Reviewed By Terri Schlichenmeyer
When your favorite athlete bangs his thumb, twists his
leg, or bumps his shoulder and sits out the next game, it
makes you a little worried. Is it career-threatening or is it
just a minor thing in the Major Leagues?
Bangs, twists and bumps can be ignored and your
athlete might play as if nothing happened. But when he
needs four legs to win, that’s a whole ‘nother matter. In
the new book Barbaro: A Nation’s Love Story by Tom
Philbin & Pamela K. Brodowsky, you’ll read about an
athlete who fought to survive despite the odds, and the
people who did all they could to help him.
When the small bay foal slipped into the world almost four years ago in a barn in
Kentucky, his owners hoped that this horse might be a champion. His bloodlines, like
that of many thoroughbreds, were carefully plotted. His birth was monitored and
assisted. After he was able to be with other horses, he was closely watched. His
cautious owners wanted what all thoroughbred owners want: a Triple Crown winner.
They could only dream of what this colt would become.
When the horse was a little over a year old, he was moved from the farm of his birth to a
horse farm in Florida for some basic race-horse training. At some point, his name was
changed from “La Ville” to “Barbaro,” after a fox hound in a painting that his owners loved.
Horse trainer and former Olympiad Michael Matz was chosen to train the horse in which
others had seen such promise.
After winning the Kentucky Derby in early May of last year, race fans harbored hopes of
Barbaro as the next Triple Crown winner. Sadly, it was not to be. When live broadcasts of
the Preakness showed Barbaro’s injury, equine medical expert Dr. Dean Richardson
was almost immediately tapped as the man to save the champion horse. Richardson
used high-tech surgery to repair a broken bone that would have meant euthanasia for a
lesser animal.
Yet despite the medical team’s best efforts, the prayers of thousands of fans around the
world, and months-long recuperation, Barbaro was ultimately unable to overcome his
injury.
Barbaro: A Nation’s Love Story is a skinny book, and for good reason. Barbaro only
competed in six major races before his injury took him out of the running, literally.
Because of lack of track record, authors Tom Philbin and Pamela Brodowsky fill this book
with fascinating comparisons to the lives of other thoroughbreds such as Native Dancer,
Secretariat, Funny Cide and others that made Triple Crown history. That’s the part that
horsey people and racing fans will enjoy. Not so interesting are the chapters on day-to-
day care for Barbaro (how many times can you say that a cast has been changed?) and
the dozen-or-so pages of get-well wishes and e-mails.
Still, if your heart broke when jockey Edgar Prado tried to comfort his mount, you’re going
to want to own this book. Barbaro: A Nation’s Love Story is one you can’ter (and shouldn’
t) miss.
Kentucky, his owners hoped that this horse might be a champion. His bloodlines, like
that of many thoroughbreds, were carefully plotted. His birth was monitored and
assisted. After he was able to be with other horses, he was closely watched. His
cautious owners wanted what all thoroughbred owners want: a Triple Crown winner.
They could only dream of what this colt would become.
When the horse was a little over a year old, he was moved from the farm of his birth to a
horse farm in Florida for some basic race-horse training. At some point, his name was
changed from “La Ville” to “Barbaro,” after a fox hound in a painting that his owners loved.
Horse trainer and former Olympiad Michael Matz was chosen to train the horse in which
others had seen such promise.
After winning the Kentucky Derby in early May of last year, race fans harbored hopes of
Barbaro as the next Triple Crown winner. Sadly, it was not to be. When live broadcasts of
the Preakness showed Barbaro’s injury, equine medical expert Dr. Dean Richardson
was almost immediately tapped as the man to save the champion horse. Richardson
used high-tech surgery to repair a broken bone that would have meant euthanasia for a
lesser animal.
Yet despite the medical team’s best efforts, the prayers of thousands of fans around the
world, and months-long recuperation, Barbaro was ultimately unable to overcome his
injury.
Barbaro: A Nation’s Love Story is a skinny book, and for good reason. Barbaro only
competed in six major races before his injury took him out of the running, literally.
Because of lack of track record, authors Tom Philbin and Pamela Brodowsky fill this book
with fascinating comparisons to the lives of other thoroughbreds such as Native Dancer,
Secretariat, Funny Cide and others that made Triple Crown history. That’s the part that
horsey people and racing fans will enjoy. Not so interesting are the chapters on day-to-
day care for Barbaro (how many times can you say that a cast has been changed?) and
the dozen-or-so pages of get-well wishes and e-mails.
Still, if your heart broke when jockey Edgar Prado tried to comfort his mount, you’re going
to want to own this book. Barbaro: A Nation’s Love Story is one you can’ter (and shouldn’
t) miss.
| A Tribute To Barbaro |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |