Barbaro Doing Better, but Fate Still Uncertain

May 22, 2006 — -- The horse that was the odds-on favorite in Saturday's Preakness Stakes is now in the fight of his life.

"I wish I could say his chances of survival are very high, but this is a very serious injury," said Dean Richardson, who operated on Barbaro after the race Saturday.

"I honestly think his chance of survival right now are about 50/50. I wish I could say better, but I've done this a long time and horses are very, very difficult with this type of injury."

Shortly after the race began, Barbaro pulled up suddenly, sending gasps through the crowd. The Triple Crown hopeful broke bones above and below his right rear ankle -- a rare double fracture that is often fatal for horses.

"People were literally walking around stunned. [It was] the most surreal experience I've had in a long time," said Jeanine Edwards, an ESPN equestrian correspondent.

Sunday night, Richardson and other surgeons operated on the leg for four difficult hours, implanting 23 screws in the horse's leg.

Despite Barbaro's uncertain future, Richardson feels the signs so far are good.

"He practically jogged back to his stall," Richardson said.

"He's far brighter and livelier this morning -- trying to bite -- he's acting much more like a 3-year-old thoroughbred colt should act. He's in the intensive care unit and there are mares and he's extremely interested in them and that's a bright sign."

It could, however, be weeks before Barbaro's prognosis is clear.

Richardson said that a horse, especially one as large as Barbaro, could not survive on three legs. The leg must be repaired immediately.

Years ago, Barbaro wouldn't have had a chance. In 1975, a popular thoroughbred named Ruffian was put down after what today would be considered a simple fracture.