Seattle Slew's 1977 Triple Crown
Unbeaten at Churchill Downs, Bay Colt Continued to Romp in Classics
Front running 1977 Triple Crown Champion Seattle Slew equaled Secretariat's Preakness speed and romped through the classics to claim the 10th historical triple title.
Connections and Stats: 1977
Awards and Stud Career: Seattle Slew
Seattle Slew, 1977 American Triple Crown winner, a runt at foaling and later nicknamed "Baby Huey" after a charming but clumsy cartoon character, had speed to burn. He could lay back and catch any leader almost at will. He proved to have lots of will.
Slew's passing at the age of 28 in 2002 left the American thoroughbred scene without a living Triple Crown champion. That circumstance is also a first.
A handsome dark bay with the reddish bangs later popularized by the 2004 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes champion, Smarty Jones, Slew was purchased for $17,500 at the 1975 Keeneland yearling sale.
Unbeaten at Two
Of modest breeding, Slew turned in an undefeated two-year-old season in three races. He quickly demonstrated heart and unbridled speed.
His wins continued in his sophomore year of 1977 in the Florida Flamingo Stakes and New York's Wood Memorial. He approached his Kentucky Derby still unbeaten and having claimed a front runner's strategy while relying on late, speedy charges.
Slew's Derby
Shooting out of the gate at Churchill Downs, Slew stumbled into a troubled start, during which he was off balance, swerved into a competitor, and traveled sideways before straightening out. Nothing ever really rattled Slew.
He bolted forward and muscled himself to where he wanted to run, near the front. From there, he drew off easily to win in the 1-1/4 miles by 1-3/4 lengths. His chief rival from his juvenile season, For the Moment, and Run Dusty Run and Sanhedrin could not challenge him.
The Preakness
A better start in the Preakness Stakes equated to the same result, with Slew winning drawing off. In time of 1:54-2/5 for the 1-3/16 miles, Slew equaled Secretariat's fastest ever Preakness, since the Big Red Machine's "official" time was changed to 1:54-2/5 (from 1:53-2/5).
Iron Constitution, Cormorant, and Slew's two Derby foes were hopelessly outrun.
The Belmont
In the Belmont Stakes three weeks later, Slew negotiated a muddy track for the first time in his racing career. Afterward, one could legitimately call him a mudder because the unbothered Bold Reasoning bay took the lead when he desired.
Again Slew's competition was inadequate. The bay champ ran from the front to the wire. With an easily achieved victory, Slew finished as the 10th Triple Crown winner.
One Unbeaten Triple Winner
More than twenty thoroughbreds have won the first two legs of the Triple Crown. None of them, other than the elite eleven, have finished the triple task at Belmont.
Little Slew is still the only thoroughbred to ever enter the triple runs as an undefeated and come away having won all three classics to uphold an unblemished record.
