Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

Triumph and Tragedy

April 29, 2003 A colt was born at Sanborn Chase Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., the son of Dynaformer and La Ville Rouge, bred and owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Chester County.

April 29, 2003

A colt was born at Sanborn Chase Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., the son of Dynaformer and La Ville Rouge, bred and owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson of Chester County.

Oct. 4, 2005 Trained

by former equestrian Olympic medalist Michael Matz and ridden by Jose Caraballo, he won his first start by 81/2 lengths, a one-mile grass race

at Delaware Park at

8-1 odds.

Nov. 19, 2005 In just his second race, he romped

in the Laurel Futurity,

a nationally acclaimed grass-stakes race, winning by eight lengths. The racing world took notice.

Jan. 1, 2006 The colt pulled away to win the Grade III Tropical Park Derby by 33/4 lengths on the grass at Calder Race Course. Jockey Edgar Prado was aboard for the first time.

Feb. 4 In his first race

on the dirt, he won the Grade III Holy Bull Stakes by three-quarters of a length on a sloppy track at Gulfstream Park, one of the first Kentucky Derby prep races.

April 1 Barbaro won the Florida Derby by a half-length to become a leading contender for

the Derby.

May 6 The undefeated colt won the Kentucky Derby by 61/2 lengths,

the largest margin of victory since 1946.

May 20 Favored to win the Preakness Stakes,

the horse suffered "catastrophic" multiple fractures in his right

hind leg during the first furlong. A splint was applied on the racetrack, a radiograph was taken in the barn, and less than an hour after the race he was taken by equine ambulance to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in

Kennett Square.

May 21 During a five-hour surgery, a 16-hole titanium plate and 27 screws were inserted in the ankle area of his right hind leg. Surgeon Dean Richardson called Barbaro's chance of survival a "coin toss."

May 22 With a fiberglass cast from hock to hoof, he settled into his stall in the intensive-care unit.

May 27 He was fitted with a special three-part, glue-on horseshoe for his left hind hoof, helping reduce risk of laminitis.

May 30 Jockey Edgar Prado visited the colt. Richardson said recovery was still months away.

June 10 The Derby champion stood in his stall as Jazil won the Belmont Stakes.

June 13 He was placed under general anesthesia to have the cast changed for the first time. Richardson said, "His leg looks excellent."

June 18 A month after the injury, the colt's recovery was going smoothly. "He's a lively, bright, happy horse. If you asked me a month ago, I would have gladly accepted where we are today," Richardson said.

July 5 The cast was replaced because of discomfort; the colt received treatment for

a small abscess on the sole of his uninjured left hind hoof.

July 8 He developed "potentially serious" complications to the injured leg and underwent surgery to treat a new infection in the leg. The cast was replaced, this time with a longer one that provided additional support. Doctors replaced the plate and many screws.

July 10 The cast was replaced again, this time with a shorter one. Richardson believed there will be "some tough

days ahead."

July 12 The condition turned "potentially serious."

July 13 Richardson disclosed that the colt

has laminitis, a painful and often fatal disease. The vets removed 80 percent of Barbaro's left hind hoof to treat the condition and his chances of survival were termed "poor" by Richardson.

July 14 His condition was stable and vital signs were good as the laminitis was treated aggressively with pain medication. Prado visited, and the colt put his head on his shoulder and fell asleep.

July 19 Richardson warned that Barbaro's condition wouldn't change quickly. "We're in a marathon at this point," he said.

Aug. 9 After nearly three months in his ICU stall, Barbaro began 15- to 20-minute outings to grassy areas adjacent

to the unit to hand-graze and enjoy fresh air

and sunshine.

Aug. 17 Barbaro was taken out of the supportive sling and taken off pain medicine.

Aug. 19 His left hind hoof was healing well enough to need just a bandage.

Sept. 26 Richardson

said the right hind leg

was nearly healed and the hoof on the left hind

leg was beginning to

grow back.

Nov. 6 Nearly six months after the accident at the Preakness, Barbaro had the cast removed from his lower right hind leg.

Dec. 13 Barbaro can leave New Bolton in the "not so distant future," Richardson said.

"As soon as we believe

he can be managed as well somewhere else,

he will go somewhere else," he said.

Dec. 22 Richardson said Barbaro's recovery was more about science than the prayers from the faithful fans who kept

a vigil for him.

Jan. 2, 2007 Barbaro's right hind leg kept getting stronger, and Richardson believed the colt should eventually be healthy enough to live a comfortable, happy life.

Jan. 10 Damaged tissue was removed from Barbaro's left hind hoof. The setback came one week after a new cast was placed on Barbaro's laminitis-stricken left

hind foot to help realign

a bone.

Jan. 13 Another section of his laminitis-stricken left hind hoof was removed, and a cast

was placed back on his right hind leg for additional support.

Jan. 24 The cast

was replaced on his laminitis-stricken left hind foot, and he got a custom-made plastic and steel brace on his right hind leg.

Jan. 27 Risky surgery

was required to insert two steel pins in a bone to eliminate all weight bearing on the ailing right rear foot. The cast was removed and replaced

by an external brace known as a skeletal fixation device. If the bone were to break again, Richardson said: "I think we'll quit."

Jan. 29 The 2006 Kentucky Derby champion was euthanized.