To much of the racing world, trainer Michael Matz first gained prominence during the spring of 2006, when he brought the unbeaten colt Barbaro to the Kentucky Derby and made off with the sport’s most coveted prize.
In the weeks leading up to the race, much was made over the fact Barbaro would be attempting to win the Derby without having raced for five weeks, something that had not been accomplished in 50 years. Although Matz had been training Thoroughbred racehorses for less than a decade, he was relying on three decades of experience around elite equine athletes.