Horses Frozen in Time – Triple Crown Winners
December 17th 2011 23:36
Horses Frozen in Time – Triple Crown Winners
an article for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite.
Words by Vicki L Vinson.
Photographs by Sue Rosenbach.
It has been 33 years since the racing world has seen a Triple Crown winner arrive on the scene but the likenesses of the last three Triple Crown winners can all be seen frozen in time as their statues grace the grounds of farms where they stood at stud and parks where their fame is remembered.
The statue of Affirmed stands at Darley of Jonabell Farm
Affirmed was the 11th and the final horse to win the Triple Crown in 1978. He was the great great grandson of the 1938 Triple Crown winner War Admiral and was by the sire Exclusive Native out of the Crafty Admiral mare Won’t Tell You. Affirmed was owned and bred by Harbor View Farms, trained by Laz Barrera and was ridden by young Steve Cauthen during his Triple Crown campaign. The following year Affirmed would go on to win the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Jockey Gold Cup while being ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr. Affirmed’s final race record was 29-22-5-1 with career earnings over 2 million dollars. During his three years of racing Affirmed earned Eclipse awards for 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’77, 3 Yr. Old Colt in ’78, Older Male in ’79 and Horse of the Year in ’78 & ’79. Affirmed was elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1980. Affirmed began his stud career at Spendthrift Farm, then for a time at Calumet home of his arch rival Alydar before settling in at Jonabell Farm (now known as Darley of Jonabell). It is at Jonabell where Affirmed passed away on January 12, 2001 and a half size sculpture done by Gwen Reardon was commissioned by his owners Lou and Patrice Wolfson of Harbor View Farms. The statue is fittingly displayed between the offices of the farm and the stallion barn.
Seattle Slew statue over his gravesite at Hill ‘n’Dale
In 1978 the Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park marked the first match up of two Triple Crown winners Affirmed and Seattle Slew. Affirmed was the favorite sent off at 1-2 odds with Seattle Slew at 2-1. Both horses had similar running styles preferring to be on or near the lead. Seattle Slew captured the early lead in the race and while Affirmed who was known for his courage and determination in the stretch run tried valiantly to catch him Seattle Slew was able to dig in and win by 3 lengths. He finished the race only .40 seconds off the track record set by Secretariat.
Seattle Slew was the 10th Triple Crown winner in 1977 and the only one to accomplish the feat while being undefeated. Seattle Slew is by Bold Reasoning out of the mare My Charmer, he was owned by Karen and Mickey Taylor. During his Triple Crown campaign Seattle Slew was trained by William Turner Jr. and ridden by Jean Cruguet in his later races he was trained by Douglas Peterson and ridden by Angel Cordero. Seattle Slew’s final race record was 17-14-2-0 with earnings of $1,208,726. Initially he was retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm then later moved to Three Chimneys which is where another statue of him stands outside their stallion barn. Seattle Slew spent the last few years of his life at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms where he died in his sleep at age 28. During his career Seattle Slew received the following Eclipse Awards: 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’76, 3 Yr. Colt and Horse of the Year in ’77, Older Male in ’78 and Leading Sire in ’84. Seattle Slew was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1981.
Secretariat statue in the paddock at Belmont Park
In 1973 Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years while setting new track records in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. The bright chestnut colt born on March 3, 1970 at Meadow Farms in Virginia out of the sire Bold Ruler by their mare Somethingroyal became fondly known as Big Red by is owner Penny Chenery. Secretariat was trained by Lucien Lauren and ridden by Ron Turcotte in all three of his Triple Crown races. While Secretariat was preparing for the Belmont his pictured graced the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. When it was time for the Belmont his presence had scared away all but four competitors and with high expectations that he would win again there was no show betting allowed on the race. In one of the most spectacular races ever Secretariat won the Belmont by an amazing 31 lengths. Secretariat became part of a syndication agreement when he entered stud that precluded him from racing past the age of three. His last race would be a second try on turf in the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto of course he won this race too. Secretariat made a final public appearance at Aqueduct being paraded before his fans finishing his career with a race record of 21-16-3-1 and earnings over 1.3 million dollars. He earned the Eclipse Award for 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’72, 3 Yr. Old Colt and Male Turf Horse in ’73 and Horse of the Year honors in both ’72 and ’73. Secretariat was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1974.
Secretariat with jockey Ron Turcotte and groom Eddie Sweat at Kentucky Horse Park
Secretariat entered stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky upon his retirement where he lived until his death in 1989. Although initially disappointing as a stallion it was found later that perhaps the reason he was unable to duplicate himself among his offspring was because of a genetic trait called the x-factor. At his death he was found to have a healthy but abnormally large heart and could only pass that trait on through the x- chromosome to his daughters. Pass it on he did and in 1992 he was named Broodmare Sire of the year. His body was buried whole in the horse cemetery at Claiborne Farms. There are three statues of Secretariat that I know of. One is located in the paddock at Belmont Park by sculptor John Skeaping. This statue was presented as a gift by Paul Mellon to the National Museum of Saratoga. There are two statues of Secretariat at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the first one was done in 1992 by Jim Reno and stands at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center (Thoroughbred Retirement Center) and shows him as an older sire. Then in 2004 the park unveiled a new life size statue of Secretariat by sculptor Edwin Bogucki. Cast in a brilliant brown color it reminds us of his chestnut coat as he is depicted being led into the winner’s circle after winning the Kentucky Derby by his groom Eddie Sweat with jockey Ron Turcotte on board. This statue stands as the centerpiece to an area of the park fittingly called Secretariat Plaza.
A special thanks to Sue Rosenbach for the use of her photos in this story.
an article for Thoroughbreds Worldwide and RacingWrite.
Words by Vicki L Vinson.
Photographs by Sue Rosenbach.
It has been 33 years since the racing world has seen a Triple Crown winner arrive on the scene but the likenesses of the last three Triple Crown winners can all be seen frozen in time as their statues grace the grounds of farms where they stood at stud and parks where their fame is remembered.
The statue of Affirmed stands at Darley of Jonabell Farm
Affirmed was the 11th and the final horse to win the Triple Crown in 1978. He was the great great grandson of the 1938 Triple Crown winner War Admiral and was by the sire Exclusive Native out of the Crafty Admiral mare Won’t Tell You. Affirmed was owned and bred by Harbor View Farms, trained by Laz Barrera and was ridden by young Steve Cauthen during his Triple Crown campaign. The following year Affirmed would go on to win the Santa Anita Handicap, Hollywood Gold Cup and Jockey Gold Cup while being ridden by Laffit Pincay Jr. Affirmed’s final race record was 29-22-5-1 with career earnings over 2 million dollars. During his three years of racing Affirmed earned Eclipse awards for 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’77, 3 Yr. Old Colt in ’78, Older Male in ’79 and Horse of the Year in ’78 & ’79. Affirmed was elected into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1980. Affirmed began his stud career at Spendthrift Farm, then for a time at Calumet home of his arch rival Alydar before settling in at Jonabell Farm (now known as Darley of Jonabell). It is at Jonabell where Affirmed passed away on January 12, 2001 and a half size sculpture done by Gwen Reardon was commissioned by his owners Lou and Patrice Wolfson of Harbor View Farms. The statue is fittingly displayed between the offices of the farm and the stallion barn.
Seattle Slew statue over his gravesite at Hill ‘n’Dale
In 1978 the Marlboro Cup at Belmont Park marked the first match up of two Triple Crown winners Affirmed and Seattle Slew. Affirmed was the favorite sent off at 1-2 odds with Seattle Slew at 2-1. Both horses had similar running styles preferring to be on or near the lead. Seattle Slew captured the early lead in the race and while Affirmed who was known for his courage and determination in the stretch run tried valiantly to catch him Seattle Slew was able to dig in and win by 3 lengths. He finished the race only .40 seconds off the track record set by Secretariat.
Seattle Slew was the 10th Triple Crown winner in 1977 and the only one to accomplish the feat while being undefeated. Seattle Slew is by Bold Reasoning out of the mare My Charmer, he was owned by Karen and Mickey Taylor. During his Triple Crown campaign Seattle Slew was trained by William Turner Jr. and ridden by Jean Cruguet in his later races he was trained by Douglas Peterson and ridden by Angel Cordero. Seattle Slew’s final race record was 17-14-2-0 with earnings of $1,208,726. Initially he was retired to stud at Spendthrift Farm then later moved to Three Chimneys which is where another statue of him stands outside their stallion barn. Seattle Slew spent the last few years of his life at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms where he died in his sleep at age 28. During his career Seattle Slew received the following Eclipse Awards: 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’76, 3 Yr. Colt and Horse of the Year in ’77, Older Male in ’78 and Leading Sire in ’84. Seattle Slew was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1981.
Secretariat statue in the paddock at Belmont Park
In 1973 Secretariat became the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years while setting new track records in both the Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes. The bright chestnut colt born on March 3, 1970 at Meadow Farms in Virginia out of the sire Bold Ruler by their mare Somethingroyal became fondly known as Big Red by is owner Penny Chenery. Secretariat was trained by Lucien Lauren and ridden by Ron Turcotte in all three of his Triple Crown races. While Secretariat was preparing for the Belmont his pictured graced the covers of Time, Newsweek and Sports Illustrated. When it was time for the Belmont his presence had scared away all but four competitors and with high expectations that he would win again there was no show betting allowed on the race. In one of the most spectacular races ever Secretariat won the Belmont by an amazing 31 lengths. Secretariat became part of a syndication agreement when he entered stud that precluded him from racing past the age of three. His last race would be a second try on turf in the Canadian International Stakes at Woodbine Racetrack in Toronto of course he won this race too. Secretariat made a final public appearance at Aqueduct being paraded before his fans finishing his career with a race record of 21-16-3-1 and earnings over 1.3 million dollars. He earned the Eclipse Award for 2 Yr. Old Colt in ’72, 3 Yr. Old Colt and Male Turf Horse in ’73 and Horse of the Year honors in both ’72 and ’73. Secretariat was inducted into the Racing Hall of Fame in 1974.
Secretariat with jockey Ron Turcotte and groom Eddie Sweat at Kentucky Horse Park
Secretariat entered stud at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Kentucky upon his retirement where he lived until his death in 1989. Although initially disappointing as a stallion it was found later that perhaps the reason he was unable to duplicate himself among his offspring was because of a genetic trait called the x-factor. At his death he was found to have a healthy but abnormally large heart and could only pass that trait on through the x- chromosome to his daughters. Pass it on he did and in 1992 he was named Broodmare Sire of the year. His body was buried whole in the horse cemetery at Claiborne Farms. There are three statues of Secretariat that I know of. One is located in the paddock at Belmont Park by sculptor John Skeaping. This statue was presented as a gift by Paul Mellon to the National Museum of Saratoga. There are two statues of Secretariat at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, the first one was done in 1992 by Jim Reno and stands at the Maker’s Mark Secretariat Center (Thoroughbred Retirement Center) and shows him as an older sire. Then in 2004 the park unveiled a new life size statue of Secretariat by sculptor Edwin Bogucki. Cast in a brilliant brown color it reminds us of his chestnut coat as he is depicted being led into the winner’s circle after winning the Kentucky Derby by his groom Eddie Sweat with jockey Ron Turcotte on board. This statue stands as the centerpiece to an area of the park fittingly called Secretariat Plaza.
A special thanks to Sue Rosenbach for the use of her photos in this story.
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