2001 Belmont Stakes

133rd Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
Location Belmont Park
Elmont, New York
Date June 9, 2001
Winning horse Point Given
Jockey Gary Stevens
Trainer Bob Baffert
Owner The Thoroughbred Corporation
Conditions Fast[1]
Surface Dirt
← 2000
2002

The 2001 Belmont Stakes was the 133rd running of the Belmont Stakes. The 1 12-mile (2,400 m) race, known as the "test of the champion" and sometimes called the "final jewel" in thoroughbred horse racing's Triple Crown series, was held on June 9, 2001, three weeks after the Preakness Stakes and five weeks after the Kentucky Derby.

Point Given, trained by Bob Baffert and ridden by Gary Stevens, was one of the most highly regarded three-year-olds of his era. Although he finished fifth in the Kentucky Derby, he rebounded to win the Preakness Stakes. In the Belmont Stakes, he turned in a dominating performance to win by over 12 lengths in one of the fastest times in the history of the race.

Pre-race

In Stevens opinion, Point Given was one of the best horse of the 2000s and a worthy inductee to the Hall of Fame in 2010. He attributed Point Given's fifth place finish in the Derby to the combination of a foot infection and a very firm track at Churchill Downs. On a deeper track with more cushion, the foot did not bother the colt and Baffert remembered being very confident. "He's the best one I've ever led over for the Belmont", he said in 2010. "I knew he'd handle the distance. They can either go that far or they can't. You can't train that into them."[2]

One week before the Belmont, Point Given's "mischievous" antics gave cause for concern when he injured himself in his stall. He suffered a cut over the eye, then the medication made him start acting colicky so Baffert withheld his hay to avoid making the stomach problems worse. The colt reacted by crawling under the webbing in his stall, gashing himself in the side in the process. He was briefly loose from his stall, but was then caught by the grooms.[3]

Eight other horses entered the race. Point Given's main rivals were considered to be Derby winner Monarchos and Preakness runner-up A P Valentine. A P Valentine had won two of two starts at Belmont Park including the Champagne Stakes, in which he had defeated Point Given.[4]

The attendance was 73,857, the highest for the Belmont when a Triple Crown was not at stake.[3]

Race description

Point Given broke well and settled in third place just behind the early leaders. After the first half-mile went in a reasonable 48 seconds, Point Given picked up the pace slightly and moved to the lead. He continued to draw away, encouraged by Stevens who remembered being run down late with Silver Charm in a previous running of the race. Point Given won by 12 14 lengths and finished in 2:26.56, equal to the fourth fastest Belmont ever. "He actually was idling with me a little and I thought somebody had to be coming," said Stevens. "I didn't know how far in front I was at the eighth pole and I didn't care. I knew he was going to get a rest afterward, and it was important for everybody to see how good he is."[3]

His connections had mixed emotions about the win. "I'm always going to be bittersweet about these two victories without a victory in the Kentucky Derby," Stevens said. "I'm not going to get greedy, but I feel like he's a champion and should have a Triple Crown next to his name."[5]

A P Valentine finished second, 34 lengths ahead of Monarchos. His trainer Nick Zito said, "My horse ran his heart out again, but that other horse is in another zone."[3]

Chart

FinishProgram
Number
HorseMarginJockeyTrainerPost Time
Odds
Winnings
1 9 Point Given 12 14 Stevens, GaryGary Stevens Baffert, BobBob Baffert 1.30 $600,000
2 8 A P Valentine 34 Espinoza, VictorVictor Espinoza Zito, NicholasNicholas Zito 5.90 $200,000
3 5 Monarchos 1 Chavez, JorgeJorge Chavez Ward Jr., JohnJohn Ward Jr. 5.00 $110,000
4 3 Dollar Bill 2 12 Day, PatPat Day Stewart, DallasDallas Stewart 6.80 $60,000
5 1 Invisible Ink 7 12 Velazquez, JohnJohn Velazquez Pletcher, ToddTodd Pletcher 10.10 $30,000
6 4 Thunder Blitz 5 34 Bailey, JerryJerry Bailey Orseno, JosephtJosepht Orseno 12.70
7 6 Buckle Down Ben 15 12 Nakatani, CoreyCorey Nakatani Lukas, D. WayneD. Wayne Lukas 28.75
8 2 Balto Star 28 34 McCarron, ChrisChris McCarron Pletcher, ToddTodd Pletcher 12.00
9 7 Dr Greenfield Prado, EdgarEdgar Prado Gerald Butler 19.80

Source: Equibase[1]
Times: 14 — 0:23.95; 12 — 0:48.00; 34 — 1:11.78; mile — 1:35.56; 1 14 — 2:00.75; final — 2:26.56.
Fractional Splits: (:23.95) (:24.05) (:23.78) (:23.78) (:25.00) (:25.80)[1]

Payout

The 135th Belmont Payout Schedule[1]

Program
Number
Horse Name Win Place Show
9 Point Given $4.70 $3.70 $3.00
8 A P Valentine - $5.00 $3.90
5 Sunday Break - - $4.20

See also

    References

    1. 1 2 3 4 "Chart of the 2001 Belmont Stakes". equibase.com. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
    2. Shulman, Lenny. "Stevens, Baffert Recall Point Given's Belmont". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
    3. 1 2 3 4 Haskin, Steve. "Point Given Finally Sprouts Wings". cs.bloodhorse.com. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
    4. Michaels, Noel. "Point Given preps in 59.60 for Belmont". Daily Racing Form. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
    5. Joseph, Dave. "Point Given proves a point in Belmont Stakes". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 7 October 2016.
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