FIVE YEAR OLD HORSE-SEATTLE SLEW x QUIET FLING x TURN TO REASON

Owner: LIAM

Record: 16/ 8-1-1

Earnings: $2,201,590

Stakes:

1st: Jockey Guild Gold Cup (G1), Oaktree Handicap (G1), California Handicap (G1), Glenn Handicap (G1), Kinglike Special, General Holmes Stakes, Maxxed Platinum Plate Cap

2nd: IDE Special

3rd: Tinseltown Cup (G3)

By- Jeff Carlson

NEW SLEW raced from New York to California, from Florida and Louisiana in the south to Idaho in the north with several stops in middle America. James Brown may be the hardest working man in show business, but NEW SLEW is the hardest working equine in the racing business. He must occasionally have suffered from jet lag with the ambitious season planned by his trainer, Liam, but it was an exceptional run and it led to becoming a champion.

His trainer realized he had a special horse when he won first time out, around two turns and registering a speed rating of #93. His next outing was a minor stake in Louisiana, that he finished second in, but beaten only a length by a hard knocking, experienced handicapper, but his time and last quarter mile hinted at things to come. Shipping to Texas for the Maxxed Platinum, he an even stronger race and came away with a hard fought victory at odds of 19/1. His connections felt that they had a real racehorse and next entered him in the Glenn Handicap, which is traditionally the first major handicap race on the eastern circuit. He still earned no respect at the windows, but no one told him he was 19/1 again and he proceeded to toy with the best on the east coast, beating them easily by almost five lengths. Two more Grade I races were attempted in Florida but he seemed to get listless in Florida and didn’t return to his earlier form. His trainer was hard pressed to explain NEW SLEW’s recent efforts, but it was decided to send him to California.

The Pacific breezes and air in California had SLEW training like a monster and he was entered in the Grade I, California Handicap at the classic American distance of ten furlongs. He was given little chance as the outsider to compete in this company, but once again the big black colt with the monstrous strides demolishing the field with a brilliant five and a half length victory. Liam then took his colt on the road to Arkansas and the Racing Festival meet at the hot springs. He raced in the Razorback and finished a tired fifth, but it seemed as if he were being schooled to use more speed earlier in the race. Perhaps it was a lesson or perhaps it was trainer intention to get his charge ready for the big prize. Once again, on the Grade I stage, he launched a stretch drive that staggered the grandstand with its appearance of lightning and ended running the last quarter in :22 4/5 to a two length victory. California beckoned again for the Smart School Cap, but he ran the worst race of his career, which in turn earned him a much needed lay off.

After a three month freshening, he returned in an easy spot in Idaho, with a nine length decision and a plane ticket back to California. The Tinsletown was probably his most difficult challenge, closing to within two lengths of the leaders, but tiring in the stretch to finish third. After racing in Pennsylvania, where he had his first try on the grass and obviously disliked the surface, he returned to his favorite track in Arkansas. The goal was now clear to Liam, with three Grade I victories already behind them, a path to the Breeders Bowl was decided with eyes on the mantle of Horse of the Year.

The plan was for two more races, a solid prep, the prestigious Jockey Guild Gold Cup and then the Breeders Bowl Classic. In Arkansas, New Slew returned to form with an easy victory in the Kinglike Special and headed into the Gold Cup brimming with confidence. The Jockey Guild ended with SLEW in a driving battle down the stretch and finding daylight in the last several jumps to win by a short length. Well rested and on a two race win streak, Liam and NEW SLEW headed to Florida for their date with destiny in the Breeders Bowl Classic and their opportunity to all but clinch top horse of the year honors. The train was halted in the Breeders Bowl by an uncharacteristically poor showing. Liam is giving his horse some rest and relaxation, waiting for the new season to begin and offer them the opportunity to race and succeed with the best horses in the world. As for Horse of the Year, that we will have to wait to hear about, but with four Grade I victories and seven total stakes wins for the year, NEW SLEW is the champion older horse for 1999.