Michael Matz
Michael Matz
Michael R. Matzis an American race horse trainer and former Olympic equestrian team member who was inducted into the show jumping Hall of Fame. He lives in Coatesville, Pennsylvania. As a trainer, he has scored two wins in the Classics, the 2012 Belmont Stakes with Union Rags and the 2006 Kentucky Derby with Barbaro. Matz also was named "person of the week" by ABC News for his heroism in saving four children from the crash of United Airlines Flight 232...
fortunate thankful
I feel very fortunate and thankful that we were OK. That's all you can be. You go on with life.
asked coming everybody fine questions seems worked
Everybody seems to have questions about this or that, but he's worked fine and done everything we've asked of him coming up to the race. He couldn't be better.
fresh hope horse saturday
I hope we have a fresh horse come the first Saturday in May.
crutch happen help hit hope plane thankful turbulence wife
I try not to think about it. The times you think about it are when you are on a plane and you hit some turbulence and you hope it doesn't happen again. Right now, you can't help but get on airplanes and fly. I'm just thankful my wife and I were OK. Then, you go on with life. You can't use that as a crutch not to do anything.
answered asked hope later rather sooner sure
So far, he's answered everything that's been asked of him. I'm sure sooner or later he's going to get beat, but it hope it's later rather than sooner.
knocked
That's everyone's concern. In a 20-horse field, you can get knocked out before you get to the first turn. Nothing you can do about that.
brother deal five four instead races run six weeks
Brother Derek is four weeks instead of five. I don't know what the big deal about this is. All his races have been run in five or six weeks. I don't see any problem.
asked dirt far grass handle last time trained whatever worked
Whatever we've asked him so far he's done, so we're going to try the dirt now and if he doesn't handle it, we'll still know that we have an exceptional turf horse. He'd only worked one time on the grass before his last race, and he's trained well on the dirt.
continues crossed fingers keeping
Everything continues to be great. We're just keeping our fingers crossed now.
final touches
That's it. There's not that much more to do. Most of the final touches have been done.
assistant hopefully problems
My assistant said he didn't have any problems with the track, and hopefully he doesn't.
behind closer figures good himself naturally run sharp short spot
It's a short run to the first turn, but he should be able to put himself in a good spot right behind Sharp Humor, who figures to set the pace. Naturally I'd like to be closer to the inside, but it shouldn't be a problem.
ask needed quickly recovered
But he recovered quickly and did what he needed to do. What more can you ask for?
guy people starting
If people wouldn't try to cheat, this would never happen. I don't want to be starting here when the other guy is starting up there.