Barbaro Fights for his life!!

[CryingForTheHorses]

What a very sad day for racing.We finally get a superhorse that is once again taken from us too soon.This CHAMP is fighting for his life guys.
Please pray for him and his connectons

[kenwoodallpromos]

The x-ray results were very bad, fracture avobe and below the ankle- I guess at surgery they will know more about the blood supply.
Do you think a combination of factors can cause this sort of thing? Right now that is my opinion, but I am not a horseman. He did not look to me on the replays to take any 1 bad step.

[TravisVOX]

The warm-ups were different - Prado kept looking. Perhaps the issue started while warming-up, or during the blow-out etc. We will never know. He did not look right early in the race at all, a few of us here noticed that and then bam, he pulls up.

By taking him to the hospital etc., I fear they are delaying the inevitable. Hopefully he survives, but it's grim.

[DJofSD]

Travis -- I fear you're right.

And racing receives another black eye.

[PaceAdvantage]

The warm-ups were different - Prado kept looking.

I haven't had a chance to see the pre-race coverage yet.....I was only able to watch the race itself. Given what you and others are saying about the pre-race warmup, it will be very interesting to see how this plays out.

First things first though, and that's Barbaro's health.

[Joe L.]

Thought I heard Donna Barton say that Barbaro and Like Now had nice warm-ups. Earlier in the day Jerry Bailey said Barbaro was restless and pacing in his stall, unlike pre-Derby. Then he breaks through gate. Damn shame and damn sad. :ThmbDown:

[DJofSD]

I only saw a few brief moments of the warm up. The few seconds I saw of Barbaro made me think this was a rocking horse -- primed to run. In my opinion, if that behavior was consistant then I'm doubtful he was hurting during the post parade/warm up.

It'd be nice to hear from some one on track that was able to folllow the parade and warm up as opposed to only seeing whar NBC could/would show.

[michiken]

It's days like this that I think the Triple Crown series of races should be spaced out on a more reasonable schedule. With all the pressure to deliver, 3 year olds are rushed too fast to compete these days.

Why are we sacrificing and losing all of this wonderful talent at age 3?:confused:

The last time I felt this miserable about a horse breaking down was watching Go For Wand still try to run with half a leg.

My thoughts and prayers are with Barbaro and the Matz family. Kudos to Edgar Prado for controlling the horse so that his life might be saved.

[oddswizard]

After Barbaro broke through the gate they immediateily reloaded him in the gate. I don't believe the track vets checked him out prior to reloading him. I hope I am wrong

[WJ47]

I thought Barbaro looked good in the post parade and warm up, but on TVG, they showed a clip where Prado looks over his shoulder and looked at Barbaro's hindquarters. And then he looked over the other shoulder and looked at the other side. I'd have to believe that if Prado would have suspected something was wrong, he would have got off and had the horse checked. Its such a sad thing, I really hope they can save him. I really thought he was going to be next Secretariat or Cigar. It was heartbreaking to see the connections after the race.

[PaceAdvantage]

I thought Barbaro looked good in the post parade and warm up, but on TVG, they showed a clip where Prado looks over his shoulder and looked at Barbaro's hindquarters. And then he looked over the other shoulder and looked at the other side.

If that's all it was, then I wouldn't put much into it....I don't think that's such unusual behavior during the pre-race warmup. Now, if he did this 2 or 3 times, I'd start to wonder....

[trigger]

Barbaro should have been checked out after he broke through the gate. His seemingly life threatening injury may have been avoided if they took normal precautions...this is a shameful day for racing. I am sickened and don't think they can ever make this right. I won't be any where near a race track for a long while if ever.

[wanderius_thrax]

i'm kind of curious how everybody dismissed breaking out of the gate early as having nothing to do with this injury, while at the same time mentioning how much force it takes to force open the gate...

wouldn't the back legs of the horse have had to contribute some uncommonly substantial energy towards moving the horse forward to open the gate? it could've caused some level of minute fracture that blew up immediately after words.......

does breaking early happen that much? i've seen a gate open like a fifth of a second early before, but that was it until this

seems like a hell of a coincidence... "false start", then a fracture in the real race.....

scott

[wanderius_thrax]

(everybody meaning the people on television)

[MitchS]

I used to Train. Its been some years now and lots of memories this brings back from my years in the industry. Wow...What a say day indeed..

I was concerned before the race, because of his restlessness in the stall and he's unusual pre-race behavior. When I saw him warm-up, at least what I could see not being there, he looked sharp. Chaumping at the bit. He was ready to roll and I sensed rating him might be difficult today. In my opinion the pre-break from the gate had no bearing on the injury. He was walking good and looked sharp reloading. As soon as he broke from the race, I new something was wrong and shortly there after he pulled up. I did not see any miss step at all.

I'm preying for you Barbaro..

[WJ47]

If that's all it was, then I wouldn't put much into it....I don't think that's such unusual behavior during the pre-race warmup. Now, if he did this 2 or 3 times, I'd start to wonder....

Thats basically all they showed. I believe Barbaro was standing still when Prado looked over his shoulder. There was another person on another horse next to him when he did that. I'll have to watch my TIVO recording later to see if I can see it on there again.

They're talking about it again on TVG now. A guy just called and commented on it.

[skate]

this aint ok, very sad for the Horse...

[Vegas711]

Seeing a super nice horse like Barbaro get hurt like this hurts ,more than getting Punched in the Gut.:( :(

I could care less about the Belmont, my only concern is if they can save this horse.

[JPinMaryland]

Boy this sport takes a hell of a lot of a person. Mentally, financially (to a large or small extent) and spiritually.

I cant put anything into perspective right now, I only want to share my gut impressions w/ the nice folks in our little racing community.

This was my first time at the Preakness, Pimlico sure is lacking a little on the big day. I mean, we didnt find out about the injury until we got in the car and turned on the radio. We had seats in the grandstand, but there's no audio to speak of. The telestrators are small and we never knew about the break unless we had been listening to the audio...

I saw a lady sobbing in the pavillion underneath the grandstand. I didnt figure it out until later.

I didnt think much of Barbaro breaking through the gate but the guy above made a pt. about how much force it takes to break the gate and where that force is placed. Good pt. as it looks like the horse may have been injured from the get go. Possibly a smaller fracture that was exacerbated when he left the gate. Wanderius' pt is worth consideration.

But I didnt think much of it at the time because in the old days horses woudl do that a lot. I think it was War Admiral once broke through the gate something like ten times. I know one horse did that.

Last time a horse broke through a gate? Been awhile. DIdnt Seattle Slew do that once? I guess it happens once in a while.

Well, I'm glad I've got a place to go and commiserate. Obviously I am so sad. Barbaro we love you... :)

[blind squirrel]

Thats basically all they showed. I believe Barbaro was standing still when Prado looked over his shoulder. There was another person on another horse next to him when he did that. I'll have to watch my TIVO recording later to see if I can see it on there again.

They're talking about it again on TVG now. A guy just called and commented on it.

TVG has a show FANDICAPPING hosted by KEN RUDOLPH and people
were calling in and asking questions for NICK HINES.a caller
wondered what EDGAR was looking at in the post parade when he
kept looking down towards both sides of BARBARO'S rear?

well,JENINE SAHADI called in and said this caller in KENTUCKY
was "ignorant' and shouldn't be speculating about something they
know nothing about....edgar wouldn't have gone to the gate
if there had been anything wrong.

to KEN RUDOLPH'S credit he told JENINE this is a fan's show and
people have opinions and he will let "the fan" voice there opinion
even if TVG may disagree....i think the caller had a legitimate question.

[PaceAdvantage]

Just to point out, horses break through the gate all the time in racing. They are 99% of the time put right back in if they haven't run off. I can't ever remember a horse breaking through the gate, and then breaking down just after the start of the race (or, in fact, at any point in a race).

Not to say it hasn't happened, just that I can't remember it happening in almost 20 years of watching races....(man, am I getting old....)

[Dave Schwartz]

I will add this day to the two most unpleasant racing days that come to my mind:

1) The day that Michael Venezia was killed on the track. (I had bet a horse in that race and was watching live when he went down.)

2) The Go For Wand tragedy.


Truly a sad day.


Regards to all,
Dave Schwartz

[BetHorses!]

The warm-ups were different - Prado kept looking. Perhaps the issue started while warming-up, or during the blow-out etc. We will never know. He did not look right early in the race at all, a few of us here noticed that and then bam, he pulls up.

By taking him to the hospital etc., I fear they are delaying the inevitable. Hopefully he survives, but it's grim.


I noticed this also. I watched it over, right after Costas speaks they focus on Barbaro, Stevens speaks and says how great he looks and then Barbaro begins acting up and Stevens points this out and says he's acting up right there but just feeling good and then he goes to Donna...at that point Prado looked at Barbaro's Left hind and then Right front and then back towards the right hind. It is interesting now since what tragically happened but the horse did look great and everyone agreed although Donna added she was surprised how much Barbaro warmed up as she thought they would keep him kind of quiet.

[DJofSD]

To this day, I can not and will not watch any of those BC races where Go for Wand broke down.

The people who have to be taking this the hardest are the connections especially the Jacksons.

[keenang]

What a pity. When ever a horse breaks down I always think of Ruffian. We all hope and pray that they can save him.

Geno

[Suff]

What a pity. When ever a horse breaks down I always think of Ruffian. We all hope and pray that they can save him.

Geno

Tragedy:

On the Subway ride home, all I kept thinking about was Go For Wand.

[WJ47]

To this day, I can not and will not watch any of those BC races where Go for Wand broke down.

The people who have to be taking this the hardest are the connections especially the Jacksons.

I remember turning away from the TVG when Go For Wand broke down because it was apparent that they were going to put her down and I couldn't bear to watch anymore. I never actually saw how bad her injury was until HBO aired their documentary "Jockey" and they showed it. Absolutely horrifying.

This morning on TVG, they seem more optimistic about Barbaro's chances. I'm praying that his surgery goes well this afternoon.

[ratpack]

They had a surgical Vet on Mike Willmans Racing show here in LA this morning and he talking for almost 20 min about the injury. He said it was very rare in his 30+ years of practice heas only seen 3 or 4.

The good news he said is that he has the best surgeon in the country and he is at the best facility. They pressed him for an answer he did say it is a difficult surgery and have not seen any Xrays but the best is 50/50.

So it is going to be a tough afternoon, Good Luck Barbaro and the surgical team.

[NY BRED]

i'm praying for michael matz and his barbaro and hoping this family will again
cheat death.

as importantly, i hope someone will explore possible ways to improve
the entire triple crown event, especially the timing between the derby and preakness.


some will argue this is tradition, and that's the way it is.Others will argue, with the health of the horse in mind, that perhaps a better spacing of races
should be considered, including, most importantly, a better way of determining eligibility for the derby in light of inflated purses and horses that simply don't belong that create, by the very size of the field, highly dangerous conditions for horses and jockeys alike.

given all the informational hype before each of the national television coverage, i don't recall any prerace shows which describe how a horse gets to the derby via careful training, and winning the types of races(and money) to become eligible for the derby

coupled with information regarding the types of injuries which can occur
would enable the novice fan/spectator to gain a better perspective of the
this great sport,and understand how deeply a loss such as barbaro
affects the owner and the racing community.

[maxwell]

The fact that almost everyone refers to "Wanda" when these things happen proves how tough it was to view her demise. I couldn't believe what I was seeing - 15 years later and it still rattles us.

I don't have a good feeling about Barbaro's chances. But I will surely keep my fingers and toes crossed for him. :(

[fouroneone]

This is what kills our sport.

Not the takeouts, not the replacing with post time favorites, that doesnt drive anyone away.

We get a massive crowd on tv and in the stands and most people leave with a horrible taste in their mouths.

[BetHorses!]

I noticed this also. I watched it over, right after Costas speaks they focus on Barbaro, Stevens speaks and says how great he looks and then Barbaro begins acting up and Stevens points this out and says he's acting up right there but just feeling good and then he goes to Donna...at that point Prado looked at Barbaro's Left hind and then Right front and then back towards the right hind. It is interesting now since what tragically happened but the horse did look great and everyone agreed although Donna added she was surprised how much Barbaro warmed up as she thought they would keep him kind of quiet.

From NY Times:


Minutes before the horses were to load into the gate, Barbaro seemed to startle and appeared agitated. Prado looked behind him and to the left, then repeated the motion to the right.

"I do it with all my horses," Prado said. "I check that the girth is on right and then to see if their shoes are on firmly. I felt him move, and I looked back and there were flies on him. It happens a lot, especially when the infield is crowded and there's beer and food all around."

[headhawg]

This is what kills our sport.

Not the takeouts, not the replacing with post time favorites, that doesnt drive anyone away.

We get a massive crowd on tv and in the stands and most people leave with a horrible taste in their mouths.This is really overstating the case, don't you think? When Dale Earnhardt was killed on the race track several years ago, NASCAR fans -- and sports fans in general -- were deeply saddened. I don't see that event causing the demise of NASCAR; in fact, it's probably as popular as ever.

The Barbaro tragedy doesn't help the cause, but the horse racing industry has done -- or not done -- things that has eroded its fan base over many, many years.

Best of luck to Barbaro and his connections.

[JustRalph]

This is really overstating the case, don't you think? When Dale Earnhardt was killed on the race track several years ago, NASCAR fans -- and sports fans in general -- were deeply saddened. I don't see that event causing the demise of NASCAR; in fact, it's probably as popular as ever.

The Barbaro tragedy doesn't help the cause, but the horse racing industry has done -- or not done -- things that has eroded its fan base over many, many years.

Best of luck to Barbaro and his connections.

Nascar has a marketing machine that is unrivaled. Corporate participation and much more is driving Nascar. It is not even close to the same sport it was. And the fans are different. I used to attend 2 races or more a year. Not anymore.

coincidentaly check out this article today. http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/opinion/05/23/last.lap.allstar/index.html

http://www.nascar.com/2006/news/opinion/05/20/humpy.wheeler/index.html