The Taylors are doing a complete dispersal of the rest of their barn and retiring from the thoroughbred scene.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/89806/final-call-for-taylors-of-seattle-slew-fame?&utm_source=WeekInReviewNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20150128
The Taylors were wonderful owners. And took great care of The Slew until his death. They did not donate him to anyone but kept him at a farm and even had the neck surgery for him in his mid-20s. They went to visit him before he was euth-ed from “the infirmities of old age.”
It would be great to buy one or two of their dispersal stock. The Bloodhorse had this article up several days ago and it’s really a good article about nice people.
Despite all the conflict that surrounded Slew, it is hard not to think kindly of the Taylors. It seems like just the other day that the Taylors and Hills were young attractive couples bounding on to the racing scene of the biggest horse race in the world dressed in the same racing colors as Cruguet. If we can’t forgive their mistakes, then it is unlikely we can forgive much else. Time moves on and inevitably leaves all of us behind. There are no exceptions that I know of.
Slew was bought, owned and raced in partnership with Dr. Jim Hill and his wife also. Let’s not leave them out. They are great people and were just as important in the management of the horse throughout his life. Karen Taylor was more “high profile” and generally the “spokesperson” for the partnership.
[QUOTE=WildandWickedWarmbloods;7981501]
The Taylors were wonderful owners. And took great care of The Slew until his death. They did not donate him to anyone but kept him at a farm and even had the neck surgery for him in his mid-20s. They went to visit him before he was euth-ed from “the infirmities of old age.”
It would be great to buy one or two of their dispersal stock. The Bloodhorse had this article up several days ago and it’s really a good article about nice people.[/QUOTE]
The partners took a big chance by retaining a large piece of the horse upon retirement and syndication. It paid off BIG TIME. Making them fabulously wealthy. More than enough money to look after him for as long has he lived. For the record Three Chimneys had very little to do with his success. It was the 3rd farm he stood at and very late in his career.
The Slew didn’t end up at the Kentucky Horse Park or with Old Friends. Keeping a horse after he in pensioned shows that the owners are responsible owners.
Being fabulously wealthy is no guarantee that you will do right by your horse. The Taylors loved Slew and it was evident through out his life. It was only natural that they would do everything they could to make him comfortable in his old age. The racing world needs more owners like the Taylors.
Did anyone else watch HRTV’s Inside Information on Seattle Slew? From what I gathered Three Chimneys was basically refusing to stand the him at stud any longer due to his health issues making covering mares unsafe for both the stallion and his handlers. Rather than retire him from stud duties, the Taylor’s moved him to a farm (Hill N Dale I think) that was willing to cover mares with him. He died not long after the move.
The Taylor’s couldn’t seem to get along with anyone they worked with when they had Seattle Slew, they had issues with their trainers (they went through multiple trainers when he was racing), Three Chimneys, even their own partners. It was always “someone else” that “didn’t understand”. The Taylor’s always struck me as being very naive. While I do think they cared about their horses, especially Seattle Slew, I definitely wouldn’t consider them ideal horse owners.
[QUOTE=gumtree;7985134]
The partners took a big chance by retaining a large piece of the horse upon retirement and syndication. It paid off BIG TIME. Making them fabulously wealthy. More than enough money to look after him for as long has he lived. For the record Three Chimneys had very little to do with his success. It was the 3rd farm he stood at and very late in his career.[/QUOTE]
Slew spent most of his stud career at Three Chimneys and I saw him there a number of times over the years.
He was moved to Hill ‘n’ Dale for the last couple of seasons.
[QUOTE=Angelico;7985326]
Did anyone else watch HRTV’s Inside Information on Seattle Slew? From what I gathered Three Chimneys was basically refusing to stand the him at stud any longer due to his health issues making covering mares unsafe for both the stallion and his handlers. Rather than retire him from stud duties, the Taylor’s moved him to a farm (Hill N Dale I think) that was willing to cover mares with him. He died not long after the move.
The Taylor’s couldn’t seem to get along with anyone they worked with when they had Seattle Slew, they had issues with their trainers (they went through multiple trainers when he was racing), Three Chimneys, even their own partners. It was always “someone else” that “didn’t understand”. The Taylor’s always struck me as being very naive. While I do think they cared about their horses, especially Seattle Slew, I definitely wouldn’t consider them ideal horse owners.[/QUOTE]
Shortly before Slew died, one of the Triple Crown broadcasts had a short video clip of him being walked by Karen Taylor as part of a segment on him. I was appalled. The horse was staggering due to the problems with his spinal cord and could not walk in a straight line. My own horse had this condition at age 25 and as soon as it arose, I had him euthanized.
Of course, my horse was not a multi-million dollar, Triple Crown winning stallion, but I felt I was far more humane than Slew’s owners. (He had had two spinal surgeries in an attempt to stabilize him and obviously was still deteriorating.)
Sometimes less is more.
[QUOTE=WildandWickedWarmbloods;7985171]
The Slew didn’t end up at the Kentucky Horse Park or with Old Friends. Keeping a horse after he in pensioned shows that the owners are responsible owners.[/QUOTE]
This is a bit self-serving IMO. First not just any horse will be taken at the KY Horse Park they don’t have the room. IMO and many, many others it is an honor to be excepted/pensioned at the horse park. For the horse and owners. It also provides the general public, racing fans easy access to “famous” horses. Horses that most would only know by name and only have seen a picture of at best. It makes the experience VERY tangible.
Most stallion farm are accommodating as they can be to the general public but they are not set up to give tours per-say to lots of people outside the industry of pensioned horses and or geldings.
Old Friends is different it does takes in the “poor and nameless” but make no mistake it is a business and they owners make a decent living with it. The owners of “High Profile” horses pay a pretty hefty retirement fee. Which offsets the cost of looking after some of the poor and nameless. There are plenty of “names” there and the general public is welcome to see and “pet” some of them. Along with having their pictures taken with them. It provides an excellent service for both horses and people.
The “high profile” horses are NOT cast offs by irresponsible owners because they are no longer income producers.
Please get your facts straight before putting fingers to key board. Thank you.
[QUOTE=ejm;7985387]
Slew spent most of his stud career at Three Chimneys and I saw him there a number of times over the years.
He was moved to Hill ‘n’ Dale for the last couple of seasons.[/QUOTE]
Not most about half.
Slew retired to Stud at Spendthrift Farm, (the original it has changed hands a number of times since the death of Leslie Combs, founder), the farm that “made him”. He was moved to Three Chimneys in the late 80s as a “made horse” because of the collapse of Spendthrift after it was bought and “floated” on the New York Stock Exchange. Which didn’t work out too well.
He was moved to Hill N Dale for reasons I will not go into on a public forum. None of what I write is supposition. I know all involved. Had clients that owned shares in the horse. Hills and the Taylors were/are friends of my family.
[QUOTE=Angelico;7985326]
Did anyone else watch HRTV’s Inside Information on Seattle Slew? From what I gathered Three Chimneys was basically refusing to stand the him at stud any longer due to his health issues making covering mares unsafe for both the stallion and his handlers. Rather than retire him from stud duties, the Taylor’s moved him to a farm (Hill N Dale I think) that was willing to cover mares with him. He died not long after the move.
The Taylor’s couldn’t seem to get along with anyone they worked with when they had Seattle Slew, they had issues with their trainers (they went through multiple trainers when he was racing), Three Chimneys, even their own partners. It was always “someone else” that “didn’t understand”. The Taylor’s always struck me as being very naive. While I do think they cared about their horses, especially Seattle Slew, I definitely wouldn’t consider them ideal horse owners.[/QUOTE]
I am not going to throw Karen Taylor under the bus. Some would say she was obsessed with the horse. Some say for personal reasons, some say finical. I would like to believe the former. I liked her and her husband Mickey so I would like to believe the former. But no doubt she could be difficult. I am good friends with 3 chimneys former farm manager of many years. He would tell of some of her requests/requirements, while rolling his eyes. But in all fairness as he said, we got Slew by luck of the draw and he was established, we weren’t, Slew put us (3 chims) on the map. We were happy to go out of our way for them. To a point.
The breaking point among other things was when they made Three Chimneys allow them to move a mobile home next to the stallion barn so she could look after things.
I believe there were only 2 trainers. Billy Tuner, a friend, was the man who made Slew. They had a falling out after Slew almost dies and Billy wanted to retire him. They moved him to Doug Patterson (sp) I believe who didn’t have the horse long before retiring to stud.
[QUOTE=gumtree;7985501]
Old Friends is different it does takes in the “poor and nameless” but make no mistake it is a business and they owners make a decent living with it. The owners of “High Profile” horses pay a pretty hefty retirement fee. Which offsets the cost of looking after some of the poor and nameless. There are plenty of “names” there and the general public is welcome to see and “pet” some of them. Along with having their pictures taken with them. It provides an excellent service for both horses and people.
The “high profile” horses are NOT cast offs by irresponsible owners because they are no longer income producers.
Please get your facts straight before putting fingers to key board. Thank you.[/QUOTE]
Yep. For every Gulch or Silver Charm or Black Tie Affair, Old Friends gets income that lets them take in a Karakorum Patriot. And it’s a lot easier to go see these horses at Old Friends. Especially Silver Charm, and it was his old US connections who made the trip back from Japan possible, despite it being of no financial benefit.
[QUOTE=Davignport;7985280]
Being fabulously wealthy is no guarantee that you will do right by your horse. The Taylors loved Slew and it was evident through out his life. It was only natural that they would do everything they could to make him comfortable in his old age. The racing world needs more owners like the Taylors.[/QUOTE]
While I don’t disagree the vast majority do. But they never get the headlines, nor write ups, comments in social media. They don’t seek it.
More fun to comment on the negative of racing then the positive these days.
[QUOTE=danceronice;7985568]
Yep. For every Gulch or Silver Charm or Black Tie Affair, Old Friends gets income that lets them take in a Karakorum Patriot. And it’s a lot easier to go see these horses at Old Friends. Especially Silver Charm, and it was his old US connections who made the trip back from Japan possible, despite it being of no financial benefit.[/QUOTE]
Not that it lessens the fact. The horse being returned to KY upon his retirement was written into the purchase agreement. Given the fact that Japanese Farms have very little “excess” land to work with the buyers were more than happy to accommodate.
[QUOTE=danceronice;7985568]
Yep. For every Gulch or Silver Charm or Black Tie Affair, Old Friends gets income that lets them take in a Karakorum Patriot. And it’s a lot easier to go see these horses at Old Friends. Especially Silver Charm, and it was his old US connections who made the trip back from Japan possible, despite it being of no financial benefit.[/QUOTE]
DOI- Usually, I am right on the page, with you. But in this case…the horse made how many millions for his owners? I am thinking some kind of safety net for the horse was in order. He earned it, in more ways than just financial.
