[QUOTE=Kenike;2416618]
I’m so anxious to watch next weekend! But I’m also quite nervous…for obvious reasons.
I hope we don’t see an end to this thread anytime soon. I know many of us don’t post here much anymore, but many, many of us read daily.[/QUOTE]
I’ll ditto that Kenike! 
I check this thread daily and go light a candle daily. I was only going to do the candle for ~ 3 months but, hey, it’s a habit now!
I think Barbaro’s memory will live a long, long, long time.
why would we have to have an end date???
I agree, just because we do not post a lot doesn’t mean we are not interested…I still light candles and still like the Fair Hill updates and so on…
Thanks VB for your tireless efforts in keeping us together…
Why?
As long as there is Barbaro related news to relate, I will continue to post it.
ditto!
Thanks Alex~
Update 1867: Some great pictures of our Barbaro celebrations on UPenn’s site: Barbaro’s Birthday Photos
Update 1866: A great summary of our weekend events at Delaware Park: Barbaro: Celebration for an Undefeated Champion: Hundreds Gather to Remember Brave Derby Winner’s Birth. The Barbaro legacy has hit TV ratings too: Barbaro’s legacy: Derby ratings are up Kentucky race pulls best ratings in 15 years. The latter article also talks about FOBs!
Many thanks VB for the continued updates, I for one really appreciate it. I know its been alot of time and effort on your part.
Thanks Alex~
Update 1817: Mike Jensen writes about Chelokee’s (not yet determined) near term plan, and also notes Hard Spun is back galloping at Delaware Park: Matz might run Chelokee in Barbaro Stakes, excerpt:
“He’ll gallop every day,” said Jones, who isn’t planning on breezing Hard Spun before the Preakness. “We’ll plan on going out there every morning. I actually did a little more with him than I intended to when I went out there because he just felt like he wanted to do a little more. We jogged a half-mile, galloped a mile. Everything went well.”
Over at Fair Hill, a few miles away, Matz said he would be watching his horse carefully over the coming days.
“My horse has been taking little steps forward all the time, and I want to keep him that way,” Matz said. “And it’s a long year and there are some big races coming up. I don’t know if he’s as good as those first three [Derby] horses. But I don’t know that he isn’t.”
I ran into Mike Jensen last night, attending Dr. Richardson’s lecture. It was a great event. Dr. Richardson, a man who is clearly at the very top of his profession, still carries guilt that comes along with failing to save Barbaro, it was evident throughout the evening. His presentation was very interesting and provided some back content that helped me understand a little more some of the “behind the scenes” work that went on throughout the months (pool recovery process etc). Dr. Richardson entertained many questions with ease. We were also able to make a couple of presentations. I presented some cheques from Delaware Park from the Laminitis Fund drive, and Jessica presented the artwork created by Anna (and cheque): Update #4 Dr. R’s Artwork Gift. All in all a great evening, meeting and seeing again some wonderful FOBs!
[QUOTE=caffeinated;2414430]
I think it’s kind of sad that they renamed the Sir Barton. It’s a nice PR move, I guess, except Sir Barton was (and is) a real legend of the sport… it’s kind of sad to watch history slipping away like that…[/QUOTE]
I thought the same thing…but so long as people are lighting candles…
Barbaro Named from Painting:
http://wwwcano.lagravure.com/nouveautes_novembre_05.htm
(Just another good look at the art work)
Miss hearing the good news
There are always so many frustrating, sad, disappointing, what-will-happen-next news stories in daily life – but every so often there would be a brief report on the television broadcasts last year on how Barbaro had ‘had a good day’ or that he was improving. You know, just that little piece of news would uplift you – I tended to focus on the ‘good’ reports, even though there would be countless reminders that his recovery could be rocky, at best. I really miss those ‘good reports’ – my mind must have thought that one day – the ‘tomorrow is only a day away’ day – he would be as fully recovered as possible and be ‘safe.’ He is so missed.
Thanks Alex~
Update 1876: Sean Clancy is doing a local book signing for his book: Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America’s Heart later today (4pm - 7pm) at the Beresford Gallery in Unionville PA. Sean will also be doing the same at Willowdale races on sunday.
Why would anyone want to see this thread end? I check every day for news of Barbaro. There are many good things being done in his legacy and it is good we have some place to come and share the news. Alex and VB do a wonderful job of keeping us up to date on all the news. I know I am not alone in being grateful to them for all their efforts…
Regarding Sir Barton. I am just reading the latest book on Man o’ War: A Legend Like Lightning by Dorothy Ours. The book implies that Sir Barton was “helped” by cocaine. He had bad feet, and an unrewarding personality. Didn’t he end up as a field breeding remount stallion?
This book Man o’ War: A Legend Like Lightning by Dorothy Ours is now in paper back. It makes fascinating ready for racing folks.
Thanks Alex~
Update 1880: Jay Privman writes on Michael Matz: One year later, Matz has moved on. I admire Michael’s ability to look forward and not let the past define who he is. I had actually thought he would make a great speaker for a leadership program (I used to work at Wharton) for this very same reason.
Thanks Alex~
Update 1884: There was a third update from Pimlico yesterday, Michael Matz won the stake and Ramon Dominguez is due to work Chelokee this morning:
Hidden Creek Farm’s Street Sounds left the starting gate as the 1-5 favorite, quickly spurted to the lead from her outside post and raced on cruise the rest of the way to score an easy victory in the $80,000 Hilltop Stakes for 3-year-old fillies contested over the firm turf this afternoon at Pimlico.
Michael Matz trains the bay daughter of Street Cry, who was winning her third straight added money race. She captured the Selima Stakes on the turf at Laurel Park and the Grade II Beaumont at Keeneland in her previous two outings.
Ramon Dominguez, who has won three of four starts aboard Street Sounds, was at the controls as she sped under the finish line in 1:36.66 over the firm turf. Ethan’s Car chased the leader throughout and finished a clear second, 5 1/4 lengths behind the winner. Cabbage Key ran third.
“That was very easy,” said Dominguez, who earned his 3,000th career victory earlier this week. “I was very pleased with the way she did it. She took me to the lead and I felt like she was going pretty quick early on but at the same time she was very relaxed. I was very happy with her.”
Street Sounds paid $2.40. The exacta returned $9.80 and the triple came back $19.60.
Martin Paramo, assistant trainer for Matz said, “She is a very nice, classy filly. She trains so good. Our last race was terrific on the Polytrack at Keeneland. It was really nice because she had four months off and she returned to be the same filly.”
Earlier in the day Dominguez learned he would ride in his sixth Preakness Stakes a week from today but the 30-year-old does not know what three-year-old he will be aboard in the $1 million classic just yet. Agent Steve Rushing secured the mount on Chelokee if Matz decides to run his colt in the Preakness. If not, then Dominguez will ride Xchanger. The pair teamed up to win the Tesio Stakes at Pimlico three weeks ago.
Dominguez will work Chelokee Sunday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center. Matz has indicated he’ll decide whether to run the son of Cherokee Run in the Preakness, Barbaro Stakes or wait for the Ohio Derby after the breeze. Dominguez would also have the mount if Matz opts for the Barbaro.
“You hate to wait until the last minute to let either party know,” added Dominguez. “But I feel very fortunate to be in the position where I will have a chance to ride in such a big event.”
Street Sound has taken over from Round Pond rather nicely.
Thanks Alex~
Update 1887: Baltimore Sun notes the critical moments shortly after Barbaro’s injury and how decisions were made: The Decision, the article concludes:
“We’ve had people tell us it’s going to be a long time before the Barbaro story goes away,” Roy Jackson said last week. “We hope the emphasis is on using that to try to solve some of the critical issues in our business. We would like to see that be Barbaro’s legacy. The fact that he fought so hard, we just hope down the road it helps other horses.”
Update 1886: I met up with Dick Jerardi for breakfast, Dick spent more time with Michael Matz this morning after Chelokee’s work. It looks like a decision on where / when to run Chelokee may be made tomorrow. Mike Jensen spent time with Dr. Richardson last week, including attending his lecture on wednesday: Failing to save Barbaro is doctor’s only regret, it concludes:
When he talks, Richardson always tries to make the point that the vast majority of Barbaro’s days were good ones. He doesn’t deny that he got extremely close to this patient. His best memories, he said, are of being alone with him as Barbaro grazed.
“It’s like people. Some are nice, but kind of dull,” Richardson said. “Others are just mean as snakes. . . . Barbaro, he was always interacting with his surroundings.”
Barbaro’s surgeon added, “He seemed a little larger than life, because he did some larger-than-life things.”
Sunday’s Pimlico Preakness update:
CHELOKEE - Centennial Farms’ Chelokee will probably not compete in the Preakness but is headed to another race on the program, trainer Michael Matz said Sunday.
“Right now, I think that we’re leaning toward going in the Barbaro Stakes,” Matz said.
The Sir Barton was renamed the Barbaro by the Maryland Jockey Club during the winter to honor Matz’ ill-fated 2006 Kentucky Derby winner, who was injured in the Preakness.
Chelokee has not raced since finishing third after a troubled trip in the Florida Derby on March 31 at Gulfstream. Matz said the Cherokee Run colt has recovered from a foot abscess and turned in a good workout Sunday morning at the Fair Hill Training Center.
“He went 5/8ths of a mile and did it very nicely,” Matz said.
Chelokee covered the five furlongs under jockey Ramon Dominguez in 1:01 while working in company with Wood Be Willing, a 5-year-old stablemate.
Matz has until entries are due for the Preakness on Wednesday to change his plans, but he indicated it wasn’t likely that he would run the colt in the Middle Jewel of the Triple Crown.
“I would say unless something happens where some of those top three horses scratch out, we’ll probably go in the Barbaro,” Matz said.
Thanks Alex~
This is Dick Jerardi’s piece following his visit to Fair Hill yesterday: Matz’ return to Pimlico is bittersweet: Chelokee may run in Barbaro Stakes.
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