 3 place and 1 show. Seattle Slew was also a notable broodmare sire, leading the North American list in both 1995 and 1996. Indy because they are similarly proportioned and conformed. Seattle Slew, boxed in for much of the race with Text to his side, eventually broke free but tired badly in the stretch. Separated by decades, there may be only a handful of humans still alive who were witness to the incredible feats of both horses. "I ducked into a stall and broke down and cried," he said. It is a moment in time when he rose, absolutely, to true greatness. Of course, an induction into horse racing's Hall of Fame followed his brilliant career. His stud fee was set at a whopping $800,000, though later it went down to $300,000. 1 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Seattle Slew, who won the 1977 Triple Crown, led for much of the virtual race before being overtaken in the stretch. So, while we will never know how he would fare, in another time, against other horses, we do know he created a moment when called upon. His new owners, later known as "the Slew Crew", were Karen and Mickey Taylor and Jim and Sally Hill. Instead Seattle Slew continued to draw away, eventually winning by 9+34 lengths in a time of 1:3425 for one mile, then a stakes record. Seattle Slew and Affirmed won Triple Crowns after Secretariat, in 1977 and 78, and will always have their proponents in the best-ever debate. Seattle Slew finished up his legendary career with 14 wins, two seconds, and one fourth-place finish. [4], Seattle Slew was purchased for just $17,500 (equivalent to $88,000 in 2021) at the 1975 Fasig-Tipton yearling auction. His numbers yield some intriguing ways to compare the champions physical make-up with other great runners. A crowd of 25,931 cheered while Seattle Slew was led around the paddock and then taken on track for a six-furlong workout, completed handily in 1:1015. He was bred by Ben S. Castleman, a Kentucky racing commissioner, and was foaled at White Horse Acres near Lexington, Kentucky. He kept up the pace, completing the half-mile in 44 seconds and six furlongs in 1:08 flat (which would have been a new track record). Before shipping to California, Seattle Slew had been sedated repeatedly to be used in a Xerox advertising campaign for a new X-ray machine, then was sedated again during the flight. [21] For the first time, Turner chose to have the colt given butazolidin before the race, fearing that Seattle Slew might suffer a minor injury in his final workout. Has lots of info about Slews early stud career at Spendthrift Farm. Part of the mystique surrounding these two specimens is the wild speculation as to "what might have been" had they continued racing as 4 and 5-year-olds. Maybe someday, on the other side of eternity, (after waiting for the right moment of course) I'll propose a best-of-seven match race series - on differing surfaces, at differing distances to settle this thing once and for all. It moved to the track, with shots of empty stands, betting windows and the jockeys room. Seattle Slew later became an outstanding sire and broodmare sire, leading the North American sire list in 1984 when his son Swale won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. "We've watched every one of his races this year and watched them carefully," he said. No, Seattle Slew and Secretariat did not race. About four and a half months earlier, during a few quick moments the day after the colt was paraded for fans at Churchill Downs following his utter devastation of challengers in the Belmont Stakes, Cecil Seaman unfurled his measuring tape to see what he could learn about American Pharoahs constitution. Seattle Slews most notable achievement from his three-year-old year was winning the Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, and Belmont Stakes to secure the title of Triple Crown champion. His Belmont Stakes victory is a landmark. The Triple Crown winner of 1973 (Secretariat) had already been retired for four years by the time Slew won the Triple Crown. Both his dam, Littleprincessemma, and her sire, Storm Cats son Yankee Gentleman, fall into the same general category of body length as does American Pharoah, whose special balance of frame and point of gravity derive more from that side of his family, said Seaman, who noted that Unbridled was similarly made. Secretariat broke well, but it was Seattle Slew who set the early pace. I had to take him from the hotwalker and he ran over me a couple of times. "He was a fighter to the end." He won all but two races in his four-year-old season, coming in second at the Paterson Handicap and Jockey Club Gold Cup. [19] Seattle Slew was the heavy favorite at odds of 1-2 but still faced a large field as many felt the colt would be vulnerable at the Derby's distance of 1+14 miles. The victory earned jockey John Velazquez and trainer Todd Pletcher their first wins in any Triple Crown race. The Taylors remained close to Seattle Slew throughout his life and were with him at the time of his death. The Triple Crown winner of 1973 (Secretariat) had already been retired for four years by the time Slew won the Triple Crown. All four possessed outstanding biomechanics, according to Seamans system. Slew City Slew was also a good sire, whose sons include California champion Lava Man. He was assigned the high weight of 134 pounds (61kg), conceding his rivals from 19 to 27 pounds. The second choice was Run Dusty Run, who had been the second-ranked two-year-old and had run second in several major Derby prep races. Despite the adverse track conditions and never being urged by Cruguet, his time was a "brisk" 1:2245. There have been only 11 Triple Crown winners in history and only once did they come in consecutive years. Sired by the famous Bold Ruler and out of Somethingroyal , Secretariat was foaled one day after Man O' War's birthday anniversary. I have a feeling it will be a standing-room-only event. They lived in White Swan, Washington. Tobin set fast early fractions for a 1+14-mile race 2225 for the first quarter-mile, 4525 for the half, 1:0915 for six furlongs and 1:3335 for the mile. Feb. 28 (UPI) -- Former NFL star cornerback Irv Cross, who died in 2021, was diagnosed with chronic traumatic encephalopathy, Boston University researchers said Tuesday. Cruguet was fired, and the jockey who had ridden Dr. Patches, Angel Cordero, was hired. Each had 21 races and competed only as 2 and 3-year-olds. Yet American Pharoah also is highly influenced by his female family. First meeting of He secured the win in the Run for the Roses, but appeared visibly upset afterward. After planning to stick to a budget of $10,000- $15,000, Karen convinced her husband to keep bidding as she admired the spirited colt. [13], Turner scheduled three races for Seattle Slew leading up to the Kentucky Derby, which was then considered to be a light campaign. No none knows. Ex-NFL star Irv Cross, who died in 2021, diagnosed with CTE. [32] His condition then went quickly downhill, marked by weakness, dehydration and a sharp decrease in his white blood cell count. Andrew Beyer (a Seattle Slew skeptic when the horse was a three-year-old) wrote for his lead, "Exceller was the winner of yesterday's Jockey Club Gold Cup, Seattle Slew was its hero. They are also Bengals slam door on 'ridiculous' Tee Higgins trade rumors. grandson of Bold Ruler, who was Secretariat's sire. 1978: Affirmed Takes First Step Toward Crown Tony Triolo/Sports Illustrated Indy, who won the Belmont Stakes in 1992. The morning line odds had Secretariat as the favorite at 7/2, with 1948 winner Citation (4-1), 1978 winner Affirmed (5-1) and 1977 winner Seattle Slew (5-1) close behind. After the race, he was sedated three times as part of an advertising campaign for a new X-ray by Xerox. Also, Affirmed would carry 124 pounds, four less than the older Slew, horse racings weight-for-age tradition. In total, he sired 1,103 named foals, including 537 winners and 111 stakes winners. The Triple Crown winner of 1973 (Secretariat) had already been retired for four years by the time Slew won the Triple Crown. War was foaled on March 29, 1917; Secretariat on March 30, 1970. Seattle Slew tried to fight back but lost by a neck in a major upset. With Mickey Taylor's father acting as chief bodyguard for the colt, the connections dealt with a constant stream of visitors. This was in a seven-furlong allowance race at Saratoga Race Course, which he won by six lengths in 1:2135 over a sloppy track. However, his right forefoot was noticeably turned out. No, Seattle Slew and Secretariat did not race. Seattle Slew's sire, Bold Reasoning, was the He was then sedated again for a fourth time during his flight to California for the Swaps Stakes, which was just three weeks after the Belmont. The length of American Pharoahs body at the time of the June measurement, 92 inches, already put the colt far ahead of the other Triple Crown winners in that category. Now, if there were Triple Crown winners close enough in time to be able to compete on the track, it still wouldnt happen. And, Seattle Slew had closed so strongly that his finish time of 1:45 4/5 , despite his slow start, was only two-fifths off Secretariats track record. Between the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, Seattle Slew trained well, showing a new level of determination according to Turner. Is Seattle Slew Related to Secretariat? Indy sired the 2003 Horse of the Year, Mineshaft, Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini and Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches. Web1978 Marlboro Cup -- Seattle Slew defeats Affirmed Wasted Century 395 subscribers Subscribe 435 Share Save 57K views 6 years ago September 16, 1978. Seattle Slews name was chosen by his owner Karen, a Washington state native. He made a late charge, pulled ahead for a second, fell back and then was charging again as Exceller got his nose in front at the wire. "I had warned the outriders, too. Our readers support us. But Seattle Slew was like few horses. Man O' War and Secretariat: each dominated their half of the 20th century. Secretariat broke well, but it was Seattle Slew who set the early pace. He went off as the 1-5 favorite despite being assigned 128 pounds. Ex-Blackhawks winger Patrick Kane calls trade to Rangers 'bittersweet'. Bold Reasoning, a grandson of Bold Ruler, was an outstanding racehorse. Secretariat was a two-time Horse of the Year and swept the Derby, Preakness and Belmont, winning the last race by a record 31 lengths, in 1973. Larry Collmus, who calls the Triple Crown races for NBC, provided a live call for the virtual Derby, seeing it unfold for the first time just as he would have been doing on the first Saturday in May. Thus, breeders can draw some conclusions as they contemplate which mares might be ideal physical types to send American Pharoah, who will stand his first season at Coolmores Ashford Stud for $200,000 in 2016. In 2014, Seattle Slew's great-great grandson, California Chrome, won the Kentucky Derby [52] and the Preakness. "We paid the fine. He suffered a ligament injury and a filled ankle, among other things. In a virtual race between the 13 Triple Crown winners in U.S. history at the Kentucky Derby, Secretariat won easily with Citation and Seattle Slew in second and third, respectively. "[4] "He was very easygoing," Turner said. He reacted by charging through the field, bumping several other horses who were in his way. He was named Champion Older Horse in 1978 but lost the Horse of the Year balloting to the horse he defeated in the Marlboro Cup, Affirmed.[1]. Cruguet then eased up on the colt down the stretch, allowing Iron Constitution to close to within 112 lengths. Seattle Slew (February 15, 1974 May 7, 2002) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who became the tenth winner of the American Triple Crown (1977). Turning for home, Cordero used the whip twice and Seattle Slew drew off to win by four lengths. Secretariat surged to the lead in deep stretch in the middle of the track. Affirmed had won the Triple Crown in a thrilling showdown with Alydar, and had won all but one of his starts that year, that loss coming by disqualification. All four possessed outstanding biomechanics, according to Seamans system. Turner also said that he had disagreed with the decision to ship to California at all, feeling the colt needed more time to recover from the Triple Crown. He was the leading sire of 1984, when his son Swale (who died later that year) won the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. American Pharoah looked on curiously at times, even turning his head to watch Seaman measure the distance from the point of his hock to the ground. WebSeattle Slew was foaled on February 15, 1974 at Ben Castleman's White Horse Acres Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. However, he was the first horse to win it undefeated. Also, see our list of the 12 greatest racehorses in history. [4] Rags to Riches was just the third filly to win the race, after Ruthless in 1867 and Tanya in 1905. By comparison, Secretariats longest streak was five. WebSeattle Slew breaks first and is quickley settled along the rail as Affirmed nudges to an early lead as Secretariat gallops along 4 lengths back entering the first turn. Seattle Slew fought back and lost by a nose in a photo finish. He became the tenth American Triple Crown winner and (with his nine-for-nine record) was the first Triple Crown winner to finish the series undefeated. They each will now pursue consideration to be the No. Virtual Kentucky Derby, live baseball in Asia highlight weekend sports schedule, Churchill Downs' spring meet to open May 16 without spectators, Kentucky Derby weekend sparks memories of big upsets. Exceller had ridden mostly in California that year, and mostly on grass. Seattle Slew and Affirmed won Triple Crowns after Secretariat, in 1977 and 78, and will always have their proponents in the best-ever debate.