Point Given | Thoroughbred Stallion

Point Given was the first Thoroughbred in history to win four consecutive million-dollar races.

Massive, powerful, consistent, determined, and sometimes hard to handle, Point Given showed early on that he had speed and stamina: two essential elements for a horse vying for the Triple Crown.

“Point Given is a cross between an eating machine and a locomotive.”
Bob Baffert, Trainer of Point Given

As a two-year-old, Point Given gave notice that he was a force to be reckoned with, winning the Hollywood Futurity and Kentucky Cup Juvenile Stakes.

He ended an already impressive two-year-old season with an electrifying second in the 2000 Breeder’s Cup Juvenile Stakes. Even though he came up a nostril short, his stretch run gave viewers a hint of what the powerful chestnut would accomplish.

“It was like I had a loaded cannon and
all I had to do was pull the trigger when it was time.”
Gary Stevens, jockey, after Santa Anita Derby victory, 2001

The Big Red Train began his three-year-old season as expected, with easy victories in Derby prep races, making him the horse to watch in the upcoming Triple Crown races.

Point Given entered the Churchill Downs starting gate as the 9-5 favorite. He tracked the leaders while chasing a blistering pace, but weakened in the Derby stretch, finishing a disappointing fifth.

His fifth-place finish in the 2001 Derby was the only off-the-board finish in his entire career.

The “real” Point Given showed up in the Preakness Stakes, where he took command early to win easily.

Five weeks later, his stretch run in the Belmont Stakes brought back memories of another stellar chestnut: Secretariat. Point Given trounced the competition in the Belmont Stakes, winning by more than 12 lengths.

“This is a very, very special horse.”
Gary Stevens, Jockey

He concluded the year with wins in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational and Travers Stakes.

Shortly after his Travers Stakes victory, a tendon strain was detected in Point Given’s right foreleg, forcing his retirement and cutting short a brilliant racing career.

“It hurts any time a good horse is retired prematurely. It’s just that this one hurt more than most.”   Bill Finley, ESPN

Point Given was voted Horse of the Year and Champion three year old in 2001. He was syndicated at stud for $50 million and stood at Three Chimneys Farm before moving to Calumet Farm.

Point Given stood for 15 seasons. He is the sire of 709 foals, with 395 winners [56%] 2 champions, and 33 stakes winners, for total progeny earnings of over $30 million. Point Given has sired the dams of 20 Stakes winners.

Notes

• Point Given earned an Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year in 2001 and was inducted into the National Horse Racing Museum and Hall of Fame in 2010.
• Gary Stevens visited Point Given in retirement at Three Chimneys Farm, calling him “the best horse never to win a Triple Crown.”
• Point Given was the favorite in all three Triple Crown races.

Successful Offspring

Sealy Hill (CAN): Horse of the Year, Winner of Triple Tiara and a Grade I producer, Go Between, Coil, Point Ashley, Fifteen Love, Points of Grace, Call Me George, Point Determined, Pump Up (JPN), Hishi Polaris (JPN)

Notable Wins

2001: Santa Anita Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes, Haskell Stakes, Travers Stakes.

Point Given Facts

PEDIGREE / Thunder Gulch – Turko’s Turn

FOALED: 1998 | RETIRED: 2001

HALL OF CHAMPIONS / 2017

NICKNAME / PG

ATTRIBUTES / Chestnut Stallion

MAJOR AWARDS 
2001 Horse of the Year
& Champion 3-year-old Hall of Fame: 2010

EARNINGS / $3,968,500

RECORD / 13 starts, 9-3-0

HEIGHT / 17.2 hands

TRAINER / Bob Baffert

OWNER / Calumet Farm

BREEDER / The Thoroughbred Corporation

JOCKEY / Gary Stevens