BBowen, I’m happy to do this, really. Love M. Matz, and Barbaro.
thanks VB!
Update 136: A nice article from the Baltimore Sun: New Bolton director cautions against Barbaro complacency (thanks Lynnette) reiterates some of the issues we noted in update 134, and makes it clear that we do still have a long way to go. The following is an excerpt:
Sweeney said that while the prospect of infection drops dramatically the further down the road Barbaro gets, laminitis, an infection that can occur in Barbaro’s left foot due to overuse, “is always a concern.”
Though it, too, lessens every day, it doesn’t totally go away until Barbaro is back, solidly on all fours.
“His whole good health and the way he’s bearing his weight is encouraging,” she said. “But hearing good news about him every day can give the impression that nothing more can go wrong, and that’s not the case.”
Update 135: Just spoke to Michael Matz. I asked him “Everything good [with Barbaro] Michael”, his reply: “So far”. Thus our update for this morning, Barbaro continues to do well. It has been five weeks since the surgery, very cool, but clearly we have a long way to go yet. The key issues are described below (update 134).
updated 10:50 am, monday
VB, your a great person to keep this up 
Thank you!
I have questions after reading the articles about Showing Up. How many horses do the Jacksons have in training? And how many trainers do they have? Is it just MM and Barclay Tagg? Are the horses divided equally between the different trainers? Is this a typical arrangement for race horse owners?
Just curious- TIA!
Some owners have several trainers and some stay with just one. It depends were their horses are located, some on the east coast, west coast, midwest ect. I think every owner is different, there is nothing typical.
VB thanks for the updates.
VB, my thanks too for your daily posts…I don’t want you to think we’ve become complacent with your efforts to keep us informed on his progress!
This is the first place I check-in in the morning. Thank you, VB!!!
Update 139: A couple of articles recently have questioned the public’s ongoing concern for Barbaro and whether he is really missed and the merits of following a horse who no longer races. The first: Maybe Barbaro won’t be missed after all seems to have incensed many with the following ending quote:
This victory by Showing Up has the potential to reinvigorate interest among even the casual racing fan. Showing Up may not run in the traditional summer events for three-year-olds, but it will be interesting to follow him in his future endeavors.
Let’s hope that thoroughbred racing does not drop the ball in promoting this potentially new star. It will be great to write about an active horse and his accomplishments, instead of medical updates on a retired thoroughbred.
I guess insensitive would be an understatement here. All that aside, while Barbaro has clearly run the most impressive performance so far this year (I think even Don Agriss would agree to that); and Showing Up has the same owners as “Bobby” (so we were rooting for him); one cannot forget Bernadini when considering other performances by top three year olds. I also think main stream media (like Agriss) has dropped the ball by not realizing that Barbaro has the potential to engage even the most casual racing fan as he progresses through his recovery.
The second article Barbaro Trots Back Into Obscurity appears similarly insensitive and clueless.
These are countered by this piece from the Daily Racing Form: If Eclipse Awards came out now . . . which includes the following excerpt:
And who is my 2006 Horse of the First Half of the Year? Barbaro, purely because of the way he captured the public’s imagination in the days between the Derby and his ill-fated Preakness.
On another note, Tim received an e-mail from Mike Rea’s sister when she saw our initial link to Mike’s site here. It included the following:
I love what you had to share about him and his conversation with Matz. It sounds just like my little brother! I recall his reaction to Barbaro’s injury clearly - he cried as if he had just lost his best friend. His family and friends were all very aware of his pride in a horse from Fair Hill with Barbaro’s accomplishments. In fact, one of the happiest days of his career was when he began training there.
Good luck Mike in your long road to recovery. We are all rooting for you.
Update 138: Another good night for Barbaro. Just spoke to Michael Matz who had heard from Dean Richardson. Dr. Richardson also noted that they have a patient with more ‘hardware’ than “Bobby”, a Thompson’s Gazelle.
update tuesday, 9:30 AM
Update 137: Barbaro continues to do well. I just spoke to Peter Brette. He mentioned they may change his cast again later this week. Peter is planning to visit tomorrow, and I think Kim (his wife) may also join him. Kim also posted a comment, which includes the following excerpt:
Just to let you know Barbaro is doing well, a little bored as to be expected, Peter hasn’t been able to see him as much as he would like but we are going to try go see him tomorrow.
There is something I have been thinking of ever since this whole thing happened and was wondering what everyone else thought.
This is of course my "Kim Brette ",s personal thoughts which have not been discussed with the Jacksons, New Bolten etc etc but I have a very strong belief that Barbaro should have a fund of his own to help retired, injured, maybe even re schooled racehorses for the rest of the time they are here.
I think this sentiment is shared by many who frequent this site. (Her comment is posted under the “Your overwhelming Response” post).
I also wanted to update you briefly on Mike Rea (freak training accident June 16). His latest blog entry shows that Sunday was a good day for Mike. I spoke to one of his sister’s today who noted that today was also a good day. I volunteered to help a little with their web site (I was sooooo impressed they started a blog I could not help but ‘get in the way’). Anyway, I am glad Mike seems to be progressing in the right direction!
Update 142: I thought I would copy Kim’s comment verbatim re: their visit this afternoon to Barbaro:
As Alex mentioned Peter and I visited Bobby today, Peter gave him a good currying which he loved his eyes had a sleepy look in them and he was curling his lip so I think all in all he enjoyed a little pampering, I was the hair lady and got to detangle his tail…
Of course he had loads of carrots, mints, pats and kisses.
He really did seem happy and comfortable, I hope he knows how much we all love him, I’m sure he does.
Thanks again for all your prayers and good wishes, with re to the retirement fund thing I was thinking more along the lines of supporting an existing organisation, will try to get a list of reputable ones and go from there.
Update 141: Just spoke to Peter Brette and he and Kim visited Bobby today. Peter said he was in great form, they groomed him etc. Hopefully Kim will be able to provide a first hand report in the comments later (when I called I could hear their young son in the background, so I assume it was busy family time!) I asked Peter if he knew the day for the cast change, and he was not sure yet.
Update 140: New Bolton Center’s press release today (tuesday) confirms Barbaro is doing well. It includes:
Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is pleasing his veterinarians with his progress, as he recovers from a shattered hind leg sustained at the Preakness on May 20. “Barbaro continues to improve; he is maintaining his weight and his coat looks good,” said Dr. Corinne Sweeney, associate dean of Penn’s School of Veterinary Medicine and executive hospital director of the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals. “I would say he is a happy, healthy horse.”
Thanks very much for the detailed and very informative updates. Your efforts are greatly appreciated. Thanks again!
Again, VB, thank you for these daily updates. You’ve become like family member giving us information about another family member in a distant hospital! You are very much appreciated.
One question though…does Barbaro get to leave his stall occasionally? I am wondering if they are trying to take him out for any period of time at all yet so he might not become so bored. I know I wouldn’t want to be the one leading him out with all the pent up energy he must have at this point since he’s feeling better!:eek: I can just imagine trying to control that power with a simple chain and lead rope!
Not yet, as they will wait until the bone has mended more and the hardware isn’t totally in charge.
Seems as if he is is being very, very good, considering his position!
Another question about Barbaro - are they tranquilizing him or giving him anything to help keep him somewhat quiet while he’s stall bound? I know I had a QH that was on stall rest for a month and he was going ballistic after just a couple of days because he was used to 24/7 turnout so I ended up using Reserpine tablets.
Just wanted to add my thanks for keeping us all updated!!! I really appreciate that you are continueing to provide information about how he is doing. Thank you!!
My unyielding thanks to Tim, again:
Update 145: Just got a voice-mail from Peter Brette. While he was unable to visit today he has heard Barbaro had another good day (wednesday).
Update 144: I have created a separate section for those interested in brainstorming fundraising ideas: Barbaro: Fund Raising Ideas. I thought this might help focus some of the great fund raising discussions (I am all for discussion, but too often I have seen great internet discussion disipate into the ether before action takes place, I hope this helps maintain the focus / enthusiam).
I did catch up with Barclay again this morning and told him that I was now a member of the media, and asked him for a quote re: Showing Up. Barclay’s response: “Its a pleasure leading him over each time”. (Note: Barclay is notorious for not being overly comfortable with the media, I hope he can make an exception for me in the future!) Given I am media, I felt I should ask him more questions, so I asked him what it was like to gallop Ruffian. He responded that he really only rode her when her main rider was not available. He reminded me she was never headed in a horse race. I also asked him about the comment he made about Barbaro after seeing him win in Laurel last year (Barbaro’s second race). He had mentioned to a friend of mine at the time it was the most impressive thing he had seen since Secretariat. Today he confirmed it was truly impressive. Interview over! (Note, it is pretty cool that at Fair Hill this morning, there were two Kentucky Derby winning trainers at the track training their respective strings, Michael on Messaging, Barclay observing things from the ‘gap’. In previous years Barclay would also be on a pony, I presume they do not have one yet for his Fair Hill string.)
I am hoping later today to get some new pictures up on the site. They are not Bobby, but I think they will be popular (how’s that for some ‘buzz’.) I don’t have any more information on the cast situation at this point (I know people have been asking, I have not been able to catch up with Kathy Anderson etc.)
Update 143: Another good night for Barbaro last night (tuesday night). Caught up with Michael Matz on the wood chip track this morning. The dirt track is closed due to the excessive weather we have had. Barclay Tagg is also here today (he has a string at Fair Hill, Showing Up was here last year). Barclay is in great form after his big win the other day. He asked me what I was up to work-wise. I used to freelance (exercise rider) for him a couple of years ago. I should have told him I had joined the media and asked for a Showing Up quote from him!
update 7:50, wednesday morning, Fair Hill clockers stand.
Update 147: Another good night for Barbaro (wednesday night). I walked back from the wood chip track with Michael Matz and he had heard from Dr. Dean Richardson. It also appears they are no longer planning to change the cast this week. Michael mentioned when he went to see Barbaro yesterday, and was grooming him, he was standing on his injured leg while using the other hind leg to scratch his ear (I know we have heard this before, but it is a good example of his current comfort on the injured leg). Michael gave me some more information, which I will update later (have four or five more horses to ride.) I did also see Miraculous Miss out training this morning, she is looking good.
update: 7:40 am, thursday, Fair Hill clocker’s stand.
Update 146: The new pictures are uploaded to the gallery. They are of Bobby’s baby full brother and his mother, La Ville Rouge. Thanks Kim (Brette) for acquiring the pictures, and Eliza for getting them on the site. His baby brother is pretty cute! The following comment was left by a vet, S. McC. which sounds just like a conversation I have had with vets at Fair Hill, it appears to summarize well the role of the hardware, and the ‘race against time’ Barbaro faces:
I do have a comment regarding the internal hardware. (I am an equine vet, though not an orthopedic surgeon.) Under ideal circumstances, it will all remain in place. If some portion of it were to become problematic, it would not be difficult to remove individual screws, etc. This is done with some horses after condylar fracture repair. Most horses who undergo fetlock arthodesis (fusion) which was the primary part of Bobby’s more complicated surgery, have the plates and screws left in place. Once fusion takes place the plate could in theory be removed but ordinaarily would be left alone.
Right now Bobby is in a race between the ability of the bones to fuse, and the ability of the hardware to withstand the stresses of use. As healing makes the bones more stable, there is progressively less stress on the plates and screws. Until then, metal fatigue is still a worry.
thanks for all the updates…by the way…the foal is just stunning…if he flunks out racing he would look beautiful in my barn:D
Update 150: A lighthearted interview with Barbaro: In recovery, Barbaro still has plenty of horse sense. I of course loved this bit:
Well, the governor of Pennsylvania stopped by. And the Jacksons are here a lot. Sometimes they bring friends. And the media doesn’t know this, but Edgar and his family sneaked in last week to see me.
Given we noted this visit in update 117 Barbaro, at least, does not consider us media, we are just friends!
Update 149: The article Trainers, owners hold dream of discovering another Barbaro (thanks Barbara) includes some information on Barbaro’s new little brother, the co-star of our new pictures:
The Jacksons also own a full brother to Barbaro. He was born on March 15 this year and is growing up and stretching his legs at Mill Ridge Farm in Lexington, Ky.
“He has a little more white on his face than Barbaro does,” says Roy, adding that La Ville Rouge is again in foal to Dynaformer. The Jacksons hope that the same bloodlines might produce another wonderful result but also realize that pedigree never guarantees anything.
Update 148: The following are other insights I gleaned from my conversation with Michael (Matz) this morning. Gretchen Jackson is heavily involved in getting support for the (anti-) horse slaughter legislation that has been heavily discussed here. I believe time to call your representitives is very soon. He mentioned he believes the Barbaro Fund is now over $600k. He also talked about a school teacher, who used to work for Michael back in his show jumping days, had her students follow Barbaro’s career as a class project. She used elements of Barbaro’s story as teaching aids etc. Anyway, apparently the kids really got into the project, and once it was complete sent it to Michael. Michael past it on to the Jackson’s who were very impressed (as was Michael). They are now looking to turn it all into a Children’s Book! Pretty Cool. Lastly, Michael noted that when Dean Richardson visited Barbaro this morning he was lieing down, he saw the doc and got up without trouble at all. It seems he is pretty comfortable getting up and down, and that is a great thing.
In all this let us not forget fellow Fair Hill horse trainer Mike Rea who has been moved to ‘step down’, apparently a step up!
Loved the interview!
