1978 Marlboro Cup - Seattle Slew defeats Affirmed

The famous first meeting between Triple Crown winners, on September 16,1978 at Belmont Park. Slew wins decisively in the excellent time of 1:45 4/5, despite taken wide off the final turn by Angel Cordero, in his first mount aboard Slew. Chic Anderson on the call, just six months before his death of a massive heart attack.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Seattle
• Slew
• Affirmed
• Marlboro
• Cup
• Horse
• Racing
• Angel
• Cordero
• Steve
• Cauthen
• 1978
• Belmont
• Park
• Triple
• Crown

[jkmooreelle]

Spectacular Bid was the best non- triple crown horse. No other horse even comes close.

[AwsiDooger]

@jkmooreelle

I agree with that. In the 40+ years I've followed, Spectacular Bid is easily the best non-Tripler.

[sulliva]

Just my 2 cents...Affirmed was over rated. Slew was better . Secretariat better than either. Also in the past 33 years the best horse that did not win the Triple Crown was POINT GIVEN...: won Santa Anita Derby, Preakness, Belmont,Haskell, Travers,...his time in the Belomnt was better than Slew and Affirmed. Any opinions out there???

[AwsiDooger]

@sulliva

Since 33 years barely reaches Spectacular Bid, I'd definitely choose him as the best non-Tripler.

IMO, Point Given is the best 3 year old since the two stars of 1989 -- Sunday Silence and Easy Goer. I'm not sure I could confidently separate those three. Easy Goer and Point Given forever hurt their rating via inexplicably poor outings in the Derby.

[thackery12]

Two words: Real Quiet. He won the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, & lost the Belmont Stakes by a nose to Victory Gallop. Greatest horse not to be a Triple Crown winner.....

[BE109]

I have a hard time understanding how anybody could knock this great TB racehorse. Heck that goes for any great racehorse for that matter(or even a very very good one for that matter)! Just enjoy greatness when you witness it. I spent a lifetime breeding racehorses hoping to get my hands on the "BIG ONE!" I.E. they don't grow on trees! Smile.

[nin12dog]

@HollywoodParkSteward When was Sham "stopped"? was this 'jargon' or a metaphor?Sham didn't stop - Pincay (apparently) understood he'd kill Sham if he continued to FLOG him in a futile effort to keep pace w/Sec. Sham was eased. At least the owner was humane enough to recognize Sham had been broken in the Trip Crn & wasn't a complete D#.u.ch.e B#g. It's awful to watch Sham WHIPPED in the KD, Preakness & the Belmont - very sad! & Pincay is considered a great jockey - seemed like a b#st.#rd.

[nin12dog]

@stivo1975 Ummm.....He BEAT the CLOCK.........His racetimes in KD and Belmont remain the track records even now. SSlew & Affirmed (both EXTRAORDINARY HORSES & TRIP CROWN WINNERS) DID NOT beat his RACE TIMES in either race - NO HORSE has yet beat his records in these two TC races - (Preakness is unclear because of 'tech difficulties') I would NEVER disparage any of the fanatastic thorobreds who have had great careers - but you asked an odd question.

[nin12dog]

@bltorioles love Secretariat - he was a MONSTER when he turned it on.

[flylion132]

@rodd7 Seattle Slew got very sick after the Triple Crown, and loss in California shortly afterwards. Bid still lost the Jockey Club Gold Cup and Belmont Stakes as a 3 year old. Affirmed lost the Marlboro Cup,Jockey Club Gold Cup and Travers DQ loss also as a 3 year old.

[rodd7]

@sulliva What happened to Seattle Slews 3 year old fall campaign? Affirmed, and the Bid showed up for their's

[JayAr709]

@rodd7 "Spectacular Bid can't get closer!"--The racecaller's very words.(..neither could

Coastal, though he made a try).

In Affirmed's JC Gold Cup, The Bid made not one, but 4 discrete & determined tries, to pass the reigning Triple Crown champ and wasn't Alydar's equal. Ever wonder why that race, w/ quadrupling turns-back of Spectacular Bid is unavailable among the videotaped records that dot the youtube.com landscape?

3-yr Bid's drubbing vs. 4yr Affirmed looks far worse than what u c here