Seattle Slew died on May 7, 2002 at the age of 28. One of only 11 winners of horse racing's prestigious 'Triple Crown' he is by default considered among the all time greats in thoroughbred racing. Of the eleven horses to win the Triple Crown, he is the only one to do so with an undefeated record. He was also notable due to his humble beginnings, and is the only Triple Crown winner to have been purchased at public auction. He retired to stud in 1978 and sired over 100 stakes race winners including 1984 Kentucky Derby champion, Swale. Slew's offspring have earned a combined $76 million dollars at the race track. Slew wasn't the most majestic looking creature by the lofty standards of race horses, but was possessed with the heart, toughness and courage of a professional prizefighter.
The Seattle Slew story began very modestly at a public auction in Lexington, Kentucky. The Keeneland Summer Yearling sale wasn't supposed to be the marketplace of champions, and the idea that this particular horse would ever amount to anything other than a farmhand was downright laughable. He was somewhat clumsy looking due to a front right forefoot splay and had a shuffling gait at trot. Slew wasn't a beautifully majestic creature like his Triple Crown winning predecessor, Secretariat. Slew was borderline ugly. So ungainly a creature was he that he was given the less than inspiring nickname "Baby Huey" by the Keeneland staff. He was purchased by two couples (Karen and Mickey Taylor and Jim and Sally Hill) for $17,500. What wasn't apparent at the yearling sale was the intangibles that make up a championship thoroughbred--poise under pressure, love of competition, toughness, heart and desire. His owners had unwittingly stumbled onto an equine Muhammad Ali, and his competitive fire quickly became apparent to his trainers and jockeys. His first race came at Belmont Park in 1976, and he entered--and won--three races as a two year old giving a glimpse as to what like ahead.
Slew quickly became a horse to watch as a three year old as he won three Derby prep races including the Wood Memorial. In the Derby, Slew got off to a terrible start as he stumbled out of the gate. He recovered from the miscue and essentially bulled his way through a pack of horses to lead at the 1/4 mile pole. Slew would win the Derby by a length and 3 quarters. He took another tough victory at the Preakness before clinching the Triple Crown with a 4 length victory in the Belmont Stakes.
Slew continued to campaign as a four year old, but in the days before the Breeder's Cup there weren't many opportunities for an older horse. He retired to stud in 1978, where he sired champions such as the aforementioned Swale and 1992 Belmont Champ AP Indy. Slew stood at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky from 1985 until early 2002 when he was moved to Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington, KY following a spinal operation.
Slew may not have earned the appreciation he deserved in his prime, coming so closely on the heels of the charismatic 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat--arguably the greatest thoroughbred race horse in history. The jockeys that rode him, however, understood fully what a special animal they were dealing with. Jockey Angel Cordero gave Seattle Slew this lofty praise: "If I had a chance to take any horse in the world, if someone said your life is depending on riding one horse to win, I would take (Slew). I rode 44,000 horses, but he was special, he was different. He was muscled, like a wrestler. He ran different than any other horse. It was like he came from another planet."
After his death in 2002, Slew was buried at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington, Kentucky under a statue in his image.
The Seattle Slew story began very modestly at a public auction in Lexington, Kentucky. The Keeneland Summer Yearling sale wasn't supposed to be the marketplace of champions, and the idea that this particular horse would ever amount to anything other than a farmhand was downright laughable. He was somewhat clumsy looking due to a front right forefoot splay and had a shuffling gait at trot. Slew wasn't a beautifully majestic creature like his Triple Crown winning predecessor, Secretariat. Slew was borderline ugly. So ungainly a creature was he that he was given the less than inspiring nickname "Baby Huey" by the Keeneland staff. He was purchased by two couples (Karen and Mickey Taylor and Jim and Sally Hill) for $17,500. What wasn't apparent at the yearling sale was the intangibles that make up a championship thoroughbred--poise under pressure, love of competition, toughness, heart and desire. His owners had unwittingly stumbled onto an equine Muhammad Ali, and his competitive fire quickly became apparent to his trainers and jockeys. His first race came at Belmont Park in 1976, and he entered--and won--three races as a two year old giving a glimpse as to what like ahead.
Slew quickly became a horse to watch as a three year old as he won three Derby prep races including the Wood Memorial. In the Derby, Slew got off to a terrible start as he stumbled out of the gate. He recovered from the miscue and essentially bulled his way through a pack of horses to lead at the 1/4 mile pole. Slew would win the Derby by a length and 3 quarters. He took another tough victory at the Preakness before clinching the Triple Crown with a 4 length victory in the Belmont Stakes.
Slew continued to campaign as a four year old, but in the days before the Breeder's Cup there weren't many opportunities for an older horse. He retired to stud in 1978, where he sired champions such as the aforementioned Swale and 1992 Belmont Champ AP Indy. Slew stood at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Kentucky from 1985 until early 2002 when he was moved to Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington, KY following a spinal operation.
Slew may not have earned the appreciation he deserved in his prime, coming so closely on the heels of the charismatic 1973 Triple Crown winner Secretariat--arguably the greatest thoroughbred race horse in history. The jockeys that rode him, however, understood fully what a special animal they were dealing with. Jockey Angel Cordero gave Seattle Slew this lofty praise: "If I had a chance to take any horse in the world, if someone said your life is depending on riding one horse to win, I would take (Slew). I rode 44,000 horses, but he was special, he was different. He was muscled, like a wrestler. He ran different than any other horse. It was like he came from another planet."
After his death in 2002, Slew was buried at Hill 'n' Dale Farm in Lexington, Kentucky under a statue in his image.
About the Author:
Ross Everett is a consulting handicapper for Sports-1 and an authority on horse race betting . He's a noted expert on sports handicapping theory, as well as financial investment strategy. He contributes to a number of websites providing insight on how to bet on NFL football, MMA and boxing.
