Taylor Made Farm, KY
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Wednesday, Thoroughbred Daily News May 8, 2002 TDN For information, call (732) 747-8060. HEADLINE NEWS SEATTLE SLEW DIES The Test of the Champion... Seattle Slew (Bold Reasoning--My Charmer, by Poker), Jockey Jean Cruguet, aboard the colt throughout his the last surviving Triple Crown winner, died in his sleep sophomore campaign, left nothing to chance that Satur- Tuesday morning at Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm in Lexington. He day afternoon and sent Slew immediately to the front. was 28. “Things were nip A handy four-length leader turning for home, he made and tuck the past few the final quarter mile a mere formality, maintaining that days,” Mickey Taylor, the margin to the finish to become racing’s 10th Triple Seattle Slew Syndicate Crown winner (Affirmed would become the 11th and manager, said. “He had most recent the following year). A fourth-place finish in good days and bad. We the GI Swaps S. at Hollywood Park marked the final knew he had some more three-year-old start for Slew, but did little to tarnish a spinal problems--it really remarkable season, for which he earned honors as both started to multiply the champion of his division as well as Horse of the Year. last five or six days. He was basically tired. He The Beat Goes on at Four: Victorious in his first two outings as an older horse, laid down and went to 1978 Belmont S. Horsephotos Seattle Slew was upset by Dr. Patches in the Paterson sleep...it was time to let H. at The Meadowlands, but atoned for that loss with a go.” He added, “He was my best buddy.” Slew died on three-length success over Affirmed in the GI Marlboro the 25th anniversary of his Kentucky Derby victory. Cup H. in a battle of Triple Crown victors. He defeated Exceller in the GI Woodward S. two weeks later before From Bargain Basement to Triple Crown Winner: finishing second to that rival in the GI Jockey Club Gold Seattle Slew, who was from the very first crop of Cup in what many believe was the best race of his Bold Reasoning out of a minor stakes-winning mare, career. After dueling the younger Triple Crown winner was purchased by Mickey and Karen Taylor and Dr. Jim into submission, Slew braced for a challenge from the Hill and his wife Sally for just $17,500 as a yearling in onrushing Exceller beneath Bill Shoemaker along the 1975, but belied his sticker price with an undefeated inside. The latter looked an easy winner, but Slew dug two-year-old season, registering three wins from as in to lose by just a nose. He treated race fans to one many starts, including a 9 3/4-length victory in the GI more virtuoso performance, toting 134 pounds to vic- Champagne S. After he was named the champion juve- tory over four overmatched rivals in the GIII Stuyvesant nile of 1976, attention turned to his three-year-old H. at Aqueduct before heading off to stud. He retired season and an attempt to duplicate the Triple Crown with a record of 17-14-2-0 and earnings of $1,208,726. efforts of Secretariat just four years earlier. He did nothing to tarnish his image in early spring, setting a track record for seven furlongs in his allowance return CHAMPIONS BY SEATTLE SLEW at Hialeah (1:20 3/5) before annexing the GI Flamingo Born Horse Division S. and the GI Wood Memorial. Sent off the 1-2 favorite 1980 Landaluce 2yo Filly in the Kentucky Derby two weeks later, the dark bay Slew O’ Gold 3yo Colt, Older Male missed the break, but rushed up to contest the pace 1981 Swale 3yo Colt entering the clubhouse turn. Full of run, he assumed 1984 Capote 2yo Colt command just outside the quarter pole and was 1 3/4 1987 Digression 2yo Colt-Eng lengths clear of Run Dusty Run under the line. A work- 1989 A.P. Indy Horse of the Year manlike 1 1/2-length victory over Iron Constitution in 3yo Colt the Preakness S. set up a date with destiny before a 1997 Surfside 3yo Filly crowd of 71,026 at Belmont Park three weeks later. Congratulations to Payson Stud and Virginia Kraft Payson, TAYLOR breeder of Grade I Kentucky Oaks winner FARDA AMIGA MADE from the Payson foundation family of sales agency phone (859) 885-3345 Broodmare of the Year Northern Sunset. fax (859) 887-1754 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/8/02 • PAGE 2 of 7 A Champ in the Shed As Well: Slew Undergoes Back Surgeries: After being syndicated for $12 million, he began his In 2000, Seattle Slew began to show decreased second career at Spendthrift Farm in 1979 and it didn’t coordination and, after getting seven of the nine mares take Slew long to make he covered in foal, was taken out of service and under- his mark as a stallion, went spinal surgery at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital. siring seven Grade I The surgery was a success and Seattle Slew was back winners from his first in the breeding shed for 2001. But the back problem two crops of a com- resurfaced this February and a second surgery was bined 70 foals, includ- deemed necessary. Returned to Three Chimneys Mar. ing champions 6, just three days after the surgery, Seattle Slew report- Landaluce, Slew o’ edly became agitated by the flurry of breeding activity near his stall and it was decided to move him to more Gold and his lone Ken- serene surroundings at John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm, tucky Derby winner where he will be buried. “What a class act John Sikura Swale. The leading sire and Hill ‘N’ Dale Farm are,” Mickey Taylor said. “John in North American in Tony Leonard photo and [groom Tom Wade] picked out a place for him on 1984, his final year at the farm and he’ll be very happy there.” Spendthrift, with progeny earnings of a remarkable $5.5 million, Seattle Slew was a consistently excellent Slew’s Connections Remember sire. The bay, who moved to Three Chimneys Farm in 1985 and remained there for the duration of his stud Angel Cordero Jr.: He was by far the best horse I ever career, produced at least one Grade I winner in 12 out sat on. He reminded me of Muhammad Ali. He was of his first 13 crops to race. Notable among these were that good and he had the same sort of presence. He'd the champion two-year-old of 1986, Capote; Seaside come into the paddock and you could tell he was Attraction, subsequently the dam of 1995 two-year-old showing off. This is a great loss for racing. He made a filly champ Golden Attraction; and 1992 Horse of the lot of people happy and gave a lot of people great Year A.P. Indy. In 2001 alone, he was represented by thrills. three new female Grade I winners--Kentucky Oaks Billy Turner, former trainer: He was such a remarkable winner Flute, Ashland and Mother Goose heroine Fleet horse. Everything he did on the racetrack was Renee and Go For Wand upsetter Serra Lake. Seattle phenomenal and it was the same with his stud career. Slew was also a perennial leading broodmare sire and Everything he did was extraordinary, which includes was tops in this category in 1995 and 1996. In North his longevity and his durability. America alone, Slew sired 309 producing daughters, 78 Dr. Jim Hill, former co-owner: It's certainly a sad day, of which went on to produce black-type performers. though it was inevitable and he had a great life and Chief among them was Solar Slew, the dam of two- did a whole lot for a lot of people. He also did time Horse of the Year and North American career something remarkable for the Thoroughbred breeding money leader Cigar. He also sired the dams of two industry and his influence will be felt for many years. It was good to know him when he was around." other prominent Allen Paulson runners, champion older mare Escena (Claxton’s Slew) and Grade I winner Astra Dan Rosenberg, President, Three Chimneys Farm: It's (Savannah Slew). In addition to Seaside Attraction, the a sad day for me and for everybody at Three dam of GI Florida Derby winner Cape Town, Seattle Chimneys. Having Seattle Slew here was a dream Slew was the broodmare sire of 1999 GI Belmont S. come true, a chance of a lifetime. Everyone who loves horses wants to get close to a great one and a great winner and 2000 champion older horse Lemon Drop Kid one he was. (Charming Lassie) and top international sprinter Agnes World (Mysteries), as well as full siblings Stormin Fever John Sikura Jr., owner, Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm: He was a and Raging Fever (Pennant Fever). All totaled, Seattle true champion. He just seemed to have an extra Slew sired 102 stakes winners, 60 of those graded and something that horses just don't have. You can equate it to Michael Jordan or anyone great in their 29 at the Grade I level. He also was the broodmare sire fields. That what makes you so appreciative of true of 99 stakes winners. His progeny have earned more greatness. You see it so rarely." than $75 million. (Grade I winners by Slew, p4) [email protected] www.arrowfield.com.au TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 5/8/02 • PAGE 3 of 7 Saturday, Turffontein, South Africa P R E S U L T S P SUNDAY TRIBUNE SA GUINEAS-G1, R300,000, Greyville, 5-4, 3yo, c/g, 1mT, 1:35.90, gd.