Posted on 05/24/2006 10:13:28 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. - Barbaro was seen napping in his stall Wednesday morning, another indication the seriously injured Kentucky Derby winner was making steady progress on his long road to recovery from life-threatening leg injuries.
"I happened to peek in there today, in the ICU this morning, and it was early and quiet and the light was dim and he was laying down very peacefully, sleeping in his stall," said Corinne Sweeney, executive hospital director at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. "And I talked to Dean Richardson and he told me Barbaro is doing very well and his condition is excellent."
Dr. Richardson and a team of assistants pinned together the three leg bones the 3-year-old shattered in the Preakness Stakes on Saturday. So far, all the progress reports have been positive, and Barbaro has been a perfect patient.
Ever since Barbaro broke down, all owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson wanted for him was a life without pain.
If their beloved colt does recover from catastrophic injuries to his right hind leg and ends up as a stallion, all the better.
"But that's a long way from now," Richardson said Tuesday. "If he's doing well, it's conceivable he could possibly be breeding mares next year, but that's way ahead of it. He's just a few days into post op."
Talk of little Barbaros running around the track will have wait for now, but at least the Jacksons are sparing no expense trying to save their colt.
"If this horse were a gelding these owners would have definitely done everything to save this horse's life," Richardson said. "If this horse could have absolutely no reproductive value, they would have saved his life."
Even if Barbaro becomes a stallion, there still would be concerns about his ability to cover mares because of the severity of his injuries. And that leads to the question whether all this money and time would be spent if Barbaro were not the Derby winner expected to gain millions in stud fees?
"My only hope for him is that he lives a painless life," Gretchen Jackson said. "Whether that means he'll be a stallion and we're lucky enough to see little Barbaros, that would be a supreme hope for him."
The news was good Tuesday, too, from the hospital Barbaro was transported Saturday night directly from Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore.
"He's actually better today than he was even yesterday and he was pretty good yesterday," Richardson said, noting the colt was able to balance himself enough to scratch his left ear with his left hind leg. "He's walking very well on the limb, absolutely normal vital signs. He's doing very well."
Tuesday's update was encouraging to the Jacksons, who live about five miles away from the center on the 190-acre Lael Farm. Gretchen Jackson is on the board of overseers at the hospital.
"We've run the gamut of emotions from the euphoria of the Kentucky Derby to the devastation of the Preakness," said her husband, Roy. "Even though he ran so well in the Kentucky Derby, we probably didn't see his greatest race. But that's water over the dam. We're just glad we jumped a hurdle here so far."
Though it will be months before the leg heals, the optimistic reports turned the topic to Barbaro's prospect as a stallion, which could mean tens of millions of dollars.
The Jacksons turned down stallion-rights offers for Barbaro before the Derby. Smarty Jones, who won the 2004 Derby and Preakness, was syndicated for $40 million, his only loss coming in the Belmont Stakes in his attempt to become the first Triple Crown winner since 1978. A win in the Preakness would have improved Barbaro's record to 7-for-7 heading into the Belmont.
And it's anybody's guess how much Barbaro would fetch had he won the Triple Crown.
All that mattered little to the well-to-do Jacksons. Richardson put the costs of Barbaro's surgery and recovery time at "tens of thousands of dollars — many tens of thousands of dollars."
"I know these people, and they love this horse," said Dan Rosenberg, president of Three Chimneys in Midway, Ky., where Smarty Jones stands for a stud fee of $100,000. "Yes, this is a business. But at the same time if you don't care about them, then you can't do this."
Rosenberg also said it was premature to put a price tag on Barbaro's value as a stallion.
The Jacksons have been in racing for 30 years, and Barbaro is by far the best horse they've owned.
"When one becomes a racehorse owner, one of the things is to not fall in love with the animal because it is so painful when something like this happens," Gretchen Jackson said. "Yes, we've experienced this before ... it's part of life."
Roy Jackson said Barbaro was insured, and the premiums grew after the colt won the Florida Derby and the Kentucky Derby. The owners also have a policy that protects them in case Barbaro is unable to stand at stud.
The Jacksons could have made the decision not to go through the expense of trying to save Barbaro, and likely would have collected on their policy.
"If they went to the insurance company and said they made a decision to destroy the horse, there would be no questions," Rosenberg said. "But they didn't."
Barbaro sustained 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.
Richardson said the pastern bone was shattered in "20-plus pieces."
The bones were put in place to fuse the joint by inserting a plate and 27 screws to repair damage so severe that most horses wouldn't have survived it. Horses often are euthanized after serious leg injuries because circulation problems or fatal disease can arise during recovery.
"I couldn't believe it at the time of the accident," Gretchen Jackson said. "At first, I thought he just got a suspensory (ligament) injury, then it became more evident it was life threatening. Each day as he shows signs of wellness and is behaving himself in that stall is encouraging."
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro looks out from his stall in the intensive care unit at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals in Kennett Square, Pa., Tuesday, May 23, 2006. Barbaro underwent surgery Sunday after a catastrophic break of his right rear leg Saturday during the start of the 131st running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. (AP Photo/The University of Pennsylvania, Sabina Louise Pierce)
ping
Thanks to All for all the cards, letters and email..
I wish there was a way to show my appreciation for all your prayers as well, but I am a horse after all. ;-)
Love Barbaro
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ping
Sure seems all the parts are there,, May be more of a reference to him not being a 'mature' stud and a youngster instead, he is only 3 or so, shame to see him lost, he had some giddy up and go.
Dr. Dean Richardson examines Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, May 23, 2006. The condition of Barbaro continued to improve after the Kentucky Derby champion suffered a life-threatening ankle fracture in the Preakness Stakes, the surgeon who operated on him said on Tuesday. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/ Sabina Louise Pierce/University of Pennsylvania/Handout
Dr. Dean Richardson feeds Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro a carrot at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center May 23, 2006. The condition of Barbaro continued to improve after the Kentucky Derby champion suffered a life-threatening ankle fracture in the Preakness Stakes, the surgeon who operated on him said on Tuesday. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/ Sabina Louise Pierce/University of Pennsylvania/Handout
Barbaro Update Ping
Veterinary surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson rubs Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's head in the intensive care unit at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center for Large Animals in Kennett Square, Pa., Tuesday, May 23, 2006. Barbaro underwent surgery Sunday after a catastrophic break of his right rear leg Saturday during the start of the 131st running of the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore. (AP Photo/The University of Pennsylvania, Sabina Louise Pierce)
That can't be. According to the reporter on NBC, "Horses can never lay down because they'll die. That's why you have to to put them down when they injure a leg."
I guess Barbaro didn't get the memo. (Maybe they can now market him as a "miracle horse" that can lay down . . . and live!)
Wonderful news for such a beautiful animal.
Get well soon Barbaro.
They mean in a professional capacity.
SD
If the reporter on NBC said that they should be fired for being a moron. Horses do lay down, but they cannot stay down for extended periods of time.
Heck, I have one who lets me sit and lean against him while he's laying down.
Such good news - he looks a little pensive in that photo, but maybe he's just wondering about all the news photogs and flash cameras . . .
St. Anthony of Padua, St. Martin of Tours, St. Francis of Assisi, please keep up the prayers for this good, brave boy!
(She had just had new shoes put on and her feet were feeling ouchy, so she lay down and I went in to give her a little suspect commiseration and somebody snapped our picture.)
He was walking and even pivoting pretty confidently on it. They do now have both back legs bandaged, I see, to give the good leg a little more support while he's favoring the bad one.
They also have very high res copies of most of the images that have been posted elsewhere on that site, it's worth a closer look.
Not true, our horses lay down all the time. They just can't ~stay~ down for extended periods.
I talked to my brother in law this morning who is an equine veterinarian. He said generally horses that have these kind of injuries do not survive. However since his care is the best in the world he might have a decent chance.
Agreed on quality of care. The odds improve daily.. the first few days are critical but he is doing pretty well so far considering extent of injury.
He was fortunate as it doesn't sound like any major internal vessel damage or a skin tear occurred as part of the fracturing of the bones or dislocation of joint.
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