O/T Barbaro

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Posted By: barrysloate

I remember last May when we had a thread wishing Barbaro a full recovery- well, some eight months later he has taken a very bad turn for the worse. I have been following his story closely since his horrible accident, but I have a sinking feeling about what I am now hearing.

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

who is Barbaro please ?

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Posted By: barrysloate

He is the horse who won last year's Kentucky Derby, and was a favorite to win the Preakness, but a few seconds out of the gate, he shattered his right back leg. He has been through many surgeries and has been recovering ever since.

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Posted By: Bobby Binder

Barry,

I think you have that backwards Barbaro won the Kentucky Derby by a lot and was the favorite in the next race and broke his leg during it.

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Posted By: barrysloate

I will edit my post. Thanks Bobby.

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

being an animal lover and one who will never hunt ,I certainly hope
for full recovery too.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Ditto's, Dan.

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Posted By: Joann

I've been following it from the link below. It is to the Penn Vet school that I think is the caregiver here. He was doing so well that they went from updating every Tuesday to every other Tuesday. Now it's been every few days the last week or so. Not good. I've been following it closely too, and really thought he had made it. I have my fingers crossed yet.

http://www.vet.upenn.edu/newsandevents/news/Barbaro_Updates.htm

Joann

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Kentucky... beautiful horses and fast women...


An attorney, who is smart about horse wagering, gave me this Smarty Jones card. He knew of my reverence for baseball and baseball cards, and thought I'd like it. I kept him, and now have a use for him. I can show you guys!

If you're ever down at Churchill Downs, the race to see is the Oaks on the Friday before the Derby. That is THE day to go. Wow...

Frank.

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Posted By: Steve f

Ironic that you brought up this topic Barry. I'm on a 24 and the missus just called. Our Maggie (12yo golden) had another seizure and the doc said she is having small strokes. Dogs, they rip your heart out.

Barry, Sorry for hijackin', and I appreciate the kind words.

Cataracts, deafness, thyroid disorder and hip issues, she's still affectionate. Her appetite is as if she is still growing. Funny, her daughter, who is a bear has been very gentle, keels over lets Maggie win their daily wrestling matches.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Steve- I know what it's like to lose a pet, and to deal with a sick one. It's heartwrenching. Wish you the best.

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Posted By: Bob

Frank, thanks for posting the picture. It was taken at Oaklawn Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the most beautiful race track in America. Not as tradition laden as Saratgoa, Churchill Downs or some of the other tracks, but in April when the dogwoods bloom in the centerfield area it is gorgeous. Smarty Jones was a helluva horse...
Hot Springs played host to Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and many of the MLB teams' players during the first 30 years of the 20th Century as they loved going there for their Spring training.

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Wish the best for Maggie, Steve. Keep us posted.

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Posted By: JK

Steve,

Hope Maggie hangs in there - I had two Goldens. They (Goldens) are wonderful dogs.

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Posted By: DJ

This is truly a sad thread.

Sad about Barbaro, sad about Steve's dog.

You can't beat the love of a good animal.

DJ

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Posted By: Max Weder

Steve

All the best with your dog.

We lost Annie at 15 a couple of weeks ago, but in the end, we know we made the right decision. There is nothing as unfailing as the love of a faithful dog, and we miss her terribly.



Max

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

yes , some of the board people dogs. Iam grateful for the support that I recieved here when I had put mine down. my other dog passed 3 weeks prior to that and it was more difficult to lose 2 that had been with me 14& 15 yrs in a 3 week span. My best to your pet Steve and with lots of xo's. I lost my mother in law within a month of all that. My wife recieved a Maltese 2 weeks prior to her mom's passing to help cope with the pain and what was to come. The dog named "Sammy the bull" has been a true warmth for her.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Max- I know how much Annie meant to you, as you have spoken about her many times. My condolences to you and your wife.

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Posted By: Dan Koteles

I didnt read very well ,how could have i missed your loss of Annie?
You were there with a great picture when I was down ,I remember she had an incredible smile. Sorry, really .

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Posted By: T E

I'm 51 and I can honestly say that the actual moment you realize that you have to put the animal down is unbearable. At some point, I am afraid the owners of Barbaro are going to have to come to the same conclusion as I did for Princess, Midnight, Skeezix, Layla, and many more I can't recall. There is a responsibility to owning an animal. They can keep a horse alive for a long time, but the question is, towards what end? A horse that can not stand soundly on all four legs is eventually doomed.

I had a cat once. His name was Pooh (my sister named him-I don't give my critters sissy names!) Very personable, friendly animal.

Pooh was quite old. I forget what exactly was ailing him, but after a couple of visits, the vet hinted that it was time. I decided to try treatment for another week.

I was working hard that week, long days. My wife was away. Every morning I'd give Pooh his pills and go off to work. I'd get home at night and the animal hadn't moved. He'd sipped a bit of the water I'd left by him, perhaps climbed into the sand box I'd left by him, but he hadn't touched the food. He'd either stare at me or close his eyes.

After several days of this, I decided, when I left him alone on my way to work that morning, that it was time. I called the vet from work and told him I was bringing him in after work.

When I got home that night, he was dead. He looked very peacful. Hadn't moved, no excretions, just dead. I took him and buried him in Central Park.

It struck me that he was quite brave, that he knew it was time to die, and he willed it so.

But, of course, I may just have been projecting my feelings onto him. We can rationalize misery, but an animal can't.

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Posted By: Brian

BREAKING NEWS: Co-owner says Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro has been euthanized. Details to come.

Source: USAToday.com

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Posted By: barrysloate

My gut told me this was going to happen today...very sad indeed.

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Posted By: Bob

Yes, he is now dead. He will always be remembered for his courage and fight in the face of insurmountable odds, as well as that brilliant race at Churchill Downs.

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Posted By: Steve f

Been through this twice already, this time I'm not gonna say "I'll never ever own another dog." One month later, I'm rolling the Globe around puppy doo.

Thanks for the kind words fellas, really means a lot... Wifee gave her some benadryl last night and the old gal slept great. Maggie passed her physical this am but doc thinks she has some kinda tumor in the brain. I won't bother her with xrays, CT scan, blood tests or steroids. She's wagging now and wrestled Emma for a long time in the snow.

Max, I'm sorry about your Annie, but I'm thinking she's playing with my other two goldens up in heaven... We'll all be back together in that better place one day.

RIP Champ Barbaro

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

being in Louisville how much this is on the news......if you've ever been to the Derby or just anywhere else for horse racing, you know how beautiful these animals are. The folks that cared for Barbaro went FAR and away in taking care of him as long as they can. Some have said that it was a financial decision but everything I've read and seen about them is that that was the last thing on their mind. Sad day in horse racing.....

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Posted By: T E

I don't think it was money, I think that their true love for the animal possibly clouded their judgement.

The only reason a person could possibly not love horses is that they've never really been around them. They are gorgeous brave and loyal animals.

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Posted By: barrysloate

We have an annual horse show on the east end of Long Island at the close of each summer called the Hampton Classic. It is quite famous and we have been there many times. The horses are certainly spectacular animals.

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Posted By: T E

Been to the classic several times. Also the Derby, Belmont, etc.

When I saw Barbaro break down, it wrecked me for many days

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Very sad news about Barbaro - and any other animal that dies or is put down. As an animal lover, I am against horseracing as I think it is exploitave and dangerous to the horses. I'm tired of seeing horses whipped to get to the finish line first, break pencil-thin legs in mid-stride, and otherwise simply treated like cash registers. We can look around our world right now and see that the beings that are the biggest problem are the humans. My condolences to Max, Dan, Steve, et al. who have lost pets or have aging pets. I, too, have an older dog (Calvin) and the thought of losing him is unbearable. He is treated the same way as our children, no exaggeration.

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Posted By: dennis

very sad for all who have had a dear pet die. this topic touches all of us. r.i.p. barbaro

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Posted By: Tom Boblitt

a very fragile animal and sadly those things happen to them. Especially when they are raced in the manner they are. It's one of those things in life I struggle with (although not often enough). Though horse racing is a fantastic sport, I see the point of not pushing them to the point they are jeopardized. There is also the issue of the treatment of jockeys which is not a pretty picture either.....

Anyway, I've always loved animals and never really had a dog in the house till about 4 years ago my wife made me get her and the kids a miniature schnauzer. She's about 12 pounds and, while she gets in everyone's way and under our feet, barks at the stupidest stuff, begs unmercifully for food, and on the occasion craps on the hardwood (only 2-3 times a year), I can't possibly think what'd happen without her. The whole house would be down for days. So....enjoy the time you got I guess with whom or whatever...........

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Posted By: leon

My miniature beagle sleeps under my arm every night, on the other side of the house, with me. I snore so my 10yr old and wife sleep in the master bedroom far away. Our dog is a human (she thinks she is) and we treat her as such..I love hear dearly...btw, I was the one that brought up, long ago, that it could have been about the money in trying to keep Barbaro alive. I have reversed my thinking....With all I have heard I am sure the owners loved him as they would other pets....RIP Barbaro....you were a brave soul....

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Posted By: barrysloate

TE- we're in Noyac, just outside Sag Harbor. Have the house rented out for a year though, so we probably won't get to the Classic this summer.

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Posted By: Bob

A lot of you may be too young to remember a horse named Ruffian. Ruffian was a freak, a huge filly, perhaps the greatest filly who ever lived. Ruffian roared through all the filly only races destroying the competition by double digit margins and was entered in to a match race with the Kentucky Derby winner, Foolish Pleasure. On the backstretch tragedy struck and Ruffian broke down and was quickly destroyed. It seems like this was about 20 years ago. There are some who think Ruffian might have been the greatest racehorse of all time, not just greatest filly.
I thought about Ruffian this morning when I read about Barbaro....

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I'm sure the race horses love racing and practicing. A guy my dad worked with owned horses and played polo. He said that the horses loved to play polo. When you taped up their legs before playing, they knew what that meant and got all excited. He also would let the local girls ride them. The girls were warned not to take the horses near the polo playing field, as the field would draw the horses like a magnet.

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Posted By: howard

Like most of you I have had my fair share of people close to me passing away. But the only time I cry is when I think of the day my father had to put our funny looking little mutt to sleep. She was in the family a few years before I was born and I never had imagined life without her. I miss her every day.

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Posted By: E, Daniel

Sad, yes. But - I'm always struck that people experience the tragedy of an individual horse passing, or person for that matter, who with the benefit of media stories and coverage is somehow more significant to us than all the other lives that end at every moment of the day, often in much more inhumane and distressing fashion.
If Barbaro the family horse dies and is mourned by his owners because of their love for him - I empathize because of my own sense of loss of pets and friends and family, but that's all. That somehow this is significant to us as a society and individuals always weighs heavy on me..... for all the lives so callously disregarded because they never make it onto our television screens at night.
Maybe one day all life with be deemed similarly important and treasured.


Sincerely
Daniel

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Posted By: MEWheat

Barbaro was just euthanized.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20070129/D8MV8H6G0.html

Sorry.

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Posted By: Steve f

Daniel, Sadly, I agree with your post. On the other hand. Don't you agree the net affect of this event is positive? For myself, it's comforting to know that so many varied voices are united in their compassion.

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Posted By: leon

I watched a few segments last night on Barbaro and had to look the other way a few times with tears in my eyes. The owners really loved him. I think it's good to show humanity has a kind eye towards animals...and agree with Daniel on his points too. Pets have unconditional love and I think that is what is so endearing. ....best regards

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Posted By: Andrew Parks

This may seem kind of strange, but whenever I witness people mourn about the death of animals, I wonder how many of them are pro-choice.

(edited the message title)

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Posted By: leon

We are not going to have a pro/anti choice debate on this board. Anymore posts about that will be deleted. Barbaro is about as far off topic as I want this thread to go....Folks can email privately or find another board to discuss the abortion debate.....Certainly nothing personal here but I want to put a quick stop to a potential discussion about that issue on the board....Heck, we might as well vote on a place to eat in NY .....

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Posted By: AParks

My intention was not to incite a debate. I honestly was just musing outloud with some board acquaintances over my initial thought when I see a topic like this a la Daniel's post. Sorry for the inconevenience.

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Posted By: barrysloate

Hey Leon- this time around we picked out a time and a place with nary a fight...so don't pick on us rubes from the Big City

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Posted By: leon

Andrew- I am sure you didn't try to incite a debate but I wanted to head it off before one started. Again, it certainly wasn't personal althbough my response was a little harsh, intentionally. Euthanasia would be another topic related to this but I don't really want to go there either. The doctors said Barbaro could no longer have a quality life and that is the reason that put him down. Horses can't hold 2000 lbs of weight with 3 legs, and I heard he developed issues with his other legs too...

Barry- the initial NY dinner thread is in the annals of great Net54 threads and has a legacy, in and of, itself...It lives on....

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Posted By: barrysloate

Agreed -the first NY thread stands tall in the pantheon of all dysfunctional threads...in that respect it may never be topped.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

I smell a conspiracy here. Clearly, Leon sought to protect the NYC dinner thread as the alltime most dysfunctional, most rancorous thread on Network 54 EVER so he quickly nipped the abortion issue thread in the bud. Leon, you didn't fool me OR Barry.

In addition, Barry, I'll need to call Payard soon to make a reservation -- should our cutoff date for attendees announcing their intention to join us be tomorrow?

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Posted By: barrysloate

Jeff- if you will be so kind as to make the reservation, just figure what the deadline should be for everyone to say whether they are in. You also might mention to the restaurant that whatever number you give them, we may add or subtract one or two depending on people's schedules. But I would post your "last call" back on the restaurant thread.

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Posted By: Joe D.

and I object to that choice of restaurant.


just kidding (sorry, I couldn't resist... discussion has gone too smoothly this time around.)


Count me in Jeff and Barry.

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Posted By: Joann

A little late to the thread - my internet at home is down so I have to go to coffee shops, school, etc just to check email.

So ... Max. Who I put down in early December after more than 11 years. I got her as a stray when she was about two years old. About all I can say is that I was truly blessed (and truly lucky) to have stumbled across such a good dog. She was the most docile being of any kind I've ever come across.

After well over a month, it still doesn't feel right not having her at the door when I come home or waiting for the last bite of human food at every meal.

Joann



Edited to add: Leon - feel free to resize. For some reason I can't resize this one? It came from a digital cam and not a scan (duh), so maybe that's why I can't just maniuplate it like the card scans. I'm on the edge of techno-viability every single day!