ROUGH RIDING AT THE WIRE - John Rotz aboard Greek Money (right) crosses finish line to win the 86th running of the Preakness at Pimlico with Manuel Ycaza, on Ridan, a nose back, hanging on. Ycaza, white cap and black-and-white sleeve, has his left arm hooked over Rotz's shoulder. Ycaza claimed a foul, which was not allowed by the stewards. (Caption from the May 20, 1962 Sunday Sun)

The 134th running of the Preakness is Saturday is fast approaching. The Baltimore Sun will send its talented photo staff to bring you coverage from start to finish.

I always enjoyed looking at the photos the next day in the Sunday paper, especially the photo reconstruction of the race and the photo of the finish. The photo above is one of the most famous Preakness photos ever. It was taken at the 1962 Preakness by Sun staff photographer Joe DiPaola, who retired in 1984 after 47 years with the paper.

DiPaola photographed many of the finishes at the Preakness. In 1962, when he returned to the newsroom, developed his shot and realized what he had, he quicly ran over to the sports department. He had taken a sensational picture, made even more so by the fact that both horses had all four feet off the ground, a rarity. The photo was used along with racing films to suspend jockey Manuel Ycaza for his actions against jockey John Rotz and for also being the one who claimed foul.

DiPaola explained how he took the photo in a July 13, 1984 article by Baltimore Sun retired sports columnist Bob Maisel. "It's funny about that picture," Joe said with a sheepish grin on his face. "Tell you the truth, I was a little hung over that day, not moving to swiftly because I had been to a big Preakness party the night before.

"Usually, I'd just shoot the finish in the conventional way, but this time, something told me to go up the track 30-40 feet and look back. Don't tell anybody, because they'll probably bar me from the track, but they had a fairly wide wooden rail then and I decided to crouch up on top of it.

"Truthfully, I didn't know what I had until I developed it, but then all heck broke loose didn't it? "

Life Magazine made it picture of the week, and it appeared in books.

Enjoy the Baltimore Sun's photos and coverage of Preakness.