Top California sire Slewpy dead at 21
Grade 1 winner and veteran California stallion Slewpy, who sired 1992 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Thirty Slews during his career, died shortly after an undetermined surgical procedure on Wednesday night at Flag Is Up Farms near Solvang, California.The 21-year-old son of Seattle Slew out of the Prince John mare Rare Bouquet has sired 26 stakes winners from 14 crops and has lifetime progeny earnings of $16,586,705 through Wednesday. Slewpy had stood at Flag Is Up Farms since 1997, including the 2001 season for a fee of $2,750.
In addition to Thirty Slews, Slewpy sired eight other group/graded stakes winners, including 2001 Frank E. Kilroe Mile Handicap (G2) winner Road to Slew and 2001 Buena Vista Handicap (G2) winner Rare Charmer. He is also the sire of Grade 2 winners Mr. Nickerson and Miss Slewpy, Grade 3 winners Slerp, Gray Slewpy, and Callide Valley, and stakes winner and $680,963-earner Surachai.
Slewpy is also the sire of promising three-year-old colt Waingarth, who won the Real Good Deal Stakes earlier this season at Del Mar.
Thirty Slews was one of North America's top sprinters in 1992 and won that year's Breeders' Cup Sprint at Gulfstream Park odds of 18.70-to-1. He won three of five starts in 1992, including the Bing Crosby Handicap (G3) and CERF Sprint Handicap at Del Mar. Thirty Slews retired in 1994 with seven wins in 21 career starts and earnings of $872,590.
Bred in New York, Slewpy won eight of 21 career starts with two seconds and one third for $710,248 in earnings. He won five stakes events during his three seasons on the racetrack, including the 1983 Meadowlands Cup (G1) and Paterson Handicap (G2) and the '82 Young America Stakes (G1), all at the Meadowlands.
Slewpy entered stud in 1985 at Wooden Horse Stud near Reddick, Florida. He stood in Florida for two seasons until moving to Jonabell Farm near Lexington, where he stood until 1992. He was relocated to Kerr Stock Farm prior to the 1993 and remained there until after the '95 season.
Bred to 26 mares in 2001 at Flag Is Up, Slewpy is currently represented by 24 two-year-olds and 25 yearlings.