Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro euthanized

Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro was euthanized Monday morning after complications from breaking a leg at the Preakness in May.

"We just reached a point where it was going to be difficult for him to go on without pain," co-owner Roy Jackson said. "It was the right decision, it was the right thing to do. We said all along if there was a situation where it would become more difficult for him, then it would be time."

Roy and Gretchen Jackson were with Barbaro on Monday morning, with the owners making the decision in consultation with chief surgeon Dean Richardson.

Since undergoing five-hour emergency surgery on May 20 to repair the shattered right hind leg, Barbaroexperienced several complications.

The latest, including laminitis in the left rear hoof and a recent abscess in the right rear hoof, ultimately proved to be too much for the bay colt, whose breakdown brought an outpouring of support across the U.S.

"I would say thank you for everything, and all your thoughts and prayers over the last eight months or so," Jackson said to Barbaro's fans.

Barbaro had undergone a risky surgical procedure over the weekend, when two steel pins were inserted in a bone one of three shattered in the Preakness but thatbecame healthyagain to eliminate all weight bearing on the ailing right rear foot.

Richardson said Monday morning that Barbaro did not have a good night following the operation.

"This horse was a hero," said David Switzer, executive director of the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association. "His owners went above and beyond the call of duty to save this horse. It's an unfortunate situation, but I think they did the right thing in putting him down."

Triple Crown contender

A son of Dynaformer and La Ville Rouge, Barbaro captured the attention of the thoroughbred racing worldby winning five of his six starts ahead of the Kentucky Derby,thenoutrunning the field at ChurchillDownsby anastounding 6 lengths, the widest victory margin in 60 years.

Touted as alegitimate threatto become the first horseto winthe Triple Crown since Affirmed in 1978, Barbaro went into the Preakness as a heavy favourite beforepulling up lamejust strides into the race. Bernardini went on to win, and Jazil later captured the Belmont Stakes.

Barbaro's Preakness injury was so calamitous that many at Pimlico Race Trackassumed the horse would be euthanized on site.

Instead, he was transported that night to the New Bolton Center's George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals, and was operated on the next day by Richardson.

The injuries were as serious as everyone feared: Barbaro sustained fractures to the cannon bone above the ankle,sesamoid bone behind the ankle andlong pastern bone below the ankle. The fetlock joint the ankle was dislocated. Richardson said the pastern bone was shattered in "20-plus pieces."

Well-wishersbrought gifts

To help repair the injuries, Richardson inserted a titanium plate and 27 screws into the broken bones.

Barbaro emerged from the surgery in good spirits aswell-wishersshowed up at the New Bolton Center with cards, flowers, gifts, goodies and even religious medals for the champ, and thousands of e-mails poured into the hospital's website.

But by mid-July, Richardson's greatest fear became reality laminitis struck Barbaro's left hind leg and 80 per cent of the hoofneeded to beremoved.

Richardson recalled recently what it was like when he met with the Jacksons to deliver the news.

"It was terrible," Richardson said. "I wouldn't have blamed anyone at that point for saying they just couldn't face the prospects of going on."

But Barbaro responded well to treatment, and his recovery was progressing until a final, fatal turn.