Columnist Ralph Siraco: Point Given simply the best sophomore

Ralph Siraco

Monday, June 11, 2001 | 10:44 a.m.

Ralph Siraco's horse racing column appears Monday, and his Southern California selections appear Tuesday-Sunday. Reach him c/o Las Vegas Sun, 2275 Corporate Circle Drive, Suite 300, Henderson, NV 89014.

The junior senator from New York was there. The former President of the United States was there. And, joining Bill and Hillary Clinton were 73,855 others on a clear sunny afternoon in Elmont, N.Y., to see a coronation of a champion and a Triple Crown victor.

Wait a minute!

Uh, a coronation of a champion that should have been a Triple Crown victor.

Preakness Stakes winner Point Given, who was a beaten favorite in the Kentucky Derby, put to bed any doubts about who is the best sophomore of this year's glamour group with a spectacular sensational superlative victory in the $1 million Belmont Stakes at Belmont Park on Saturday. The anticipated "rubber match" with the Kentucky Derby winner was a no contest and Point Given's resounding victory made Monarchos rubber-legged through the stretch.

Period. Exclamation point!

And so, the son of 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner Thunder Gulch joins his father and forty-three other thoroughbreds who suffered near misses as two-thirds winners of the Triple Crown. Overall, 17 didn't win the Kentucky Derby while winning the Preakness and Belmont.

The first seven, however, did not compete in the Derby at all.

But Point Given walks in the wake of Preakness and Belmont winners Damascus in 1967, Hansel in 1991 and Tabasco Cat in 1994 as those who bounced back after unexplainable Derby losses for solid victories in the final pair of Triple Crown races. After Saturday's overwhelming performance, he also joins Native Dancer in 1953, Little Current in 1974 and Risen Star in 1988 as those who should have won the Derby on the way to the Triple Crown.

Before the third jewel of the Triple Crown on Saturday's NBC television coverage, host Bob Costas asked trainer Bob Baffert if he should have done anything different to prepare Point Given for the Kentucky Derby in view of his loss and powerful return to form in winning the Preakness Stakes, and would he regret doing anything differently with Point Given after the Belmont Stakes. Baffert replied,"Well, we haven't won the Belmont yet and we can't look back."

After Costas reminded Baffert of his two close Belmont losses with Silver Charm in 1997 and Real Quiet in 1998 with a Triple Crown on the line, Baffert answered, "They're all different (horses) and there is no one way to train them, it's a trial and error thing." He stopped short at putting any blame on jockey Gary Stevens' ride in the Derby and just hoped that the "real" Point Given showed up for the race.

The real Point Given showed up for the race all right, and so did his competition. And, that's what made the 133rd Belmont Stakes one of those that will go down in history as "one of the ones."

Point Given was so dominant in the Grade I "Test of Champions," that mini-visions of the Belmont came to mind as the massive chestnut powerfully rolled through the home stretch putting away his worthy competitors like a Shaquille O'Neal slam dunk. No one is comparing Point Given to Secretariat, but, his performance in the Belmont Stakes shaded reminiscent of Big Red's awesome victory in 1973.

Point Given had already established one Triple Crown record by Wednesday. He became the first horse in history to draw the outside post in all three of the series races. Point Given was also installed by the betting public as the favorite for all three Triple Crown races.

There were some tense moments as the field of nine reached the starting gate for the 1 1/2-mile run once around the sprawling Belmont Park track. While Derby runner-up Invisible Ink, Balto Star, Dollar Bill, Thunder Blitz, Monarchos and Buckle Down Ben were already loaded, European invader Dr. Greenfield was balking at starting gate. Point Given was patiently waiting outside the starting enclosure with A.P. Valentine. Possessing a penchant to "act up" himself, all eyes were on Point Given as the gate crew worked frantically to get Dr. Greenfield loaded.

That would be the closest most of the field ever got to Point Given.

When the field was finally dispatched, Point Given settled into third behind pacesetter Balto Star and Lukas trainee Buckle Down Ben. A.P. Valentine was in close attendance with Invisible Ink while Monarchos was plodding along as the others strung out to the rear of the pack.

By the time they hit the mile marker, Point Given had already taken the lead, Balto Star was retreating, A.P. Valentine was futilely picking up the chase, Monarchos was already struggling to close the gap and everybody else became Belmont window dressing.

At the top of the home stretch, Point Given started to steam roll. His lead became seven lengths, then nine, then 10 and he just kept on drawing away to the wire. His finishing time of 2:26:56 was the fourth-fastest in Belmont history, behind only A.P. Indy, Easy Goer and, of course, Secretariat.

The win mutuel of $4.70 looked better than cattle on the ranch and money in the bank. A.P. Valentine courageously held second (as he did in the Preakness) and Monarchos was a non-threatening third.

As in the Preakness Stakes -- and unlike the Kentucky Derby trip -- Point Given was allowed by jockey Gary Stevens to settle into the race where he wanted and took off when he wanted. Point Given need only carry the necessary package required by the rules of racing and after his reminder in the Derby, Stevens has obliged to be a cooperative partner in his endeavors. The rider, however, is Point Given's biggest cheerleader. Soon after the 12 1/2-length runaway victory, Stevens said of their Triple Crown experience,"It'll always be bittersweet with these victories in the Triple Crown without the Derby. I feel like he's a champion. He should have a Triple Crown next to his name."

Baffert could only quip after Point Given's awesome performance, "That was the easiest mile-and-a-half race I've ever been involved in." Again he was asked to reflect on the Derby, "We'll never be able to figure that one (Kentucky Derby) out. It wasn't his day, it didn't happen. If you look back, you'll drive yourself crazy."

The only thing that was driven crazy on Saturday was Point Given's competition. And, it did happen in New York. It was his day, and a great day for the Sport of Kings.

And one final point: He lived up to the hype.