Slew set fractions of 22:3, 45:1, 1:09:2 in company, Exceller made up 10 lenghts in about 10 seconds, absolutely flying, and Slew still hung tough to almost take it. Every time I've seen this over the years, I think the same thing: Absolutely one of the greatest performances ever, by one of the greatest horses.
I was 24 at the time & saw this race live. As a big Seattle Slew fan, him losing broke my heart. Seattle Slew lost the "Fall Triple Crown" by a nose. His son(Slew 'O Gold) went on the win "Fall Triple Crown" a few years later. BTW Another great Chic Anderson quote from this race "Excellar's got it in gear, and he' flying"
Of all of Slews races I like many others believe this was his greatest performance. Even though he lost he demonstrated how great he was. When a horse goes as fast as he did and a HIGH CLASS closer like Exceller comes up,they almost always cruise on by,right? WRONG,not when your dealing with the SLEW,he showed on that day what he was,and I respect him to the highest degree!
The most electrifying stretch run I have ever witnessed. Everyone in attendence was on their feet, the vast majority rooting for Slew to come back, despite who they had backed in the pools. Also, the early pace had alot to do with Affirmed's saddle slipping. Cauthen had no chance to rate him around the clubhouse turn and down the backstretch. Thanks for posting video.
Slew had the heart of a champion here and Exceller ran a tremendous race, too. Exceller has to be one of the best horses never to win a championship. Won a bunch of what would have been Grade 1 stakes in 1978, mostly on the turf. Makes what happened to him all the more horrible.
Not to detract from Excellers performance as I think he was a great horse but this race cemented Slew as a real champion. He put up amazing fractions on an off track and still had the fire to actually start coming back at Exceller near the finish. I was never a Slew fan as I thought the crop of 3 year olds were weak in his TC year but this race changed my opinion.
They just don't make horses like this anymore. Truly one of racing's top races ever. I hope that one day the quality of racing will improve, that virtually every person in north america comes to know the greatness of the sport, & what these thoroughbreds can do.
What a great race! I mean, that move by Exceller in the far stretch was one of the greatest I have ever seen outside of Secretariat. BTW, Seattle Slew beat Affirmed pretty good twice.
I never believed Affirmed saddle slipped. He was beaten badly that day. They had to come up with something. It was either "Slew is superior" or "The Saddle Slipped".
Although somehow people do, it's hard to argue any horse could beat Secretariat when he was right. In all but the first race he lost he was either ill or out of shape, but his connections didn't scratch him because he was Pegasus and they were up against a hard deadline after which he would go to stud. However, in every race he was healthy he was never challenged, making it hard to judge his heart. Slew was a beast. He may not have been the best, but he was very good, and as this race shows there was no quit in him. He lived for the game. Exceller also impressed, he won six other races this season. Affirmed had an off race, it happens with living creatures, but he was a monster too. Hard to question his heart after all those nai lbiters against a very good Alydar, who himself suffered a horrible death..
I allways preferred Alydar over Affirmed just me nothin against the crown hero. (N don't get me started on Shoe....) anyway this was Slew's race. Period. The early pop from the gate, ty Eddie for saving the colt, the fractions,Hello!? Slew being Slew. Dominate. To lose by a whisker. Still " The Champ" in my mind.
A pretty good gang-imitation of Secretariat for the first 6 f. But SS showed his real mettle in the stretch. Even if he missed it by a nose - and bursting out of the gate prematurely didn't help - he was still the better horse that day.
Wow what a race, I had never seen it before. Seattle Slew ran a great race, falling behind to Excellor in the stretch run only to find a second wind and nearly win it. Great great race. I am also sorry to hear from reading these posts that Excellor was sent to a slaughterhouse, these horses deserve more then to come to an end as horrible as that.
Slew set fractions of 22:3, 45:1, 1:09:2 in company, Exceller made up 10 lenghts in about 10 seconds, absolutely flying, and Slew still hung tough to almost take it. Every time I've seen this over the years, I think the same thing: Absolutely one of the greatest performances ever, by one of the greatest horses.
I was 24 at the time & saw this race live. As a big Seattle Slew fan, him losing broke my heart.
Seattle Slew lost the "Fall Triple Crown" by a nose.
His son(Slew 'O Gold) went on the win "Fall Triple Crown" a few years later.
BTW Another great Chic Anderson quote from this race
"Excellar's got it in gear, and he' flying"
Of all of Slews races I like many others believe this was his greatest performance. Even though he lost he demonstrated how great he was. When a horse goes as fast as he did and a HIGH CLASS closer like Exceller comes up,they almost always cruise on by,right? WRONG,not when your dealing with the SLEW,he showed on that day what he was,and I respect him to the highest degree!
The may be one of the most incredible races in the hisotry of the sport.
The most electrifying stretch run I have ever witnessed. Everyone in attendence was on their feet, the vast majority rooting for Slew to come back, despite who they had backed in the pools.
Also, the early pace had alot to do with Affirmed's saddle slipping. Cauthen had no chance to rate him around the clubhouse turn and down the backstretch.
Thanks for posting video.
Slew had the heart of a champion here and Exceller ran a tremendous race, too. Exceller has to be one of the best horses never to win a championship. Won a bunch of what would have been Grade 1 stakes in 1978, mostly on the turf. Makes what happened to him all the more horrible.
Not to detract from Excellers performance as I think he was a great horse but this race cemented Slew as a real champion. He put up amazing fractions on an off track and still had the fire to actually start coming back at Exceller near the finish. I was never a Slew fan as I thought the crop of 3 year olds were weak in his TC year but this race changed my opinion.
They just don't make horses like this anymore. Truly one of racing's top races ever. I hope that one day the quality of racing will improve, that virtually every person in north america comes to know the greatness of the sport, & what these thoroughbreds can do.
What a great race! I mean, that move by Exceller in the far stretch was one of the greatest I have ever seen outside of Secretariat.
BTW, Seattle Slew beat Affirmed pretty good twice.
I never believed Affirmed saddle slipped. He was beaten badly that day. They had to come up with something. It was either "Slew is superior" or "The Saddle Slipped".
What amazing race, but it really makes the eventual fate of Exceller even more tragic.
Exceller is the only horse to hold the honor of beating 2 triple crown winners in one race. Damn shame what that dutch sob did to him
Although somehow people do, it's hard to argue any horse could beat Secretariat when he was right. In all but the first race he lost he was either ill or out of shape, but his connections didn't scratch him because he was Pegasus and they were up against a hard deadline after which he would go to stud. However, in every race he was healthy he was never challenged, making it hard to judge his heart. Slew was a beast. He may not have been the best, but he was very good, and as this race shows there was no quit in him. He lived for the game. Exceller also impressed, he won six other races this season. Affirmed had an off race, it happens with living creatures, but he was a monster too. Hard to question his heart after all those nai lbiters against a very good Alydar, who himself suffered a horrible death..
I allways preferred Alydar over Affirmed just me nothin against the crown hero. (N don't get me started on Shoe....) anyway this was Slew's race. Period. The early pop from the gate, ty Eddie for saving the colt, the fractions,Hello!? Slew being Slew. Dominate. To lose by a whisker. Still " The Champ" in my mind.
A pretty good gang-imitation of Secretariat for the first 6 f.
But SS showed his real mettle in the stretch. Even if he missed it by a nose - and bursting out of the gate prematurely didn't help - he was still the better horse that day.
Do you think things would have been alittle different if Affirmed saddle didnt slip and if they didnt run those fast fractions early on?
Wow what a race, I had never seen it before. Seattle Slew ran a great race, falling behind to Excellor in the stretch run only to find a second wind and nearly win it. Great great race.
I am also sorry to hear from reading these posts that Excellor was sent to a slaughterhouse, these horses deserve more then to come to an end as horrible as that.
The SOB was Swedish.
First 6 furlongs 1:09, last 6 furlongs 1:18 - Seattle Slew was super, Exceller benefitted greatly from Affirmed butchering.
Yeah you are going to have to teach me slot buster, I'm not even sure who won!
Ah - never was good with geography