We've covered a lot of this ground on previous posts, but it is good to see the more technical stuff getting posted now.

In response to one query: horses break down front and back. I have had both things happen.

It is important to understand that condylar fractures mostly come from the repeated pounding of the condyle, which flattens the bone. Once it starts to flatten it tears through the soft tissue, which lines the joint. That's when fracturing begins.

Many trainers do not recognize the difference between gimpiness that is caused by this as opposed to gimpiness from other causes, such as shin problems. They know a horse can grow through shin problems so they continue training. This is deadly when the cause is in the condyle.

If you believe there is no way I can know more about this than most trainers, you don't know many trainers. Even good ones are ill informed on some issues such as this.

As I said before, it is likely Barbaro fractured his condylar bone first, which brought on a misstep and fracturing of the other bones in subsequent strides. It is also likely he was showing some gimpiness in his training, which would explain his light racing schedule and relatively light workout schedule. If you pop enough pain killers into a horse he will race without showing the problem and if you are lucky you can get him through a light racing schedule, but you would be pressing your luck.

They pressed it.