Barbaro comfortable for second straight night

By: SPORTS NETWORK

Kennett Square, PA (Sports Network) - Retired Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro had a second straight comfortable night in his stall at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center. It was revealed on Wednesday that the colt was experiencing discomfort in his left hind foot.

Chief of Surgery, Dr. Dean Richardson believes that the laminitis in Barbaro's left hind foot is not as bad as when first detected in July.

"We do not believe that this setback puts him all the way back to where he was in July," said Dr. Richardson. "He has much more healthy tissue on the bottom of the left foot than he had at that time. He spends part of each day in his sling, and he is eating well and acting bright."

Barbaro is spending several hours in a sling support during the day.

"He is getting up and down on his own and continues to eat and have stable vital signs," Dr. Richardson noted. "Radiographs (X-rays) taken Wednesday revealed no additional complications in either hind leg. We are considering several additional therapeutic options at this time."

"We have a solid column of bone to work with in the right hind limb," said Dr. Richardson about Barbaro's right hind leg. "There are no signs of infection in either limb at this time. It is very disappointing to have him go through this setback, but we will continue to try to keep him comfortable and assist his healing with reasonable and humane measures."

Barbaro suffered a career ending injury to the right hind leg during the early stages of the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Race Course last May 20.

Owned by Roy and Gretchen Jackson, the four-year-old remains in the Intensive Care Unit at Penn's George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals.