1977 Swaps Stakes - J.O. Tobin slays Seattle Slew

I'm stealing that from the headline in the LA Times the following day; "J.O. Tobin and Shoe Slay the Slew."

Awesome race by J.O. Tobin, the English 2-year-old champ of 1976, with Bill Shoemaker aboard at Hollywood Park. This is the legendary Harry Henson on the call.

J.O Tobin ran the 10 furlongs in 1:58 3/5, missing the world record by only 2/5. J.O. Tobin ran in the Preakness, finishing 5 lengths behind Seattle Slew, but skipped the Derby and strangely the Belmont.

This is the one major black mark on Slew's career, his first loss after 9 wins. It was run on July 3, 1977, just 22 days after the Belmont win. The ease of that race may have fooled Slew's owners into thinking he was indestructible and didn't need the standard long rest. There is no write up on this race at Seattle Slew dot com, which is strange. I'd be interested to see what the Taylors had to say. Slew had no real excuse, other than no reason to be there. Cruguet had to check a bit after a half mile but that certainly had no bearing on the outcome.

I remember going on vacation with my parents just a few days after Slew's Belmont. The announced plans for him were a long break. Then I picked up a paper a week or so later and all of a sudden Slew was headed to California. Big mistake. It was a major event, dollars and otherwise, and almost like a circus atmosphere, but a monumental strategic gaffe. I listened to this race on radio late in the afternoon at a campground in Fresno, surprised by the margin but not the result.

The great Jim Murray wrote in the LA Times a day later, "Secretariat wouldn't get beat 16 lengths by a train." I'm a huge Slew fan but even I got a laugh out of that one.

If Slew had died of the virus, this would have been his final race, and he would have been severely underrated, minus the fall '78 comeback races.

Category:

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• J.O.
• Tobin
• Seattle
• Slew
• Swaps
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[DanielSong39]

@brunoaltimino J.O. Tobin wasn't a superhorse, but he ran like one on this day.

While Slew was not at his best, health and fitness is part of horse racing. Unfortunately there are no "ifs", we can only go by what happened. J.O. Tobin's performance was nothing short of spectacular. Seattle Slew's health (or lack thereof) doesn't change that fact.

[brunoaltimino]

@DanielSong39 A healthy and fit Slew would have relentlessly stalked JO Tobin into submission by the eight pole. Remember that Slew did not have to have the lead to win. He didn't have it in the Derby nor the Preakness. JO Tobin never came close to that effort before or after that race.

[bbmtge]

@brunoaltimino "would of"

[c7rfnmn]

@disciple90633 I think that's right.I was at this race too,and was also 6 yrs.old at the time.I still have the program somewhere,with Slew on the cover,as well as a $2 ticket my parents bought me(with the race imprint code "Slew3"-Hollywood Park didn't have computer betting terminals yet).This still ranks as one of the most impressive races I have ever seen,though I obviously didn't realize it at the time.Slew clearly wasn't 100%,but it would've been hard to beat Tobin even if he had been

[disciple90633]

I was actually at this race. My dad took me to it when I was 6 and I actually even remember it well. Now that I can research it more, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. First, J.O. Tobin was unbeatable on this track. He won something like 7 or 8 straight stakes on this track and this race was like 2/5 a second off the WORLD record. So NO ONE was gonna beat J.O. in this race. Second, Slew was an east coast horse and he liked running at Belmont. He had never been out west before.

[PaulDePace]

Wow. I have seen all of these horses in person in other big races, but have never seen this replay. The most shocking part of the race was Seattle Slew...just got run into the ground by J.O. Tobin. Text always had to wait and just got out run. But J.O. Tobin? He was not exactly rating up there! Wow... Impressive. The race reminds you of Secretariat in the Belmont. J.O. Tobin just went out...grabbed that lead....never tired...drew out...and even galloped out...really something that day.

[JayAr709]

@brunoaltimino Well but can you have it both ways? :)

AFFIRMED was sick, in Slew's Marlboro. (Had a throat infection.) Plus, Cauthen inexplicably allowed Cordero that clever pace.

Next, in Slew's JCGC, Affirmed's saddle slipped--& he was "gunned" redundantly beside Life's Hope. (When the idea was to sit back, let the stable-mate keep Seattle Slew honest).

Then too, in Slew's Preakness, J.O.Tobin: "got beat by less than five lengths," as bill Shoe recalls "and had 10 lengths' worth of trouble"

[sl7293]

@brunoaltimino Tobin's losses to Alydar & Slew are consistent with the idea that was his best effort. Irrespective of Slew's condition on this day, you can't assume would have defeated Tobin even if he was at his best. It's by no means a certainty. Sure this was a West coast track, but Slew never cracked 2:00 at 1 1/4 mi on an East Coast track. That does not mean he couldn't have done so, but it does not mean he could have.

[brunoaltimino]

@sl7293 You have posted alot and each post subtracts integrity from your argument. The tracks in southern California are significantly faster than they are on the east coast. Slew was sick in this race, and nearly died as a result of the illness. Therefore, the race is a throwout for Slew. Tobin was soundly defeated by Slew in the Preakness and was later thumped by Alydar. Move on. Moreover, Slew ran the mile and one eighth Marlboro in 1:45 4/5 after an initial quarter in 24. That's flyin

[sl7293]

@brunoaltimino Your claim that a healthy Slew would have relentlessly stalked JO Tobin into submission by the eights pole is speculation. It may be wishful thinking. The fact that J.O. Tobin never came close to this effort before or after this race, does not mean that Slew who also never ran 1 1/4 at this speed before or after this race, would have been able to defeat Tobin on this day under any circumstances.

[sl7293]

@brunoaltimino Don't see why Slew is so superior to those others. Winning the triple crown does not make you #2. Citation won 20 of 21 at age 3, including 16 wins a row which is more than Slew won in his career AND won the triple crown. Dr is the only horse to ever win horse of the year, Turf Champion, Handicap champion, & sprint champion in the same year. Kelso was an iron horse who set world & track records carrying high weight. It's easier to look good if you don't run all the time.

[sl7293]

@brunoaltimino The only 3 horses that ever finished in front of Dr F in a race were all time greats Damacus & Buckpasser & 2 Yr old Champion Successor. Successor defeated the Dr at age 2 and is listed among DRF's greatest thoroughbreds. All three of the above used rabbits. If Slew had ever faced the Dr, let me suggest that he too would have been well advised to also enter a rabbit with WR speed up to a mile.