
Barbaro, 2006 Kentucky Derby Winner.
Barbaro's tale began on April 29, 2003, when he was foaled at Sanborn Chase Farm, in Kentucky, by Dynaformer, his sire, and La Ville Rouge, his dam. He was then bought by Gretchen and Roy Jackson, who own Lael Stables in West Grove, Pennsylvania, near Philadelphia. Bought as a racehorse, Barbaro went to train with well-known trainer, Michael Matz. From the beginning, Matz saw the potential that Barbaro had to race. "He's obviously a very talented horse," Michael Matz said. "Whether he carries the class he shows on turf over to the dirt, we just don't know yet." Between 2005 and 2006, Barbaro ran three out of his six races on turf and the other three on dirt, coming out of all of them undefeated.

Barbaro and jockey Edgar Prado cross the finish line to win the 2006 Kentucky Derby Winner.
After the Derby, there was plenty of speculation that Barbaro could easily be the first horse to win the Triple Crown since Affirmed, in 1978. He began training at Matz's Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland, before returning for the Preakness Stakes. If he could then win the Preakness, he would go onto race in the "Test of Champions" at the Belmont Stakes.
On Saturday, May 20, 2006, Barbaro entered the grounds at Pimlico Racecourse for the Preakness. Due to the horse's being a little high-strung, trainer Matz saddled and walked Barbaro around the paddocks before the race began. After a false start in the gate, Barbaro was looked over by health examiners, and led back into the gate. At the sound of the gun, Barbaro was, as usual, at the front of the runners, but not for long. Within a hundred yards, Prado had pulled him up and dismounted, the crowd grew unusually quiet, and instead of Barbaro, Bernardini crossed the finish line as the winner.

Barbaro’s racing career ends at the Preakness Stakes.
Once arriving at New Bolton, Barbaro was given anesthesia and taken into surgery. Dr. Richards had never performed a surgery on an area with as much damage as Barbaro had suffered, but was cautiously optimistic about the outcome. A seven-person surgical- team operated on Barbaro, using the latest veterinary advances possible. By placing an LCP, a locking compression plate, or stainless steel bar with screws onto the broken bones, the team was able to stabilize the bone and allow Barbaro to stand and hold some weight. This operation was deemed successful and for a few months, things were looking up for Barbaro.
The operation had been a success, but then other complications arose. The Derby winner developed an abscess in his left hind leg and later, laminitis in his front legs. Laminitis is a disease that develops in a horse's hoof, most times from too much pressure. In Barbaro's case, it developed since he had been placing so much weight on his front legs due to his injury in his hind leg. Laminitis is very painful for horses and not easily cured, and what eventually led to Barbaro's death. According to Dr. Richardson, Barbaro had developed one of the worst cases ever of laminitis. "If another horse came in tomorrow with the same fractures, I think I'd have a better chance of saving his life," he said. "I know I made mistakes. You expect to get better at what you do."
After arriving at New Bolton, Barbaro had become "America's Horse." People across the country kept up with his recovery and were cheering for him to get better. Thousands of 'Get Well' cards appeared on his stall door at the clinic, as well as flowers and presents. Reporters and newspapers covered his story almost on a daily basis, keeping America up to speed on "their" horse's recovery. On January 29, 2007, Barbaro, "America's Horse", and the Kentucky Derby winner who had been through so much, was euthanized. People across the country mourned with Barbaro's owners, and wished for a different outcome. He had survived a catastrophic event on the racetrack, but nature's course was too powerful for this little horse. Even though Barbaro may be gone, his spirit lives on in so many ways.
His stay at the New Bolton medical center, in Kennett Square, Chester County, had a huge impact on the world of medicine. His greatest impact was the light he cast on laminitis and the research on how to prevent it, leading to a new Laminitis research center at New Bolton. The Barbaro Fund, which has raised $1.2 million, supports ongoing patient medical care and the expansion of the George D. Widener Large Animal Hospital.

Barbaro’s memorial at Churchill Downs by sculptor Alexa King.
While Barbaro's racing career was short lived, he will always be remembered as "America's Horse." On April 26, 2009, Barbaro's ashes were buried outside Gate 1, near the Kentucky Derby Museum. Marking his resting place is a bronze statue of Barbaro in the 2006 Derby by sculptor Alexa King. Though Barbaro will race no more, he will be eternally running outside Churchill Downs.
Sources:
- Associated Press. "Barbaro euthanized after lengthy battle." NBC Sports. 29 Jan. 2007. 10 Feb. 2009. <http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/16846723/>.
- "Barbaro." Animals and nature. 2009. 10 Feb. 2009. <http://www.squidoo.com/barbaro>
- Drape, Joe. "Barbaro is euthanized after struggle with injury". New York Times. 29 Jan. 2007. <http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/29/sports/29cnd-barbaro.html>.
- Pedulla, Tom. "Surgery complete, Barbaro and his sport wait." USA Today. 22 May 2006. 12 Feb. 2009. <http://www.usatoday.com/sports/horses/2006-05-21-barbaro-focus_x.htm>
- Scheinman, John. "Kentucky Derby Winner Barbaro Loses long Struggle After Injury." The Washington Post 30 Jan. 2007: A01- A02.
- Twomey, Steve. "Barbaro's legacy." Smithsonian Magazine. Apr. 2007. 10 Feb. 2009. 38:1. 88-98. <http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/barbaro.html?c=y&page=1>
- Uhde, Andrea. "Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro Runs Again, in Bronze." Louisville Courier-Journal 27 Apr. 2009: Sports Section.