Seattle Slew , before his debut :
Steve Cady wrote a book about Seattle Slew’s racing career. One of the earliest episodes Cady documented was Seattle Slew's preparation for his racing debut.
One summer, the squirrel was in the press box at Saratoga during workout hours. The squirrel noticed trainer Billy Turner standing in the irons on his pony Steamboat, situated on the finish line. Trainer Turner was waving his arms frantically, hoping to attract jockey Jean Cruget’s attention: The jet black firster from Turner’s stable Cruget now rode was traveling too fast. Turner wanted him slowed down. The horse, named Seattle Slew, was working big, smooth and a little too fast (110-1) for a youngster going six furlong for the first time. That morning, battling with taut reins to the finish line, Seattle Slew displayed the tenacity that would become his trademark. The 110-1 workout time for Seattle Slew with jockey Cruget aboard never appeared in the Daily Racing Forms workout tab the next day. An earlier 58-2 grass workout by Seattle Slew was slowed down a bit (100-2) but that didn't matter, since it was credited to Seattle Sue. Seattle Slew, by the way, never started at Saratoga that summer because of a minor setback (he'd kicked his stall and inflamed a joint).
Before 18,745 fans, Seattle Slew finally debuted at Belmont Racetrack on a Monday in the fall. His blazing workouts (110-1 & 58-2) were hidden from the public. Only three slow works were credited to Seattle Slew, 102, 48-1 and 48.
|