Barbaro ~ America's Horse

[Texarkana]

[QUOTE=ivy62;2009929]
It is amazing that Barbaro has made it this far…a broken leg and laminitis! is this to much to ask a horse to endure? I think not, he has shown us his intelligence and wanting to live and follow directions! laying down to rest etc…I hope this is the begining of a new trend with horses that problems on the track, not all can be fixed I know that but maybe some of them and with each one technology improves…Thank you Barbaro for showing us the way…

VB where would we be without your updates! THANK YOU!
Jingles and candles from NY[/QUOTE]

I’m not trying to be negative. I hope, too, that one day we can fix all broke down horses. But realistically, it’s not possible. Barbaro is alive for two reasons: he has compassionate, WEALTHY owners and he has more will to live than any horse I’ve ever seen in my life. His vet bill is WELL into five figures-- very few owners can afford that. And honestly, it wouldn’t be worth it on most horses as they could never cope and adapt the way Barbaro has. Take Barbaro’s former neighbor, Artsplace, for example. Believe it or not, he was worth more than Barbaro and had more money to fund his treatment. And technically, he only had half the problems Barbaro has. Yet he just did not have the strength to keep fighting, or the intelligence to take care of himself (I’m not knocking him- he was the most amazing horse I have ever met in my life). Despite the most aggressive and groundbreaking treatment, he was his own worst enemy and the time came where his owners realized they could not continue.

What I really hope will come of all this and the Barbaro Fund is improvement in technologies so that the costs drop for veterinary medicine on the whole. What I’m afraid will happen is you’re going to have well-meaning, but naive owners making their horses suffer because “Barbaro survived…”

[VirginiaBred]

Tuesday Morning ~

The Barbaro update this morning may be delayed to after training hours, I am not sure yet.

[VirginiaBred]

Update 1068: A great article on synthetic tracks by Mike Jensen: Barbaro injury a ‘wake-up call’. Much of the article includes quotes from Fair Hill people Kathy Anderson, Michael Matz and Graham Motion. (Michael Dickinson used to train at Fair Hill and owns the tapeta surface which Fair Hill is putting in place.) Here are a couple of excerpts:

Asked about the possibility of local tracks such as Philadelphia Park and Delaware Park going to an all-weather artificial surface, Motion said, " They’d be foolish not to jump on the bandwagon. Delaware has struggled with their entries all year. It changes it around. All of a sudden, if they get a Polytrack surface, they become the track that everybody wants to run at. It’s that simple, really.
“I can’t believe it wouldn’t be worthwhile for them to do it. They go from being a place that’s struggling to fill the entries to a place where everybody is going to want to be.”
“Bigger fields means bigger handles,” said Matz, who conditioned Round Pond to a victory in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff, becoming the first trainer since D. Wayne Lukas in 1999 to have a Kentucky Derby winner and a Breeders’ Cup winner in the same year. “Bigger handle means more people coming out to watch the races. And eventually, more people go to the casino. I just wish they would look at it that way.”

and

There are a lot of angles to consider - tracks in England tried a number of surfaces before hitting on the preferred one - but Motion said he sees one ultimate bottom line. He pointed to a newspaper on his desk at Fair Hill with a photograph of Pine Island off her feet rolling on her back during the Breeders’ Cup. It was an image used in newspapers all over the country.
“Look,” Motion said, “this is what we’re trying to get away from.”

[VirginiaBred]

Update 1069: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (monday night). I saw Michael Matz as I was leaving the track from my first set. He had heard from Dr. Richardson. It was a chilly morning this morning for sure. Long johns are now required wear.
Thanks, Alex

[VirginiaBred]

I want to go on record to say I’m dead against Barbaro living at the Kentucky Horse Park. It’s not that I don’t want to see him (quite the opposite), it’s just he should be with the people he knows and care for him. He is young, a stallion, and needs his people.

On the chance he gets to be a breeding stallion, limit the availability of seeing him, or do a Barbara Walters update occasionally.

He’s not a freak show, and shouldn’t be treated like one. I want him sheltered, and let live a life as a young stallion. At home, or on a Kentucky Breeding Farm.

[merrygoround]

VB, You make a lot of sense. Epona willing ,he will make a breeding stallion, and as such needs to be treated and handled as one, by people who know exactly what they are doing.

No slur on the people at KHP.

[VirginiaBred]

None at all, and I should have stated that.

[VirginiaBred]

Alie from Kennett Florist left this comment (timestamp: 6:01 pm):

I just return from NBC. All was great. Everyone happy & excited to see treats for man & Horse. There was a stampede by the staff, for the carrot cake, and chocolates. Corrine & I served it up.
I talked to Mrs. Jackson as I was going in. What a wonderful lady. The weather is sunny but a little cool. I would think the big guy will get out today. Have a good day. God Bless.
We Believe!!!
Alie
KF

[eggbutt]

@VirginiaBred;2011044

I want to go on record to say I’m dead against Barbaro living at the Kentucky Horse Park. It’s not that I don’t want to see him (quite the opposite), it’s just he should be with the people he knows and care for him. He is young, a stallion, and needs his people.

On the chance he gets to be a breeding stallion, limit the availability of seeing him, or do a Barbara Walters update occasionally.

He’s not a freak show, and shouldn’t be treated like one. I want him sheltered, and let live a life as a young stallion. At home, or on a Kentucky Breeding Farm.

My thoughts exactly, VB! Thank you!

[VirginiaBred]

Update 1071: A few links of interest. The first looks at the journey of Mike Rea. It provides much background of Mike’s life, and is within the broader context of the Barbaro connection: Beyond Brokenness…. The second contrasts Fair Hill and Philadelphia Park. And finally, here’s Barbaro’s Baby Brother (note: a couple of months old I guess).

[ivy62]

VB I couldn’t have said it better. I love the Kentucky horse park but if Bobby is to become a breeding stallion he should be with the people who care about him not to just oogle at him. If he cannot do live cover he should go home to Lael Farm and be with those people who love him!

He is not property of the people! Nor is he in need of a home!

[VirginiaBred]

Thanks Alex:
Update 1072: I just spoke to Peter (5:40 pm) and while he had not heard from Michael yet this afternoon he knows Michael was visiting Barbaro. Peter assumes all is well given that he had not heard anything.

Fleet Indian has undergone surgery: Fleet Indian Has Fetlock Fused, Injury Occurred in Breeders’ Cup and it is sad to report that Diesis has been euthanized: Champion and pensioned sire Diesis euthanized at age 26. Diesis was a great racehorse and sire.

[Spoilsport]

VB - Thank you, as always, for your updates.

The article about Mike Rea made me very sad. I wish there was more we could do to help him and his family.

[Fancy]

@Spoilsport;2011684

VB - Thank you, as always, for your updates.

The article about Mike Rea made me very sad. I wish there was more we could do to help him and his family.

Give thanks this year for Mike Rea too. He is taking a few steps, he is talking. He will recover, and be able to move again. He is very lucky. Christopher Reeve, among others, was not so lucky.

I have signed the petition for the house makeover. What he and his family REALLY need is a Fairy Godmother to pay his medical bills.

[VirginiaBred]

Wednesday Morning ~

The Barbaro update will likely again be after training hours this morning. It is likely to be busy this morning in anticipation of some very wet weather coming through later today and tomorrow. Lets hope we do not get all the rain they expect so racing can stay on the turf this weekend (Red Aspen).
Thanks, Alex.

[VirginiaBred]

Update 1073: I am guessing Michael Matz will be heading back to Churchill Downs this week: Prep win good sign for Sangrita. If Sangrita can win this grade two stake for Michael’s wife, D.D., then Michael will have had a great year at Churchill Downs. Actually I guess he already has had a great year there, but this would be icing on the cake.
Del Mar has gone with the Polytrack. It will be installed in time for their summer meet, which like Hollywood Park, is ahead of their mandated schedule (end of year, 2007). A short excerpt:

“Polytrack is going to make our racing surface a safer place for our horses and riders,” said Joe Harper, Del Mar’s president and general manager, in a statement. Work is expected to begin on the one-mile main track in January, pending final approval.

[msj]

Great updates VB. Thanks The video on Barbaro’s little bro was cute. What a little fireball he is right now. Typical little colt!

We need candles - the count is barely above 900! :eek:

[VirginiaBred]

Check out Barbaro’s Current Weight!!!

Update 1074: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (tuesday night) and chilly morning this morning at Fair Hill. I saw Michael Matz coming on to the track for my second set. Michael also noted Barbaro is now weighing in at 1,135 pounds. As I suspected it was a pretty busy morning, and it also looks like the guys working on the Tapeta surface (the track inside the main dirt track) are moving right along too. About 2/3rds of the track now has the new surface laid on top of whatever else they needed to put down. I am wondering if they will finish it before the rain comes!
updated 10:30 am, wednesday, november 22 Thanks, Alex.

[VirginiaBred]

Alex saw Michael Matz in the local sandwich shop (Prizzios). He is planning to see Barbaro this afternoon and take him outside. He will be at Fair Hill in the morning before heading out to Kentucky to saddle Sangrita tomorrow afternoon.

[Spoilsport]

Thanks again for the updates, VB!!

I hope Michael & Barbaro get to go outside. I live near New Bolton. It was supposed to be nice today, but it just started raining :mad: :mad: . It’s really chilly too! It’s supposed to be really nasty tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone !