The 2005 Kentucky Derby winner was euthanized due to complications from his breakdown at the Preakness last year. A series of problems, including laminitis in the left rear hoof and a recent subsolar abscess in the right rear hoof, were beginning to cause the colt increasing discomfort.
On May 20, Barbaro was rushed to the New Bolton Center near Philadelphia, hours after shattering his right hind leg a few strides into the Preakness Stakes. He had broken the leg in three places, shattering the pastern bone into 20 pieces. The bay colt underwent a five-hour operation that fused two joints with the insertion of a titanium plate and 27 screws to piece the leg together.
Barbaro lived for eight more months in spite of a series of setbacks, including having 80 per cent of his left rear hoof removed due to laminitis. As late as this past December, with the broken bone in his right leg nearly healed and his laminitis under control, reports indicated that Barbaro was looking healthy and in good spirits.
This past weekend, a significant setback occurred and surgery was required to insert two steel pins into his cannon bone, which were connected to external sidebars that were in turn connected to a lightweight alloy foot plate. This resulted in the elimination of all weight bearing from his abscessed foot. The horse’s weight was borne through the pins across the cannon bone.
In spite of the original injury being all but healed, the decision was made by his owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, in consultation with chief surgeon Dean Richardson, to end his now painful struggle. The story of the three-year-old colt’s fight for life captured the fancy of millions and drew an outpouring of support unrivaled by other sports.
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