Barbaro Updates: 212
updates are now here.
Update 1511: Tim's Farouche made her debut today at Philadelphia Park. She finished sixth after running close early. She seemed to hit the inside rail which stopped all her momentum. She appears fine after the experience. Fair Hill's Tapeta track will be closed again tomorrow in order to give the maintenance crew all day to work the track and presumably get the excess moisture out of it.
Jack Ireland wrote an article on Allison Hershbell: Former DelPark jockey Hershbell, 30, dies.
Update 1510: The AVMA has a nice piece on the increased awareness of Laminitis as a result of Barbaro: Increased research to follow in Barbaro's wake, excerpt:
"My hope is that the events over the last few months, and in particular Barbaro's unfortunate passing, have raised the public's awareness of the frustrating and devastating effects of laminitis and will catapult efforts to raise substantial research funding that can be used to advance our knowledge and understanding of this horrible disease through unified, collaborative research efforts," Dr. Moore said.
Fortunately Barbaro has also increased the public awareness of horse slaughter, something the AVMA does not support: It's back---Congress, again, takes up horse slaughter.
Update 1509: The Tapeta track was closed again this morning until 9 am, to the frustrations of a few trainers. It is winter training, and as such, I guess we need to be adaptable to the conditions. I rode four before 9 am, on the horsepaths. Again getting a good 2 mile jog into each (Hawty Creek, Slew, Nonpariel and Drop Kick Murphy). From 9 onwards I rode three on the track. The track was suitable for light galloping. The problem seems to be the quick thaw we are now experiencing (this truly is a heatwave), I am guessing the track is not draining as fast as it needs to drain. Lets hope things are back to normal tomorrow.
Xchanger was due to ship back to Fair Hill today (after the Southwest) but like all plans, things may be changing, and he may stay at Oaklawn Park for his next race.
Edgar Prado came to Laurel on monday and Sandra McKee interviewed him about Barbaro: Prado says Barbaro won him an Eclipse, the article ends:
"You don't become a champion just by winning for yourself," he said. "It's what you do for others that makes you special, makes you great.
"When Barbaro won in Kentucky, he didn't just win the Kentucky Derby, he won people's hearts. And in our hearts, he will forever be a champion."
Update 1508: Yesterday I spoke to Kim Zito, wife of trainer Nick Zito. They are both passionate about horse welfare. Kim has a simple idea that would enable any owner to attempt to keep track of horses they no longer own. An owner can write on the foal papers a note asking that they have first refusal of the horse once it is no longer wanted for racing ./ breeding, along with permanent contact information.
Kim does this, and has a recent case where it worked. She sold a racehorse Mill Reef Affair, about nine years ago, and lost track of the horse. She received a call a couple of years ago from someone who saw the papers when Mill Reef Affair was on its way to a kill auction. She acquired the horse and he has now been adopted out as a show horse. The horse spent time at New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program during its rehabilitation.
This is a simple idea, but one that can be very effective for those who want to know what happens to their horses.
Good morning FOB's
Good morning Barbaro
Posted by: Paul at February 21, 2007 10:52 AM