Barbaro: America's Horse Continues to Beat the Odds Six Months Later

Call him Barbaro, Bobby, America's Horse, or The Big Guy-he's the best-know horse in the country, maybe even the world, right now. It's been six months since this amazing Kentucky Derby winner suffered his bone-shattering, life-threatening injury at the Preakness on May 20, 2006.

We still care.

Barbaro is getting better, we're told. We gave a collective sigh of relief after the seemingly-miraculous surgery that put his right hind leg back together. We grieved on July 13 with the announcement of the dreaded laminitis in his left rear hoof. Dr. Dean Richardson, the surgeon who worked tirelessly to save Barbaro, decreed his chance of survival was poor at best.

But recover is exactly what the congenial bay has begun to do. Barbaro, now estimated to be a full 17 hands, has also gained some weight. He weighs in at 1135 pounds. His wonderful physique with the rippling muscles of a thoroughbred has wasted a bit due to a lack of exercise. However, his medical team has been quick to point out his athleticism and superb conditioning have made a big difference in his ability to recover.

Six months post-op, Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit at the New Bolton Center (NBC) of the University of Pennsylvania vet school. However, he has just been moved to a more spacious stall-and a change of scenery-in the neonatal section. His right leg has healed. Where he once wore a series of casts to protect the fused pastern joint and the areas above and below it, he now sports a splint and a bandage. The staff reports as he adjusts to his new legware, he rests and lies down a lot.

The severe case of laminitis resulted in the removal of 80 percent of Barbaro's left hind hoof in July and delayed the removal of the cast on his right leg. His vets report the hoof is regrowing, although at an irregular pace and in an irregular pattern. Its bandages are changed daily. Make no mistake about it, they are quick to warn while he's stable, his life is still in jeopardy. He must be able to stand and move about on four strong legs and four hooves. At this point, only about 30 percent of the infected hoof has regrown.

Following the surgery, NBC staff members were deluged with cards, letters, and gifts. The majority went to their celebrity patient. Some reached the blood donor horses on site. Fans have periodically treated the staff to lunch. Kennett Florist, in Kennett Square, PA, has toted thousands of pounds of goodies to New Bolton. Barbaro's favorites: stud muffins, red apples, certain carrots, and hand-picked grass. Gretchen Jackson and her husband Roy own Barbaro and made the courageous decision to try to save him as long as he remained comfortable. Mrs. Jackson has regularly brought him hand-picked grass from their Lael Stables in nearby West Grove, PA.

Barbaro even received an invitation to a Fall wedding. The bride-to-be, suspecting he might not be able to make it, wrote that she understood if he could not, though she hoped he could. Dr. Richardson conveyed Barbaro's regrets, noting the colt had nothing to wear and that the horse had no intention of remaining monogamous.

The gates at New Bolton, once overrun with security staff chasing media folks, still bear a few posters from Barbaro fans. A large, hopeful one proclaims, "Grow Hoof Grow."

Mrs. Jackson has remarked whenever being Barbaro's owner becomes overwhelming, she spends time with him. Edgar Prado, the jockey who undoubtedly saved his life by quickly pulling him up at the Preakness, has visited him four times since his surgery.

As Pennsylvania gets ready for a steady diet of frost, ice, and snow, there has been a lot of speculation about what will happen next to Barbaro. Some postulated he would move to warmer digs in a southern state with many other thoroughbreds. Others suggested he would move to Lael Stables with the Jacksons for the winter. According to a local publication, Mrs. Jackson recently stated it is unlikely Barbaro will leave New Bolton any time soon.

Regardless of whether Barbaro is able to recover sufficiently to cover a mare and produce colts and fillies, his sad injury has brought about some remarkably positive events. Through Alex Brown's postings on Fair Hill trainer Tim Woolley's website at http://www.timwoolleyracing.com, thousands of the popular bay colt's fans check in each day hoping to read of any change, positive or negative, in his condition. They maintain a lively comment board and refer to themselves as "Friends of Barbaro"-FOBs. This band of fervent animal lovers has become a force to reckon with as far as mobilizing the public and elected officials regarding animal-friendly issues such as recent anti-horse slaughter legislation. And the horrific and highly-publicized injuries of Barbaro and dozens of other thoroughbreds recently have led track owners to consider using new, improved materials such as Polytrack.

Barbaro's day is punctuated by two short trips outside to graze, weather permitting. He is currently off-limits to most of the media and all but a few pre-approved visitors. He remains positive and alert. His thick tail, half of which he inadvertently ripped out when thrashing around as he emerged from anesthesia, is slowly growing. A blistered area on his left side will grow white hair after it heals. However, for all of us who love America's Horse, he has already proven himself a courageous champion, whether he looks like one or not.

Grow hoof, grow!