Barbaro injured at Preakness

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:40 pm

Anyone else see the Pimlico today? I was all pumped up to see Barbaro romp to another victory, but instead I didn't care about the damn Triple Crown anymore and was watching Barbaro in obvious agony trying to run on 3 legs. I feel so bad for that poor horse. Major fracture above and below the ankle. They said this injury is definitely career ending and could be life threatening to the horse. They can and are going to do surgery, but the problem is recovery. It will take about 6 weeks and a horse obviously cannot lie in a hospital bed the way a human can, so they cannot tell how and if the foot will heal. I hope they do everything they can do to save this horse, because we are mostly responsible for his injury. I love horse racing, but somehow I don't think this horse's life would be in danger if he was just on a ranch somewhere.
The pounding they take from racing can't be natural on their legs and ankles. I hope he pulls through.

JackDiggity · Post by **JackDiggity** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:51 pm

That's pretty sad. I hope the horse pulls through.

warnerwlf98 · Post by **warnerwlf98** » Sat May 20, 2006 10:53 pm

Yeah, it was pretty bad. I don't know a thing about horse racing, but when he jumped the gate before the race started, I thought that that was a sign that he shouldn't have been allowed to race at all - he should have been held back and checked out. Then maybe after sitting out a couple of weeks he could have had a go at Belmont instead.

I hope he makes it.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:06 am

Plenty more to pray about than a horse...I mean...it's a horse. I'd rather pray for things that are at least semi-important. Maybe I'm insensitive, but aren't there a lot better things to put our prayers towards?

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:10 am

it's a horse. . . .

I mean, I know the horse might've made somebody a lot of money, but. . .

It's a horse.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:20 am

edited

Been a long, long, night.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:22 am

I'll pray for him. My Aunt used to race horses and is now a trainer, she thought it was a pulled muscle... if it only was.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:33 am

I came into this thread with the same mindset as db and zeppo. After reading the thread I'm going to leave the thread with the same mindset. As much as I love animals and don't like to see any in pain it's hard to pray for a horse.

sfz_T-car · Post by **sfz_T-car** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:53 am

As the great Mr. Ed once said "a horse is a horse, of course, of course"

But it was sad to see that beautiful animal pull up.

Post by **Jared** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:55 am

I usually go to the Preakness, but skipped out this year because I was busy.
(Now rueing my chance, since I had the exacta picked.) It's the first time I've seen the Preakness on TV in a while, and I was amazed at how quiet the place got when Barbaro pulled up. Local news has been all over the story...people were crying in the grandstands, and the break is pretty bad. Surgery is tomorrow, and I hope he makes it.

Bill_Abner · Post by **Bill_Abner** » Sun May 21, 2006 1:19 am

I hope he makes it, too. Our family has been through this kind of thing before and it's just devastating. We actually know some of the connections to Barbaro and everyone is pretty much in a state of shock. Whether or not you 'pray' is irrelevant IMO. Showing a modicum of respect is all that I ask. Unless you've been through this you have no idea how painful it is.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun May 21, 2006 8:27 am

It's a damn shame. That horse is a beautiful animal, and I hope it can be saved.

I feel for everyone involved with the horse -- owners, jockey, trainers, grooms, etc.

A real shame.

Take care,
PK

Programmed2Kill · Post by **Programmed2Kill** » Sun May 21, 2006 9:59 am

I like watching the races because of my uncle (R.I.P.), so I hope Barbaro pulls through. He's such a magnificent horse and may have been the best chance at the Triple Crown for a while.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:07 am

Programmed2Kill wrote:I like watching the races because of my uncle (R.I.P.), so I hope Barbaro pulls through. He's such a magnificent horse and may have been the best chance at the Triple Crown for a while.

Did you forget Smarty Jones already? Won the Derby and the Preakness in 2004.

Take care,
PK

Rodster · Post by **Rodster** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:21 am

Exactly PK and Bernardini won yesterdays race by 51/2 lengths. Who's to say Barbaro would have had a repeat performance.

It's a shame about Barbaro and I hope he makes it.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:54 am

Bill,
What did you post and then edit out? pm it to me if you dont mind.
I am curious as to your thoughts. I know this was a tough night for you.
My wife was crying her eyes out when the horse couldnt put its leg down, because she knew it would probably mean the worst. For the people that say "its just a horse", I dont know how you can be so un-feeling for one of nature's most magnificent creatures. Could I break your puppy's leg with a hammer and then say "it's just a dog"? I feel like it's our duty as human's to care for the animals that we use for our own amusement and profit.

Bill_Abner wrote:edited

Been a long, long, night.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Sun May 21, 2006 10:57 am

Bernardini didn't run a fast race by Preakness standards. I think Barbaro would have won easier than he did in the Derby, but we will never know now.

Rodster wrote:Exactly PK and Bernardini won yesterdays race by 51/2 lengths. Who's to say Barbaro would have had a repeat performance.

It's a shame about Barbaro and I hope he makes it.

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:13 am

For Bernardini,

Commentator A says "this kind of victory demonstrates that Bernardini is prepared to win Belmont" (or something to that effect).

My wife chimes in: "Yeah, if they walk the Belmont."

And then she started crying when they showed Barbaro. Me too. I was so charged when I saw that horse bouncing around pre-race, biting and tossing Prado around, having fun. And then I was charged in an odd way when he broke early, even when I knew it "wasn't a good sign" as they said on TV because I thought, "it is a good sign; he's going to run away with this thing, rear up across the finish line and turn around to go back looking for more when the other horses cross after his cool down."
It was fun, and exciting, and emotional. And then awful.

It's just too bad the sport has been shuffled aside (long legacy of fixing and doping doesn't help, I guess). I've been to big auto races, and big horse races - and nothing takes your breath away like the thoroughbreds breaking for home at Saratoga, or some other old, memorable track.

B

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:30 am

JackB1 wrote:I feel like it's our duty as human's to care for the animals that we use for our own amusement and profit.

Well, I'm sorry but don't feel like it's my duty as a human being to pray for an animal that was conceived, birthed, and trained for someone's amusement and, mostly, profit just because it was on TV.

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Sun May 21, 2006 11:34 am

Very sad. I hope Barbaro is okay.

It was amazing how quiet the place got (I was watching on tv). It took a while for the track announcer to actually get back to the race. There was a collective state of shock that seemed to come over the whole place.

nyisles16 · Post by **nyisles16** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:00 pm

sad to see that happen to the horse.. the jockey was so upset too.. i think what gets people attached to the animal is that it has an identity, much like "Boomer" is my dog's name.. once you attach a name to an object (animal, plant, rock, etc.) it becomes more personal to people..

surgury scheduled for just about now (1200 pm EST)..

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:14 pm

JackB1 wrote:For the people that say "its just a horse", I dont know how you can be so un-feeling for one of nature's most magnificent creatures. Could I break your puppy's leg with a hammer and then say "it's just a dog"? I feel like it's our duty as human's to care for the animals that we use for our own amusement and profit.

Whoa, whoa, whoa: Time out, Jack. Barbaro was not crippled in a Tonya Harding-style attack. The horse was injured doing what it was born to do and LOVED to do -- run.

Sure, I feel bad for the horse and its owners, especially if the animal is suffering. But this was not a malicious attack or freak occurence. Injury is an accepted risk every time a horse leaves the post.

Take care,
PK

wabash97 · Post by **wabash97** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:14 pm

Never mind. Nothing bad; there's just no point in playing the "who feels more bad" about this game.

B

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:27 pm

JackB1 wrote:For the people that say "its just a horse", I dont know how you can be so un-feeling for one of nature's most magnificent creatures. Could I break your puppy's leg with a hammer and then say "it's just a dog"? I feel like it's our duty as human's to care for the animals that we use for our own amusement and profit.

Well, the difference there is the fact that it would be "my" dog, not one I saw on tv. If I heard that Benji or Lassie was sick I still wouldn't feel inclined to pray. It's definitely sad and I do hope Barbaro survives, but it's hard to pray for a horse I saw race once (Kentuck Derby) and didn't see hobbling around on 3 legs.

Bill,
I'm sorry if you feel I, or others, didn't show a modicum of respect. I don't think any of us want the horse to suffer and die.

Danimal · Post by **Danimal** » Sun May 21, 2006 12:30 pm

JackB1 wrote:For the people that say "its just a horse", I dont know how you can be so un-feeling for one of nature's most magnificent creatures. Could I break your puppy's leg with a hammer and then say "it's just a dog"?

The two are not even compariable. It was an injury to a horse that not many people have any connection to. The owner, trainer and people involved should feel devastated, but you expect thew general public to care and chastise them when they don't. Then say I'll come break your puppies leg?? Get a clue