“WELCOME to the 145th Belmont Stakes!!! Today we have George Woolf aboard the amazing Affirmed, and Gary Stevens riding Seattle Slew, and Mike Smith riding secretariat who still has the fastest time ever on the Belmont track. Today there is a field of 7 horses, and the favorite is Secretariat with the odds 3/1,” roared the announcer.

He continued, “Ok, the horses are going out on the track, and they are going to the gates. They have all the horses in the gates, and THEY'RE OFF!!!!”



“Dad, you said that you would take me to my friend's house today!” bellowed Sam.

“Sam, I know that you want to go today, but I'm just too busy with the Triple Crown coming up in three months, and I still have to find a horse to ride,” replied Mike.

“Fine I guess I'll see if mom can take me, MOM!!!!”

Mike sat yet again looking for a horse to ride when the phone rang. RING, RING!!


“Hello,” answered Mike.

“Hi this is Winstar ranch, we were returning your call about seeing if we had a horse that you can ride in the triple crown,” said Jason.

“Ya I was seeing if I could ride either your horse Secretariat or Big Brown,” responded Mike.










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“Well Big Brown is being ridden by Brooke Kertai, so Secretariat is the only horse available at this moment, but I do have other people calling me and seeing if they can ride him. You need to hurry if you are going to take him to the Triple Crown races.” replied Jason.

“I'll take him!” exclaimed Mike, jumping out of his seat.


“Gary, come on! We are going to be late for the party at Greg's house this afternoon,” said Gary's wife as she was about to walk out the door.

“Sorry I can't go. I have to go and ride Seattle Slew today to see if he even has a chance to win the Triple Crown, and if I like him then I am going to be entered in the race.” Answered Gary.

Gary made his way down to the farm to ride Seattle Slew, but when he was driving up the driveway that was when he saw Seattle Slew in the pasture. He looked terrible. His fur was all mated. His mane was all chopped off, and lastly he was skinny. Gary felt so sad for the horse. The property was well taken care of, along with all the other horses looking clean and well taken care of.

“Hello, Gary!” said John, coming around the barn.

“Hey John.”

“So is this Seattle Slew,” said Gary, as he was pointing to the malnourished Stallion.

“Yep that's him.”

“Well, I will make you a deal, John. If you sell me the horse, I will put him in the triple crown race, and if he wins I get to keep him, but if he loses you can have him back.”

“Ok, I think that we have a deal then.”

That day Gary took Seattle Slew home. From that day on Seattle Slew was in the hands of a Jockey and a Great trainer.

“Oh honey I'm home,” Gary said as he walk into his house.

“Ok every time you say that you bought either a horse or you just won a race, but there weren't any races today, so that must mean you just bought a new horse.” replied Lisa, Gary's wife.

“Yep, but get this I didn't have to pay anything for him.

“Well thats one plus about him so go on.

“Thats about it his coat is completely covered in mud he has burrs in his mane and tail and he he doesn’t like to be around and other horses.”

“That went down hill fast,” Lisa said, looking at Gary with her hands on her hips

“Ok but he is really fast and he does have good bloodlines.”

“Looking better.”

“But we have to keep him at our barn for now or till the triple crown races” Murmured Gary so Lisa couldn't hear him.”

“WAIT WHAT!!”

“Don't get mad at me now Lisa.”

“To late for that.”

The argument lasted all night, but Gary came out on top. Seattle Slew got to stay with them until the triple crown races, or if he won he got to stay there till the day he dies. Lisa was still very mad at Gary for bringing home the horse when she didn't get to even have a say in it. But when she went out there to look at Seattle Slew, she saw that he did need some help, and that his conformation was incredible. She decided that she wasn't that mad, after all he was a very pretty horse.

The next day Gary started to train Seattle Slew. He wasn't the calmest horse or the easiest to steer. He would always try to run you into the fence, and he would try to buck you off when you tried to get on him. He would step away every time you would try to get on him. Finally after three months of training he was ready for the Triple Crown races.

Seattle Slew looked beautiful. He was all filled out. He had a glossy black coat and had a little snip of white on his back right ankle, and a white blaze on his face. He was running really fast times and was moving up in the odds. He went from 50/1 to 5/1. The greatest drop in odds ever in racing history. Gary had taken him to a couple of races winning them all. Seattle Slew was making the front of the Sports Illustrated, and tons of newspapers all over Kentucky, but now there is only one week left until the Triple Crown.

“Let's go people we need to be leaving right now if we are going to get a stall close to the track,” bellowed Gary.

“Calm down now all we have to do now is to load up Seattle Slew and Lava Man.” replied Lisa.

Lava man was Seattle Slews best friend, and the Stevens only other horse.

“Ok”

They were off. The Stevens were on there way to the the Kentucky Derby. The first leg of the three Triple Crown races. Gray was very nervous. He didn't know what Seattle Slew would think of the big grand stands and the people screaming when the horses ran by them. So when they got there he just kept walking back, and forth in front of the grand stands, and having his wife stand there waving her hands in the air screaming like a little girl again. Seattle Slew didn't even mind so then they got to work. They took him on the track and breezed him and his time was 2:15:534 seconds which was really good but not good enough if he wanted to beat secretariats record on the track which was 2:02:959. So they kept on working until the day had come and it was time to race.


“Welcome to the Kentucky derby where the first leg of the Triple Crown starts.” Said the Announcer


“Ok all the marbles are on the table Lisa, this is my chance to get my name out there, and show the world how good we are, and so that we can keep seattle slew.” Gary explained. “I have a plan every step of the course and if something goes wrong I may be able to fix it, but I am not sure.”


“Everyone we need your attention please bing your tack, and your horse, and saddle up for the race.” said the Announcer.


“Good luck Gary,” Yelled Lisa as Gary and Seattle Slew were walking away.

Well they were on there way to the track. Everyone was shouting and screaming, but not for them they all wanted secretariat to win the race. Gary had different plans.They were walking on the track when the other horses came to get them and hook them onto a lead rope. They were warming up for the race when Gary noticed something. There was a field of 20 instead of 15. His plans are worthless now and now there was no way he could pass the other horses now, but he still had hope and new Seattle Slew had it in him all he had to do was trust in him. They were loading them in the gates and telling they good luck and be careful.


“The horses are in the gates and there OFF!” Bellowed the announcer

Seattle Slew had the best start but Secretariat and Affirmed were trying to catch up. So Gary pulled Seattle Slew back to save his energy. The crowd was filled with people cheering on the horse that they wanted to win. As they went pass the grandstand Gary saw his wife with a sigh that had his name on it along with Seattle Slews. They were now 5th coming around the first turn and Seattle Slew was going strong when Gary noticed that Affirmed was pulled out of the race! He was favoring his back left leg and would not put any weight on it. Now he was in 4th. Now they were coming back around the finish the race. Secretariat was going strong and was in the lead by 3 lengths. Seattle Slew was closing in on him fast may be a little to fast. Seattle slew has never gone this fast before. Even Gary hasn't rode a horse this fast before. They were only ½ a length away for passing him now. They only had 500 feet from the finish line. They passed him they were in the lead! They were in they lead by 1,2,3,4,5,6 lengths! They won.

“YES!” Yelled Gary “We did it!

Lisa was running out to him, they put the flowers onto Seattle Slew and handed Gary to big gold trophy.

They were on there way back to the stable for there last night there before they leave for the Preakness stakes.

“Ok this race won't count unless we win the Preakness and the Belmont,” explained Gary “I know today was a great day for us because we just on 2 million dollars, But if we win that would be awesome because we would get to keep him.”

Gary and Seattle Slew had grown a huge bond with each other. Where every Gary went Seattle Slew would follow him. When Gary was walking him out to the gates he doesn’t even need another horse to walk when all the other horses where rearing up in the air, and prancing.


The next day Seattle Slew didn't look good. He wouldn't eat his food and kept laying down and not wanting to get up. This did not look good. Gary was worried sick. He stayed with him all day and would not leave his side for anything. He was very upset. The race was only two weeks away, and they had to be there in two days for the big meeting for all the horses owners that are in the race. They were 6 hours away too. They had to get a vet out to see what is wrong with him.


It took the vet 2 hours to get there and told Gary and Lisa what was wrong with him. He had an abscess in his back left hoof. Lucky them the abscess wasn't that bad and would heal in a day or two. So they left that day and went back on the road to the Preakness. It was a long drive so Seattle Slew should be better by the time that they get there.

When they got there Seattle Slew was walking fine and looked good as new.
They walked him to the stable where he was going to stay for a week and a half. They let him rest one more day just to make sure that he was all better and wasn't going to go lame anymore until the end of the last race.



The next day they started to ride him again. When Gary got on him he felt different. Almost like he got taller and more muscular. When Gary started to get him trotting his strides got longer and faster. His lope was has fast as the last time he galloped. When he breezed him if was the fast Gary has ever Scene and he has rode over 4,000 racehorses. He was had the fastest time so far and he was almost a whole 30 seconds faster than the second fastest time.

He was all over the newspapers and he was even has gotten the track record and he hasn’t even ran the race yet. His odds were 2/1 and everybody was putting there money down on him. The day had come and it was time for the big race. The stands were full and the race was about to start. Everybody was flailing there arms and yelling his name and looked as if they were were going to jump out of the stands. It was only minutes until the race started.

“Ok Gary I want you to be careful and most importantly win,” said Lisa just before he went out to the track.
As Gary was going out onto the field another horse came up to him and clipped a lead rope onto the bridle and took him out to warm up and to take him out to the starting gates.

“The horses are almost in the gates. All thats left to get in there is Seattle slew and secretariat.” said the announcer. “Ok they are in the gates and there OFF!”


Seattle Slew had a great start and so did Secretariat. They were battling for the lead. Seattle Slew got it and was 2 lengths ahead. Now they were going into the first turn and Secretariat was gaining fast, but Seattle Slew wasn't slowing down and was still going strong. They were half way around the track and Secretariat was dropping, and so was seattle slew the other horses were way in the back, and there was no way that they could catch up to them unless they had a sudden spurt of energy. They were coming around the final corner and they were coming at full speed and at record speeds Mike and Gary were neck and neck. Seattle Slew was quickly building speed feeling like he was going to fast for how tired he was and Secretariat was staying with him all the way. They were coming close to the wire. The crowed was cheering and yelling holding up there hands and swinging them back and forth. Lisa was running all the way up to the front the closest that she can get to the track. Seattle Slew didn't look very good and either did Secretariat. They were feet away from the finish when Seattle Slew fell and hit Secretariat. The other horses were still coming but not even close to finishing the race. Gary got seattle slew to get up and he jumped back onto him and finish the race. They won, but secretariat was still on the ground and he wouldn't get up. The vets came out with there truck and loaded them both Mike and Secretariat.


“Gary you did great,” said Lisa


“Thanks I new that he could do it, but I feel really bad now that He fell on secretariat and Mike.” Replied Gary.


“Well lets go back to the stable and have a vet look at Seattle Slew to see why he fell in the first place.”

They were trying to get back to the stable when all the fans came up running at them and made hard just to get out from the race track. They had to have security guards just to get them back to there barn. Then they had to call the vet.

When the vet got there they had to bring him out of his stall and he had to take an x-ray of his leg because it looked like he didn't want to put pressure on it. Yet again it was the same foot and the same abscess. They said that he had to have a least a week off from racing or else it would just keep getting worse. They had to put his foot in warm water every night and give him medicine to relive the pain from the foot. The race was in three weeks so they would be okay.

“We need the head out for Elmont, New York tomorrow so we can get him used to the place.” said Gary

“Ok that is fine with me,” replied Lisa

The next day they were all packed up and ready to leave for the Belmont Stakes. Gary was worried about Seattle Slew because of his foot and how hard he had pushed him in the race. So he told the truck driver to go slow they couldn't ride him for a week anyway so it didn't matter how long it took.

When they got there it was already a week later and Seattle Slew wasn't limping any more so they could get him out and onto the track. He was doing really good and was running the fastest times out of all the other horses. Secretariat was doing really good and was able to race again and so was Mike so Gary didn't feel as bad anymore. Secretariat was running really well too and was catching up with Seattle slews time. Now it was time to get there head in the game. Every day they were practicing and trying to build up his stamina because the race was over a mile which is really long for a horse to be running without stopping.

The race was in a week and the press was getting involved now timing all of the horses. Secretariat was only milli seconds behind seattle slew. Gary new what would make or break the race now was the start of the race in the starting gates. For the rest of the week that was what they worked on. There were 7 horses in the race and Seattle Slew and Secretariat were starting right next to each other. He made a plan to get out really good and then cut him off so he loses some of his energy trying to catch up.

There was only one day left till the race and the they were ready. They went to a meeting with all of the owner and trainers of the horses and all talked to the press and were talking about which horse was better than all of the other horses. Time was closing in on them and that night they made sure that nothing happened to seattle slew since everybody was talking about him. He once again was the favorite horse with the odds 2/1. If they win the race tomorrow he will be the 10th horse to ever win all three races in the triple crown history.

The day had come and it was time for the race. The stands were packed all the way to the top. Fans holding signs with there favorite racehorse on it screaming there name.

“WELCOME to the 145th belmont stakes!!! Today we have George Woolf aboard the amazing Affirmed, and Gary Stevens riding Seattle Slew, and Mike Smith riding secretariat who still has the fastest time ever on the belmont track. Today there is a field of 7 horses, and the favorite is secretariat with the odds 3/1,” roared the announcer.

He continued, “Ok, the horses are going out on the track, and they are going to the gates. They have all the horses in the gates, and THERE OFF!!!!”


Gary had gotten into a good position out in the field and way ahead of the rest of the other horses Seattle Slew was going so fast and he felt like he was flying. They had just broke a record time for ¼ marker on the track. They were 8 lengths in front of all of the other horses and gaining. Secretariat was way in the back and dropping. The race was half way over and there was no way that the other horses were going to catch up. They were going to the finish 30 lengths in in the lead and they won!!!!! They were now 10th to win all three of the triple crown races.

The flowers and the trophies were presented to them and over 3 million dollars. Now they can also keep seattle slew!! Today was the best day of there lives.

Seattle Slew would go on to win the Breeders Cup Classic and the Dubai Cup some of the most well now races that there are. When he retired at the age of 8 he had won 25 of his 25 starts and was entered in the racehorse hall of fame.Then they put him up for stud and have very successful colts and fillies that would go and to win the same races. Seattle slew died at the age of 30 and Gary died at the age of 70 and Lisa died at the age of 65.


The End!!