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

[rahbert]

Usually they "express" the semen and add it to an egg extracted from a promising mare into a Petri dish, then
implant into a brood mare. No one (at least around here)
actually allows mating the oldfashioned way - too dangerous for the stud (MARES KICK)!

[HairOfTheDog]

Thoroughbreds are only bred the 'old fashioned way' (there is no AI allowed) and FWIW, so are many, if most horses of other breeds bred the natural way even where AI is allowed. If the stallion is reasonably local, it's better to do it in person, and, rather than extracting any eggs, the insemination actually is more typically done IN the mare while in season.

[Rainbow Rising]

I'm heartbroken over Barbaro's breakdown. I've been following his career from the beginning, and I had a feeling he was something really special. I just hope he can pull through. The racehorse is such a contradiction -- strong and powerful, yet so fragile.

[HairOfTheDog]

Very true :~\

[BigSkyFreeper]

Serious prayers for the life of this horse.
Beyond sickening.

I cringed when I saw the replay on ESPN News. 

[NautiNurse]

Your persistent argument makes about as much sense as mandating that only golfers who are planning to win the Grand Slam may participate in the British Open, U.S. Open, Masters, or PGA Championship. No one else would be permitted to qualify for any of the big money tournaments.

That's ludicrous.

[ntnychik]

I'm devastated about what happened to Barbaro today, and I pray he will survive. I, too, immediately thought of beautiful brave Ruffian and found this site:http://www.equinenet.org/heroes/ruffian.html

[KosmicKitty]

Could you be thinking of the filly Ruffian? That was very sad.

That could very well be it - it was a long time ago.

[beyond the sea]

That's one thing I wouldn't mind.

[beyond the sea]

Bramlage said the occurrence of the second fracture is what sets this injury apart from more minor ones. "Normally, the way it happens is the fracture above the ankle occurs first," he said. "Before [jockey] Edgar [Prado] could pull him up, the second fracture occurred. It's like if you were in a football game and twisted your ankle badly. The problem is, people know enough to stop. He ran on and that caused the second component to the injury."

****

Heartbreaking ............ these animals' incredible "will to win", well you know.

It's horribly sad.

[beyond the sea]

ping ............. to further information

[beyond the sea]

I am too.

[beyond the sea]

If they can keep him calm and keep the weight off...big ifs.

God, I hope so. I pray we see that beautiful animal out in a pasture some day in a few months ....... just being a horse ....... like God intended.

[angkor]

said that Sweetnorthernsaint did bump Barbaro a bit just before he broke down

The video is over at www.youtube.com. Go there, search for "preakness" and it'll come up.

I've watched it 10+ times and cannot see anyone bumping anyone else. In fact it looks like Barbaro's injury progressed over 3 or so paces. First there's a twist of the hoof to the outside, then the second is not visible, and by the third his entire right hind leg is twisted out to his right. Then the injury is quite obvious.

Amazing that a clump of dirt can throw such a magnificent animal.

[apackof2]

Didn't you have a young weanling colt you were gonna raise?

Nope not me

[joylyn]

I still think you are missing the point. Each of the three Triple Crown races poses a different kind of challenge. The schedule is the least of it. They are run at different distance over different kinds of tracks. But the challenge is only meaningful if the winner is racing against the 3 year-olds who are best capable of meeting that particular challenge. A souped up sprinter can compete in the Derby and sometimes win. But you wouldn't want to see a Belmont where the lead horses were staggering down the stretch, just trying to hit the finish line. It wouldn't be a good race, and there wouldn't be much glory in winning. So who would care about the Triple Crown then?

It's always exciting when a horse is on a streak. Apart from Secretariat, the most exciting horse I ever saw was Cigar. And he wasn't even in the Triple Crown. But streaks happen when they happen. If the conditions of the race rule out your toughest competitors, then the streak doesn't mean a thing.

[HairOfTheDog]

Oh - I'm confusing you with someone else's story! Sorry :~)

[carton253]

Well, thanks for chiming in. Since you have declared that it is ludicrous...I have no choice but to submit to your obvious superior knowledge.

[carton253]

No, I'm not missing the point. I just offered a different opinion. But thanks for playing.

[NautiNurse]

ok