From start to finish, the 131st running of the Preakness Stakes today will probably last just under two minutes.
But most people who watch the second leg of horse racing?s Triple Crown at Pimlico have no idea how much time and effort go into making those two minutes so exciting.
“For me, it is a seven-week process, where I work every day,” said Mike Gathagan, Vice President of Communications for the Maryland Jockey Club.
Gathagan, a 1987 Towson University graduate from Westminster, has been in that role since 2001. Along the way he was as a sports producer at WMAR-Ch. 2, a director of media relations for the CFL?s Baltimore Stallions and an assistant director of media relations for the Washington Wizards (then the Bullets).
“He is local and appreciates the event.” said Karin De Francis, the Executive Vice President and part owner of the Maryland Jockey Club. “He has the perspective of a born and bred Marylander.”
“[Preakness] is the day we shine. When that last horse crosses the finish line at Churchill Downs, the eyes of the racing world shift from Louisville to Baltimore. For two weeks, we are the highest-profile racing that this nation has to offer,” Gathagan said. “Beginning Derby week, my work day becomes 16 to 18 hours.”
Gathagan estimates that 1,500 credentials are issued to media that includes Canada and Puerto Rico.
“I think Mike has a true appreciation for what the Preakness means, not just for the Maryland Jockey Club, but for the state of Maryland. ” said Louis J. Raffetto, the Chief Operating Officer for the Maryland Jockey Club. “He gets it.”
Gathagan said that one of his highlights is when the horses arrive a few days before the race.
“Last year, we were 6 to 8 inches away from a big disaster. That?s how close [Afleet Alex] came to having a major spill. To see him miss one stride and come back to win the race by 5 lengths was just unbelievable,” Gathagan said.
Gathagan, who said that one of his highlights is when the horses arrive a few days before the race. is still running strong, as he prepares for his sixth Preakness.
“When you lose that desire, it is time to get out. And that is not happening,” Gathagan said.
