Triple Crown hopeful Barbaro loses... Seriously injured during race

http://www.preakness.com/ ^

[HairOfTheDog]

Post Position	Silks	Horse Name	Trainer	Jockey	Morning Line
1	(NA)	LIKE NOW (Picture NA)	Kiaran McLaughlin	Garrett Gomez	19-1
2		PLATINUM COUPLE	Joseph Lostritto	Jose Espinoza	28-1
3		HEMINGWAY'S KEY	Nick Zito	Jeremy Rose	30-1
4		GREELEY'S LEGACY	George Weaver	Richard Migliore	38-1
5		BROTHER DEREK	Dan Hendricks	Alex Solis	7-2
6		BARBARO	Michael Matz	Edgar Prado	1-2
7		SWEETNORTHERNSAINT	Michael Trombetta	Kent Desormeaux	6-1
8		BERNARDINI	Thomas Albertrani	Javier Castellano	17-1
9		DIABOLICAL	Steve Klesaris	Ramon Dominguez	24-1

[Rhiannon]

Founder is laminitis or inflammation of the lamina in the hoof . The coffin bone will rotate and causes a lot of pain. Generally from too rich food but they can be other reasons such as shock , old age etc.

[romanesq]

I felt so sad seeing this and it just ruined all the happy excitement of the race.
Hoping against hope that this isn't the end for such a beautful horse.

[Fairview]

There is no way to keep the horse from putting his foot down and putting his weight on that broken ankle.

Well, there are actually some ways; there are contrivances that basically form a basket around the upper part of the leg, so that that takes the weight. But it's very darned hard to manage.

To be frank, this level of effort wouldn't be made if Barbaro were not a Kentucky Derby winner worth goodness-knows how much as a stallion.

[dakine]

Sweet...

I'll donate mine back...but what the heck, it's entertainment cash...

[Lemondropkid31]

I have the Address for the Fair Hill Training Center if anyone wants to send a card.

[connectthedots]

I had realized that, thank you. I did not say that I was physically sickened or would not be eating dinner tonight.

The person I replied to did. I am neither a horse lover nor hater. It news about the injury is sad, but it is part of horse racing. Animals are not people, but some act as if they are more important than people.

I know lots of women who love their horses, which is one reason I choose not to date women who are 'into' horses. nothing against them; just not a lifestyle I want to be involved with.

[HairOfTheDog]

My heart sank too.

It was probably an act of will for the cameraman to stay with the race, and not back on the one horse that wasn't running.

[RightWhale]

I used to think that way about sled dog races until I got to see my first one right up close. The dogs love it; racehorses are the same, they live to run and there it is. They'll run until they can't.

[marajade]

For a great horse movie rent "Dreamer" quite appropriate now.

[Lemondropkid31]

"There is no way to keep the horse from putting his foot down and putting his weight on that broken ankle."

Sorry. Hair and I were talking about two-year-olds and bucked shins.

No, you cant keep a horse off of his ankle for 6 weeks. YOu CAN put a cast on it though, one that can support his ankle and his weight.

[eleni121]

As the spouse of a thoroughbred horse trainer - you are absolutely right. It's about time the general public got an in depth look at the thoroughbred horse racing business, not just the the Bob Costas version of the glamour. It's a tough game to play. It takes kahunas to get into. It's not all glamour and glitz.

Any trainer who has been in the game 10+ years has experienced this. Although pitiful, life marches on and tomorrow another race.

[marajade]

The horse was acting up all day to day. Maybe the horse was trying to say he didn't want to race today. Jumping the gate. They should have withdrawn the horse right then and there.

[Rhiannon]

If the horse come out of anethesia fine and does not freak like Ruffian then he can be saved. But a horse trained so fit and full of adrenaline does not react well to a cast. That is why race horses often don't survive . Regular horses are calmer and not full of adrenaline and withstand the recovery better. Even an amputation will work .Horse do OK on 3 legs, Just difficult to breed since that has to be done by live cover. No AI is allowed for TB's.

[Lemondropkid31]

yea, just about anything that upsets the flora in the horses stomach can mess them up really badly.

[Fairview]

I'm sure that the people who reported being sickened by what was basically a sickening sight would react with even more intensity, quite enough to please you, if human friends or kin were to suffer a serious injury. None of the posters said that she cared more about a horse than about the humans in her life.

I ask again, since you so clearly care nothing for horses or for us women who love them, why are you posting on this thread? The rest of us would like very much to discuss horses without being criticized for our love of horses.

[Fairview]

I've lost horses too. I've had to personally put one down (no time to wait for a vet). It's not easy, you're right. And you do have to have guts to be in the business.

[Wolfstar]

That's just a bunch of hooooooey. These horses are more vetted, more conditioned, more worried over than any pampered pet. They are constantly concerned with safety, to protect their investment if not for the love of the horse and the sport. No one wants to see this happen, but there is risk in sport.

You and I are going to have to agree to disagree on this. Yes, what you say is true. They are more vetted, conditioned, etc., than many household pets. And of course no one wants such a thing to happen, especially not on national TV. And yes, injuries happen in all sports.

But these animals cannot speak for themselves. They do what they do for our entertainment, so we can bet on them. In the 1980's I participated for awhile in a group that rescued old geldings from Hollywood Park and retired them to a nearby ranch. A few trainers and others in the sport participated. It is (or was, don't know if it still exists) called the California Equine Retirement Foundation.

I learned more than I probably ever should have about racetrack safety, legal drugs, and other things. People far more knowledgeable than me believe more can be done to improve the surfaces and cushioning of racetracks, but nothing much is done in that area. That's the area of safety I'm referring to.

Regarding Barbaro, it's not a question of finding someone to blame. Rather, his sad story is just the latest in a long line of such incidents I witnessed through the years, and something in me can't take it anymore. Animal lover that you are, you should be able to understand that.

[HairOfTheDog]

Animals are not people, but some act as if they are more important than people.

Why do people like you always have to make such ridiculous comparisons.

The race had a sad ending... if we wouldn't be wrong to still be celebrating this horse's win, I don't see how we're wrong to still be grieving it.

[OldFriend]

Sorry, got here late and tried to read quickly thru all the posts.

Live in a community that lives for horses, all horses all the time.

Of course, anything is possible but this is going to be very tricky.

[paulat]

These are intelligent, sensitive creatures, among the most beautiful that God has put on this planet.

Amen, Fairview....