Seattle Slew
Meanwhile, Bill Shoemaker on Exceller took advantage of the fast pace. Far back early, Exceller made a strong move on the far turn and saved ground by moving inside Seattle Slew as the tiring horse bore out turning for home. Exceller took the lead at the top of the stretch, and opened a half-length lead in midstretch. Seattle Slew fought back and lost by a nose in a photo finish. This stretch run is still remembered as among the all-time best, ranking with Sunday Silence and Easy Goer's Preakness in 1989 and the battles between Affirmed and Alydar. Despite the defeat, many analysts considered this to be Seattle Slew's greatest performance. Andrew Beyer (a Seattle Slew skeptic when the horse was a three-year-old) wrote for his lead, "Exceller was the winner of yesterday's Jockey Club Gold Cup, Seattle Slew was its hero."