Union Rags + Michael Matz Documentary - Belmont Stakes 2012 Winner

The next Why We Watch, Bleacher Report's short form documentary series, takes us to the world of thoroughbred horse racing...

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Its five thirty in the morning at the beautiful Palm Meadows training facility in Florida and upon our arrival we find world-renowned horse trainer Michael Matz is already hard at work.

We caught up with Matz a day before the Florida Derby where his front-runner Union Rags would run in an important preliminary to racing's Triple Crown. This is not unfamiliar territory for Matz. He was, of course, the trainer of Barbaro.

In 2006, Barbaro famously won the Kentucky Derby and became a favorite to be the first Triple Crown winner in 28 years. However,
Barbaro took one wrong step that not only lost the Preakness but also proved to be fatal. Seven months after the Preakness, Barbaro was euthanized.

Matz is now back with Kentucky Derby favorite Union Rags.
Why We Watch spends time with Matz at his training faculty just a day before the Florida Derby. Although Union Rags would lose, he came on notably faster than the two front-runners. The extra 1/8 of a mile should prove to make the difference that Union Rags needs to win the Kentucky Derby.

Matz could not of been more gracious as he sits down with Why We Watch to talk about the demons of Barbaro and the possibilities of Union Rags chances at the Run for the Roses.


Director/Producer: Amir Ebrahimi
DP: Charles Castilla
Editor: Mike Kattenburg
PA: Tom Mazza

Special thanks to:
Michael Matz
Vintage Farms
Palm Meadows Training Facility
Palm Meadows Race Track
Randy Moss
David Joseph
Peter Brette
Stephanie Ball
Paul Madden
Frank L. Festa
Stacy Clark
NBC Sports
NBC Universal
G.D. Hieronymus
Thad Kesten
Jesse Kelsey
Lauren Warren
Julie Balog
Keeneland Race Track

• Category

  Sports

[Siding37]

I am a huge horse racing fan and with the Kentucky Derby right around the corner, this gave me the chills & pumped for another great Derby! Beautiful story.

[BleacherReport]

Thank you. Michael's story is intriguing and he's a great subject for this kind of piece. The visuals are awesome. We'll see how Union Rags does in a couple of weeks!

[HighHopesGrl09]

Rags was found to have a lesion in a suspensory ligament one day after a breeze at the training track back in July. Mrs. Wyeth decided not to wait for him to heal to run him again this year. Though, by the time he was sent to Lane's End Farm, he was jogging around the shed rows with some exercise riders aboard, looking fresh and ready to go, so it was quite a shame to say goodbye.

[rsbarrett4991]

why was rags retired??? i hoped t see him in the bcc... when he's clear with a frlng left he's usually first at the wire... disappointing no racing after the belmont...

[hmroll]

Love this. Great job.

[Matt Mandel]

Amazing piece. Great job! Another stellar piece from the Why We Watch BR team