Slew o’ Gold, Like His Father, Is Horse of Year

Slew o’ Gold, following in his daddy’s footsteps, is thoroughbred racing’s Horse of the Year for 1984.

The announcement was made Friday night, climaxing the Eclipse Awards dinner at the Century Plaza Hotel.

In voting by the Daily Racing Form, turf writers and racing secretaries, Slew o’ Gold won out over John Henry, the 10-year-old gelding who had been picked Horse of the Year in 1981.

Slew o’ Gold is a 5-year-old son of Seattle Slew, who swept the Triple Crown races in 1977 and was voted Horse of the Year.

Slew o’ Gold finished second to the French filly All Along in the 1983 Horse-of-the-Year balloting. Last year, as a 4-year-old, Slew o’ Gold won five out of six starts, his only non-winning performance being a second, after the disqualification of Gate Dancer, in the roughly run Breeders’ Cup Classic at Hollywood Park.

That was Slew o’ Gold’s last start before he was retired to stud. His four stakes wins last year came in a 10-week stretch, starting with the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga in August.

After that, he won a $1 million bonus for becoming the first horse to sweep Belmont Park’s fall series--the Woodward, the Marlboro Cup and the Jockey Club Gold Cup.

Slew o’ Gold was bred by Claiborne Farm, which received an Eclipse Friday night as 1984’s outstanding breeder.

Slew o’ Gold, ridden by Angel Cordero in ‘84, raced in the name of Equusequity Stable, whose principal owners are Jim and Sally Hill and Mickey and Karen Taylor. The Hills and Taylors also raced Seattle Slew.

In comparing Slew o’ Gold and his sire, Mickey Taylor said: “Up to a mile and a quarter, Seattle Slew was the better horse. But Slew o’ Gold could go even farther than that, as he proved in twice winning the (1 1/2-mile) Jockey Club Gold Cup.”

Taylor credited trainer John Hertler for getting Slew o’ Gold through the year despite problem feet. By the time Slew o’ Gold ran in the Breeders’ Cup, he had a patched-up foot that had three quarter cracks.

“One of those cracks was so small that you could hardly see it after somebody told you it was there,” Taylor said. “But John spotted it and we were able to make the necessary repairs.”

Lifetime, Slew o’ Gold won 12 races out of 21 starts and earned $3.5 million.

While Slew o’ Gold dominated the handicap ranks on dirt last year, John Henry was the grass standout, winning the male turf championship for the fourth time. He finished the year with six straight wins on grass, then missed the Breeders’ Cup because of a ligament injury. John Henry, who holds the career record for purses with almost $6.6 million, is expected to return to the races this summer.

“It was gratifying to see what he did at his age,” said Ron McAnally, John Henry’s trainer. “A 9-year-old’s never won four major races like he did.”