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I couldn't wait to paint Seattle Slew. It's inarguable that he was the most complete racehorse to ever live. As a competitor, he was the fastest of the fast. Seattle Slew had the blinding, front-running speed of a champion sprinter, but he also won America's toughest race at a mile-and-a-half. He swept through the Triple Crown while en route to the 1977 Horse of the Year title. Til' this day, he remains the only horse ever to accomplish the feat while undefeated.

Slew concluded his career with 2 victories over 1978 Triple Crown winner, Affirmed. It was the only time in history that 2 Triple Crown winners faced off. And in retirement, Seattle Slew sired an astonishing 102 stakes winners ammassing over $75 million in earnings. His progeny included Breeders' Cup world champions, and in "Swale", a fellow Kentucky Derby winner.

For years I contemplated: Which race? How best do I honor Seattle Slew in a painting? Ultimately, I decided on the middle jewel of the 1977 Triple Crown, the Preakness Stakes. This decision was based on several factors. First, the Preakness takes place in Baltimore, Maryland. I was a high schooler in Maryland in 1977 and my uncle took my brother and I to the race. It was a gorgeous, bright and sunny May day.

As an artist, this is always an important factor to consider as bright light and deep shadows add distinct clarity and drama to a painted scene. Yet above all, you could say Seattle Slew's Preakness was a microcosm of his ability and career. The race is an American Classic, run at a mile-and-three-sixteenths -- and he ran it like no other horse before or since.

Two weeks prior, Slew had come off the toughest race of his career, the roughly run Kentucky Derby where he broke tardy, was bumped hard and shuffled back. However, Slew had never before trailed in a race. So as if saying, "Hey! I don't follow horses!" he burrowed through a group the first time past the grandstand like a fullback on a goal line plunge. Slew took command, dictated the pace, and went on to victory.

Slew had 14 days to recover. He not only had bumps, bruises and exhaustion of a mile-and-a-quarter race, he had to travel from Kentucky to Maryland. Worse, he was forced to contend with one of the injustices in the game of Thoroughbred racing. To earn his Triple Crown championship, he had to face a superlative colt who was not subjected to the rigors of the Kentucky Derby, multiple stakes winner, Cormorant. Unlike every other sport where one has to earn his or her way to the playoffs and championship, Thoroughbred racing permits qualified racehorses to skip Triple Crown events and race only in the one where their owners and trainers believe they can win. It's a formula which often prevails, and the reason that horse racing's Triple Crown is arguably the toughest achievement in all of sport. In 150 years of horse racing, there has been a grand total of 12 Triple Crown winners.

Finally, compounding Slew's task was the running style of Cormorant. For the first mile of a race, he was as fast as Seattle Slew. Any bettor or horseman will tell you that the most detrimental factor to any speed horse ... is another speed horse. 99 out of 100 times, two strong- willed speed horses will race each other into submission, and the closers will pass them in the stretch. It's the nature of the game.

As the gates sprung in the 1977 Preakness, the race unfolded as advertised: Cormorant, breaking from the highly advantageous number one post, jetted to the front. Seattle Slew, released from the 8 hole, immediately collared him. The dreaded head-and-head speed duel was on, and no-one could predict the outcome. The two colts battled viciously for a mile. Then, the fractions took their toll on Cormorant. Seattle Slew had pushed him through a quarter mile in :22.2, the half in half-mile in :45.3, and 6 furlongs in 1:09.4. When 'Slew passed his nemesis, he clipped the teletimer at 1:34.4 for the mile. In 102 prior runnings of the Preakness Stakes, it was the fastest mile split ever --- faster than Citation, faster than Secretariat.

With victory in hand and the Belmont Stakes, 3 weeks hence in mind, Seattle Slew was geared down by jockey Jean Cruguet in the stretch. He went on to win in 1:54.2. It was the second fastest Preakness ever run. Iron Constitution and Run Dusty Run closed for 2nd and 3rd, respectively.

In conclusion, this had to be the race to paint. As they say, horses don't do what Seattle Slew did --- that is, be subjected to a blistering speed duel, run as fast as the breed can run, and cruise on to victory. Seattle Slew proved, once and for all, that he was a horse for the ages.

At 14 x 29" this painting has a traditional horizontal design. Like all Thoroughbred racing art, it would be the conversational piece of your room ... and now you have some additional facts to describe about the painting. Thank you for reading my story behind the painting. Please call or e-mail if you have any questions.