Swale - 1984 Belmont Stakes

[@davidhuntley837]

Swale was the horse that made me start watching racing when I was 13 years old. I remember crying like a baby when I found out he passed. Thanks for the memories Swale! I'm 43 now and love it more than ever!

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I took the LIRR to Belmont that day and arrived around 11:15 a.m., only to see the Belmont being replayed on the monitors. I thought "that's weird." Then someone told me he had dies, so I was at Belmont when I heard the news. I had won $120.00 on a $100 place bet on this race on him and was also at the Belmont.

[@founder1123]

i cryed like a baby when he passed too lol

[@Lania99999]

Me too! I loved The Black Stallion books and chose him as my favorite because of it. When he won that cemented my love of horse racing. Was devastated when he passed away.

[@rayfordblease9365]

Swale only came here for a short time n he leaves us all with great memories. RIP

[@raider101416]

I was 9 years old and Swale was the first horse I rooted for. I remember being so happy when he won the Derby and the Belmont, and was crushed when he died eight days after this race. Son of the legend Slew, RIP Swale.

[@susanurban5920]

Swale was feeling good this day, unlike a Preakness day. Poor Swale, he’ll never be forgotten.

[@jjs490]

Swale LED from start to finish. What a horse ! With smooth long strides. Valiant, beautiful, a black stallion just like his father the great Seattle Slew !

[@justinnicklas4712]

The son of Seattle slew would have been an incredible stallion at Claiborne

[@RoLPeace]

Tomorrow is The Swale stake race. Went back here for the great memories.

[@Caroni100]

Swale (April 21, 1981 - June 17, 1984) won 9 races, got 2 seconds and 2 thirds places in 14 starts, earning U.S $ 1,583,660. He posthumously received the 1984 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Three Year-Old Male Horse. His death shock thoroughbred racing industry. Greetings from Venezuela.

[@orisha19]

An outstanding Thoroughbred!!

[@leesog3203]

I was saddened to read this beast passed away just 8 days after this very race... God Bless you boy.. and to think there's older thoroughbreds than Swale still alive today.. dat shit cray..

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I was at Belmont the day Swale died, and knew something was up when they were replaying the Belmont at 10:40 am on a Sunday. I had $100 to place on swale, who paid $5.00 and 4.40. Very safe bet.

[@christopherduganberry236]

Had this brilliant horse not died suddenly 2 days after this race, HE would have been Seattle Slew's greatest son...not AP Indy. Swale was brilliant...absolutely BRILLIANT!!! And, I was very happy to see Pincay get his second Triple Crown race win.

[@susanurban5920]

Christopher Duganberry, I thought KZbin kicked you off and suspended your account.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

He died eight days after the race. I was at Belmont that morning when I found out.

[@LisaAchilli-yd2jr]

He died 8 days after the Belmont.

[@orisha19]

Remember that Gate Dancer set the Preakness record that year not taking anything away from Swale, but he ran a clunker that race. But only a champ leads wire to wire in the "Test of Champions." The Belmont has always been my favorite, the mile and a half, oh so many jockey mistakes and stirring victories, because after that mile and a quarter pole hitting the stretch, the great ones show themselves and Swale is definitely among them.

[@ebbets1965]

I found Swale's Belmont to be rather similar to Slew's seven years earlier: wire to wire, looking surprisingly comfortable at the end of twelve furlongs. And then tragedy thereafter for son, and nearly tragedy for the father

[@orisha19]

AP Indy had the speed of his Grand sire Secretariat and this is shown in the times at Belmont and Breeders Cup in 1992.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Actually the Belmont is easier to wire with the slower pace like Conquistador Cielo did in 1982 or Summing in 1981.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

Secretariat holds the Preakness record.

[@3to5andglassy]

One of my all-time favorite horses. I really thought this colt was going to win the triple crown and if not for the blistering move 2 days before the Preakness I am sure he would have. It was great to find this on here.

[@TheJonRW]

Who knows with that breeding just how great of a sire he would bave been. Very sad ending for this marvelous horse!

[@SWALE1984]

Check out the book: GRIT AND VALOR: THE STORY OF SWALE. It is a wonderfully written tribute to him.

[@signoresantinoburnett1169]

Swale was a power house of a horse. Incredible talent until his candle went out. RIP boy. Also did Gate Dancer run on his correct lead ...ever?

[@Caroni100]

Swale ganó el Belmont Stakes 1984 practicamente de punta a punta ¡y sólo dos días después un infarto nos lo arrebató! Sólo Dios sabe hasta donde hubiera llegado en la pista y en la cría! ¡Los hípicos nunca lo olvidarémos!

[@SWALE1984]

Greetings to everyone! My name is Timothy J. Thompson. I have published a book all about Swale's life and amazing career. the title is: Grit And Valor: The Story Of Swale. I researched, wrote and published this book as a tribute to Swale and all that he gave to the sport of thoroughbred horse racing. I also have my own website dedicated to Swale and his legendary father, the immortal SEATTLE SLEW.

[@philipcheshier3161]

I was born during this race.

[@orisha19]

A tragic loss, who knows how many Champions that he would have sired if he had lived to old age!!

[@christopherduganberry236]

Swale would have been Seattle Slew's greatest son...Not AP Indy, and I have nothing against AP Indy. Swale's bloodlines were magnificent and so was he. I remember the shock reading about it the following day in the NY Daily News...absolutely tragic!

[@orisha19]

No doubt Swale was a good horse beside the Clunker in the Preakness,

[@christopherduganberry236]

Woody Stephens always felt that his clunker in the Preakness may have been related to the heart problem that claimed his life after the Belmont. Swale simply was not feeling well that day...and he ran like it too.

[@salicemccool9186]

Christopher Duganberry Thank you. I’ve never understood why people expect horses to perform like (magnificent??) machines every time they step onto a track. They have bad days, just as we do. Sometimes they feel lousy; they’re only equine! That a great competitor & athlete of Swale’s caliber lost a “big” race doesn’t diminish his greatness in my eyes.

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

"Pace is not fast...can't be in this heat." It was NINETY-NINE degrees for this race. Terribly hot. I skipped outdoor graduation at Tavern On The Green that Monday because they wanted me to wear a Tux. Instead I bought a preppy blue blazer that I wore to work for years after that with the $100 to place I hit with my graduation money.

[@dariabigblock73]

Imagine: Ruffian X Swale would have been the most gorgeous foal ever. Both gone at age 3, both so beautiful, the way TB's used to look, not like today.

[@ahsanshaikh786]

It would have been an incredible inaugural Breeders Cup in 1984 with Swale against his brother, Slew O Gold.

[@TheJonRW]

Slew's best son.....

[@toppdogg2815]

Jon Woolsey A.P. Indy is

[@TheJonRW]

Ipowers 2927 I guess I should have said "potentially." A.P. Indy is living a full and lengthy life, and as it turned out is Slew's best son....to carry on the genes. Swale won two thirds of the Triple Crown and did so with a defective heart. I believe had he lived he would have sired some great horses. We can never know, of course, but I'm basing my comment on his track accomplishments and potential.....with the great breeding he had. Slew sired many top quality runners...male and female.

[@jlatuga6301]

I was working on the Breeders Cup rollout promotion at the time and had V.I.P. seats that day and saw Swale win. He was a great horse!

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I had $100 to place on him and he paid $5.00 and 4.40 so I felt smart. Eight days later I'm at Belmont early and this race is being replayed on the monitor. I ask what's up and couldn't believe it. Most shocking death ever in that it wasn't during a race like Ruffian or Timely Writer, or even post-race like Eight Belles.

[@bnegs521]

Swale WIRE-TO-WIRE!

[@whatup-dawgcom6862]

Not bad for a horse that was found to have a cauliflower size cyst in his heart..

[@christopherohara3725]

I was in the next barn the day he dropped dead so sad

[@raygordonteacheschess5501]

I was smoking a joint on the fourth floor of the grandstand in the back row (where the Pinkertons wouldn't climb) when I found out.

[@roberthales2579]

swailatorm

[@dickross1240]

life is unfair when the gods of racing frown its ugly face. he could have been a good one. but the loss came in the breeding shed.

[@orisha19]

AP Indy's times are indicative of his favorable speed as compared with his Grand Sire the unequaled Secretariat. Look at the Belmont and Breeder's Cup as the truest of indicators, of Speed and Distance which were the hallmarks of Secretariat. Nothing against Seattle Slew, was a great horse but nowhere in the class of Secretariat.

[@JoeKoOhNo]

Get serious. Slew would have run away and hid from Secretariat. Look at what Angle Light, Onion, and Prove Out did and none of them were comparable to Slew as a speed horse. He's the greatest speed horse all-time.

[@Jean0987654321]

Track announcer: Marshall Cassidy