USA: HORSE RACING - Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro is recovering from his injuries

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro started daily walks on a grassy area near his intensive care unit last week for the first time since suffering catastrophic injuries in the Preakness nearly three months ago. The 3-year-old, also recovering from a bad case of laminitis in his left hoof, recently (August 12) showed signs he's on the road to recovery. "He's been going out the last few days, he's comfortable enough on both hind legs that we felt it was perfectly reasonable to start taking him outside and eat some grass and see the sunshine," Dean Richardson, chief surgeon at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, said. "That doesn't mean he's healed. It just means things are going well right now." Barbaro broke his right hind leg in three places in the inital stages of the race and had a metal plate inserted. Infection then set in and he had to have the plate and over 20 screws replaced. Next he suffered laminitis in the left as a result of his injuries. Surgeons removed most of his left hoof to clear the infection and feared the colt was close to death. Barbaro is walked daily for about 15 to 20 minutes. The bandages on his forelegs are to prevent sores and are not for injuries.

ITN Source | August 16, 2006

Tags:. .university. .death. .close. .source. .nearly