A first for Seattle Slew?

Press, 24 May 1977, Page 24

A first for Seattle Slew?

NZPA Baltimore It now appeai-s the biggest, oh- i stacle to Seattle Slew's becoming ] the first undefeated Triple '■ Crown champion is the lude- ’ pendent Association of Mutuel Employees at Belmont Park, 1 United Press International re- I ports. I Karen and Mickey Taylor’s '• Kentucky Derby and Preakness I winner was moved from Pimlico to Belmont Park yesterday, but 1 a strike by the mutuel (tote) 1 clerks has halted racing there. New York Racing Association I officials acknowledge the strike ; could be a lengthy one, but are 1 confident the Belmont Stakes 1 will be run as scheduled on June 11. Seattle Slew seems to have 1 everything in his favour for the : Belmont Stakes. His one length and a half vic- [ tory over Iron Constitution] seems to have convinced most of 1 his sceptics that the three-year-old colt's perfect record is no ■ fluke.

Only nine horses have won the , Triple Crown and Secretariat is the only one to accomplish the feat in the last ,29 years, but none have done it with an undefeated record. Majestic Prince entered the 1969 Belmont with victories in the Kentucky Derbv and the Preakness and a perfect rrriord but was beaten by Arts and Letters in the Belmont. The other six Derbv and Preakness winners to fail in the Belmont were Pensive, Tim Tam, Carry Back, Northern Dancer, Kauai King. Forward Pass and Canonero 11. Although Seattle Slew is assured racing immortality bv winning the Triple Crown" with an unbeaten record. his trainer. Billy Turner, was hinting about running the colt against the three-time “Horse of the Year,” Forego, in the Metropolitan Mile prior to the Belmont.

The curly-haired 37-year-old gave a lengthy dissertation on the logic behind entering the Metropolitan, but later admitted, “I was just having fun.” “It’s tough training an unbeaten horse,” Turner said after his Preakness victory, and looking forward to the Belmont, he added: “But now this makes it that much tougher.” Three of Seattle Slew’s Preakness victims are expected to try him one more time. The runner-up. Iron Constitution, a 30 to one shot in the Preakness, closed strongly on Seattle Slew to earn his Belmont start.

Run Dusty Run, the Kentucky Derby runner-up and third in the Preakness, also mav take one more crack at ‘'Slew,” but his trainer. Smiley Adams, said he would wait a week or so before making his decision and the colt was flown back to Churchill Downs yesterday.