>I should have known I was asking the question on the wrong thread. Obviously a lot of people care deeply for a horse they never met.<
I've never met Barbaro personally, but I did meet a larger number of the horses in his extended pedigree over the last few decades. For me, it's personal.
But the horse is done racing, right? Obviously stud fees are at stake, but that's the financial angle to the story.
Otherwise, we're hoping that a cute horse doesn't prematurely die because we like cute horses. And who doesn't?
I repeat myself; I'd like the horse to make a complete recovery, or as complete as it can be. I was trying to understand why there's an emotional aspect to the story, and I think that's been answered.