Posted on 05/21/2006 7:36:41 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro underwent day-long surgery Sunday to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg and afterward "practically jogged back to the stall," the colt's surgeon said.
At this moment "he is extremely comfortable in the leg," said Dr. Dean Richardson, who stressed before the marathon procedure that he's never worked on so many catastrophic injuries to one horse.
Barbaro sustained "life-threatening injuries" Saturday when he broke bones above and below his right rear ankle at the start of the Preakness Stakes. His surgery began early Sunday afternoon at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals.
At the front gate, well-wishers already had tacked up signs: "Thank you, Barbaro," "Believe in Barbaro" and "We Love you Barbaro."
"You do not see this severe injury frequently because the fact is most horses that suffer this typically are put down on the race track," Richardson said before the surgery began. "This is rare."
Unbeaten and a serious contender for the Triple Crown, Barbaro broke down Saturday only a few hundred yards into the 1 3-16-mile Preakness. The record crowd of 118,402 watched in shock as Barbaro veered sideways, his right leg flaring out grotesquely. Jockey Edgar Prado pulled the powerful colt to a halt, jumped off and awaited medical assistance.
"It's about as bad as it could be," Richardson said of the injury. "The main thing going for the horse is a report that his skin was not broken at the time of injury. It's a testament to the care given to the team of doctors on the track and (jockey) Mr. Prado on the racetrack."
Horses are often euthanized after serious leg injuries because circulation problems and deadly disease can occur if they are unable to distribute weight on all fours.
Barbaro was fitted for an inflatable cast by the attending veterinarian, Dr. Nicholas Meittinis, and the colt trained so expertly by trainer Michael Matz was taken to the Bolton Center.
There had been no sightings Sunday of Matz or owners Roy and Gretchen Jackson at the facility, which was swarming with media awaiting an update. The Jacksons reportedly were at the center for the start of surgery, but left.
"Two weeks ago we were on such a high and this is our worst nightmare," Matz said Saturday night at the center. "Hopefully, everything will go well with the operation and we'll be able to save him."
Richardson outlined Barbaro's medical problems: 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 — the ankle — was dislocated.
The breaks occurred as a result of an "athletic injury," said Corinne Sweeney, a veterinarian and the hospital's executive director.
"It's an injury associated with the rigors of high performance," she said. "They were designed as athletes and they are elite athletes, thus they incur injuries associated with performance. The frame sometimes plays a role, absolutely."
Barbara Dallap, a clinician at the center, was present when Barbaro arrived at the center Saturday night.
"When we unloaded him, he was placed in intensive care and we stabilized him overnight," Dallap said. "He was very brave and well behaved under the situation and was comfortable overnight."
Tucked away on a sprawling, lush 650-acre campus in Chester County, the New Bolton Center is widely considered the top hospital for horses in the mid-Atlantic region. The center is renowned for its specialized care, especially on animals needing complicated surgery on bone injuries.
The Jacksons live less than 10 miles away on their farm in West Grove, outside Philadelphia in the horse country of Chester County.
Shown is a photo of the X-ray of the injured right rear leg of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro following surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals on Sunday, May 21, 2006, in Kennett Square Pa. Barbaro came out five-plus hours of surgery Sunday to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg and 'practically jogged back to the stall'', said Dr. Dean Richardson. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek)
Dr. Dean Richardson, DVM, left, and trainer Michael Matz smile during a news conference Sunday, May 21, 2006, at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square Pa. following day-long surgery for Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg. Barbaro came out five-plus hours of surgery Sunday and 'practically jogged back to the stall,' Richardson said.(AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek)
Nobody bets on the favorite, right?
Trainer Michael Matz (R) sits next to University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine Director of Surgery Dr. Dean Richardson as he makes a statement on the condition of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro at the university's New Bolton center veterinary hospital in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, May 21, 2006. The life of Barbaro hung in the balance after a delicate operation Sunday to repair a life-threatening leg fracture suffered in the Preakness Stakes. The colt survived the surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals in Kennett Square, Pa., and was in his stall, officials said. REUTERS/Tim Shaffer
Barbaro Standing After Day Long Surgery (ESPN)
Surgeon: Barbaro's Injuries Catastrophic
Triple Crown hopeful Barbaro loses... Seriously injured during race
Their smiles are worth a thousand words.
Shaken Prado remounts
Barbaro jockey wipes away Preakness tears to ride card at Belmont
By Ken Murray
Sun Reporter
Originally published May 21, 2006, 9:36 PM EDT
Twenty-four hours later, Edgar Prado still was distraught over the short, tragic ride he took aboard star-crossed Barbaro in the 131st Preakness Stakes on Saturday.
"I tried to bring happiness to Maryland. Instead, it was sadness and tears," he said Sunday.
Prado's return to Pimlico Race Course, a track he dominated in the 1990s, on the Kentucky Derby winner carried Triple Crown implications. But his best intentions snapped like Barbaro's right hind leg soon after they broke from the starting gate.
Sunday, while Barbaro underwent six hours of surgery at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa., to repair three broken bones in the leg, Prado wiped away the tears and went back to work at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.
He had six mounts on the nine- race card, finished third twice and won the last race on 5-year-old Contenders Emotion.
Prado's emotions were still raw from the day before.
"He's a horse with a lot of heart to survive," he said of Barbaro. "He put all his effort to stay up [after breaking his leg in three places]. You can see he was raising his leg. He wasn't fighting me. [But] he was in pain."
Prado describes himself as more of a "horse lover" than a horse racer. There likely was no one who felt worse than the 38-year-old jockey when Barbaro broke down before the first turn.
"If I take defeat, I will take defeat any time," he said. "I can deal with that."
Prado had no new insight Sunday into what happened to Barbaro. He heard a pop after clearing the gate and quickly realized his horse was in trouble. Prado's quick response saved Barbaro's life on Saturday and enabled him to get to Sunday's surgery.
"Lesser skilled jockeys would have broken the horse's whole leg on the track," said Laurel veterinarian James M. Casey. "The horse would have had to have been put down on the spot."
Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at New Bolton Center, also commended Prado and track officials for the life-saving attention they gave Barbaro on the track.
Said Prado: "I just did what I was supposed to do. The damage was already done. I want to stop him as soon as possible. There's still a long road for him to be safe. I just hope he recuperates. I wish him the best."
Soon after his last ride at Belmont, Prado was on his way home to Hollywood, Fla., still weighed down with a heavy heart.
"I feel terrible," he said. "All my friends and family were there. I thought it was going to be a great racing day. How do you explain that?
"I was looking forward to coming back to Maryland [and winning] and it didn't come true. I just feel bad something like that happened."
ken.murray@baltsun.com
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-prado0521,0,7175658.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines
Oh well retired to stud.
There are worse things in life.
Interview above with the jockey Prado.
He's in stable condition...(yup, bad pun--just like "did you hear about the circus fire? It was in tents...")
Hat's off to the vets.
Barbaro has a long road to get to that point.
Good for the jockey, he sure knows what he's doing.
I liked the dr. at the news conference - they asked if Barbaro was in a padded stall, he said no, only the recovery rooms were padded . . . and the doctors' offices . . .
it's a great life take it from me
In this photo provided by the University of Pennsylvania, veterinary resident Dr. Steven Zedler stands in the stall with Barbaro after the Kentucky Derby winner underwent more than five hours of surgery Sunday, May 21, 2006, to repair three broken bones in his right rear leg at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.(AP Photo/University of Pennsylvania, Sabina Louise Pierce)
Handout image of radiograph (front view) of Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro, made following a surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center on May 21, 2006. (University of Pennsylvania/Handout/Reuters)
Thanks for posting that photo of Barbaro in his stall at New Bolton, Norm. It does this sad heart of mine good. Now I can cry.
wait until the owners get the vet bill. ;-)
I hear ya , btw.
It's especially heartrending when children or animals get hurt badly. They're innocent and trusting and don't understand what's happening to them. That's what the people who say "it's just an animal" don't get.
I went through this last year when one of my cats got hit by a car. Her hips were fractured in three places and the vets and I struggled for seven months to keep her going. Through it all, she was so sweet and brave. It was the right thing to do when we finally put her to sleep but it didn't make it any easier. I think I understand how devastated this beautiful horse's people feel right now.
Let's just keep praying for the best for Barbaro, no matter what the outcome.
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