Page 25 - January 2007 The Game

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper The Game, January 2007 25
Barbaro’s Gut Wrenching Year
The three year old colt Barbaro is probably the horse most people talked about in 2006. In late December, the surgeon for the Kentucky Derby winner was indicating that injured horse just might be able to leave the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Centre and start to live a normal horse’s life on a farm.
This, of course is wonderful news. Barbaro shattered his right hind leg shortly after coming out of the gate at the Preakness. For many weeks, it seemed unlikely he could be saved. Now the talk has shifted to when he can begin a new career as a stallion.
Barbaro’s temperament, perhaps more than any- thing else, is what has saved his life. He has shown remarkable poise at every step of his excruciating journey. Even after surgeons appeared to have saved his badly broken leg, Barbaro inched perilously towards death when his left hind leg was afflicted by laminitis, a problem common to horses with broken legs as the undamaged leg tries to carry more weight.
Barbaro recovered from that crisis, and there is no doubt he is receiving the most spectacular equine medical care available on the planet.
In mid-December, Dean Richardson, Barbaro’s surgeon said,
“In my mind’s eye, he can leave in the not so distant future.”
To contemplate the idea of sons and daughters of Barbaro taking his speed and endurance to the track in future years is exhilarat- ing. And there may be more good news in Barbaro’s immediate future.
He has no chance of winning an Eclipse for Horse of the Year in North America. That will go to Breeders’ Cup winner Invasor. However, the Eclipse for Three Year Old
of the year is still up for grabs. Bernardini may be the favourite, thanks to his wins in the Preakness and the Travers. But Bernardini failed as the choice in the Breeders’ Cup and has been retired after only eight races. Barbaro did win the Derby and came into the fateful Preakness with six wins in six lifetime races, including the Tropical Park Derby, the Holy Bull Stakes and the Gr1 Florida Derby.
It’s quite possible Eclipse voters will have his inspiring recovery in mind when they cast their votes. - PG
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