Point Given Again Starts on Outside

ELMONT, N.Y. — For the third consecutive Triple Crown race, Point Given will break from the outside post when trainer Bob Baffert’s Preakness winner tries to add the $1-million Belmont to his stakes collection Saturday.

Point Given, who finished fifth after breaking from the outside in a 17-horse Kentucky Derby, returned two weeks later to win the Preakness after drawing No. 11 at Pimlico.

Unlike the Derby and Preakness, the Belmont has a traditional blind draw, which doesn’t allow for the trainers to pick their preferred posts.

Point Given, who’ll be ridden by Gary Stevens, was installed as the 8-5 favorite for the Belmont, which at 1 1/2 miles is the longest of the Triple Crown races. With a relatively small field, and considering the distance of the race, post position usually plays a lesser part in the Belmont than in the other Triple Crown races.

In the last eight years, the only favorite to win the Belmont was Thunder Gulch, who was ridden to victory by Stevens in 1995.

Monarchos, the Kentucky Derby winner, drew post position No. 5 Wednesday. He finished sixth in the Preakness, trainer John Ward saying that his colt didn’t take to the Pimlico’s racing strip, which was deeper than the running surface at Churchill Downs.

No rain is in the forecast through Saturday. Temperatures on Belmont day are expected to be in the mid-70s.

Golden Ballet, the top 3-year-old filly in California, has been retired after suffering a tendon injury to her left foreleg during a workout Tuesday at Santa Anita.

Owned by Barry Irwin and Jeff Siegel’s Team Valor and Bill Heiligbrodt and trained by Jenine Sahadi, the daughter of Moscow Ballet was working five furlongs in preparation for the Princess Stakes on June 16 at Hollywood Park when she was hurt.

Purchased more than a year ago by her current connections from Jerry Dutton, Golden Ballet finished her career with six victories in 10 starts and earned more than $732,000. All six of Golden Ballet’s victories came in stakes races.

Grey Memo, a 9-1 longshot, rallied from last to win the $90,550 Ack Ack Stakes at Hollywood Park.

Ridden by Garrett Gomez for a partnership that includes Ridgeley Farm and trained by Warren Stute, the 4-year-old colt defeated 10-1 longshot National Saint by a nose in 1:28 for the 7 1/2 furlongs.

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Times Staff Writer Bob Mieszerski contributed to this story.

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Belmont Field

Post position order for Saturday’s 133rd Belmont Stakes. TV: Channel 4 (coverage starts at 2 p.m. PDT, post time is 3 p.m.):

PP Horse: 1. Invisible Ink

Jockey: John Velazquez

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Peachtree Stable

Odds: 8-1

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PP Horse: 2. Balto Star

Jockey: Chris McCarron

Trainer: Todd Pletcher

Owner: Anstu Stables

Odds: 15-1

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PP Horse: 3. Dollar Bill

Jockey: Pat Day

Trainer: Dallas Stewart

Owner: Gary & Mary West

Odds: 6-1

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PP Horse: 4. Thunder Blitz

Jockey: Jerry Bailey

Trainer: Joe Orseno

Owner: Stronach Stable

Odds: 10-1

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PP Horse: 5. Monarchos

Jockey: Jorge Chavez

Trainer: John Ward Jr.

Owner: John Oxley

Odds: 5-2

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PP Horse: 6. Buckle Down Ben

Jockey: Corey Nakatani

Trainer: Wayne Lukas

Owner: Michael Tabor

Odds: 30-1

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PP Horse: 7. Dr Greenfield

Jockey: Edgar Prado

Trainer: Gerald Butler

Owner: Team Valor

Odds: 30-1

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PP Horse: 8. A P Valentine

Jockey: Victor Espinoza

Trainer: Nick Zito

Owner: Ol Memorial Stable

Odds: 5-1

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PP Horse: 9. Point Given

Jockey: Gary Stevens

Trainer: Bob Baffert

Owner: Thoroughbred Corp.

Odds: 8-5

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Weights: 126 pounds.

Distance: 1 1/2 miles.

Purse: $1 million. First place: $600,000. Second place: $200,000. Third place: $110,000. Fourth place: $60,000. Fifth place: $30,000.