Barbaro Updates: 46
updates are now here.
Update 464: Daily Racing Form has an article of Lost in the Fog: Doctors think Lost in the Fog has cancer that appears a little more current. The following is an excerpt:
"They know the mass is in the spleen itself," he said on Wednesday. "Right now, it looks good. It hasn't metastasized and moved to other parts. But when you look at a sonogram, it won't show very small things. That's why they're doing the camera search.
"If they find more, it is not a good thing. At that point, we probably wouldn't do surgery. If it does look good, at the middle of next week surgery will be performed to remove the spleen. It's a very delicate operation. They say there's a 50-50 chance he will make it through. If all goes well, he will recover and live a normal life."
Update 463: Kathy Anderson just called (7:45 pm) and she was just leaving Barbaro, who was laid down, in an upright position, eating fresh picked grass from a bowl! As she was leaving his masseuse was arriving, who prefers to massage him laying down as he is then less active. Kathy's report was upbeat.
Update 462: Dr. Richardson Chat at the Bloodhorse. Interesting excerpts below:
The only reason I became a vet was because I fell in love with horses, and I became very involved working with horses. If you do that, you get to point where you love working on horses. I can't deny the fact he is a very smart and particularly charismatic horse. He is remarkably quick to pick up when you're trying to help him. Those are the sorts of things that make you like the horse a lot. You are also talking about being in the presence of greatness, and I think he truly was a great horse who did not have a chance to show it. All those things combined, it is hard not to be emotionally involved with it. I also have a long relationship with and like for the Jacksons and Matzes.
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My favorite part initially was the challenge of the procedure and the aftercare. My favorite part now is simply trying to save his life. He is a very personable young colt, truly charismatic.
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He gets ICU checks by the nurses four times daily (vital signs, checking how much he is eating, drinking, manure/urine production etc.) He is fed grain mixes four times daily. He receives free choice alfalfa and timothy mix hay. I change his LH foot bandage around 6 am and walk him about 30 minutes in the late afternoon. He is no longer being put in a sling. Previously, we were letting him out of the sling from about 7 pm until 9 am. The Jacksons and Mr. Matz visit at various times and Mrs. Jackson always brings some Lael Farm grass hand picked for him. He gets groomed and bathed at various times. Medications are given at various intervals. Previously he was on a number of constant intravenous infusions and epidural pain medication. His management is much simpler right now because he is doing so well.
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The hoof wall (the hard [keratinized] portion) including the sole was removed. We eventually removed about 90% of it. The time to completely regrow a hoof varies, but a reasonable estimate would be 9-12 months.
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He actually is spending no time at all in the sling right now. His comfort improved to the point that when he was in the sling, he wasn't "using" it. The sling is only bearing the horse's weight when he wants it to. It isn't possible for a horse to continuously hang with all of their weight in the sling. If they do so, they nearly always eat and breathe poorly. Also, nearly all will get serious rub sores if they are constantly hanging in the sling.
Update 461: Quick reminder, Dr. Richardson will host a chat at Bloodhorse.com at 6 pm east coast time. I will post the direct link to the chat here once the link is live.
Kennett Florist provided this update today:
What a fun day to go to NBC! We delivered ice cream and all the fixin's for sundaes... fudge, carmel, whipped cream, nuts and cherries! Dr Sweeney was kind enough to send out an email yesterday, so there was quite a crowd! The place is just electric (maybe partially from the sugar), but in my opinion because of all the good news this week! Bobby gets to feel the sun on his back each day and snort and chomp to his hearts content, what could be better!!
Bobby got his carrots and treats to go along with the staff's sugar high. We also brought up some goodies for some of the other shifts, since they miss out on breakfasts and such.
Thanks to all of you the spirits continue to be high!
WE BELIEVE!!
WM & CL left this poem about Mike Rea (comment timestamp 5:15 pm):
Loving husband, horsetrainer, father, family man-
Getting stronger improving as you can!
The Lord's light surrounds you
easing your family's mind-
The Lord's love protects you-
helping you and friends unwind.
The Lord's miracle continue your healing-
His arms wrap around you whatever you're feeling!
Under His protection, you always will be-
While His Miracles continue in you to see.
Another good day closer coming back home-
Therapy allows you to walk better to roam!
Lord's and His Angels presence watch over thee-
Your family's updates bring joyful news about ye.
God's Love, Light, Protection stay here-
Rest now, enjoy His Power erasing all fear!
May each day bring forth joyfully great news-
Keep walking stronger after putting on shoes!
May our Lord's miraculous grace-
Allow coming home to your family's place!
Heal Mike - pulling for you to win your own race.
Update 460: Jeannine Edwards just e-mailed me to let us know ESPN2 will be covering the Pacific Classic on sunday, 7 - 8 pm. They will include Barbaro coverage which will include the grazing video and other recent updates. The Pacific Classic is a great older horse race (not restricted to 3yos like the Kentucky Derby) and includes many of the best handicappers in the country (Lava Man, Giacomo and Perfect Drift for example). Given Giacomo won the Kentucky Derby last year I thought it would be appropriate for us to highlight him going into this race. The Daily Racing Form has a nice article today on him for good background information: Shirreffs wants Giacomo to be a hero again which includes the following excerpt:
Giacomo, though, is the stable star. Shirreffs still receives mail asking about the colt, and gets aggravated with himself if he doesn't have time to answer a letter or a request for a photo that day. For someone not accustomed to the limelight, Shirreffs immediately sensed that winning the Derby brings special requirements to those connected with the colt.
"I think it's a big-time obligation," Shirreffs said. "It's no longer just Mr. Moss's horse. It's sort of everybody's horse. I got a letter from an elderly woman the other day asking for a picture of Giacomo. I sent her one. People like that, this might be one of their only contacts with the outside world."
I thought it would be interesting to contact his current exercise rider (Steve Willard) and see if he would be willing to provide us some updates on Giacomo as they prepare for the Pacific Classic (I acquired his cell phone number from Andy Durnin, good friend and closely tied to last year's Pacific Classic winner Borrego). This is what Steve had to say in our call today:
John Sherrifs should take a lot of credit for this horse. He has shown a great deal of patience, and the patience is starting to proove out. I have been around Giacomo since he was two, but I was not his regular exercise rider until about 3 - 4 months ago. Frankie (Herrate) used to gallop him when he won the Kentucky Derby last year. He has had 3 - 4 different exercise riders during his time with John. I am just very fortunate that I have been involved with him most recently.
He is now training very forwardly, very good attitude, he is very focused in the mind, strong yet easy to control. He breezed the other morning (monday), and as is the case with all John's breezes, was never asked for more than he can give, we always make sure the horse has something left, whatever speed we are going. He accelareted on his own at the 16th pole but it was easy. He worked in hand in 1:12 (3/4s), galloped out the mile in 1:39. On tuesday he walked the shedrow (John walks all his horse the day after a breeze) and today (wednesday) he jogged two miles, he felt great. I'll provide an update each day as we prepare for the Pacific Classic this weekend.
So we will hear from Steve each day as we approach the big race!
Update 459: A worrying update on Lost in the Fog who was presumed to be colicing: Mass in Lost in the Fog Believed to be Cancer. The following is an excerpt:
Gilchrist said that preliminary tests indicated that the lymphoma appears to be confined to the spleen. He said the mass is about the size of a cantaloupe. Lost in the Fog has won just one of his three starts this year, and Gilchrist had originally thought that quarter cracks were the culprits for the champion's sub-par efforts. "It turns out he's been running with this thing inside him this year," the trainer said. "It shows you what kind of warrior this horse is."
Gilchrist added that owner Harry Aleo is extremely concerned about his star, and that "We will do anything we can for the horse. It's almost a Barbaro-type situation."
Don't forget the Bloodhorse chat with Dr. Richardson tonight at 6pm. For those who cannot attend, they will be providing a transcript. I will provide a direct link to the chat (and subsequent transcript) just before 6 pm tonight.
Update 458: I just watched Miraculous Miss work a half mile on the wood chip track in 47.1 secs. That is a very handy time, and she did it quite nicely. Miraculous Miss looks like she might be getting closer to her first race back after the horrifying gate incident in the Acorn. She is now off the starters list, which required her to return to the gate at least three times to school.
I also had a nice chat with Adrian Rolls (Graham Motion assistant) about the horse flights over the weekend (Better Talk Now and Film Maker flying to and from Chicago). He was pretty amazed by the entire experience. They vanned down to BWI, vanned right to the airplane and loaded right up. Once airborne the flight was _very_ smooth. They were the only two on the outward bound journey (which was also nicely air-conditioned). On the return journey they came back via Albany to drop off the Saratoga-based horses (which of course included Showing Up). They were not on the ground for long at all before taking off again for Baltimore. It seems the plane can hold about twenty horses, there were about fourteen on the return journey to Albany. I asked Barclay's Fair Hill assistant (Tim) how Showing Up was after his (fantastic) performance. He said all was well.
Update 457: Another comfortable night for Barbaro last night (tuesday night). Saw Michael Matz as I was coming back from the track on my third set. Before I could even ask how Bobby was doing, Michael gave me the positive report.
On my first set this morning (5:30am), I was jogging back with Man in Havana...or at least that's who I think it was, it was a little hard to see. As we were coming back, two fox cubs were chasing eachother around in circles right on the horsepath. Which while very cute, required me to tighten my grip on the neck strap and my horse's mane.
Second set, I went out back and not only saw another fox cub but was surrounded by many deer. Of course, I again didn't let go of my neck strap! It's really a beautiful morning here in Fair Hill.
updated wednesday 7:10am
Update 456: A nice article from ESPN with some new quotes: Barbaro walks outside, grazing on grass. The following are excerpts:
"I thought he was thrilled the first time he went out," Dean Richardson, chief surgeon at the New Bolton Center, said Monday. "He just seemed very happy to be out. You can tell he's looking forward to it every day. It's absolutely normal. Horses love to be outside, obviously, and he's pretty excited about it."
Barbaro stepped outside his ICU stall and started daily walks on a grassy area near the unit last Wednesday for the first time since having catastrophic injuries in the Preakness nearly three months ago.
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"It's a big step just to know he feels good enough that you can take him out of the stall and walk him around like a normal horse and he eats grass like a normal horse," Richardson said in a telephone interview from New Bolton. "That doesn't mean he's healed. It just means things are going well right now."
The 3-year-old had made only a couple of brief walks back and forth from his stall to the surgery room at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center until last week. Now Barbaro is walked daily for about 15 to 20 minutes in a secluded area not far from the George D. Widener Hospital ICU.
The USA Today blog On Deadline linked to us in their most recent Barbaro update: Barbaro update: He's grazing outside.
And finally Philadelphia Park will name a race in honor of Eugene Dixon (long time patron and friend of Michael Matz): Philadelphia Park Notes - Track Set To Honor The Late Eugene Dixon. An excerpt:
"Fitz Dixon's distinguished tenure as Chairman of the Pennsylvania State Horse Racing Commission was earmarked by his love for thoroughbred racing and his unflinching commitment to the integrity of the sport. Philadelphia Park is proud to memorialize these contributions by naming the Cotillion Handicap in his honor," said Greenwood racing Chairman Bob Green.
Good Morning handsome boy,
Glad to hear that you had another resful night last night. Keep up the good work, listen to all of the docs, nurses and caregivers like always and enjoy your time today outside in the sunshine with the fresh air and fresh greens. :)
Thinking of you always, and will pray for your friend Lost in the Fog for a successful recovery. You are a fantastic example of how dedication and will can go so far.
BIG horsie hugs, kisses, ear scratches. nose rubs and MUCH LOVE to you and all that surround you.
Posted by: TLC (Laura) at August 16, 2006 3:42 PM