Barbaro

This margin of victory at the Kentucky Derby was the largest since 1946, when Triple Crown winner Assault took the "Run for the Roses" by eight lengths.

Barbaro's win made him only the sixth undefeated horse to win the Kentucky Derby.

Barbaro had not competed for five weeks prior to the race, since the Grade I Florida Derby, which was the longest layoff in 50 years for a Derby winner.

Barbaro's Preakness Stakes began with a false start when he broke from the starting gate prematurely.

Barbaro was deemed fit upon being reloaded into the gate.

As the restarted race began, Barbaro broke cleanly, but suffered a catastrophic injury as the horses passed the grandstand shortly after the start.

Many theories arose as to the cause of the accident, though none have been confirmed.

Barbaro broke his right hind leg in more than 20 places: a broken cannon bone above the pastern, a broken sesamoid bone behind the fetlock and a broken long pastern bone below the fetlock.

The fetlock joint was dislocated, and his foot was left dangling loosely.

Veteran jockey Edgar Prado immediately pulled Barbaro up, and brought him to a gentle stop.

He dismounted and leaned his shoulder into the horse's shoulder to support Barbaro until track attendants could arrive.

Bernardini with Javier Castellano as jockey went on to win the race.

Barbaro's injuries were life-threatening.

Unlike other mammals, such as dogs, a horse cannot survive in humane circumstances on three legs.

A broken leg in a horse can lead to complications as the other legs attempt to bear the weight of the horse's body.

In 1971 Hoist The Flag underwent successful pioneering surgery for a similar injury to that suffered by Barbaro.

Having been taken to the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania for treatment, Barbaro was assigned to the care of equine surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson.

The New Bolton Center is renowned for its specialized care, especially for animals needing complicated bone surgery.

The day after the race, Richardson performed a fusion of the fetlock and pastern joints to stabilize the leg and make it strong enough for Barbaro to walk on.

It was a five-hour procedure and was one of the most difficult surgeries Richardson had performed.

The surgical team successfully implanted a Synthes stainless steel Locking Compression Plate (LCP) and 27 screws into the colt's injured leg to span the comminuted fracture and joints.

They used the LCP because its screws thread into the plate to provide maximum strength.

Richardson was one of the first equine surgeons to implement this new technology, originally designed for humans.

Barbaro (April 29, 2003 – January 29, 2007) was a champion American Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2006 Kentucky Derby but shattered his leg two weeks later in the Preakness Stakes which ended his racing career and eventually led to the decision to euthanize him.

On May 20, 2006, Barbaro ran in the Preakness Stakes as a heavy favorite, but, after a false start, he fractured three bones in and around the fetlock of his right hind leg.

The injury ruined any chance of a Triple Crown in 2006 and ended his racing career.

The next day, he underwent surgery at the New Bolton Center at the University of Pennsylvania for his injuries.

In July he developed laminitis in his left rear foot.

He was rushed to the hospital, where he underwent five further operations, and his prognosis varied during an exceptionally long stay in the Equine Intensive Care Unit at the New Bolton Center.

While his right hind leg eventually healed, a final risky procedure on it proved futile because the colt soon developed further laminitis in both front hooves.

His veterinarians and owners concluded that he could not be saved, and Barbaro was euthanized on January 29, 2007.

He was a third-generation descendant of Mr. Prospector, and as such Barbaro was related to many notable racehorses including Afleet Alex, Smarty Jones, Funny Cide and Fusaichi Pegasus.

Barbaro was bred and owned by Gretchen and Roy Jackson's Lael Stables of West Grove, Pennsylvania.

Barbaro was trained by Michael R. Matz at Fair Hill Training Center.

During his racing career he was ridden by Edgar Prado and Jose Caraballo.

Neither jockey rode him at any time other than in his races: Peter Brette was his regular exercise rider.

Barbaro was undefeated in his first 5 starts.

He was sent off as the second choice in the Kentucky Derby at odds of 6:1, in a full field of twenty horses.

Barbaro charged ahead during the last turn and straightaway of the race to win by six and a half lengths.

Barbaro's lead in the final furlong expanded, although jockey Edgar Prado did not use the whip and ask for his top speed.