HORSE RACING: For-Given

By Chrys Kefalas CPKSports Editor-in-Chief

BALTIMORE, MD. No Triple Crown for Monarchos, no Triple Crown for thoroughbred racing for at least one more year as a mammoth chestnut colt succeeded in a redemptive effort at Baltimore's Pimlico Race Course.

Two weeks after Point Given's flat performance at Churchill Downs in the Kentucky Derby, the son of Thunder Gulch, on a partly cloudy May Saturday before a record crowd of 104,454, powered down the home stretch to win the Preakness Stakes in authoritative fashion over the charging AP Valentine and stablemate Congaree. The real Point Given showed up.

At the start, Richly Blended took the early lead ahead of Congaree, who was not far behind. Jockey Gary Stevens placed a hammerlock on Point Given and kept his colt away from the early pace setters in 9th place at the ¼ mile mark.

"As we went down the backside," Stevens said, "I was sitting on a mountain."

With easy strides Point Given cruised pass AP Valentine, Dollar Bill, and Griffinite to move sixth as the horses completed the first turn. Triple Crown hopeful Monarchos was running last, way off the lead.

Trainer John Ward said he had a "terrible feeling" in the first turn.

"He didn't seem to be taking to the track. He wouldn't go to his left lead in the stretch. He just was uncomfortable."

Richly Blended and Congaree continued nose for nose towards the far turn, ahead of the pack, when Gary Stevens allowed Point Given to make his move. Richly Blended was fading and the powerful strides of Point Given dug into the deep Pimlico track. Stevens looked over his shoulder for Monarchos. But the Derby winner was nowhere in sight.

"I asked him to run, and he was fighting a little with the track. He was slipping," said jockey Jorge Chavez.

At the quarter pole stablemate Congaree and Point Given were tied for the lead. That didn't last long, once Stevens straightened out Point Given and gave him a left-hand tap he drew away at the stretch for a 2¼ length victory to add $650,000 to his bankroll, bringing his lifetime earnings to $1,868, 500 for the Thoroughbred Corporation.

Point Given completed the 1 3/16 mile Preakness in a moderate 1:55:02, two full seconds off the track record. Though, with his ears pinned as he crossed the wire Point Given had notched what appeared to be an almost-effortless victory.

Trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Gary Stevens glowed with excitement as their horse made amends for his dull performance in the Kentucky Derby just two weeks ago. Yet, an undercurrent of wistfulness was palpable among Point Given's people over letting the Kentucky Derby get away.

Upon leaving Pimlico, a well wisher told Stevens he was glad to see Point Given validate the greatness that seemed so evident in the months leading up to this Triple Crown season.

"Thank you very much," Stevens said. "Two weeks late."

Had Point Given run on the first Saturday in May the same way he's run every other step of his 3-year-old campaign, we'd have a fourth Triple Crown scenario in the last five years.

Instead, a Triple Crown, which hasn't been accomplished since Affirmed in 1978, isn't on the line this year. But bragging rights as to whether Point Given or Monarchos is this nation's top 3-year-old might very well be.

Now comes the third leg in the Triple Crown series, the Belmont Stakes on June 9.

Article courtesy of CPKSports.com