Post Drama Before the Preakness
After Matz's Mixup, Derby Winner Barbaro Draws the No. 6 Spot
|
TOOLBOX
   Resize
COMMENT
 Discussion Policy
 CLOSE
Comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions. You are fully responsible for the content that you post.
Who's Blogging  |
Thursday, May 18, 2006
BALTIMORE, May 17 -- Rarely does the largely made-for-television post-position draw for a Triple Crown race generate genuine suspense, but Michael Matz created a world of confusion Wednesday when called on to pick a place in the Preakness Stakes starting gate for his undefeated Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro.
With the third choice in the draw for the Preakness, Matz had 60 seconds, according to the rules, to walk from his table to the dais at the ESPN Sports Zone and announce his selection. The clock started and he sat at his table, leisurely discussing what to do with Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson. As time wound down, Matz finally rose and approached the microphone.
"The four," Matz said simply as time trickled out.
It was a good spot to pick in the field of nine for the 1 3/16 -mile Preakness on Saturday at Pimlico, but the No. 4 post position already had been taken by George Weaver, trainer of long shot Greeley's Legacy.
The rules, overseen by the Maryland Racing Commission, state that if a selection is not made within 60 seconds, the connections go to the back of the line and pick last.
Matz was allowed to continue and select post position No. 6.
"I wanted the number four post position, but they wouldn't give it to me," Matz said afterward. "I just had it in my mind that's the one I wanted."
Commission Executive Director Mike Hopkins, who timed Matz with a stopwatch, said the rules don't address someone making a mistake in the selection and going over the time limit. As it was, according to Hopkins, Matz only had two seconds remaining when he tried to shoehorn his horse into the No. 4 post.
"I was getting nervous," Hopkins said.
Barbaro will never know about his trainer's gaffe, but he will find out how the post position draw shook out as soon as he gets in the starting gate.
The Derby winner will find himself with his principal competition, Brother Derek, directly to his inside and Sweetnorthernsaint in post No. 7 just to his right.
The three runners are the only ones to advance out of the 20-horse Kentucky Derby field to contest the second leg of the Triple Crown.
