Surgery was conducted at Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital near Lexington.Seattle Slew first had spinal surgery in 2000 and returned to the breeding shed last year. He was removed from service late last month, and Taylor has said, "We're not even going to think about whether Slew might ever return to service until he tells us he's healthy, happy, and fully recovered."
Seattle Slew returned home to Three Chimneys Farm early Wednesday morning, four days after undergoing surgery to fuse the joint between two vertebrae in his neck. "He continues to show remarkable recuperative abilities," said Dr. Jim Morehead, veterinarian for the Midway, Ky., farm owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Clay. A statement from Mickey Taylor, co-owner of the 1977 Triple Crown winner and syndicate manager for the 28-year-old stallion, said: "We are very, very pleased with his progress and it is good to have him back home where the surroundings are familiar to him and where he is the most comfortable."