Never at a Loss in Big Races, Seattle Slew Wore Crown Well

With one exception, no 3-year-old has gone into the Triple Crown unbeaten and exited the three races still perfect.

Weeks before this year’s Kentucky Derby, there was a lot of excitement about the possibility of three unbeaten colts squaring off at Churchill Downs.

Only Indian Charlie made it to the race unbeaten, then he suffered his first loss when he finished third. Favorite Trick’s win streak ended at nine in the Arkansas Derby, and Event Of The Year, though still unbeaten, hasn’t run since before the Derby because of injury. Thus, Seattle Slew remains the only horse to have begun the chase for the Triple Crown unbeaten and come out the same way.

A $17,500 yearling who wasn’t supposed to amount to much, Seattle Slew won three times as a 2-year-old and began 1977 with three more victories, two of them in the Flamingo Stakes and Wood Memorial.

Seattle Slew was the 1-2 favorite in the Derby, but the popular dark bay colt almost lost the race as it started.

He broke slowly under jockey Jean Cruguet, then swerved to the outside and bumped 27-1 shot Get The Axe, who was ridden by Bill Shoemaker. Cruguet then made his way through a wall of horses, rushed to battle for the lead through rapid fractions (the half-mile went in 45 4/5) and Seattle Slew took over with about a quarter of a mile to run and won by nearly two lengths.

“Considering the five or six lengths Slew lost with his poor start, he probably ran one of the four or five fastest Derbys ever,” one of his owners, Mickey Taylor, said last year. “If he had not been an absolutely unbelievable horse, he never would have won that day.”

The post (No. 8 in a nine-horse field) wasn’t prime in the Preakness, but the trip was smoother and Seattle Slew wasn’t threatened in the stretch.

His connections were confident heading into the Belmont because the colt had trained and run well there, but rain the day of the race made them a little less certain he would become the 10th Triple Crown winner.

Cruguet was able to slow the free-running Slew in the 12-furlong Belmont, and when he was able to get away with six furlongs in 1:14, the race was all but over. Seattle Slew won by four lengths as Cruguet stood about 20 yards before the wire to celebrate the feat.

The victory streak ended at nine in the Swaps Stakes the next month at Hollywood Park. The trip to California was ill-advised and the colt, tired from the grind of the Triple Crown, faded to fourth, the only time in his career he didn’t finish in the money.

Seattle Slew won five of seven in 1978, then was retired and is still standing at Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky. He has been one of the most successful stallions ever and sired 1984 Kentucky Derby and Belmont winner Swale.

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TRIPLE CROWN WINNERS

May 26, Sir Barton: 1919

May 28, Gallant Fox: 1930

May 29, Omaha: 1935

May 30, War Admiral: 1937

May 31, Whirlaway: 1941

June 1, Count Fleet: 1943

June 2, Assault: 1946

June 3, Citation: 1948

June 4, Secretariat: 1973

Today, Seattle Slew: 1977

Saturday, Affirmed: 1978

1977: THE BREAKDOWN

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Date Race (Time, Margin, Odds, Purse) May 7 Kentucky Derby (2:02 1/5, 1 3/4 lengths, 1-2, $214,700) May 21 Preakness (1:54 2/5, 1 1/2 lengths, 2-5, $138,600) June 11 Belmont

Date Distance (Time, Margin, Odds, Purse) May 7 1 1/4 miles (2:02 1/5, 1 3/4 lengths, 1-2, $214,700) May 21 1 3/16 miles (1:54 2/5, 1 1/2 lengths, 2-5, $138,600) June 11 1 1/2 miles

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THE CHALLENGERS

The top three finishers in the races in 1977 and the $2 mutuel payoffs:

KENTUCKY DERBY

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1. Seattle Slew $3.00 $2.80 $2.80 2. Run Dusty Run $3.40 $3.20 3. Sanhedrin $4.60

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PREAKNESS

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1. Seattle Slew $2.80 $2.80 $2.20 2. Iron Constitution $12.20 $5.00 3. Run Dusty Run $2.80

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BELMONT

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1. Seattle Slew $2.80 $2.60 $2.20 2. Run Dusty Run $3.20 $2.40 3. Sanhedrin $2.60

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SEATTLE SLEW’S RECORD

(1976-78)

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Starts 1st 2nd 3rd Purses 17 14 2 0 $1,208,726

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