Barbaro ~ America's Horse

[VirginiaBred]

Update 546: Just spoke to Peter Brette, who was driving up to Monmouth when I called. The cast change has been completed and Dr. Richardson was happy with what he saw. I don’t have any other details, but thought that was good enough for me for now!

Update 545: Bluegrass Cat is now retired: Bluegrass Cat Retired Due to Pastern Injury. The following was posted in the comments directly after the race by Susan E (updates: 56 timestamp: 10:41pm)

Very impressive, Bernadini!
Everyone made it home safe!
Did anyone else think BGC was a bit stiff in his right rear leg when he galloped out? Maybe I’m seeing things that aren’t there.

Apparently you were not “seeing things”.

Update 544: Just spoke to Michael Matz. They are planning to replace Barbaro’s cast today on his right hind. While this was not something we had anticipated, I think it is basically because Dr. Richardson is planning a few days off early next week, and wanted to get this done before he was able to relax. It has been a few weeks since the previous cast change, so that makes sense to me. Once I hear anymore after the cast change, I will let you know.

On the racing front today, we have two fillies races to focus on and a european race. I was talking to Michael as he was getting ready for Round Pond’s debut at Monmouth. Apparently there is a scratch and it is now a five horse field for the Grade 2 Molly Pitcher: Round Pond back to races. The Jackson’s Stormy Kiss, trained by Barclay Tagg, is running in the Grade 1 Ballerina Stakes at Saratoga: Dubai Escapade looking to wire 'em. Finally, the Jackson bred George Washington is running at Goodwood: George Washington returns after a three month absense. He won 2,000 Guiness at Newmarket on May 6. This is considered one of the English Classics (like a Triple Crown race). You can imagine that was an amazing weekend for the Jackson’s.

[Oakstable]

We need candle lighters

I just looked and the candles were down below 1000 by quite a bit.

Get your matches, ladies!

[Oakstable]

I got the number up to 957.

Only four countries participating now.

Let’s support Barbaro, people!!!

[target]

I think there is something wrong with the candle site. For the past two weeks, I have been lighting candles and they don’t show up with my initials and/or the number of candles lit at the top doesn’t change. This morning I lit l0 candles. When I started to light them, there were l,085 candles lit, when I finished lighting them, there was still l,085. In the beginning, this didn’t happen, only in the last two or three weeks.

[I_m_EBO]

Now 951 candles burning, including the two I just lit.

[Oakstable]

I just checked again and it dropped below 950.

I lit a few more.

Maybe the counter is goofed up, or candles are going out faster than they are being lit up.

[msj]

Candles are up to 1037! Foggy’s candles are in the 900’s so he needs attention as well!!

[VirginiaBred]

Thanks, Tim/Alex~

Update 547: Round Pond was a very close second in her first start for Michael Matz: PROMENADE GIRL HEADS ROUND POND IN G2 MOLLY PITCHER AT MONMOUTH; GOTTCHA GOLD, PRETTY IMPOSING TRIUMP. Excerpt:

“She ran a good race considering she’s been out so long,” Matz said. “I was disappointed with the result, but I was pleased with her.”
Bravo said, “I wish we had faster fractions. It was her first race in a while. She had her nose in front at the eighth pole. She ran a winning race.”

I just spoke to Peter and they were pleased with her effort. He thinks she will come along a lot for the race. Unfortunately I did not get to see the race.
I don’t have a Barbaro update this evening, and since Peter and Michael were at Monmouth its unlikely I’ll get one later. Peter reiterated to me Dr. Richardson’s positive report from this morning.

This site will be featured in the Cecil Whig tomorrow, I think on the front page, celebrating 100 days since the Preakness.

[captain]

what? no sunday night Barbaro report?!? well, that’s it then. i am never coming back to this thread til tomorrow… after i light a bunch of candles… and jingle for a while.

[VirginiaBred]

That’s correct, nothing except that Sunday afternoon report that all is well!

[StrawberryFelidos]

I don’t want to be a downer, but I’ve just got to get this off my chest. The update about the early cast change… it bothers me. The reason being, I seem to remember recent articles saying that he was doing so good that it could be 2-3 weeks before they needed to change the cast. And now that they decided to do it this week instead of 2-3 weeks into the future… The last time I remember them doing an early, spontaneous cast change was when he had that… infection… in July… and, you know, July was scary. Now I’m scared ( )

Someone please tell me I’m paranoid so that I can stop worrying! I wanterd to get this out because if I kept it in and in a few days they said something was going wrong… that would just bother the hell outta me. Like I saw it coming and didn’t do anything… Ahh! I just remember how in July they tried to downplay the whole early cast-change thing… and then it got scary so fast. I’m on a hair trigger!:eek:

[I_m_EBO]

Strawberry F. I hope you’re being paranoid. I don’t think the cast change is all that early–and the reason they gave, Dr. R. is taking a few days off, seems reasonable enough.

What bothers me is no update tonight.

More candles. More Jingles.

[VirginiaBred]

Monday morning; thanks, Alex~

Update 548: The New York Times has the following article: Bernardini and Barbaro: A Rivalry That Wasn’t that does a nice job of highlighting both horses’ accomplishments without make sweeping statements on who is the better. I also like the note of comparison with Cigar from Tom Albertani. He should know as he is closely connected to both horses. I think that comparison just illustrates that this year we have been blessed with superb 3yos.

A quick recap from the races yesterday. We know Round Pond was a very close second, here is another report: Promenade Girl wins Molly Pitcher. Stormy Kiss (Jackson owned, Tagg trained) was third in the Ballerina: Dubai Escapade takes Ballerina and George Washington (Jackson bred) was third O’BRIEN UPBEAT DESPITE GEORGE DEFEAT after a slow start.

Next weekend we will focus on the Woodward at Saratoga. Funny Cide is scheduled to run, he breezed 5/8ths in 1:00 in preparation for the race last thursday: Funny Cide Preps for Woodward With Bullet Work, an excerpt:

“I thought the track was slow, but safe,” Tagg said. “He really worked well over it. I thought it was a serious workout for him. But we wanted to be safe with him because he’s going to run for big money next Saturday.”

I am not sure when this morning’s Barbaro update will occur. If Dr. Richardson is indeed on vacation it may be a little later, but he may well still be providing Michael his morning update, I just don’t know.

[VirginiaBred]

Good Barbaro Report!

Update 549: Another comfortable night for Barbaro last night (sunday night). Just spoke to Michael Matz behind the gate. He said that everything looked good after the cast change yesterday.
He expressed that everyone seemed happy with Bobby’s progress.
updated monday 8:15am

Thanks, Alex~

[BeastieSlave]

Thanks for your continued updates VB. I love that this is the only place I need to come to get all the latest :yes:

I also love that this forum is great place to come to be inspired by amazing horses defying the odds

[StrawberryFelidos]

Good to hear that his connections are saying positive things about the cast change. Maybe the vacation does explain it…

[VirginiaBred]

Thanks Alex~

Update 551: Dave Wallace (Tom Albertrani’s assistant) just called to give us a quick update on Bernardini. A few things about the Travers itself. When they were leading Bernardini over for the Travers he was very cool, calm and collected. Dave said it was very impressive to see considering his youth and all the attention he was getting. After the Travers, leaving the test barn (all winners and some other runners are tested after a race to check for drugs etc.) he was bouncing and was very full of himself, as Dave noted, just proud of himself. Dave also mentioned Bernardini’s reaction to Javier Castellano’s light tap of the whip with his left hand … which caused Bernardini to swish his tail and pin his ears, almost as if Bernardini was wondering what the problem was since he was winning so easily at that point! (I think I noted something similar in my update directly after the race.)
Anyway, Dave said he has come out of the race in great shape. He will hand walk around the shedrow for a few days (probably about three days) before he goes back to the track and starts training again. I will plan to follow up with Dave later in the week to see how he is progressing.

Update 550: New Bolton Center’s press release concerning yesterday’s cast change: Barbaro has cast change:

Veterinarians at Penn’s George D. Widener Hospital changed the right hind leg cast of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro yesterday, Sunday, August 27. "The cast was changed because there was a small crack in it," said Dr. Dean W. Richardson, Chief of Surgery. "Based on new radiographs that were taken, the leg looked excellent under the cast. The pastern joint looks completely fused, and there is only a small area in the long pastern bone that has a little farther to go before we take him out of the cast completely."
In addition, the radiographs showed that there were no signs of infection. The cast change took place under general anesthesia, and Barbaro had another successful pool recovery before returning to his stall.
The colt’s left hind foot has laminitis, but Barbaro seems comfortable with that foot as well. The bandage on the left hind foot continues to be changed daily.
According to Dr. Richardson: “Barbaro is bright and happy this morning with an excellent appetite.”
Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of the University of Pennsylvania’s George D. Widener Hospital, where he is recovering from injuries suffered at the Preakness on May 20.
The next update will be posted on Tuesday, September 5 unless there is a significant change in Barbaro’s condition.

[Sabovee]

YA BOBBY!!!

Great news!! Thanks VB!!

[2hsmommy]

That’s awesome news!! Yay!! Thanks VB

[War_Admiral]

That is SO FREAKING AWESOME!!!

Go Barbaro go!!!