Knightmare’s Breeding Corner

Slew City Slew (5937)

I have thought on several occasions of covering Slew City Slew. Now seems the most appropriate time to cover this very versatile sire. His son Lava Man just became the first horse ever to sweep all three of the southern California big races for handicap horses and oh by the way he mixed in a turf stakes win over the summer as well and is undefeated so far this year. He is marketed in real life as the epitome of superb sire value, so where does he stand in the sim?

Real Life – Slew City Slew is by Seattle Slew. His dam sire is Berkley Prince and his dam’s dam sire is Sunrise Flight. In Slew City Slews pedigree you see a history of runners and sires that ran well on the track for many races. Sunrise Flight won many stakes and ran eight-four times in his career. Berkley Prince was an Ohio Derby winner that ran twenty-eight races in his career. The dam of Slew City Slew, Weber City Miss won the Black Eyed Susan and was a consistent graded stakes runner during her forty race career that saw her win seventeen times.

Now add in Slew City Slew who was a multiple grade I winner during a forty-two race career where he earned over a million dollars in purses. It is no wonder he gets a high percentage of his foals to the track and when they get there they have a high number of average starts per runner. He only stands for $6,000 a foal now and that is slightly up from past years and is a big reason why he is the epitome of superb sire value.

He has produced two millionaires among one champion, twelve graded stakes winners and seventy six stakes performers over all. His best runner to date is having an amazing year a perfect six wins from six starts including a sweep of the G1 Santa Anita Handicap, G1 Hollywood Gold Cup and G1 Pacific Classic. Slew City Slew produces well on both surfaces but his best runners have been dirt runners to this point.

Getting a feel for what sire lines his crosses best with is difficult. He produces well with Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer, Damascus, Hail to Reason and Princequillo mares. Meadowlake has actually been the dam sire of two pretty good Slew City Slew runners. He mixes well with nearly everything even some dam sires considered obscure.

Sim Life – Slew City Slew has ninety-two active runners. Among them he has five stakes winners and one graded stakes winner. His top runners here run best on the dirt but he produces good turf runners. His faster offspring have been sprinters and oddly enough he produces more sprinters than route runners to this point.

Like in real life there is no one pattern that seems to work with him. He produces well from Mr. Prospector, Northern Dancer and other not so well known lines. Also much like real life he is getting nice production considering he is not being bred a whole bunch to top dam sires. He only has twelve two year olds so far this year and only gets used about twenty times a year. The one negative is he has not produced a stakes winner in his last four crops. That needs to be turned around. 

Breeding Suggestions – The possibilities are endless here  Northern Dancer, Mr. Prospector, In Reality, Ribot, Damascus and Halo line sires appear to all be wonderful choices. Aside from four runners with Forty Niner as the dam sire, and one with Gone West as the dam sire he has not been used with upper level dam sires. He has not even been matched with a lot of second tier dam sires and I think that alone could go a long way in getting a good runner from Slew City Slew.

From Mr. Prospector line dam sires choices I like a few of the top sires Woodman, Seeking the Gold, Miswaki, and Machiavellian. Some of the mid tier Mr. Prospector line dam sires are interesting as well like Jade Hunter, Our Emblem, Cryptoclearance, or Quiet American.

I like the Northern Dancer line a little better and there are more good choices I think like the top dam sires Sadler’s Wells, Danzig, Nijinsky II, Dixieland Band, Nureyev, Storm Cat, Danehill, Theatrical, Summer Squall, El Prado or Deputy Minister. There is a bunch of mid tier dam sires in there as well like Night Shift, Unfuwain, El Gran Senor, Royal Academy, and Langfuhr.

Do not count out In Reality in either dam sire slot. In real life In Reality line sires blended very well with Seattle Slew and Relaunch is a dam sire choice I like. Those  Roberto sons Kris S., Red Ransom, Lear Fan and Dynaformer all solid choices.

Slew City Slew gets down to about seventy BPs at the end of the week right now. Do not be afraid of pairing him with top notch sires and also do not be afraid to experiment with little known, odd sire lined sires he could surprise you.

Slew City Slew (5937) X Relaunch (5255) X The Minstrel (6552)

Slew City Slew (5937) X Nureyev (4500) X Roberto (5367)

Slew City Slew (5937) X El Gran Senor (1894) X Blushing Groom (FR) (669)

Slew City Slew (5937) X Machiavellian (3707) X Danzig (1505)

What to Expect – Slew City Slew runners should prove to be versatile type runners. The could be good running short or long on turf or dirt. He does not sire a whole lot of real good two year olds in real life. His runners tend to take a little time to show their best so if you have a young one be patient.  

As always if you have any questions, comments, or sire requests please drop me a line at mcbwildcat@aol.com. Be sure to reference the Breeding Corner. Good luck and good breeding!