Pony Profile

In 2001, POINT GIVEN became the first thoroughbred to win four consecutive $1 million races when he won the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell and Travers in succession.  In a seemingly easy decision he was named Horse Of The Year for 2001.

POINT GIVEN was a hulking chestnut son of Champion THUNDER GULCH.  Trained by Hall-Of-Famer Bob Baffert (an actual stable genius) and ridden primarily by fellow Hall-Of-Famer Gary Stevens, POINT GIVEN won half of his six starts as a 2-year-old in 2000, including the Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes and the Hollywood Futurity.  He finished second in his other three starts, including the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile.

His 3-year-old campaign began with impressive wins in the San Felipe Stakes and the Santa Anita Derby before enduring a troubled trip and finishing fifth in the Kentucky Derby.  Two weeks later POINT GIVEN was back in top form winning the Preakness.  He then ran the fourth-fastest Belmont Stakes ever, covering the 1½-mile trip in 2:26.56.

After the Belmont, he added wins in the Haskell and Travers, giving him a total of eight Graded Stakes wins, including six Grade 1’s.  A week after the Travers victory, a tendon injury was discovered and the decision was made to retire Point Given with a career record of 9-3-0 from 13 starts and earnings of $4,968,500.  He was elected into the National Museum Of Racing And Hall Of Fame in 2010.

Be sure to check back with the Daily Racing Blog later this week, as we will take a look the Grade 3 Sam F. Davis Stakes which will be run at Tampa Bay Downs on Saturday.