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Saturday, October 1, 2005

Son of Seattle Slew rolling in clover as state's leading sire

By DICK ROCKNE
SPECIAL TO THE POST-INTELLIGENCER

When the state thoroughbred-racing industry is showcased Sunday on Washington Cup Day at Emerald Downs, a key player -- Slewdledo -- will be 130 miles away in Yakima, where he resembles just another stallion enjoying life at Lucky Acres.

Slewdledo, however, is not just another one of the boys.

For one thing, he is 24 years old -- 24 human years. Steve Meredith said one human year is the equivalent of five horse years, so an application of simple arithmetic concluded Slewdledo is well over 100.

Which makes his life and lifestyle even more remarkable.

Although his back is slightly swayed and his ribcage is visible under his black coat, the son of the late, great Seattle Slew is showing no signs of slowing.

"He's a gentleman ... he's a lover," said Meredith, 62, the cowboy-thin manager of Lucky Acres, a thoroughbred farm nestled in a rural oasis that so far has withstood the creeping urbanization rampant in the southwest corner of Yakima.

As lessee of the 30-acre farm, Meredith is involved in doing the things necessary to make Lucky Acres appear less unlucky and more suitable for its star attraction, Slewdledo, who continues to sire thoroughbred foals blessed with the ability to run fast over a variety of distances.

And make lots of money.

Based on money won by his offspring, Slewdledo has been the state's leading sire the past three years. From all indications, his streak will be extended to four when earnings are calculated for 2005.

He has had an impact on state racing since 1987, when horses from his first thoroughbred crop -- including Snipledo -- began competing. Snipledo won the 1990 Longacres Mile, one of his 17 victories. Snipledo earned $409,905, 15th on the list of leading Washington-bred money-winners.

There have been so many others, including Taiaslew, I'madrifter, Slewsbox, and Slew of the Night, all of which earned more than $200,000.

His star at the moment is Queenledo, a 3-year-old filly owned and trained by Tim McCanna, whose farm is just over a hill from Lucky Acres.

Queenledo won her first three races this year -- all stakes at Emerald Downs -- before finishing second in her past two starts. She has earnings of $139,826 going into the $40,000 Fletcher Stakes, one of seven stakes races on Sunday's card.

Two other Slewdledo offspring -- Carrie's a Jewell and Cowboy Cruisser -- are entered in Cup Day races. Carrie's a Jewell is ticketed for the Belle Roberts for older fillies and mares; Cowboy Cruisser for the Trooper Seven for 3-year-old colts and geldings.

McCanna said Queenledo matches in appearance what constitutes the best of Slewdledo's offspring.

"It seems like all his better horses look like him -- beautiful head, black, shiny coat ... Queenledo fits that perfectly," McCanna said.

Another trainer, Roy Lumm, said if a Slewdledo-sired horse is out of a decent mare "they all perform pretty well. If they don't have too many flaws, they all try to run. He puts heart in them."

Through May 15, 402 offspring of Slewdledo had started 6,208 races. Of the 402, 306 were winners of 1,044 races and purses totaling $10,783,755, sixth highest among the state's sires. Considering his ability to perform -- he covered 68 mares during the breeding season this year -- and the fact three of the sires ahead of him are deceased, Slewdledo's stature can only go up.

"Sixty eight!" exclaimed Ralph Vacca, general manager of the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

"If he bred 68 mares and gets 50 live foals this year, and there's nothing that says he's not going to continue for another two-three years ... just the numbers are going to be there for him."

Vacca said it's possible Slewdledo could pass the late Son of Briartic and become the state's all-time leading sire.

"He'd have to continue for the next five or six years doing $1 million or $1.5 million a year to get beyond Son of Briartic," Vacca said. "But he might."

The prime beneficiary of Slewdledo's success -- his stud fee is $4,000 for a live foal -- is Roy Dane, who has owned him for the past 22 years. Born and raised in Harrah, a few miles south of Lucky Acres, Dane has been a horseman all his life. Though he declined to give his age for this article, it has been reported that he is about 82.

Dane bought Slewdledo sight unseen in November 1983, the horse's 2-year-old year, from Dr. Jim Hill, the Florida veterinarian who had shared in the ownership of Seattle Slew with Yakima Valley natives Mickey and Karen Taylor.

"It ($150,000) sounded like a lot at the time, but it turned out to be a bargain," Dane said.

Dane said he never intended to race Slewdledo, putting to rest a rumor that the horse had a chronic ailment that prevented him from running. He bought him, he said, strictly for the purpose of breeding him -- to quarter horses. The idea was to blend the speed of a thoroughbred with the quickness of a quarter horse.

Slewdledo spent his first year in the Northwest standing at a farm in Pasco and mating with quarter mares and at least one thoroughbred mare, Northwest Snipper. The latter alliance produced Snipledo.

"There were some quarter-horse foals, but they couldn't get anybody to run against them," Dane said. "The races wouldn't fill. So I had to go to thoroughbreds."

Nice going.

"You only need so much in your lifetime and he's been a good income for me," Dane said. "If I had sold him, I wouldn't have had him here and seen his offspring and seen what they do. Every year, I can't wait for the next crop."

HOOFBEATS: The seven Washington Cup Day stakes attracted 49 entries (7.0 average). Five are scheduled to race in the $50,000 Muckleshoot Tribal Classic, including Sabertooth, the winner of the 2002 Longacres Mile, but not Nogiveaway, the winner of this year's Mile. Trainer Grant Forster said Nogiveaway is recovering from an abscess on a hoof. ... Cup Day festivities will begin tonight with the Washington Thoroughbred Hall of Fame banquet at Emerald Downs. Scheduled to be inducted into the Hall are trainer Bud Klokstad, jockey Basil James, breeder Guy Roberts and racehorse Smoggy Dew. ... Washington Cup glasses will be given to those in attendance Sunday.

WASHINGTON CUP DAY

  • WHAT: Seven stakes races for horses foaled in Washington, or sired by a horse standing in the state during the year bred.

  • WHEN/WHERE: Sunday, first post 2 p.m., Emerald Downs, Auburn

    THEY'RE ALL STUDS

    The leading Washington sires in 2005, through Aug. 17, with number of runners, starts, wins and earnings, according to the Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association:

    SireNo.St./wonEarnings
    1. Slewdledo120534/98$1,078,538
    2. Cahill Road78320/47$686,331
    3. Basket Weave80 370/48$512,326
    4. Free At Last84404/42$421,998
    5. He's Tops 48236/47$381,608

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