 In the fall of 1983, Slew o' Gold blossomed as a top race horse by defeating top older horses in the Woodward Stakes and the Jockey Club Gold Cup, while finishing a close second in the Marlboro Cup, narrowly missing a sweep of the 1983 Fall Championship Series at Belmont.Racing as a 4-year-old in 1984, Slew o' Gold did not make his first start until July 2 due to problems with his hooves, but won four major races, including the Whitney Handicap at Saratoga and a sweep of the 1984 Fall Championship Series Marlboro Cup, Woodward Stakes and Jockey Club Gold Cup (mile and a half) at Belmont Park that earned him a $1,000,000 bonus.In his final start of 1984 and of his career, which was the first running of the Breeders' Cup Classic, the race produced an exciting finish between 30–1 longshot Wild Again on the inside, Gate Dancer on the outside and favorite Slew o' Gold in between.