Barbaro Update: 94
updates are now here.
Update 776: Just spoke to Peter Brette (6:30 pm), who had heard from Michael, who visited Barbaro later today. Barbaro remains well. Another comfortable day.
Update 775: The following is a brief phone interview I have just completed with Mrs. Jackson. She was very gracious to agree to the interview, and very apologetic when she was not available when I initially called this afternoon. She called me back shortly thereafter. I have enjoyed all the interviews I have conducted so far, but I have to admit, this was the first one in which I was nervous! That being said, Mrs. Jackson gave me no reason to be nervous. Anyway, I am rambling, here it is!
Me: Yesterday was the anniversary of Barbaro's first win, what were your impressions?
Mrs. Jackson: We sure did not think much beyond the moment. It was a nice exciting win, but who knows? We were celebrating after the win, but it was for that nice win. We got a little more excited when Michael (Matz) brought up the Laurel Futurity (for his next race). We take each race at a time, first it was his maiden, then a listed stake, and another stake, and each is a step up, and you get more excited with each step. We were amazed when Michael thought about the Kentucky Derby, which was mentioned maybe before the Holy Bull Stakes. We really needed to switch to dirt to see what we had.
Me: What was the emotional experience like, to win the Kentucky Derby?
Mrs. Jackson: It was unbelievable, and it is hard to explain. It is every bit as exciting as you can imagine it is going to be. We are so lucky, thanks to Barbaro.
Me: Are you surprised at Barbaro's continued following?
After his surgery, at New Bolton, when things started arriving, from all parts of the US and around the world, we realized he had touched a lot of peoples' hearts. People were standing on the overpasses of I 95 when he was in transit from Pimlico, and then they followed up with notes and gifts at New Bolton. It was amazing. The unidentified donor who began the Barbaro Fund in Barbaro's honor started a momentum all of its own. The momentum has continued, it is just amazing how wide reaching it has become. We are honored.
Me: And visiting Barbaro?
Mrs. Jackson: Today (9 am) We had a great visit, he was nickering for his grass, which I pick from our farm. I will be returning again this evening. It is no big deal for me to visit, I live so close and usually visit twice a day. Bringing the grass gives Barbaro something to do while I visit, and of course he likes it a lot. I like to visit, he has done so much for us, it is the least I can do.
Update 774: I just spoke to Steve Willard, to get a quick update on Giacomo going into saturday's race, the Goodwood. He said Giacomo is doing very well. Since his work he had a day off, jogged a day and has now galloped the last two days. For his gallops he has had his usual training routine, jogging a mile and a quarter, turning around and galloping a mile and a half. Steve seems very happy with him. I will follow up with Steve again tomorrow. On the east coast, Bernardini has drawn post one for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.
I also wanted to note the availability of Barbaro wristbands, approved by the Jackson's. All proceeds go to the Barbaro Fund.
Update 773: Another comfortable night last night for Barbaro (wednesday night.) Peter just called to let me know (1 pm) and Michael is now on his way over to visit.
update 1:10 pm, thursday
Update 772: Still waiting for today's Barbaro update. I saw Peter at about 11 am. He had not heard anything which he assumed was a good thing.
Sabina Pierce, Barbaro's ICU photographer, posted this in the comments, timestamp: 2:42 pm:
HI Everyone, Just wanted to let you know that Ryerss farmed for aged equine (ryerss.org) the oldest and a local retirement/rescue farm based in Chester cty, Pa is trying with the help of the local Spca coordinator to take in 2 horses from the tractor trailer crash in Missouri of the horses destined for slaughter.
It would be great . I came up with the idea after checking them out on the web, and as I'm
connected to Ryerss, and have a horse that was destined for slaughter as a PMU foal, my Toby.. (which just happens to live at Ryerss).. I put the bug in the right ears over there. So wish us luck that we can get them here where they can live out their lives knowing they will get lots of love and a stall to keep warm and green fields to graze in.
cheers, sabina
Update 771: The update for today is going to be delayed, Dr. Richardson is out of town. Michael did note that Barbaro was well yesterday evening. Thus far I have ridden two horses. The first, a new 2yo, went out in company with another new 2yo. Both seemed pretty sensible, which is all you can ask for at this early stage. The second was Chappy, galloping a mile and a quarter. Coming off the track I asked to Lil (Klesaris) about the change in jockey for Miraculous Miss on saturday (Pino is named on her). She confirmed Ramon Dominguez is scheduled to be in New York that day. It must be tough for the jockeys when their top horses are running the same day, at different racetracks. I know Ramon worked Miraculous Miss her last two works at Fair Hill.
update 7:40 am, thursday
Update 770: An encouraging move at Woodbine: Horsemen start fund for LongRun. The following is an excerpt:
"There are a lot of horses a year that are no longer able to compete at a racing level but just need some time for rehabilitation before being fostered into a new kind of life," said Leslie. "It's a huge cost. Even with this funding, there are going to be a lot of horses that we're not going to be able to help. But there are going to be a lot of horses we can help."
It was Leslie, acting on LongRun's behalf, who initiated the chain of events that led to the HBPA windfall.
I thought this was an interesting story from Australia, a $1374 (AU) purchase has turned into a likely sprint champion: Joe's new Takeover Target: the world's greatest galloper. An excerpt:
From the day his trainer Joe Janiak, father of Ben (and at the time a taxi driver in Queanbeyan), paid $1375 for the galloper at a tried-horse sale in Sydney four years back, to his first win on his home track, to his first Group 1 win in the 2004 Salinger Stakes at Flemington in Melbourne Cup week to international success in London and Japan this year.
And for racing this weekend at Belmont, the Daily Racing Form includes an article on Dylan Thomas and Fair Hill's Film Maker: Classic audition for Dylan Thomas. A couple of excerpts:
By sending Dylan Thomas to Belmont Park for Saturday's $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup, O'Brien will find out not only if Dylan Thomas can handle the dirt, but if he can handle it against Bernardini, North America's premier dirt runner. If Dylan Thomas can handle this assignment, O'Brien may have a candidate for the $5 million Breeders' Cup Classic next month at Churchill Downs.
and
Film Maker has made only two starts this year, winning the Grade 3 All Along Breeders' Cup Stakes at Colonial Downs and finishing second in the Grade 1 Beverly D. Stakes at Arlington Park, where she wound up in traffic turning for home.
"I don't know if steadied is the right word," said trainer Graham Motion. "She had to wait, and that gave Gorella a chance to get the jump on her."
Nice articles this morning!!! Good morning everybody!!!
Posted by: Lynda Pellitteri at October 5, 2006 10:37 AM