YW - I loved that, too. Bet they came from an ag school experimental farm somewhere - or maybe from the Miracle-Gro people, lol. Or maybe just a farmer who raises champion size veggies. Very cool.
Posted: 6/6/2006 12:13:55 PM
Fans can sign 'world's largest' get-well card to Barbaro on Belmont day
Fans attending the $1-million Belmont Stakes (G1) on Saturday at Belmont Park will have a chance to sign what is believed to be the world's largest get-well-soon card for injured Kentucky Derby (G1) Barbaro.
The card is 62 feet wide and seven feet high and features four life-sized images of Barbaro, who is recovering from surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, to repair multiple fractures in his right hind leg sustained during the Preakness Stakes (G1) on May 20.
The card will be on display and open for signing all day on June 10 at Belmont's grandstand colonnade. Edgar Prado, Barbaro's regular jockey, will make the ceremonial first signature at 10 a.m. EDT.
The signed card will be presented to Barbaro and his owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, at New Bolton Center.
Fans can also make a donation, with all proceeds benefiting the Barbaro Fund, which supports the Widener Hospital, and the NTRA Charities Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund.
"We are proud to offer our Belmont Stakes day patrons the opportunity to express their good wishes to Barbaro and, at the same time, raise money for two important charities," said Bill Nader, senior vice president of the New York Racing Association. "Everyone here at Belmont would prefer to see Barbaro out on the racetrack, competing for the third jewel in the Triple Crown. We are extremely grateful, however, for the outstanding care he has received from his connections and everyone at Pimlico [Race Course] and the New Bolton Center since his injury, and we look forward to saluting him during the 138th Belmont Stakes."
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>>>>Also, a couple of new stories that are interesting; the first about the groom at the Preakness who grabbed Barbaro as Prado was pulling him up and the 2nd by a horseperson who is marveling about how much attention Barbaro's injury has brought to the various aspects of racehorses' lives, with the public outpouring of compassion and curiosity.
My favorite line: "Other sports hold more popularity than racing, but nobody ever stood on an overpass to wish a linebacker good luck in his surgery."
Links:
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=64284&subsec=1
http://opinions.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=33880