I truly feel sad for this horse. It's obvious that he has a lot of heart, and was excited about competing, even though he couldn't know just how big this race was. I also feel sadness when thinking about the owners, trainers, and anyone else that had contact and a bond with this horse. I would imagine that at some level, it's like having a dog. What a horrible day.
Horses bust through the gate, are reloaded and run the race without getting injured (and almost always without winning) all the time; what happened in the Preakness is something I've seen happen hundreds of times. I think this is the first time I've ever seen a horse break down after busting the gate.
Belch One said:
Proper protocol is to ALWAYS check the horse after a gate incident.Like another poster said, they always do on such races as 5 claimers at Turf Paradise why not in one of the most watched races of the year.
Someone dropped the ball here and it will no doubt cost this colt his life, there is nothing they can do for him with this injury.If it was just a sesamoid fracture yes but when the canon bone has multiple fractures it is 99.9% terminal. Another black eye for the sport! It will be announced by tomorrow for sure.
As for the gate not causing the injury, i totally disagree as if you look at the video of the handlers re-entering him you can see he was limping .Whole thing could have been avoided.Sad
Btw, first time poster, long time reader
for Chuck Sims/Teazeman/vermonthorseplayer...aka, the three idiots...
Bramlage does not believe the injury occurred when Barbaro broke through the starting gate. "I watched him break through the first time and I watched him break the second time," Bramlage said. "He didn't break with the right hind injury. I would guess that it happened sometime out about a furlong. It took an additional 110 yards to 200 yards for Edgar to get him under control because these don't hurt immediately when they happen. There is so much adrenaline that the horse has no concept. Edgar probably knew before the horse knew that something was wrong. I don't think breaking through the gate the first time had anything to do with this."
"When he went to the gate, he was feeling super and I felt like he was in the best condition for this race," Prado said. "He actually tried to buck me off a couple of times. He was feeling that good. He just touched the front of the doors of the gate and went right through it.
"During the race, he took a bad step and I can't really tell you what happened. I heard a noise about 100 yards into the race and pulled him right up."
...you three can keep repeating the same lie, ie. that Barbaro was not checked and cleared by the track vet after he broke through the gate prematurely, but that does not change the fact the Barbaro was checked and cleared of any injury by the track vet before being reloaded into the gate.
Bramlage does not believe the injury occurred when Barbaro broke through the starting gate. "I watched him break through the first time and I watched him break the second time," Bramlage said. "He didn't break with the right hind injury. I would guess that it happened sometime out about a furlong. It took an additional 110 yards to 200 yards for Edgar to get him under control because these don't hurt immediately when they happen. There is so much adrenaline that the horse has no concept. Edgar probably knew before the horse knew that something was wrong. I don't think breaking through the gate the first time had anything to do with this."
"When he went to the gate, he was feeling super and I felt like he was in the best condition for this race," Prado said. "He actually tried to buck me off a couple of times. He was feeling that good. He just touched the front of the doors of the gate and went right through it.
"During the race, he took a bad step and I can't really tell you what happened. I heard a noise about 100 yards into the race and pulled him right up."
...you three can keep repeating the same lie, ie. that Barbaro was not checked and cleared by the track vet after he broke through the gate prematurely, but that does not change the fact the Barbaro was checked and cleared of any injury by the track vet before being reloaded into the gate.
Startling Injury at Preakness Ends Barbaro's Quest
By JOE DRAPE
Published: May 21, 2006
BALTIMORE, May 20 — The Preakness Stakes was supposed to be a walkover for Barbaro, the undefeated colt who looked every bit the superhorse when winning the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. Since that first Saturday in May, he was being talked about as a potential Triple Crown champion.
Those hopes ended horrifically in the first sixteenth of a mile at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, when Barbaro sustained potentially life-threatening fractures above and below his right hind ankle. His jockey, Edgar Prado, said he felt the colt's pain immediately; he slowed Barbaro gradually to a standstill in front of a clubhouse brimming with stunned onlookers.
As the eight remaining horses disappeared into the first turn of a race that Bernardini eventually won, the real drama was unfolding in the opening straightaway. Barbaro was holding his awkwardly bent leg aloft as an equine ambulance raced to his aid.
His trainer, Michael Matz, ran from the clubhouse to the racetrack; Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, trailed behind him. But it was Matz's assistant, Peter Brette, who was watching near the paddock and reached Barbaro and Prado first. The two horsemen dissolved into a hug as veterinarians tried to comfort Barbaro.
"There are some major hurdles here," said Dr. Larry Bramlage, a renowned equine surgeon who was the on-call veterinarian for the American Association of Equine Practitioners. "This is a significant injury. His career is over. This is it for him as a racehorse. We're trying to save him as a stallion."
Bramlage, who examined the X-rays, said that Barbaro broke the bone above the ankle first. The break below the ankle occurred sometime in the next several yards, he said, because Barbaro was coursing with energy and adrenaline and wanted to keep running.
He likened the injury to a runner who twists his ankle but continues, then sustains more damage with every step. Bramlage praised Prado for acting swiftly; he said that could be critical to Barbaro's survival.
He said horses had two small arteries in their legs, and the concern was that blood flow to the lower limb might be impeded.
"That's what you worry about as life-threatening," Bramlage said. "Secondly, if this kind of injury happened to us, we'd be put up in bed for six weeks. But you can't do that for a horse."
A horse's physiology and temperament are not designed for long stretches of inactivity. A horse with a severely injured leg will try to put weight on it; if a horse is forced to recline, its internal organs may not react properly.
Prado was visibly shaken. On the racetrack, in a loud, quivering voice, he tried to tell Matz and the Jacksons of the strange, uncharacteristic sensation he felt on Barbaro, the horse he had said was the best he had ever ridden. On the rail nearby, many in the crowd of 118,402, a record for the Preakness, were in tears.
Only moments earlier, a seemingly rambunctious Barbaro had broken through the gate, delaying the start of the race.
"When he went to the gate, he was feeling super and I felt like he was in the best condition for this race," Prado said. "He actually tried to buck me off a couple of times. He was feeling that good. He just touched the front of the gate and went right through it."
Barbaro got 10 or so yards before being escorted by outriders to his No. 6 post position. He was checked by a track veterinarian and found to be uninjured. When the gates opened, Barbaro bounded out effortlessly.
"He took a bad step and I can't tell you what happened," Prado said. "I heard a noise about 100 yards into the race and pulled him right up." Bramlage said the injury occurred during the race and not in the gate incident.
By JOE DRAPE
Published: May 21, 2006
BALTIMORE, May 20 — The Preakness Stakes was supposed to be a walkover for Barbaro, the undefeated colt who looked every bit the superhorse when winning the Kentucky Derby two weeks ago. Since that first Saturday in May, he was being talked about as a potential Triple Crown champion.
Those hopes ended horrifically in the first sixteenth of a mile at Pimlico Race Course on Saturday, when Barbaro sustained potentially life-threatening fractures above and below his right hind ankle. His jockey, Edgar Prado, said he felt the colt's pain immediately; he slowed Barbaro gradually to a standstill in front of a clubhouse brimming with stunned onlookers.
As the eight remaining horses disappeared into the first turn of a race that Bernardini eventually won, the real drama was unfolding in the opening straightaway. Barbaro was holding his awkwardly bent leg aloft as an equine ambulance raced to his aid.
His trainer, Michael Matz, ran from the clubhouse to the racetrack; Barbaro's owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, trailed behind him. But it was Matz's assistant, Peter Brette, who was watching near the paddock and reached Barbaro and Prado first. The two horsemen dissolved into a hug as veterinarians tried to comfort Barbaro.
"There are some major hurdles here," said Dr. Larry Bramlage, a renowned equine surgeon who was the on-call veterinarian for the American Association of Equine Practitioners. "This is a significant injury. His career is over. This is it for him as a racehorse. We're trying to save him as a stallion."
Bramlage, who examined the X-rays, said that Barbaro broke the bone above the ankle first. The break below the ankle occurred sometime in the next several yards, he said, because Barbaro was coursing with energy and adrenaline and wanted to keep running.
He likened the injury to a runner who twists his ankle but continues, then sustains more damage with every step. Bramlage praised Prado for acting swiftly; he said that could be critical to Barbaro's survival.
He said horses had two small arteries in their legs, and the concern was that blood flow to the lower limb might be impeded.
"That's what you worry about as life-threatening," Bramlage said. "Secondly, if this kind of injury happened to us, we'd be put up in bed for six weeks. But you can't do that for a horse."
A horse's physiology and temperament are not designed for long stretches of inactivity. A horse with a severely injured leg will try to put weight on it; if a horse is forced to recline, its internal organs may not react properly.
Prado was visibly shaken. On the racetrack, in a loud, quivering voice, he tried to tell Matz and the Jacksons of the strange, uncharacteristic sensation he felt on Barbaro, the horse he had said was the best he had ever ridden. On the rail nearby, many in the crowd of 118,402, a record for the Preakness, were in tears.
Only moments earlier, a seemingly rambunctious Barbaro had broken through the gate, delaying the start of the race.
"When he went to the gate, he was feeling super and I felt like he was in the best condition for this race," Prado said. "He actually tried to buck me off a couple of times. He was feeling that good. He just touched the front of the gate and went right through it."
Barbaro got 10 or so yards before being escorted by outriders to his No. 6 post position. He was checked by a track veterinarian and found to be uninjured. When the gates opened, Barbaro bounded out effortlessly.
"He took a bad step and I can't tell you what happened," Prado said. "I heard a noise about 100 yards into the race and pulled him right up." Bramlage said the injury occurred during the race and not in the gate incident.
I have owned horses for many years when I lived in Oregon and I have also owned and ran a Greyhound racing Kennel at MKC in Oregon. I hate to say this but it would be a longshot if this horse should survive this sort of injury. I agree it is very sad that in all these years they have still not been able to figure out a way to save horses that suffer this kind of serious injury. If it was a Greyhound the dog career would probably be over but the Greyhound's life would probably be saved. The weight of the horse and the fact that it is not possible to totally immobolize a horse for the length of time for the break to heal is part of the problem. I am sure that the Veterinary Surgeon will do whatever He can to save the Horse' life but it's still a longshot. I pray this one comes in !
Fishhead said:
I agree with you Fish.
Clearly if anyone saw the race they would know that him breaking out early of the gate did not cause the injury. Nor did it affect it in anyway.
Babarbaro got a good jump out of the gate and was in the middle of the pack for awhile before he pulled up.
It's hard to see what exactly causeed it but he was fine coming out of it.
It amazes me the compassion all you people here show for a horse. It renews my outlook on society in some way.....Why is it that a horse gets the compassion ...what is it about horses?? That they are almost human like?? That they literally built this country on their backs and the sweat on their brow?? We dont eat horse or dog...and I guarantee you that if this was a cat no one would give near a second thought. In any event Im pullin and prayin for the horse myself.
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