barbaro

2006 Kentucky Derby

Undefeated going into the race, Barbaro was sent off as the second choice of the betting public, at odds of 6:1, in a full field of 20 horses. Barbaro charged ahead during the last turn and straightaway of the race to win by 7 lengths. Barbaro's lead in the final furlong expanded even as jockey Edgar Prado did not ask for his top speed. This margin of victory at the Kentucky Derby was the largest since 1946, when Triple Crown winner Assault took the Run for the Roses by eight lengths. Barbaro's win made him only the sixth undefeated horse to win the Kentucky Derby.^[3] During the gallop-out after the wire, Barbaro's lead extended to 20 lengths, which is rare during post-race gallop-outs. The manner of his Derby victory led to speculation that Barbaro might be a "superhorse,"^{citation needed]} the likes of which had not been seen since Affirmed and perhaps even Secretariat, arguably the greatest American thoroughbred of all time.

Barbaro is also one of the few horses to have won the "Run for the Roses" after more than a 5-week lay-off.^{citation needed]}

2006 Preakness Stakes and injury

Barbaro's Preakness Stakes began with a false start when he crashed through the starting gate prematurely. Barbaro had used only his nose to disengage the magnetically locked gate bars. He was led back around the gates. Maryland's Chief Veterinarian personally attested to Barbaro's fitness upon being reloaded into the gate. In retrospect, it is impossible to know whether the false start was related to the injury that would happen moments later. As the restarted race began, Barbaro had a good start and was briefly in a better position than at the same point in the Kentucky Derby.

Shortly into the race, Barbaro was clearly in distress. Many theories as to the cause of the accident have been offered, though none has been confirmed.

Barbaro broke his leg in three places; a broken cannon bone above the ankle, a broken sesamoid bone behind the ankle and a broken long pastern bone below the ankle. The fetlock joint was dislocated. In summary, it was as though broken off.

Veteran jockey Prado immediately pulled Barbaro up and brought him to a gentle stop. He dismounted and leaned his shoulder into the horse's shoulder to act as a fourth leg until track attendants arrived. Bernardini went on to win the race.

Injury aftermath

Barbaro's injuries were life threatening because a thoroughbred's breeding and anatomy are optimized for speed rather than durability. Unlike other mammals, such as dogs, a horse cannot survive in any humane circumstances on three legs. A single broken leg in a horse can lead to complications as the other legs attempt to bear the weight of the horse's body.^[4]

Initial surgery

Barbaro was taken to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania for treatment. The center is renowned for its specialized care, especially for animals needing complicated bone surgery. Its use of a heated pool fitted with a "horse raft", electronic overhead winch and monorail offers the greatest available protection against re-injury by horses coming out of sedation after surgery.^{citation needed]} Dr. Dean Richardson was assigned as Barbaro's primary veterinarian.

The day after the race, Richardson performed a fusion of the fetlock and pastern joints to stabilize it and make it strong enough for Barbaro to walk on. It was a five hour procedure and was one of the toughest surgeries he had ever performed. Richardson successfully implanted a Synthes stainless steel Locking Compression Plate and 27 screws into the colt's injured leg to span the comminuted fracture and joints. Richardson elected to use the LCP because its screws thread into the plate to provide maximum strength. He is one of the first equine surgeons to implement this new technology, originally designed for humans. A fiberglass cast was placed over this to further protect the construct. Barbaro then went in the recovery pool at 7:40 pm. ^[5][6]

After about an hour in the pool, at around 9:00 pm EDT, Barbaro began to calmly awake from the anesthesia, got up and "practically jogged" to his stall. He then ate and was comfortably putting weight on the injured leg. The blood supply to the injury site was very good, but Richardson still gave Barbaro a 50-50 chance of survival.^[7][8] The next morning Barbaro was already showing interest in some of the mares at the facility. He was walking well on his limb, walking around the stall, he was quite active for his condition; in short, his first week of recovery went well. On June 13, Barbaro had his cast replaced. On July 3, Barbaro had his cast replaced a second time. His prognosis was uncertain even though he was doing well because complications might arise at any time.^{citation needed]}

Complications

In the first week of July, complications arose, and Barbaro had problems with both hind legs. He developed an abscess on his uninjured left foot, which was treated topically, but he carried a fever through the weekend and failed to put weight on his injured right foot for any significant length of time. He was visibly uncomfortable, though his appetite remained strong and he remained active. On July 11, newspapers started to report news of these problems. ^{citation needed]}

By July 13, Barbaro had developed a severe case of laminitis in the left hind hoof, a potentially life-threatening affliction that is common in horses who shift weight to one foot for extended periods of time to keep pressure off an injured foot (in Barbaro's case, the right ankle he broke in the Preakness). A procedure called a hoof wall resection removed 80 percent of Barbaro's left rear hoof. The remaining 20 percent of his hoof wall was still attached to the coffin bone and was still living tissue, but it was unclear how much of it would ever grow back. Both rear legs were in casts. Richardson stated that he would restrict himself to aggressive but standard treatments: no experimental procedures would be used.^{[9][10][11][12]} Barbaro was given a special support boot for his laminitic hoof and placed on painkillers; a support sling was brought into his stall to allow him to take the weight off his hooves for hours at a time.

Slow recovery

On August 2, Richardson said in a phone interview that Barbaro's broken right leg had fused to the point where they would have replaced the cast with a brace if his left leg were sound. The coronary band on his left leg (the place from which the hoof grows) appeared healthy and all signs were encouraging.^[13] On the 15th it was reported that Barbaro had been allowed to graze outside for the first time since his accident.^[14] Two days later Richardson announced that they had discontinued use of the support sling, since Barbaro was no longer using it to support his weight.^[15] The next day, August 18th, radiographs showed that his fractured right leg was almost completely fused.^[16]

On September 26, Richardson reported that Barbaro's cast would not be replaced as long as he was comfortable in it. His left hind hoof had regrown about 18 millimeters and the support shoe had been replaced with a bandage. According to Richardson, “it has to grow at least three times that, which could take more than six months."

On October 10, Barbaro's cast and protective shoe were changed. His left rear hoof was "gradually" improving from laminitis. "There is good growth along the quarters (closer to the heel) but there will need to be much more healing along the front of the hoof," Richardson said in an update issued by the University of Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital. "We still have many months of healing ahead of us."^[17]

Barbaro reached another milestone on November 6, 2006 when his cast was removed for good and replaced with a splinted bandage.^[18] Richardson and his team also evaluated his laminitic hoof at that time. The hoof showed no new problems, but several months of growth are necessary before Richardson will know how well it has recovered. About December 12, Barbaro's bandage on his right hind leg was removed completely. This was announced during a press conference on Wednesday, December 13. On Wednesday, January 3, Dr. Morrison, from Rood and Riddle, applied a cast to Barbaro's left hind lamanitic hoof. This was Dr. Morrison's second visit to Barbaro.^{citation needed]}

New complications and final week

Early in January 2007, the laminitic left hoof became the source of more complications. On January 10, Richardson announced that another section of the hoof had been surgically removed.^[19] Updates over the next few days revealed that the cast had been reapplied to Barbaro's right hind leg for support, and that aggressive pain management and the support sling had been resumed. Nevertheless, Richardson emphasized that the setback was not altogether unexpected and that Barbaro's condition was better than it had been the previous July.

In another setback Barbaro developed a deep abscess in his right hind foot. Additional surgery was performed on January 27 to insert two steel pins into the healed bones of Barbaro's right foot as part of an external skeletal fixation device. This would allow the right foot to bear more weight, but the procedure is risky, with the major danger being that the bones might break again.^[20][21] Later that same weekend, Barbaro's front legs, which had remained healthy throughout the ordeal, displayed clear signs of laminitis; Barbaro could not then comfortably put his weight on any of his legs.

Barbaro was euthanized on January 29, 2007 around 10:30 AM EST by decision of his owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson, who indicated that they felt that his pain was no longer manageable.^[22]

Memorial

Plans are now underway as to where Barbaro will be buried. Some options include Churchill Downs, the scene of his greatest moment of glory at the Kentucky Derby, the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., and the Jacksons' Lael Farm, just a few miles away from the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.^[23]

Legacy

Babaro's very public accident and struggle has led some to call for a review of the practices of tradition-bound thoroughbred horse racing and breeding. Many acknowledge that modern thoroughbreds are more delicate than those of much of the sport's history. Some also ask if the scheduling Triple Crown is too much for colts and that other such disasters for the sport are likely to soon follow. Barbaro's breakdown intensified the debate over the use of artificial track surfaces at racecourses.^[24]

Public reaction

A following had grown up around Barbaro since his breakdown in the Preakness. His stall at New Bolton was decorated with cards and flowers sent in by fans. Others sent in items meant to help him recover, such as saint medallions and holy water.

Barbaro, in the wake of his Preakness injury, became the object of care and affection from the public in a way only a few animals before him have. He received many thousands of "Get Well" cards and presents (including a 7ft by 72ft card from fans at the Belmont), his condition was followed by news organizations on a daily basis, and he inspired a large anonymous donation to the New Bolton Center establishing the "Barbaro Fund", to aid the treatment and care of large animals.

During most of Barbaro's attempted recovery and after his death, there were some statements in the media by bloggers and journalists who felt that Barbaro did not deserve the amount of attention that he was receiving from his owners, supporters and the media. Deadspin, an online sports blog, was particularly negative towards Barbaro's supporters; visitors to the University of Pennsylvania's Barbaro Message Board were mocked by Deadspin posters and staff. After his passing, some marveled that any attempt was made to save him,^{citation needed]} while others had previously suggested that, ignoring the economic incentives, that Barbaro had demonstrated a disposition that might enable him to survive to full recovery.^[25]

Connections

Barbaro was owned and bred by Gretchen and Roy Jackson's Lael Stables in West Grove, Pennsylvania. Roy Jackson grew up in Edgemont, Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the son of MacRoy Jackson and Almira Geraldine (Rockefeller) Jackson Scott, who was a prominent local horsewoman. His grandfather, William Goodsell Rockefeller, was once treasurer of Standard Oil Company.

Barbaro was trained by Michael Matz at Fair Hill Training Center. During his racing career he was ridden by Edgar Prado and Jose Caraballo. Neither jockey rode him at any other time other than in his races. Peter Brette was his regular exercise rider.

Breeding

Racing career

Honors

• On November 1, 2006, the National Turf Writers Association honored "Team Barbaro," which consists of Barbaro himself, his breeder/owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson, his jockey Edgar Prado, and his trainer Michael Matz, with the "Mr. Fitz" Award. The Mr. Fitz is named for the Hall of Fame trainer, Sunny Jim Fitzsimmons.^{citation needed]}
• Pimlico Racecourse has renamed the Sir Barton Stakes the Barbaro Stakes in honor of the horse. The race is due to be run before the Preakness Stakes, the race in which Barbaro suffered his injury.^{citation needed]}
• Barbaro was an Eclipse Award finalist for best three year old for 2006.^{citation needed]}