by Charity Nicole Robertson

Created on: October 08, 2009

As the prestigious running of the Kentucky Derby began, Barbaro, along with nineteen other horses, charged from the starting gate. As they entered the last turn, Barbaro began to make his move, surging past the others. He easily went into the lead and with a tremendous burst of speed, won the Derby by several lengths.

Who would have thought that Barbaro, who had won the Kentucky Derby by the largest margin in 60 years, would dramatically end his racing career just two weeks later?

It was April 29, 2003, when a handsome, bay colt was born at the Lael Stables in West Grover, Pennsylvania. Roy and Gretchen Jackson were the proud owners of this new little colt they called Barbaro, who would ultimately grow to be quite the giant at 17 hands tall.

Two years later Barbaro began his racing career by winning the Laurel Futurity as a two-year-old, and then going on to win the Tropical Park Derby, the Holy Bull Stakes and the Florida Derby as a three-year-old.

On the first Saturday of May, Barbaro, accompanied by nineteen other top three-year-old thoroughbreds, walked to the post as an undefeated horse of seven races. He was about to run the Kentucky Derby, the most prestigious three-year-old race. It is the dream of every horseman to have one of their own, home-bred horses win the Derby.

All went well as the gates flew open, and the horses exploded onto the track. Barbaro went immediately to fourth place where his jockey, Edgar Prado, kept him until the last turn. As they entered the homestretch, Edgar clicked at him and showed him the stick without touching him. Barbaro responded by flying past the three front horses and taking the lead. He continued to lengthen his distance from the rest of the field, winning the "Run for the Roses" by an incredible 6.5 lengths.

Since he made such an outstanding performance in the Derby, there was no doubt, but that he would try for the Triple Crown.

Two weeks later at the running of the Preakness, Barbaro broke prematurely from the gate, but was declared okay to restart. As the horses broke from the gate, Barbaro stumbled, but quickly regained his balance and took off after the others. As they were passing in front of the grandstands, Edgar felt that something was wrong and pulled him over to the side. As he dismounted, he noted that Barbaro was standing on three legs.

Barbaro was immediately removed from the race track and rushed to the New Bolten Center in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, where the x-rays showed that he had fractured

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