Barbaro ~ America's Horse

[2ndyrgal]

Ok…

I love to check this sight at work, but it’s hard to read thru the tears. Thanks eb, having loved and lost one of the finest horses to ever look through a bridle, and a finally gotten the farm of my dreams, as I watched my current horse canter up the hill to munch on some apples the storm blew down, I quietly stood at the fence and cried. When my husband ( who makes all my dreams come true) asked me what was wrong, all I could say was “the big horse” should have gotten to live here." He understood instantly, as we all do, how very fleeting and fragile the joys of life can be.

[msj]

Ditto Ivy. I also check here right after I feed the horses in the morning and the last thing at night after the 11 PM night check on the horses.

Many thanks again to VB and others for keeping us updated and finding all the great Barbaro reports, etc.

Eggbutt, thanks for sharing. I just sent it out to about 15 friends.

[VirginiaBred]

From Alex & Tim~

Update 318: Just e-mailed Jeannine Edwards and ESPN will cover horse racing from 5 - 6 pm saturday (east coast time). This will include the Diana Handicap and Jim Dandy. Graham Motion is planning to run the very well traveled Sweet Talker in the Diana, so we will be hoping she continues her great consistency (she’s won 6 of her last 8 starts (dating back to may '05) and was 2nd in the other two. this will be her 9th different track…thanks Jeannine for that information). ESPN will provide a short update on Bobby (15 - 20 seconds) during this telecast.
Our friends from Kennett Florist report that Bobby continues to do well, they learned this from Dr. Sweeney during their visit today to drop off goodies for everyone.
Mike Rea’s recovery process is certainly going to be a long one, and likely complicated by some unanticipated “issues” … Mike, the rail is lonely without you!

[VirginiaBred]

[B]Michael Matz visits Barbaro…this just in from Alex:

[/B]Update 319: Peter Brette just called, he had just heard from Michael (Matz) who had just visited (late afternoon) and all remains comfortable for Barbaro. Another good day, a long road ahead.

HRTV did do a Bobby update today, and as reported in the comments they did emphasize the long road of which we are aware (thanks Jan for reporting in the comments):

HRTV- Barbaro Update
They basically reviewed the latest update from NBC.
They are verbally very cautious about Barbaro’s condition
The long road to healing is usually talked about as part of this daily update.
I was laughing the other day that one of the commentators read on air his message that he had e-mailed to Barbaro. Hey we are not the only nutty people around!
The fact that HRTV is still doing a daily 3:30 EST Barbaro Update at least shows great sustaining public interest!

For those interested in more detail about New Bolton and their work, you might be interested in their 2002 video: On Any Given Day. Its 18 minutes, but very interesting.
I had been trying to identify who sent the flowers “poster” that was placed outside one of Michael Matz’s barns at Fair Hill (currently our feature image), I received the following in an e-mail from the parent of the provider:

Well it was done by my 14 Y.O Daughter Kaylynne. Shes been following the likes of Smarty, Alex, and now Barbaro. She just wanted to do something to say Thank you. to the Chapmans, J Servis and Team Smarty to all the Cash is King Family, who truly let her enjoy the ride of her life last year. Now it’s Barbaro who captured her heart, and wanted to give her best wishes to Micheal Matz, the Jacksons, and everyone associated with Team Barbaro

Finally, Round Pond worked a nice half mile under Peter Brette this morning at Fair Hill.

[Esprit]

Continued thanks to VB for the updates!

I lit a candle, funny how that can give you some comfort that you’re doing SOMETHING when you’re so far away…

Hang in there Barbaro!

[excowgirlie]

Geeze eggbutt, nothing like a good cry after work…thank you for sharing that beautifully written piece with all of us…sniff sniff…

[VirginiaBred]

From www.bloodhorse.com, today

Barbaro Continues in Stable Condition
by Blood-Horse Staff
Date Posted: 7/26/2006 9:44:12 AM
Last Updated: 7/26/2006 9:44:12 AM

Classic winner Barbaro underwent another bandage change on his left hind foot Tuesday and Dr. Dean Richardson reports that the colt remains in stable condition at the intensive care unit of the University of Pennsylvania’s George D. Widener Hospital.
“I’m happy with the appearance of this foot, which is doing as well as can be expected,” Richardson said of the foot in which Barbaro has experienced a bout of laminitis. “Over the last several days, his temperature has been normal and his blood work has significantly improved suggesting that the infection in his right hind is under control.”
Richardson, chief of surgery at the New Bolton Center, also reported the colt’s heart rate is also consistently normal now, a good indication that he is stable and comfortable.
Winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I) for trainer Michael Matz and the Lael Stables of Roy and Gretchen Jackson, Barbaro has been at New Bolton since suffering an injury to his right rear leg during the Preakness Stakes(gr.I).

[gubbyz]

Ya, thanks Eggbutt! Another teary moment. That was beautiful. I printed it and it will hang in the tack room tomorrow after I give my Gub Gub many many hugs!!!

[jparkes]

Has anyone from this thread sent anything from Kennett Florist to NBC? I visited their site earlier today and would love to send a basket of some sort over to all the hard workers. If we can keep the spirits high for all those who are keeping Barbaro’s spirit up, it can’t do any harm, right?

So, which one should I send them? They all look great, but are there any that would be appreciated more?

[mbj]

I bet that Barbaro and his crew would appreciate baskets and contributions in their honor given to any of the many OTTB rescue folks who labor hard and in relative obscurity.
This is not to say that the folks at NBC don’t deserve the goodies, I send them myself at other times.

[monicabee]

Eggbutt, et al. -

I couldn’t believe that a piece like that didn’t have an author, so I did a search for it. Although it does seem to be circulated as “author unknown,” it was written by Lauren Davis Baker and was titled “God Jumps”.

Maybe anyone circulating it further could add that info.

[VirginiaBred]

[B]Thanks Alex & Tim~

[/B]Update 320: A few more pictures of Barbaro, from Fair Hill, before the Preakness. The following is a short poem, provided by Kim from yesterday’s updates:

I have a short poem I heard many years ago that I want to share. I think it’s called “Don’t Quit”
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re traveling seems all uphill;
When funds are low and debts are high;
When you want to smile but you have to cry.
When cares are pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but DON’T YOU QUIT.
Life is strange with it’s twist and turns,
as every one of us sometimes learns;
Any many a person has given up,
when he might have captured the victor’s cup.
And he learned to late when the night came down,
how close he was to the golden crown.
So when cares are pressing you down a bit;
rest if you must, but DON’T YOU QUIT.
Bobby, you’re closer every day to that golden crown. DON’T QUIT.

Posted by: Kim at July 26, 2006 11:11 PM
The following is another poem by Mary C, also posted in yesterday’s comments:

A Poem for Barbaro, with Love
Bathed in the balm of love
Ascending and transcendent
Rare and magnificant Creature
Blessing to the world
Adored and revered
Running in spirit with us
One heart, four hooves, uniting many.

Posted by: Mary C. / Canada at July 27, 2006 12:47 AM

[RioTex]

VB, thanks for the poems and the updates. Don’t Quit got me through a lot of days during EPM a few years ago. Here’s hoping it can help again.

[VirginiaBred]

Just in from Alex:

Update 321: Another comfortable night (wednesday night) for Barbaro. I saw Michael Matz and his set as I was coming to the track with my second horse. I took some photos so will hope to get a couple on the site later.
update, thursday july 27, 7:15 am

[eggbutt]

@monicabee

Eggbutt, et al. -

I couldn’t believe that a piece like that didn’t have an author, so I did a search for it. Although it does seem to be circulated as “author unknown,” it was written by Lauren Davis Baker and was titled “God Jumps”.

Maybe anyone circulating it further could add that info.

Thanks monicabee…I asked my friend where she got it and also did a tiny search myself so I could add the author’s name to my post (since we’ve had so much turmoil about “credits”) and I wasn’t able to come up with any info. I will edit my original post to add Lauren’s name as author.

My candles have been lit for today for B and all his team!

[War_Admiral]

@jparkes

Has anyone from this thread sent anything from Kennett Florist to NBC? I visited their site earlier today and would love to send a basket of some sort over to all the hard workers. If we can keep the spirits high for all those who are keeping Barbaro’s spirit up, it can’t do any harm, right?

So, which one should I send them? They all look great, but are there any that would be appreciated more?

You might want to check in over at the Tim Woolley Racing blog. I believe some of the ladies over there have got a schedule worked out where each of them buys breakfast for the hard-working folks at NBC on a different day. Or you could call Kennett Florist and ask, b/c I think they’re doing a lot of custom jobs especially for Barbaro and the gang.

[VirginiaBred]

I agree it would be best to call Kennett Florist directly.
www.kennettflorist.net

[Susan_P]

Just lit some more candles, keeping them burning brightly. :yes:

[Susan_P]

There’s a place or 2 in Wilmington, DE that sells incredible edibles and there are places in PA too. I’ve seen these bouquets, they look delicious and they’r quite different from a fruit basket with a different variety.

Incredibly Edible Delites Inc
1900 Newport Gap Pike
Wilmington, DE zip code

Phone: (302) 636-0300

https://store.fruitflowers.com/cgi-bin/webstore.cgi?cat=default
PENNSYLVANIAStore NamePhone NumberBucks County, PA & Trenton/Princeton, NJ(215) 396-1610
(609) 584-8224Center City Philadelphia(215) 241-1136Greater Philadelphia(610)353-8844Lancaster/Berks, PA(866) 302-3577
Berks 610 373-0717
Lanc. 717 687-0480Pittsburgh, PA and Vicinity(412) 221-2151West Chester, PA(610) 429-3302Wilmington, DE & Vicinity(302) 636-0300

[jparkes]

Thanks for the ideas! I’ll check over on the Tim Woolley Racing Blog as well as the other places mentioned.