Foaled in 1963, Buckpasser not only made his name as an outstanding racehorse, but has left a substantial influence as a broodmare sire – in KZN particularly with the likes of Northern Guest. Buckpasser was leading broodmare sire in 1983, 1984 and 1989. He has had a profound influence on some the world’s leading stallions, being the broodmare-sire of dams Weekend Surprise and Razyana, the dams of the great A.P. Indy and Danehill.

This can be seen in the stallions standing in KZN, with the majority of them being by these two great stallions. They include A.P. Arrow, A.P. Answer, Admire Main, Just As Well and Mon Sang. From Danehill we have Newton, Overlord, Requiem, Rocky Street, Solksjaer, Spanish Harlem, Way West and other descendants such as Atso, Miesque’s Approval, The Sheik, Visionaire and Woodborough.

Danehill was a dual hemisphere champion stallion, and A.P. Indy continues to grow in stature, recently having 10 of his progeny or descendants competing in the Kentucky Derby.

Buckpasser was a bay colt that was bred and owned by Ogden Phipps and foaled at Claiborne Farm in Kentucky, he was by the Horse of the Year winner Tom Fool and his dam was the stakes-winning mare Busanda, by the Triple Crown winner War Admiral. Busanda’s second dam was the Blue Hen broodmare La Troienne (FR). August Belmont and other bloodstock growers had expressed a preference for refined little mares of the most effeminate sort as prospective broodmares, but Busanda marked an exception to the rule. Busanda in training was above 16 hands, rather masculine in appearance and totally unlike her round little sire War Admiral. War Admiral, famous for his competitiveness with Sea Biscuit, was out of a typically small, rotund Sweep mare called Brushup.

Racing official Dr. Manual Gilman said of him, “I would defy anybody to pick a flaw in Buckpasser.” Renowned horse painter Richard Stone Reeves said, “Buckpasser was the most perfectly proportioned Thoroughbred I have ever seen.” Only two horses, Secretariat and Affirmed, have since been “in a class with Buckpasser”.

A racing journalist at the time described Buckpasser during his racing career: “Physically, Buckpasser is an improvement over either his heavily quartered and rather short coupled sire or his tall and angular dam. He is, in appearance, a classical specimen of the sort one used to see in the Hamptons, on the order of Persimmon, Bay Ronald and Son-in-Law. This is to say he is cast in a tall and elegant mould.

“At the outset of his three-year-old season, Buckpasser was unfurnished and from a distance looked like a filly. It speaks for his constitution and handling that he thrived during his arduous campaign so that he stripped for the Woodward resembling a four-year-old, having thickened and spread out across the hips, while his running gear and the delineation about the head and neck had fined down admirably.

“There simply is no particular in which Buckpasser is disappointing on the score of conformation. He is larger and better balanced than Citation, his pasterns less lengthy than Count Fleet’s, to make a couple of classical, if heretical, comparisons. He has not the fluency of action one saw in Old Rosebud or Sarazen, but he gets his head lower and has less staggy action than had Man o’ War, who was a far more generous animal. Buckpasser gets good marks in deportment at all other times, however. He has poise and composure, never turning a hair, in the paddock and on parade, and he has quite an aristocratic air around the training stable.”

Buckpasser had two trainers, both since elected to the U.S. Racing Hall of Fame. Bill Winfrey began his training, and when he retired, Eddie Neloy took over and prepared Buckpasser for his three-year-old season.

Buckpasser was infinitely the most horse seen during the season of 1966. He swept all before him with fine, dust-spurning disdain for age, distance and tracks. One suspects he would have “done” in any four out of five other seasons, and we can recall a good many since any other was esteemed as highly as Buckpasser is in the present day.

Buckpasser’s first race start was on May 13, 1965, in which he ran a poor fourth. It was the only time he was ever unplaced. Buckpasser’s record was so impressive, when he ran in the Flamingo Stakes, the race was declared a non-wagering event, forever after called the “Chicken” Flamingo.

After a brilliant two-year-old season and spring, he was placed at the top of the Experimental Free Handicap with 126 pounds. Buckpasser developed a quarter crack that kept him out of the 1966 Kentucky Derby, as well as the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes. It was almost three months before the crack healed. He conditioned most racing men to think he certainly would have inscribed his name alongside those of Sir Barton, Gallant Fox, Omaha, War Admiral, Whirlaway, Count Fleet, Assault and Citation could he have started. He won nine of his eleven race starts for international record winnings for a two-year-old of $586,090.

In Chicago’s Arlington Classic, Kauai King ran against the strenuous protests of his trainer. He broke down and was retired, while Buckpasser won the race, setting a new world record for a mile with a time of 1:32 3/5. This record stood for two years until Dr. Fager broke it in 1968, running 1:32 1/5. In 1989, Buckpasser’s grandson, Hall of Fame Champion Easy Goer, ran a mile in 1:32 2/5.

Buckpasser won 15 consecutive races that included the American Derby (breaking the track record), the Chicago Stakes, the Brooklyn Derby, the Woodward Stakes, the Travers Stakes, the Malibu Stakes, the Brooklyn Handicap, the Lawrence Realization Stakes, and the two-mile-long Jockey Club Gold Cup. With 13 victories as a three-year-old, Buckpasser became the first horse to earn more than $1 million before the age of four. He was named the 1966 American Horse of the Year. He beat the best aged horses who could be put against him in the Brooklyn Handicap, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, and Woodward Stakes.

His four-year-old season commenced with a win in the San Fernando Stakes. Another quarter crack developed in Buckpasser’s off (right) fore hoof, and he did not race for 4½ months. When he returned, he scored his fifteenth consecutive victory in the Metropolitan Mile. On June 17, 1967, Buckpasser’s winning streak ended with his first and only attempt at racing on grass. He finished a surprising third to stablemate Poker in the Bowling Green Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack. Assagai, the 1966 turf-course champion, finished second. As The Blood-Horse magazine said in their July 24, 1967 issue: “Never had so many people had so many immunization shots in order to stay home and watch the Suburban Handicap on Independence Day.” There were three reasons advanced for his defeat: turf, shoes, and weight. Buckpasser also ran that day with his head held in an uncommon way, slightly sideways. No one has ever understood why.

His jockey Braulio Baeza had declared that if Buckpasser will guarantee to try, he can guarantee his mount could beat any horse he can see. There seemed to be some rapport between horse and rider, considering Buckpasser’s record for regularity. Trainer Eddie Neloy didn’t usually consult with any riders regarding his prerogative of starting a horse, but he is glad to have Baeza’s suggestions in the instance of Buckpasser. The dismal work Ogden Phipps’ homebred turned in at Rockingham Park for Baeza just before the New Hampshire Sweepstakes Classic last summer, was largely based on Baeza’s sound advice. Neloy reneged and did not start Buckpasser.

His race record totalled 31 starts, 25 wins and 5 places with a total of $1,462,014 earned, a large amount of money in those years.

When he retired, Buckpasser was syndicated for $4,800,000: a record $150,000 a share. He stood at stud at the farm where he was born. In eleven years, he sired 313 foals, of which 35 won stakes races. Amongst his progeny were La Prevoyante (Sovereign Award for Horse of the Year in Canada, Eclipse Award Champion 2yo Filly in the United States, Champion Older Female in Canada), the great Numbered Account, (Champion 2 year old Filly, dam of Private Account, sire of undefeated Personal Ensign) and Silver Buck (Whitney Handicap, Suburban Handicap, sire of Kentucky Derby winner Silver Charm) and Toll Booth (Broodmare of the Year).

Even though he had three tail-male Kentucky Derby (Gr 1) winners (Spend a Buck-1985, Lil E. Tee-1992 and Silver Charm-1997), his record as a dam-sire stands out.

Buckpasser was a leading broodmare sire in 1983, 1984, and 1989. His daughters have produced Champions and Classic Winners: They are led by Hall of Famers Easy Goer and Slew o’ Gold, Belmont Stakes winners Coastal and Touch Gold, and With Approval (Miesque’s Approval’s dam-sire), as well as El Gran Senor amongst a number of other influential stallions such as Seeking The Gold, Miswaki and Woodman (sire of Woodborough). One of his biggest influences in South Africa, besides just KZN, was as Northern Guest’s dam-sire. Besides being a top stallion who stood his career at champion breeders Summerhill Stud, Northern Guest has proved himself as a formidable broodmare sire.

In the Blood-Horse magazine ranking of the top 100 U.S. Thoroughbred champions of the 20th Century, Buckpasser is #14.

Buckpasser died in 1978 at age 15 and is buried at Claiborne Farm.

Nureyev was one of those horses whose stratospheric yearling price of $1.3 million in 1978 and championship status on the racetrack earned plenty of attention. That type of attention was nothing compared to the type of admiration he later earned for his many accomplishments at stud and for coming back from a life-threatening injury.

His influence as a Sire-Of-Sires continues today, with many successful sons standing at stud – including descendants in KZN.

Atso(USA), standing at Scott Bros, has sired his first winner (on her track debut) from just two runners on the track so far. Another fellow resident stallion at Scott Bros is Miesque’s Approval(USA) who is producing winners weekly, and was voted as KZN Breeders best stallion prospect. We have Malhub(USA) – sire of Midnight Serenade and Onehundredacrewood – and Way West(AUS) – sire of Way West Goddess – at Summerhill Stud, and Jam Alley(AUS), the only son of Peintre Celebre in South Africa at stud who has produced Dance Alley, standing at Hadlow Stud. St Petersburg stands at Summerhill Stud.

Nureyev, born in 1977, was sired by the great Northern Dancer out of the mare Special, making him a half-brother to several winners including Fairy Bridge the dam of Sadler’s Wells.

Nureyev was bred by the Hancock family’s Claiborne Farm and foaled five days before Seattle Slew won the 1977 Kentucky Derby (gr. I). Fourteen months later, the smallish colt was part of the Claiborne consignment at the Keeneland July yearling sale and was one of 10 Northern Dancers catalogued. The third foal from the Forli mare Special, Nureyev was a half-brother to Irish champion 2-year-old filly Fairy Bridge and to another 2-year-old winner. The quality in the female family went all the way back to champions Gamely, Moccasin, Ridan, and Thatch under third dam Rough Shod II.

The bidding started shockingly low at $20,000 for a colt that many had figured would fetch at least $275,000. It kept moving up slowly before Joss Collins of the British Bloodstock Agency London took up the chase against the BBA Ireland. The latter group went as high as $1.25 million, but Collins won out with a $1.3-million bid on behalf of Greek shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos. It was the most paid for a yearling since Secretariat’s son Canadian Bound sold for $1.5 million at the 1976 Keeneland sale.

Trained by Francois Boutin, in November 1979 Nureyev made his two-year-old racing debut in France. He easily out paced the field in the Prix Thomas Bryon at Saint-Cloud Racecourse, winning by six lengths. The following spring of 1980 he won the Prix Djebel at Maisons-Laffitte Racecourse in his 3-year-old debut.

Sent to Newmarket Racecourse in the United Kingdom for the 2,000 Guineas, it seems that Nureyev had little patience with the rest of the field, pushing his way between horses to get to the lead and to victory. However, his win would be overturned by the racing stewards, the first time a winner of the 2,000 Guineas Classic was disqualified. Scheduled to compete in June’s Epsom Derby, Nureyev came down with a virus and never raced again.

Nureyev was sent to stand at stud at his owner’s Haras de Fresnay-le-Buffard in Neuvy-au-Houlme in Lower Normandy. Renowned French horseman Alec Head recommended Nureyev to Lexington, Kentucky breeder John T. L. Jones, Jr. and in mid-1981 put together a syndicate that purchased Nureyev for US$14 million. Nureyev was sent to Jones’ Walmac-Warnerton Farm partnership near Lexington and then under Jones’ wholly owned Walmac International. Under the management of Walmac owner John T.L. Jones Jr., Nureyev developed a lasting reputation as a sire of all types of celebrated grass runners, while experiencing fertility problems for much of his career.

Nureyev has sired 130 stakes winners, 20-plus champions, and has a son in Theatrical who ranks as one of North America’s top turf stallions. As events unfolded, Nureyev turned out to be “a North American stallion” in name only. With the exception of Theatrical and several others, Nureyev’s offspring overwhelmingly distinguished themselves in Europe in group I championship-bearing races. It turned out to be quite a run for a stallion that many thought was a physically moderate individual.

The year 1987 also marked a turning point for Nureyev. He fractured his right hind leg just below his hock during breeding season. Walmac veterinarian Dr. J.D. Howard later told The Blood-Horse that the injured area “was just like a swivel. It just flopped. I thought, ‘There’s no way.’ ”

Nureyev underwent surgery in which four screws were inserted and he was outfitted with a cast. His chances for survival were pegged at 10%, but that was before additional problems surfaced – screws broke off, discomfort in the injured areas, respiratory infection and fears of colitis. Through a most unusual and almost cruel method – using the stallions disdain for people to pull him through.

The handlers and his vet noticed the horse beginning to lose his will to live, describing the great stallion as developing dull eyes and depression. The stallion was known to be aggressive, and he had not vaguely tried to give his grooms a hard time.

It got to the extent where the vet called a meeting with everyone concerned and asked what they could do to get the stallion to regain his vigour. One of his grooms described how Nureyev detested people and they came up with a solution that they could only describe as heartbreaking. Every time they walked up to Nureyev, they would do something to irritate him to try and provoke a response. The vet described how they would approach Nureyev and smack him. It took its toll on the team dealing with Nureyev, at having to do this to a horse in so much discomfort and pain.

But the slaps evoked a positive response – Nureyev began by just wrinkling his nostrils back. The next time they noticed his ears would flinch back. They continued this on a daily basis until he attempted to nip one of them – and began to notice that Nureyev had changed his stature and was waiting to ‘get at’ someone, and the sparkle in his eye had returned. The vet believes that had they not pursued this unsavoury approach, Nureyev would have given up hope and been lost to the world. Doing everything possible, Howard and his team managed to save Nureyev, and the horse was able to stand the following year’s breeding season.

Some of Nureyev’s most prominent offspring are Theatrical – winner of the 1987 Breeders’ Cup Turf. Voted U.S. Champion Male Turf Horse and Champion Older Horse in Ireland. Miesque – twice won the Breeders’ Cup Mile (1987 & 1988) and earned two United States Champion Turf Horse as well as seven championships in France and the United Kingdom – the granddam of Miesque’s Approval. Spinning World – a Champion in France and Ireland, he won the 1996 Irish 2,000 Guineas, the 1996 & 1997 Prix Jacques Le Marois, and the 1997 Breeders’ Cup Mile. Peintre Celebre – sire of Jam Alley – won the 1997 Arc de Triomphe at 1 1/2 miles in course-record time and earlier took the French Derby (Fr-I) at the same distance. He was France’s champion 3-year-old. Reams of Verse – United Kingdom Champion 2-year-old filly, won 1997 Epsom Oaks. Stravinsky (1996) European Champion Sprinter. Nureyev was France’s leading sire that year by progeny earnings.

Nureyev’s champions include English Horse of the Year Zilzal, Sonic Lady, Fasliyev, Soviet Star, and Stately Don, who won the Secretariat Stakes (gr. IT) and a division of the Hollywood Derby (gr. IT) in the U.S. One of Nureyev’s sons, Robin des Bois, is the sire of Walmac stallion Gentlemen.

Nureyev is also the damsire of several top international horses, including Peteski – the 1993 Canadian Triple Crown champion, Spinning Queen – sold in November 2006 for three million guineas, becoming the most expensive filly ever sold at public auction in Europe, Zabeel – won 1989 MRVC Stakes (1989), the 1990 Australian Guineas and Craiglee Stakes. Twice Champion Australian sire and four-time Champion New Zealand sire as well as Big Brown – 2008 Kentucky Derby winner and the 2008 Preakness Stakes winner.

Nureyev died at the age of 24 on October 29, 2001. He is buried at Walmac International in Lexington, Kentucky.

Nijinsky II, born in 1967, was a Canadian-bred, Irish-trained racehorse and sire. He was the outstanding two-year-old in Europe in 1969 when he was unbeaten in five races. In the following season he became the first horse for thirty-five years to win the English Triple Crown.

He was also historically important for establishing the international reputation of his sire Northern Dancer. Retired to stud he became the leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland and the leading broodmare sire in North America.

In KZN his influence has continued through past sires, but the two relatively new stallions on the block which have Nijinsky II in their superior pedigrees are Carpocrates(USA) (Storm Cat – Spain by Thunder Gulch) and Spanish Harlem(IRE) (Danehill – Sleepytime by Royal Academy), both standing at Middlefield Stud. Carpocrates’ first youngsters are hitting the tracks this year, with four horses starting and a place achieved already. Spanish Harlem’s first progeny will be heading to National Sales in April this year.

Nijinsky II, a bay horse with a white star and three white feet like that of his great sire Northern Dancer, was bred at E. P. Taylor’s Windfields Farm in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. He was from the second crop of foals sired by the Northern Dancer, the winner of the 1964 Kentucky Derby who went on to become one of the most influential sires of the 20th century. His dam, Flaming Page, by Bull Page, was a highly successful racemare, winning the 1962 Queen’s Plate. At stud, she produced only two other foals, but one of these was Fleur who produced the 1977 Epsom Derby winner The Minstrel. Nijinsky was a big, powerful horse standing 16.3 hands high, resembling his dam rather than his sire in stature.

He was was offered for sale at the Windfields Farm’s annual yearling auction where he was bought for $84,000 by the American minerals magnate and industrialist Charles W. Engelhard Jr., acting on the advice of the Irish trainer Vincent O’Brien. It was Engelhard’s wife Jane who decided that the colt should be named after the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky. Nijinsky was shipped to Ireland where he was trained by O’Brien at Ballydoyle, County Tipperary.

Nijinsky gave his new trainer and owners a hard time, not eating any of the food offered to him, even after arriving in Ireland. In pure desperation the trainer sent word to Windfield’s farm and requested they send a few bags of feed over for the horse as he was losing condition daily and refused to eat the food given to him. As luck would have it, the horse feed arrived from Windfields, and the very day it arrived Nijinsky decided he was hungry enough to finally give in to his new Irish feed.

He gave his jockey’s and trainer an incredibly hard time, and it was said that he spent more time on his back legs then on all four legs, taking any opportunity to rear. His trainer said in later years, this was a show of just how well-balanced Nijinsky was, which contributed to him being the racing machine he became.

As a two year old Nijinsky’s first four races were all at the Curragh. In June he started at odds of 4/11 and won a six furlong maiden race by half a length. He followed up with easy wins in the Anglesey Stakes and the Railway Stakes. On his fourth appearance he was extended for the first time in the Beresford Stakes. He won decisively from Decies, a colt who went on to win the Irish 2000 Guineas in 1970. Having proved himself the best of the Irish two-year-olds, he was sent to England in October to contest the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket. Ridden for the first time by Lester Piggott he was held up at the back of the six horse field before moving through to take the lead inside the final furlong. He was an easy and impressive winner, earning himself top rating in the British Free Handicap.

On his first appearance as a three-year-old, Nijinsky won his prep race by beating Deep Run in the Gladness Stakes at the Curragh in April and was then sent back to Newmarket for the 2000 Guineas over one mile. He started the 4/7 favourite against thirteen opponents. Nijinsky took the lead two furlongs from the finish, and without being put under any pressure by Piggott, he pulled clear to win by two and a half lengths from Yellow God.

Nijinsky’s opposition in the Derby at Epsom was stronger and he started at odds of 11/8. His rivals were headed by the French-trained colt Gyr. The veteran French trainer Etienne Pollet had delayed his retirement for a year to guide Gyr, a son of his champion Sea Bird, through his three-year-old season. Nijinsky was held up by Piggott as usual before moving forward in the straight by which time Gyr was in front and moving clear. Two furlongs from the finish Piggott was forced to use his whip on Nijinsky. The favourite reponded immediately, catching Gyr in a few strides and then pulling ahead to win by two and a half lengths. The winning time of 2:34.68 was the fastest Epsom Derby since 1936. Piggott claimed that he was “always cantering” while Bill Williamson, who rode Gyr said that “Nijinsky was just too good.”

On 27 June Nijinsky followed up his Epsom win by taking the Irish Derby at the Curragh. Ridden by Liam Ward, he started at odds of 4/11 and produced impressive late acceleration to win by three lengths from Meadowville. In July, Nijinsky raced against older horses for the first time in the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Ascot. His five opponents included winners of major races including Blakeney (1969 Epsom Derby), Karabas (Washington, D.C. International Stakes), Crepellana (Prix de Diane) and Caliban (Coronation Cup). Without having to be extended, Nijinsky moved through to take the lead a furlong from the finish and won by two lengths from Blakeney despite being eased down to a canter in the closing stages.

In August, Nijinsky contacted ringworm, which delayed his training schedule.

Nijinsky appeared to recover fully after being placed on a “rich” diet including raw eggs and Irish Stout, and was sent to Doncaster for the St. Leger in September. In the one mile and six furlongs race, he was attempting to become the first horse since Bahram 35 years earlier to complete the English Triple Crown. He started the 2/7 favourite and won comfortably, although his margin of victory over Meadowville was only one length.

In his next race, Nijinsky was sent to France for the Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe at Longchamp in Paris in October. Piggott produced Nijinsky in the straight to make his challenge on the wide outside and 150m from the finish he caught the front runners Miss Dan and Sassafras and took a slight lead. In the last strides however, Nijinsky appeared to veer left away from Piggott’s whip, and Sassafras, ridden by Yves Saint-Martin, produced a renewed effort to regain the advantage and win by a head. While some, felt that Piggott had given Nijinsky too much ground to make up and had left his challenge too late, the jockey responded by saying that in his opinion Nijinsky was past his peak for the year.

Less than two weeks after his defeat in the Arc, Nijinsky ran his last race in the Champion Stakes oven ten furlongs at Newmarket. Although he had been known to sweat freely before some of his previous races, Nijinsky on this occasion appeared to become particularly nervous and anxious before the start. In the race itself he ran well below his best form and was beaten a neck at odds of 4/11 by the five-year-old English horse Lorenzaccio. O’Brien on this occasion concurred with Piggott, saying that Nijinsky appeared to have “lost his fire.” Nijinsky was retired to stand at stud at Claiborne Farm near Paris, Kentucky having been syndicated in August for $5,440,000.

Nijinsky was given a rating of 138 by Timeform, the second highest for a winner of the Epsom Derby up to that time. He was Timeform’s Horse of the Year for 1970. Nijinsky was also voted British Horse of the Year by the Racecourse Association, gaining 38 of the 40 votes. In their book A Century of Champions, John Randall and Tony Morris rated Nijinsky as a “great” Derby winner and the best Irish racehorse of the 20th Century. Vincent O’Brien named Nijinsky and Sir Ivor as the best horses he had trained, placing Nijinsky first “for brilliance.”

In 1970, a film was made about his racing career entitled A Horse Called Nijinsky. Narrated by Orson Welles, it was released in British cinemas and in 1988 released on VHS video. The Nijinsky team also was voted the 1970 BBC Sports Personality of the Year Team Award. In a poll in 2000, readers of the UK newspaper The Sun voted Nijinsky their ‘Horse of the Millennium.’ Among the more unusual tributes, a Cabernet Sauvignon wine and a variety of winter wheat have been named in Nijinsky’s honour.

Having been sent to stand at stud in the United States, he was registered there as Nijinsky II, due to the fact that another American-bred stallion stood in the states named Nijinsky.

Nijinsky II sired 155 Stakes/Group winners, and is the only sire to have a winner of the Kentucky and Epsom Derbies in the same year. His notable progeny included Caerleon – Three-Year-Old Champion Colt in France, won the Group One Prix du Jockey Club and International Stakes and went onto become leading sire in Great Britain and Ireland 1988 and 1991. Others included Ferdinand – 1986 Kentucky Derby and 1987 Breeders’ Cup Classic and United States Horse of the Year, Golden Fleece – won 1982 Epsom Derby, undefeated Champion Three-Year-Old Colt in England and Ireland, Green Dancer – won 1974 Futurity Stakes, 1975 Prix Lupin, Poule d’Essai des Poulains, Leading sire in France in 1991, Ile de Bourbon – won 1978 King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes, Lammtarra – undefeated, won 1995 Epsom Derby, King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Stakes and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, the recently deceased Royal Academy – won July Cup and Breeders’ Cup Mile, sired Bullish Luck and Val Royal amongst others. Nijinsky II sired the world’s most expensive yearling in 1985, selling for US$13.1 million. The colt was named Seattle Dancer.

Nijinsky was euthanized in April 1992 as a result of suffering from from laminitis since 1985. He had been troubled with chronic leg problems. Walter Kaufmann, a veterinarian, had Nijinsky II destroyed after the horse experienced severe discomfort in the days leading up to his death.

His whole body, rather than the traditional head, heart and hooves, was buried in the farm’s horse cemetery between Riva Ridge and Secretariat.

Seattle Slew has left a substantial legacy behind. A prestigous owner of the title of Triple Crown winner, (last won by Affirmed in 1978 – which proves just how difficult it is for a horse to achieve this feat) can be found in the pedigrees of A.P Answer, A.P Arrow, Just As Well and Mon Sang, all sons of A.P Indy bar Slew The Red, who is by Red Ransom.

Seattle Slew was foaled on February 15, 1974 at Ben Castleman’s White Horse Acres Farm near Lexington, Kentucky. Sired by Bold Reasoning out of the Poker mare My Charmer, Seattle Slew was a beautiful dark brown colt with a small white patch of hair by his left rear hoof.

Bold Reasoning, a grandson of Bold Ruler, was an outstanding racehorse. After winning his first seven races, including the Withers Stakes and Jersey Derby in 1971, he suffered a leg injury. He overcame the injury and returned to the track, which in itself is a commendable accomplishment. An affirmation of his heart and talent came in the form of his admirable victory while setting a track record of 1:08 4/5 for six furlongs at Belmont Park as a four-year-old in 1972. He also finished second in the prestigious Metropolitan Handicap of 1972. He retired that year with 8 firsts and 2 seconds in 12 total races and career earning of 189,564. Considering that he had been bothered by various throat and leg ailments throughout his career, his was a very commendable record indeed.

Bold Reasoning stood for only three seasons at Claiborne Farm before his untimely death on April 24, 1975, when his first crop were yearlings. His demise was attributed to a breeding-shed accident in which he cracked his pelvis. The injury later led to a severe colic from which he had to be euthanized. Among his 61 foals were nine stakes winners (15 percent), including French champion two-year-old Super Concorde. In just two full seasons as a stallion, Bold Reasoning produced Seattle Slew as well as champion Super Concord, and seven other stakes winners.

My Charmer had a few things in common with her special foal. She and Seattle Slew were both bred by Ben Castleman, and were both first-foals. Seattle Slew was My Charmer’s first foal, and My Charmer had been Fair Charmer’s first foal to live. Seattle Slew’s eventual owners, Mickey and Karen Taylor, both had an affinity toward first-foals, and for them this was yet another attractive aspect that added to his allure. My Charmer was by Poker, and became her sire’s first stakes winner. My Charmer produced 11 named foals, including three other stakes winners and two-stakes-placed runners. Among those are the successful sires Lomond, a classic winner in Great Britain, and Seattle Dancer, a son of Nijinsky II who became the most expensive yearling ever sold at public auction when he was hammered down for $13.1 million at the 1985 Keeneland July Yearling Sale.

Seattle Slew, by a young and unproven stallion and mare was not heralded by those in the industry or media during the formative first two years of his life. But as he developed, he left an impression on every one that came in contact with him and it soon became apparent that his unique talent and charm could not be denied.

Taken to the Lexington auction conducted by Fasig-Tipton Company on July 19, 1975, Slew was sold for $17,500 to Karen and Mickey Taylor. The Taylors and Seattle Slew would form a history-making partnership. Shortly after his sale, Slew was sent to Andor Farm in Monkton, Maryland, where he was broken by Paula Turner and began his journey into becoming a racehorse.

Under the guidance of trainer Billy Turner, Seattle Slew made his racing debut on September 20, 1976. He would win all three races in his stunning and succinct two-year-old campaign. His accomplishments in 1976 earned him the Eclipse Award for being the best two-year-old in North America. In 1977, Slew continued his unmatched championship form by winning six more consecutive races including the Triple Crown. He won Eclipse Awards as the top three-year-old colt in North America and the Horse of the Year.

Seattle Slew’s ability to fight through adversity is probably the most important characteristic that set him above all other Thoroughbreds. It was never more apparent than in 1978, when he fought off a life-threatening collapsed left jugular vein and its effects in January and returned to the races in May. Veterinarians were concerned for his life and had suggested that he would never race again, but Slew’s iron will took over and proved them wrong. During that four-year-old campaign, Slew also overcame a suspensory ligament injury, a filled ankle, and several other hurdles that would have stopped even the greatest of Thoroughbreds. Slew emerged from under all that during 1978 under the guidance of trainer Doug Peterson and produced some of the greatest performances of all-time against some of the greatest competition any elite horse has ever faced. He won the 1978 Eclipse Award as the top Older Male in North America. He most certainly deserved the title of 1978 Horse of the Year, having defeated the recipient of that award on two occasions by a combined 22 lengths.

After leaving the track with a career racing record of 14 firsts and 2 seconds in 17 races and earnings of $1,208,726, Seattle Slew would go on to become a champion again many times over as a sire. A sire of well over 100 Stakes-winners and a champion Broodmare sire, Seattle Slew has earned the title of ‘most complete Thoroughbred the industry has ever seen.’

He had that special something that no one can ever really truly describe. He had character and a pizzazz that enhanced the raw talent that he displayed as a runner. He simply was the most electrifying and magnetic horse the industry has ever witnessed. During his life, Seattle Slew re-wrote the history books and became a Thoroughbred-racing icon. His legend will only continue to grow over time.

Seattle Slew’s personality was marked by many special traits and interesting characteristics. He was an extraordinary horse. The intelligence he portrayed was his foremost attribute. Many who had an opportunity to spend time with Slew considered him the most intelligent horse they had ever been around. Those that interacted with Slew felt it was like communicating with a human being. It was really interesting to see Slew face a situation that was placed in front of him and watch as he contemplated a response.

Confidence was another important component to Slew’s personality. As longtime groom Tom Wade says, “He had a confidence about who he was in the present and the legacy that he would leave behind to the Thoroughbred industry forever.”

Slew had fire, energy and an extremely focused mental attitude when there was a hint of racing at hand. His mental air-of-superiority and eagerness to perform manifested itself in his post-parade antics. This spark of enthusiasm and passion for racing burned memories in the minds of those who witnessed his famous war dance on the way to the post.

Slew enjoyed being tacked up and led to the track for his morning exercises, even whilst in retirement and stud duty he was excercised daily. He loved the cold weather and snow. The wintery beginning to every year triggered the anticipation of the upcoming breeding season. He spent many hours looking through the back door of his stall anticipating and viewing the arrival of mares. When children were present, he always seemed to show them a particularly kind eye and pay them special attention. He loved to have his picture taken and always posed.

His best racehorses he produced were A.P. Indy – 1992 Horse of the Year, winning Belmont Stakes and Breeders’ Cup Classic, Capote – Champion 2 year-old in 1986, Digression – Champion 2 year-old in England in 1989, Landaluce – Champion 2 year-old filly in 1982, Slew O’ Gold – Champion 3 year-old in 1983; older champion in 1984, Swale – Champion 3 year-old in 1984, winning Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes and Vindication – Champion 2 year-old in 2002.

His most successful sons at Stud are his biggest flag bearer, A.P. Indy – sire of current sensation Bernardini, Capote, Chief Seattle, Doneraile Court, Slew City Slew and Vindication to name but a few.

As a broodmare Sire he has been responsible for the amazing Cigar – 1995 and 1996 Horse of the Year and Champion Older Male and at one time North America’s all-time leading money earner, as well as Golden Attraction – 1995 Champion 2 Year-Old Filly, Hishi Akebono – 1995 Champion Sprinter and Miler in Japan, Lemon Drop Kid – 2000 Champion Older Male amongst many others.

Seattle Slew developed difficulty covering mares and walking due to problem with his spine being compressed. Mickey Taylor described Slew’s walk looking like a crab when his front legs go one way and his hind legs another. A special research fund in Slew’s name had been established at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, Washington. When the fund matures it will support continued research into the diagnosis and treatment of equine spinal cord disease.

Washington State University is where the surgical technique for treatment of compression of the spinal cord was developed. Washington State University is also the alma mater of four members of Seattle Slew’s surgical team. Funds donated by the Taylors in 1977 after his Triple Crown helped support this research. Years later the results of this research were to benefit Seattle Slew when he required surgery for the treatment of his own spinal cord compression.

Slew had been moved after his second operation on his spine to Hill ‘n’ Dale, a quieter farm, because he was too close to the breeding shed and it caused him to become agitated when mares arrived. He had been ailing the previous two years with arthritis and had undergone two delicate spinal fusion operations.

Slew had still been a bit wobbly after the second surgery, which was to “normalize,” him, Taylor said. The first one, the owner said during an interview, “saved his life.” Interestingly, it was Seattle Slew’s pioneering surgery and the invention of the “Bagby Basket” – an implant inserted during surgery, that gave hope for Jet Master. Jet Master was affected in a similar way due to contracting West Nile Virus. Seattle Slew’s surgeons flew out and performed the same operation on Jet Master, but sadly the great stallion did not survive.

Seattle Slew died in his stall May 7 at the relatively advanced age of 28. His death came on the 25th anniversary of his Kentucky Derby victory. Slew was buried beneath a statue in a courtyard at Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm near Keeneland.

Information source courtesy of www.seattleslew.com