Horse Hall of Fame - Seattle Slew

  As a yearling, Seattle Slew was purchased for $17,500 from the Fasig-Tipton auction in Lexington by Karen and Mickey Taylor. The Taylors had attended the auction with the intention to buy a few modestly priced  thouroughbreds, race them, and then sell them at a profit. According to Karen, Slew had "Pizazz" and the moment they saw him, the Taylors knew that they wanted him. Little did they know, however, of the legend Seattle Slew would one day become.                                                          

   At first, the horse world did not take much notice of the brown colt from an unproven stallion and mare. But before long, Slew started to make some noise and people started to pay attention. As a two-year-old, Slew was entered in three races. He won  them all.

  A year later, Seattle Slew went on to become the first and only undefeated Triple Crown Champion. (Meaning he had never been beaten in a race when he won the Triple Crown).

Slew's track record stands at: 14 firsts and 2 seconds in 17 races and a total earnings of $1,208,726.

Seattle Slew was not only fast on the racetrack, but he also possessed an uncanny ability to triumph when it came to physical obstacles in his racing career. Among other things, he overcame a collapsed left jugular vein, a suspensory ligament injury, and a filled ankle.

After his own racing career was over, Seattle Slew went on to sire over 100 stakes winners. He was the sire of seven North American champions and one European champion. He was also one of only eleven Kentucky Derby winners to sire a Kentucky Derby winner. Seattle Slew earned the title of 'most complete thouroughbred the industry has ever seen.'

Slew's Awards:

1976
Eclipse award winner as the top two-year-old colt.

1977
Voted Horse of the Year and champion three-year-old male.

Set a new track record of 1:20 3/5 for seven furlongs at Hialeah Park.

Became only undefeated Triple Crown winner.

In the Preakness, Slew's time of 1:54 2/5 for the 1 3/16-mile race, was the second fastest in the 102 years of the race.

1978
Voted the Eclipse for the Older Male horse of the year

Won Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park, in a race that would mark the first ever meeting between two Triple Crown winners. Slew defeated Affirmed by 3 lengths.

Won Woodward Stakes (G1) (3&up at 1 1/4 miles) at Belmont Park, defeating Exceller by 4 lengths in a new track record time of 2:00.

1981
Elected to the Racing Hall of Fame.

Seattle Slew died May 7, 2002. He was 28 years old. *

                                       

To see a really neat video of Seattle Slew's story click here.

* most of the information in this article is credited to and can be found at http://www.seattleslew.com