Seattle Slew
Two weeks later, Seattle Slew was entered in the Woodward Stakes, then held at Belmont Park over the American classic distance of miles. Affirmed skipped the race, making Exceller the main contender in a field of five. Seattle Slew coasted through the first quarter in seconds, then picked up the pace under slight pressure from Exceller, normally known for his closing kick. Turning for home, Cordero used the whip twice and Seattle Slew drew off to win by four lengths. His time of 2 minutes flat for miles was a Belmont course record for a race started on the turn. (At that time, 10 furlong races at Belmont were normally started in a chute, allowing the horses to run straight for about half the race. However, the chute was under repair in 1978). The winnings from the race made Seattle Slew the 23rd horse in racing history to earn a million dollars.