On this day 37 years ago

[gumtree]

“September 16, 1978…For the first time in history, two
Triple Crown winners met in a race, the Marlboro Cup at
Belmont Park. Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown winner, defeated Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner, by three lengths”

It was 3 year old Affirmed’s 19th start.

It was 4 year old Seattle Slew’s 14th start.

Affirmed retired at 4 with 29 starts and 22 wins.

Seattle Slew retired at 4 with 17 starts and 14 wins.

Considering the “dynamics” of the stallion business has changed a lot over the years.

I doubt this will ever happen again. Even if the sport was lucky enough to have back to back winners of the Triple Crown again.

The Marlboro Cup was among one of the most prestige stakes races on the fall stakes seclude.

Unfortunately the Breeders’ Cup has pretty much negated the premier Fall Stakes races. Now most are looked at as Breeders’ Cup “prep-races”.

The “fields” generally lacking in depth and quality.

[Mara]

I’m not a big fan of the Breeders’ Cup myself. In its first decade or so - yes. Now it’s this huge juggernaut that’s pretty much stripped the fall classics of any prestige. End-of-year graded stakes races are full of second and third tier horses.

I especially hate “Win And You’re In”.

[findeight]

Agree, they watered it down with all the races added and running over two days. It used to be very hard to handicap with deep fields but fun to spend an afternoon watching all of the races knowing everything running was a proven, high class racehorse who could win.

Today, not so much. Always makes me cringe seeing anything way outclassed in a big race running way over their heads just for owner vanity or perceived notion of these races being almost all inclusive. Some of the win and your in entrants winning their way in at second tier tracks are almost pathetic compared to the rest of the field and you will never convince me it’s in their best interests to ask them to go out and try knowing they will lose badly. That’s not right.

[Texarkana]

I don’t think you can blame the lack of prestigious fall stakes races solely on the Breeders Cup. I think the market dynamics of the current breeding industry are just as much to blame. Breeding has become an impatient business-- breed to sell, breed for the Triple Crown races. I think it was Linny who I first saw the great quote from: “No one wants a fast 4 year old.” An older horse without 2 or 3 year old success is a harder sale as a stallion prospect. And breeders and buyers memories are short: a stallion’s 2 or 3 year old success is quickly forgotten if he falters as an older horse. There is a considerable risk in racing a stallion prospect beyond the spring and summer 3 year old races.

My beef about the Breeders Cup lately is that they’ve created so many dang races. They don’t showcase great horses, they showcase specialists. And like others have said, the fields are watered down because we don’t have enough top tier older horses competing to fill so many “championship” graded stakes races. And 4 different categories for juveniles alone? Come on. It’s not a display of champion-material juveniles anymore, it’s a display of every precocious two year old who got lucky and hit the board in some sort of stakes races.

[Flash44]

Ditto Tex. Too much of a good thing.

[Drvmb1ggl3]

@gumtree;8318152

“September 16, 1978…For the first time in history, two
Triple Crown winners met in a race, the Marlboro Cup at
Belmont Park. Seattle Slew, the 1977 Triple Crown winner, defeated Affirmed, the 1978 Triple Crown winner, by three lengths”

It was 3 year old Affirmed’s 19th start.

It was 4 year old Seattle Slew’s 14th start.

Affirmed retired at 4 with 29 starts and 22 wins.

Seattle Slew retired at 4 with 17 starts and 14 wins.

Considering the “dynamics” of the stallion business has changed a lot over the years.

I doubt this will ever happen again. Even if the sport was lucky enough to have back to back winners of the Triple Crown again.

And a month later, Oct 14th, the ill-fated Exceller would become the first and only horse to ever beat TWO Triple Crown winners, when he won the Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont, defeating Slew and Affirmed in the process.

Granted, Affirmed had an excuse that day, saddle slipped, and Slew got caught up in a speed duel and ran insanely stupid fast fractions for a 1-1/2 race (22 and change, 45 and change, 1:09). He still managed to rally and almost hold off Exceller, an amazing performance in defeat.
One of my favourite races of all times… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PxP24eAq-zg

Exceller himself was a fascinating horse. Started racing in France, won the French St Leger at almost 2 miles as a 3yo. Ran in G1 company in England, losing the King George to that year’s Derby winner, The Minstrel. Was sent to Canada, where he won the Canadian Intl. Then ended up with Charlie Whittingham in California where he won races as varied as the 1-3/4 mile San Juan Capistrano to the HollywoodGold Cup racing on grass and dirt. He most famous moment of course coming in the JCGC.
Sadly he came to an ignominious end in Sweden years later.

[Calamber]

Oh wow, that was an amazing race! I have never seen that before, omg! Seattle Slew broke through the gate and amazingly did not get away, he came out like a rocket and Exceller was sixteen lengths back at the 3/4 pole, what a duel, Slew fell back twice and still came back to nearly overtake after insane early fractions. Thank you for posting that. Those were two of the greatest ones to ever look through a bridle.

[RPM]

[QUOTE=Mara;8318198]
I’m not a big fan of the Breeders’ Cup myself. In its first decade or so - yes. Now it’s this huge juggernaut that’s pretty much stripped the fall classics of any prestige. End-of-year graded stakes races are full of second and third tier horses.

I especially hate “Win And You’re In”.[/QUOTE]

I’m with you, Mara.