I thought they shot horses with broken legs.
>I thought they shot horses with broken legs.<
This is so predictable.
At least one injured racehorse, that I know of, in a somewhat major race - in the UK - has been shot in the infield just during the time Barbaro has been in Intensive Care. It does happen - and Barbaro's injury was the type that usually does result in that kind of euthanasia.
However, Barbaro had the best chance of being a Triple Crown winner of any horse in the past 26 years before he just took a bad misstep and this happened. He had speed and stamina, true champion qualities.
He won the Kentucky Derby by 6-1/2 lengths. He had won all six of his starts before the Preakness, when he went down within a few seconds of the start. IIRC, only six horses *ever* have gone into the Kentucky Derby with an unblemished record, much less the Preakness.
He may still win Horse of the Year honors. Barbaro is probably the Horse of the Decade and even this short century at this mark. There is every reason in the world to try to help him live out his life comfortably. He's a very smart, very bright horse and has been an excellent patient. He is getting restless, however, after 6 weeks of being cooped up.
Heal, Barbaro, Heal.