Thanks for posting.... Slew makes Affirmed look like a pony. I didn't realize how big he was. It would have been a more interesting race if Affirmed had challenged Slew from the beginning (just like vs. Alydar).
@devil. You are absolutely right. We will never see 2 trpl crown champs race again. I saw that race liveon tv feed @ santa anita with my brother, I did not know that I was watching history. I had money of affirmed
I remember watching that race as a kid. Loved the Slew. I still wish my beloved Alydar would have been healthy and able to run in the race. Got hurt in the Travers thanks to Pincay's cheap shot on Affirmed. :(
@edgeandmybeaglerule When a horse race after June in his 4th season he is automatically given 126. A 3 year old is assigned 117. Quote Racing Secretary N.Y. State Kenny Noe 1973. Secretariat was given 124 to R.R. 127 & Kenny Noe stated Secretariat was 6 lbs over scale.better more than Riva Ridge. According to Noe then Affirmed was 5 lbs. better over scale.
Any trainer will tell you that one of the peak levels of a horses career is from his 3yr.old to his 4yr.old season. So we had a 4yr.old Triple Crown winner going against a 3yr.old Triple Crown winner in this race. I think Seattle Slew being older and stronger was the difference in the race. Of course, there's exception's to that theory. But Affirmed as a 4yr.old beat Spectacular Bid as a 3yr.old in 1979. I've always thought Spectacular Bid, top to bottom, was better than Affirmed. JMO.
@GBeret83 Wrong. Affirmed won the triple crown over a better horse than Bid ever faced in the classics, Alydar. Affirmed beat Bid at weight for age head to head with no excuse for Bid. Moreover, Bid ducked Winter's Tale at 4. Bid was great, Affirmed was better.
Terrific race from Seattle Slew. A fast but measured pace pretty much guaranteed victory.
In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Seattle Slew was simply too keyed up and ran the race like 6-furlong sprint... and the results were predictable. It's a testament to his greatness that he was able to challenge Exceller at the wire, Affirmed was last seen loping somewhere in the backstretch - has he crossed the finish line yet?
It was 4 pounds, 1 pound less on scale. The racing secretary rated Affirmed slightly above Slew prior to the race, since it should have been 5 pounds based on age.
In the post race interview Cauthen said he wasn't disappointed, that Affirmed had fired when asked, but Slew did also. Cauthen mentioned that Affirmed was given 1 pound less on scale.
BTW, recently I found an audio tape of the telecast, and also Marshall Cassidy's full call of the race. I'll try to make a video with Cassidy's call.
Thanks. I knew a true Slew fan would know. The Marlboro Cup used to be such a distinguished handicap race in the fall. Slew ran so well in those two races, and it took a bunch of rabbits, a slipped saddle on Affirmed, and sneaky (but head-up) race-riding by the Shoe to beat him...Exceller pulled an Empire-Maker-sit-one-out(Preakness)-and-wait-for-the-big-one move to beat Slew..could Cordero have ridden him any other way in the JCGC though??
@yipyappyyip The throat infection can't have helped Affirmed any. ...But this is a botched ride by Steve Cauthen, in my opinion.
No way Laffit Pincay lets Cordero steal off to THIS clever pace. ...any more than Cordero, in turn -- were HE aboard Slew, back in California -- would have let Shomaker steal away aboard J.O.Tobin. Bad rides work lasting distortions on reality, and you don't get them back.
I was at this race in 1978. One of my grandfather's great legacies to me was a love of horse racing, though growing up in Westbury - the home of Roosevelt Raceway and the first organized racing on this continent in 1665 - sorta helps. And a favorite PA announcer, Charles David Anderson, on the mic.
I have to laugh when i think of what Eddie Arcaro called Seattle Slew in 1977: "The best of a very mediocre crop" What nonsense. the last 30 years have shown on a great horse wins the triple crown. People underrate what Slew did in the fall of 1978. he lost by a very close margin to Dr Patches a fairly good horse at the meadowlands giving up 14 pounds. His other loss came as a result of a rabbit placed in the race. Had he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup to me that would have been another triple cro
It's a lot of fun watching the 4-year old Slew return to pre-Swaps stsakes form in this race. It's interesting that Affirmed was favored here; the powers that be seemed not to think he would show his true self.
Thanks for posting.... Slew makes Affirmed look like a pony. I didn't realize how big he was. It would have been a more interesting race if Affirmed had challenged Slew from the beginning (just like vs. Alydar).
bcleeusa 6 months ago
@devil. You are absolutely right. We will never see 2 trpl crown champs race again. I saw that race liveon tv feed @ santa anita with my brother, I did not know that I was watching history. I had money of affirmed
takor123 7 months ago
monster!
drfager01 1 year ago
I remember watching that race as a kid. Loved the Slew. I still wish my beloved Alydar would have been healthy and able to run in the race. Got hurt in the Travers thanks to Pincay's cheap shot on Affirmed. :(
edgeandmybeaglerule 1 year ago
@edgeandmybeaglerule When a horse race after June in his 4th season he is automatically given 126. A 3 year old is assigned 117. Quote Racing Secretary N.Y. State Kenny Noe 1973. Secretariat was given 124 to R.R. 127 & Kenny Noe stated Secretariat was 6 lbs over scale.better more than Riva Ridge. According to Noe then Affirmed was 5 lbs. better over scale.
rscarbro100 1 year ago
Any trainer will tell you that one of the peak levels of a horses career is from his 3yr.old to his 4yr.old season. So we had a 4yr.old Triple Crown winner going against a 3yr.old Triple Crown winner in this race. I think Seattle Slew being older and stronger was the difference in the race. Of course, there's exception's to that theory. But Affirmed as a 4yr.old beat Spectacular Bid as a 3yr.old in 1979. I've always thought Spectacular Bid, top to bottom, was better than Affirmed. JMO.
GBeret83 1 year ago
@GBeret83 Wrong. Affirmed won the triple crown over a better horse than Bid ever faced in the classics, Alydar. Affirmed beat Bid at weight for age head to head with no excuse for Bid. Moreover, Bid ducked Winter's Tale at 4. Bid was great, Affirmed was better.
brunoaltimino 8 months ago
@brunoaltimino Agreed.
JayAr709 6 months ago
Terrific race from Seattle Slew. A fast but measured pace pretty much guaranteed victory.
In the Jockey Club Gold Cup, Seattle Slew was simply too keyed up and ran the race like 6-furlong sprint... and the results were predictable. It's a testament to his greatness that he was able to challenge Exceller at the wire, Affirmed was last seen loping somewhere in the backstretch - has he crossed the finish line yet?
DanielSong39 1 year ago
How much weight did Slew give to Affirmed, if any?
jess4metoo 1 year ago
It was 4 pounds, 1 pound less on scale. The racing secretary rated Affirmed slightly above Slew prior to the race, since it should have been 5 pounds based on age.
In the post race interview Cauthen said he wasn't disappointed, that Affirmed had fired when asked, but Slew did also. Cauthen mentioned that Affirmed was given 1 pound less on scale.
BTW, recently I found an audio tape of the telecast, and also Marshall Cassidy's full call of the race. I'll try to make a video with Cassidy's call.
AwsiDooger 1 year ago
rscarbo Arcaro stated "as a rabbit and also had his jockey yelling at Slew during the race to try and upset him.
proveout 1 year ago
IMO, Seattle Slew as a 4yr.old was just too big and physically strong for Affirmed, as great as he was, to be able to beat. IMO.
GBeret83 1 year ago
gosh, was slew so great..the more i watch this horse the more brilliant seattle slew was..a true immortal
heartofalion77 3 years ago 2
Thanks. I knew a true Slew fan would know. The Marlboro Cup used to be such a distinguished handicap race in the fall. Slew ran so well in those two races, and it took a bunch of rabbits, a slipped saddle on Affirmed, and sneaky (but head-up) race-riding by the Shoe to beat him...Exceller pulled an Empire-Maker-sit-one-out(Preakness)-and-wait-for-the-big-one move to beat Slew..could Cordero have ridden him any other way in the JCGC though??
yipyappyyip 3 years ago 2
Did this come before or after the Woodward?
yipyappyyip 3 years ago
It was before the Woodward. The order was: Marlboro Cup, Woodward, Jockey Club Gold Cup.
Slew ran in all 3. Affirmed skipped the Woodward. Exceller skipped the Marlboro Cup.
AwsiDooger 3 years ago
@yipyappyyip The throat infection can't have helped Affirmed any. ...But this is a botched ride by Steve Cauthen, in my opinion.
No way Laffit Pincay lets Cordero steal off to THIS clever pace. ...any more than Cordero, in turn -- were HE aboard Slew, back in California -- would have let Shomaker steal away aboard J.O.Tobin. Bad rides work lasting distortions on reality, and you don't get them back.
JayAr709 6 months ago
We will NEVER see another race featuring not 1 but 2 Tripple Crown winners! The 70's truly were "The Golden Age" of racing
DevilHisDue 3 years ago 4
I was at this race in 1978. One of my grandfather's great legacies to me was a love of horse racing, though growing up in Westbury - the home of Roosevelt Raceway and the first organized racing on this continent in 1665 - sorta helps. And a favorite PA announcer, Charles David Anderson, on the mic.
davemock 3 years ago
And dig Angel Cordero saluting the crowd at the end, though a little later than Mr Cruget a year and change previous.
davemock 3 years ago
seattle slew-a true immortal great..he absolutely demolished another legend here!
ruffchamp1 3 years ago 4
I have to laugh when i think of what Eddie Arcaro called Seattle Slew in 1977: "The best of a very mediocre crop" What nonsense. the last 30 years have shown on a great horse wins the triple crown. People underrate what Slew did in the fall of 1978. he lost by a very close margin to Dr Patches a fairly good horse at the meadowlands giving up 14 pounds. His other loss came as a result of a rabbit placed in the race. Had he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup to me that would have been another triple cro
proveout 3 years ago
"He pulls off the BIG ONE". Love it! Thank you for posting this.
jess4metoo 3 years ago
It's a lot of fun watching the 4-year old Slew return to pre-Swaps stsakes form in this race. It's interesting that Affirmed was favored here; the powers that be seemed not to think he would show his true self.
gfn02 3 years ago
Terrific stuff. Thank you for posting this.
cf1970 3 years ago