Re: 6 Minutes prior to post in the Preakness... (697 Views)
Posted by:
alm (IP Logged)
Date: May 23, 2006 06:16PM
Sightsound, I respect your analysis of this situation, but I really don't think it was a misstep that caused the initial fracture in the sequence of the breakdown.
While it's true that workouts and training remodel bone, the reforming and flattening of the bottom surface of the condylar is a source of trouble in many horses. It remodels the wrong way in soft boned horses (generally young horses.) It flattens out and creates edges, which tear through the soft tissue below it.
The amount of training you describe Barbaro undergoing wasn't necessarily hardening his bones. Time and maturity count for a lot in that process and this was still a young horse.
Ultimately, it doesn't matter who among us is understanding the situation correctly---or best for that matter. We lost a good one in this colt.
By the way did you see the x-ray of the fused leg and screws? Very interesting stuff, especially the screw through the sesamoid. I would not have guessed that was possible.