Barbaro Updates: 227 – 237

Update 237: The Sports Center’s piece was nice and upbeat, while of course respecting the true reality of the situation. It was nice to see Jeannine note Edgar’s visit and use footage from the Derby (yeah!) The gifts look great.

Here is the site for Kennett Florists.

Tim ran Randy’s Bullet today. He was a closing third on the turf at Colonial Downs. He had not run for a year. Iit was nice to see him come back, and Tim was very happy with him. I have mentioned Randy before, he is a cool horse to ride, but really is the type of horse to benefit from Fair Hill. He loves to go “out back”, away from the training tracks, to do much of his training. (You can see me on Randy in a couple of the pictures in our gallery).

Mike Rea continues to make steady progress in his long recovery!

Finally, my perspective on Bobby’s situation today. I am totally psyched he remains comfortable, but remain very conscious of the seriousness of his condition. Edgar Prado is simply an amazing human being. In England he would be considered for Sports Personality of the Year (top Jockeys in england are high profile stars); I wonder if there is something similar here.

Update 236: A Barbaro Vigil is planned for tomorrow (saturday) at 7 pm east coast time. I think Sheila’s comment sums it up best:

I am going to bring my kids into this, even though it looks like we’re set for 7pm EST. After seeing me cry I finally let in on why last night so it makes sense for them to be involved. The more positive energy, the better! Thanks for the suggestion Anita. I agree that we all my have different methods – for some it’s prayer, some it’s meditation, some its just sending positive energy, but we are united in our love for the big guy and I think that we should stay that way – united.

I don’t think it matters how long the vigil, just if you can spare a thought, prayer, hope, sentiment etc. for Bobby at 7 pm tomorrow night (est), whereever you are, whatever you are doing.

Roberta wrote a lovely Bobby poem which I am reproducing below:

To Barbaro

With pride and joy
Flying wingless
Unconquerable
Roses on your neck

A new, more perilous race
Your spirit, determination and trust
Allied with skill, loving kindness and compassion
Against the frailties of flesh and bone and hoof
Against despair
Against death
May victory again be yours
Roberta Goodman 7/14/06

Update 235: Nice to see NBC offering two releases today, this one 4pm: Barbaro’s condition remains stable:

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro remains in stable condition according to his veterinarians at the George D. Widener Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania. “His vital signs, including heart rate and pulse, remain good,” said Dr. Dean Richardson, Chief of Surgery. “We are treating his laminitis aggressively and he continues to respond well and is acceptably comfortable.”

Laminitis is a severe, painful condition in horses that can be fatal.

“As I said at the press conference on Thursday, we monitor his condition very closely because signs can change quickly,” said Dr. Richardson. “However, it’s important to remember that Barbaro’s treatment could easily continue for several weeks, and if all goes well, even months. Our goal is to keep him as comfortable as possible, and clearly that comfort level will be a major indicator for our treatment decisions.” Dr. Richardson also emphasized that Barbaro, as evident in the footage and still photos released yesterday, has a very positive attitude.

His positive attitude was noted by Peter during his visit today (Peter noted “good frame of mind”).

Update 234: Peter Brette just called. He visited Bobby about 1:30 pm. He also reports Bobby is comfortable and appears in a good frame of mind. Peter was pretty happy with what he saw. He fed him some carrots, his appetite does appear to be holding up well. Peter was also not aware of Edgar’s visit.

Update 232: A little more on Edgar’s visit today. I just spoke to Ed Fontaine (New York Post) who just spoke to Edgar Prado (just before the 4th race at Belmont). Ed reports that Edgar (and his wife I guess) left New York at 4:30 am, arriving at NBC about 7:30 am. He stayed until about 9 am. At one point Bobby fell asleep on Edgar’s shoulder for 10 minutes (hence Edgar’s prolonged stay). Edgar told Ed that Bobby looked better than he thought he would be (given all he had heard), he appeared very comfortable.

The interesting thing about this story is that as far I can tell, no one was aware Edgar decided to visit. I spoke to a few people who had not heard about the visit after it was reported by Tripp Mickle of Newsday.

Update 231: Daphne has this report on Jeannine’s 3:15 report from New Bolton:

**Alex** my tivo is on overtime and I just watched Jeannine 3:15 update.. good reporting. She did indicate that this is just a “shred more positive” than yesterday- that is what I heard. She spoke about Barbaro being able to sleep about 4-5 hours, also on his side, get up and down, being out of the sling(everything we’ve read) but that this is still (as we know) very serious. She mentioned all the floral/goody deliveries to NB and that the NB staff gobbled them down, beginning last evening. Ok, she didn’t use the work gobble, this was my word. Also, many more deliveries expected later.

Jeannine will be on Sports Center (6pm) with a new report.

Update 230: Edgar made his third visit to Bobby today, he’s all class, and of course won the ESPY too I believe! Like his fans, Barbaro’s jockey still hopeful, the following is an excerpt:

The news left Prado scrambling to make a trip to visit the horse at the University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Penn. He just returned from California, leaves for a race in Florida tomorrow and heads to Peru, his homeland, on Sunday.

“The drive is really far and the traffic was awful, but we had to do this,” Prado’s wife, Lilian, said. “It was the only time he could see (Barbaro).”

The injured horse’s stall felt more like a fruit stand than a barn, Prado said. Baskets of apples, carrots and candy — all sent by the horse’s fans across America – were everywhere.

Prado grabbed several carrots and fed the horse, which chomped down more than 10, the jockey said. It was an affirmation of the good appetite Dr. Richardson had described the day before, Prado added.

“The horse appears to be handling things well,” he said. “He wanted to get out of the stall today, which is a good sign.”

Update 229: Jeannine Edwards did a piece on ESPN2, a comment from Anne:

Just saw Jeannine Edwards on ESPN (2:10pm est) doing an update on Barbaro. MUCH more upbeat than yesterday. She mentioned that Barbaro’s internet fans were devastated and that NB received about 25 baskets of goodies for Barbaro and the staff after yesterday’s news. Hopefully this will be run again all day long……very uplifting. Did anyone else catch it?

She is about to go live on ESPN news (its 3:13 now), and I think she will be on Sports Center tonight.

ESPN has some cool pictures of Bobby and a few were added to the New Bolton site.

Update 228: The official word, New Bolton’s press release today: Barbaro’s condition is stable:

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro spent a restful night and his condition is stable, according to Dr. Dean Richardson, Chief of Surgery. At a news conference yesterday, Dr. Richardson announced that the three-year-old colt has laminitis. Laminitis is a painful condition in horses that can be the result of a number of causes, including excessive weight bearing in one limb. It occurs when laminae, the strong connecting tissues that attach the pedal bone and the inner hoof wall, are inflamed.

“Barbaro was out of his sling for more than 12 hours yesterday, and he had a calm, restful night, sleeping on his side for more than four hours,” said Dr. Richardson. “While his condition is stable, it remains extremely serious.”

Update 227: Bloodhorse (and many others) confirm Barbaro had a good night last night: Barbaro ‘Doing Much Better’ Friday Morning. The following is an excerpt:

“He had a good night last night, and even slept on his side,” Dr. Dean Richardson told The Associated Press early Friday before re-entering the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals to check again on the 3-year-colt. “He’s doing much better.”

Richardson appeared a bit more upbeat than he was Thursday, when he told a packed news conference that Barbaro has a severe case of the disease laminitis in his left hind leg, and termed his condition “poor.”

This confirms what we learned from Michael Matz this morning (update 226).

Sabina Pierce left the following comment:

I’m the Photographer for Penn who has been shooting Big B, as I like to call him as his personality is larger than life. I tried to show in this last set how great he looks and is doing, but also how his will and personality to overcome are identical to the way they have been over his 2 month stay at NBC, he is naughty at times with his nips but a cuddly teddy bear a minute later. I saw all of those attributes as he chewed on my camera bag and hammed for the lense. I’ve had horses since I was 6 and I’ve known many more. He is special and a real fighter, the real thing.
Sincerley, Sabina louise pierce

Jeannine Edwards just called. ESPN is planning more coverage, but she is not sure when yet. She’ll try to alert us ahead of time