From Staff And Wire Reports
Originally published July 12, 2006
Barbaro's prospects for recovery took a turn for the worse late yesterday when veterinarians discovered that the infection in the Kentucky Derby winner's left hind leg might be more of a cause for concern than first believed.
"It's a little bit more serious than we thought," Roy Jackson, a co-owner of the horse with his wife, Gretchen, told The Sun late last night. "But I'd better let the doctors fill you in on the medical aspects of it."
Gail Luciani, a spokeswoman for the University of Pennsylvania's veterinary school, said last night that she could not share any information about changes in Barbaro's health.
She said there might be a news conference later this week about Barbaro's condition.
"It's certainly possible," she said. "There are no plans for it right now."
Gretchen Jackson told The New York Times late yesterday that Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, will detail the setback to the Jacksons today.
She told the Times that tests had identified a bacterial infection on Barbaro's left hind - or healthy - foot that Richardson hoped he had cleaned out during a three-hour operation late Saturday.
During the operation, Richardson also changed the titanium plate and many of the 27 screws that had been inserted into Barbaro's injured right hind leg on May 21, a day after the colt shattered it during the opening yards of the Preakness.
Gretchen Jackson told the Times she did not know the details of the infection or possible treatment, but said that she, her husband and Richardson remained optimistic that Barbaro could overcome the setback.
"Barbaro is alive and he is going to be alive and is acting like he wants to live," she told the newspaper. "He is having trouble with his good leg. He can put weight on the leg and is a pain-free horse right now. We, and he, are not quitting. We're a long way from that."
Earlier in the day, Barbaro appeared to be recovering well from the infection and adjusting to a sixth new cast.
"Barbaro is eating well and resting in his stall," Richardson said at the time. "He's tolerating the new cast well. We have changed his left hind foot bandage, and that looks improved."
Neither trainer Michael Matz nor assistant trainer Peter Brette was available to comment late last night.
Sun reporter Mike Klingaman contributed to this article.
Talk about it /leave comments:
No comments:
Post a Comment