Horse Racing: Slew O’ Gold, the American thoroughbred racehorse
The winner of the 1983 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three Year Old Male Horse and 1984 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Older Male Horse, Slew o’ Gold was foaled on the 19th of April 1980. Sired by the Triple Crown champion out of Alluvial, the
bay-coloured stallion was bred in Claiborne Farms, Kentucky. The ownership of the great racehorse lied with Equusequity Stable, which was a partnership of Dr Jim and Sally Hill and Mickey and Karen Taylor. The former couple was also the owner of Oak Crest
Farm in Marion City, Florida. The champion thoroughbred was half brother to another stakes winning colt, Coastal.
Starting his racing career at the age of two, Slew o’ Gold only took part in three races out of which he managed to win two that racing season. He contended all the three legs of the United States Triple Crown 1983. Slew o’ Gold clinched the first spot in
the Kentucky Derby, but was denied the Triple Crown since he finished second in the Belmont Stakes and did not contend the third jewel, Preakness Stakes. Another significant race that he won in this year was the Peter Pan Stakes. Towards the end of the 1983
racing season, Slew O’ Gold emerged as an exalted racehorse after he held off some of the most dominating colts in the Woodward Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Moreover, he was also the runner up to the winner in the Marlboro Cup. The racehorse could
not make it to win the 1983 Fall Championship Series at Belmont. At the end of this racing season, 1983, Slew o’ Gold’s brilliant performances were acknowledged by the American Horse racing industry when he was named the United States Three Year Old Male Champion.
The champion colt then continued his career as a 4-year old thoroughbred colt. Due some issue with his hooves, he started the 1984 racing season on the 2nd of July. Despite the aforementioned problem, Slew O’ Gold took over the field in many major
races including the Whitney Handicap that was held at famed Saratoga Springs and also won the 1984 Fall Championship Series at Belmont. The last race of 1984 racing season that was competed by Slew O’ Gold was the opening event of the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
Initially he finished third to Wild Again in this race but was then promoted to the second position after Gate Dancer was disqualified from the second spot.
After his last public appearance, Slew O’ Gold was retired to stand at stud at Three Chimneys Farm situated near Midway, Kentucky. The legendary racehorse sired the stakes winner Nine Carat, the winner of the 1991 Prix Montencia, a start that was run at
the Deauville-La Touques Racecourse in France. Slew O’ Gold was pensioned in 2002 after he stood at the stud for over 17 years.
At the time of his retirement, the fancied colt had earned $3,533,534 under the training of famed trainers Sidney Watters Jr. and John O. Hertler. In 1992, Slew O’ Gold was elected into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Moreover, he has also
been ranked #58 in the list of the top 100 United States Thoroughbred champions of the 20th century by The Blood Horse Magazine. The magazine also featured Slew O’ Gold on the cover story of one of its editions.
Slew o’ Gold was euthanized on 14th of October 2007 due to the infirmities of old age. He was 27 years old at that time and is buried at Three Chimneys Farm. The racehorse will always be remembered in the American thoroughbred horse racing industry
for his remarkable achievements.
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