The saddest part is that we did not see the best of him. He was a monster in the making. What a tragic loss!

Here's another youtube tribute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jbKfx2_pmCQ

When it finally got to me...R.I.P BARBARO
 

I heard the news shortly after the noon hour about Barbaro today, it wasn't until I got home from work and saw all the stories about our fallen hero and it was finally sinking in. Then I was listening to ATRAB and heard Johnny D. making the comparison of Barbaro's death and saying goodbye to a family pet. That's when I lost it...shortly before this year's Derby, my cat of nearly 12 years got sick quickly and within three weeks had past away. She never acted like she was in pain and went peacefully. Her friend; my dog Kasi who is the same age, suffered a hind injury just a month after Jasmine died. She's been doing well since then, but hobbled in the house yesterday afternoon after I put her out, she seem to be walking better later in evening.
Then today, we learn of Barbaro's death. After eight months, he looked liked he would make it though. It's tough to say goodbye, sometimes tougher with animals than humans. They give us unconditional love and need us to take care of them. Barbaro gave it his all...right to the end. He's finally pain-free, but him being gone is tougher on us. Remember all the pleasure he gave us...that we'll never forget. My dad sent me an e-mail when he learned about Barbaro's death. It was short and to the point...BARBARO "The Bravest of the Brave" 2003-2007. I guess this sum it up.

RIP
 

Guess i knew this day was coming and after this weekend not surprised that it was today. Still, a very sad day and i am still not over the Phipps filly and her death at the Breeders Cup....

RIP Barbaro.

Barbaro... i am saddened by this day. RIP...I'd like to thank all who stood by Barbaro through all his ups and downs. I'm sure it all helped him want to go on.

A tough day for sure, millions of fans feel like they have had a kid brother or the like taken away from them. Myself included. I was there in Baltimore and just as a person, you wanted to hug someone near you, or cheer up the crying youngster who was horrified...but you couldn't, you were paralyzed at the amazing and terribly unfortunate scene unfolding.

But, those millions who feel like they have lost something today, is the primary reason that Barbaro should be forever celebrated. He gave people something real. Something tangible. Something you cannot really thank someone for. He gave them hope.

There are so many people in this world who need something to latch on to, for whatever reason. Whether they be down on luck, down on themselves, or lonely, everybody needs something. For many, Barbaro was that something.

Lots of people loved him for his amazing talent and majestic stride which carried him to an undefeated record. Many others loved him for his dogged determination, big heart and strength of conviction to keep fighting every day until now. He will live on in this age of war, crocked polticians, greedy CEO's, and drug enhanced athletes, as an untarnished image of all that is good in the world. He betrayed no one, only to be betrayed by his own body.
For that, he is a cut above most in tangible aspects and a few cuts above most in the eyes of an adoring public, who cherished him so much.

We all sometimes strive to be something we are not. We want to be that athlete who kicks the field goal to win the Super Bowl, scores the winning basket, or hits the home run to clinch a series. It's most people's true fantasy world. In Barbaro, we could live vicariously through him. He, seemingly, had no equal. His breath taking performance in what was seen as a deep Kentucky Derby provides testament to such. We also hope to have the strength to be able to meet what some feel is an insurmountable challenge. Though we hope we NEVER face it, we want to feel we can stare it down. Barbaro gave us this hope as well. Much like a field in the Derby, he stared down death for eight months. He gave those who needed hope the will to fight their own personal fight. However trivial or serious those personal fights are or were, the fact that many drew strength from the fight and inspiration from Barbaro cannot be ignored. We should all look to live our life in a way that someday a complete stranger or long time friend comes up and says "you gave me hope" or "you're inspiration helped me get past that tough time".

It shouldn't end there, however. Barbaro may have lost his battle, but in his silent fight and silent suffering, he planted the seed in so many that just because it looks bleak or someone tells you 'no', it is not over. You find a way, you look forward and battle to the next day. I hope everyone touched by this great animal remembers that when they face a tough situation, it might be the only fitting tribute we can give an animal that meant so much to so many. I know I will.

Suffolk Shippers, that was a lovely tribute to Barbaro. Thanks for sharing that.

Well said...good-bye Barbaro and run in peace.

Barbaro Tribute
 

My friends Wayne, Kasept and I put together a Barbaro Tribute today for the ATRAB show. After the tribute, you can hear a great hour from ATRAB with Steve Byk and JJ Graci. If you have windows media player go to :

http://stream.attheracesandbeyond.com/stream/12907a.mp3

If the link doesnt work go to the www.attheracesandbeyond.com website and find "Barbaro Tribute" under the 1-29-07 Archive in the Schedule
section (2007). Also, our dear friend BTW and Greg Gilchrest had a very good interview in the last hour of the show. If all else fails PM me and I'll email it to ya

Rest In Pease Barbaro

To see him in person at the Derby was a great memory. He impressed in the padock, on the track and in recovery. RIP

To me, Barbaro was unique in that he had a "fifth" gear that even most of the best thoroughbreds don't have. On ATRAB today, they played a medley of stretch calls from four or five of Barbaro's biggest victories. Just listening to the calls, you just had a sense that the horse had a "refuse to lose" mentality. No matter how hard he got pushed, Barbaro always found that fifth gear that was needed to beat his hard charging competitors. Challenged in the stretch in the Kentucky Derby, Barbaro poured it on in the last quarter and crushed the field by eight lengths.

It has been 29 years since Affirmed "refused to lose" to Alydar, winning the Triple Crown in the process. You just had the sense that Barbaro probably had the stuff to become the 12th Triple Crown champion. It's a shame that it all ended too soon.

He is at peace, and we are all thankful that we got to experience his brief display of greatness.

Man oh man where to begin. Not sure what to say or how to say it. What a majestic animal he was. I've had the good fortune of being around some really nice horses, but it's hard to compare many to him. He was different. As a racehorse and as a patient. I realize things happen for a reason and it was the right thing to do, it doesn't make it any easier.

Thoughts go out to the connections. Dr. Richardson, The Jacksons, Michael Matz and Edgar Prado are truly class acts and never waivered during the last 8 months. They should all rest easy tonight, knowing the big boy is comfortable and doesn't have anything wrong anymore.

RIP Barbaro RIP

will always be remembered as a true fighting champion. RIP......:(

GOD BLESS YOU BARBARO !!!!!!!!!!!! you were a true champion in every sense of the the word. RIP. i will never forget you. in every horse that i watch run there will always be a peice of you in every one of them. derby and preakness day will feel a little diffeent for the next few years.while 'i'll be seeing one race in front of me another will be going thru my mind before ,during and after these races.as a family-a horse racing family on this board, which all of us are, we may not always agree or get along but we all lost a piece of us thru this horse. but we gain thru this as the passing of a human or animal how fragile we all are and how quickly things can change in our life and be loved ones either pets or humans can be taken from us or our own lives. we take to much for granted even tho we don't think we do because we are human and its our way of survival. just tell your loved ones you love them and and give your pets wether they be equine or other a big hug for i think thats what this is all about in the end.nothing to do with horse racing but PURE LOVE. barbaro to me will stand for me not so much anymore as the ky derby winner but something greater-love and patience and courage. love you champ and i'll miss you .

I have always been a Jay Cronley fan, but I think this is by far one of his better pieces... http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/hor...jay&id=2747541

Could not agree more. I read it earlier this evening. Great piece.

Also, to all of those who have shared their stories and thoughts on Barbaro, thanks for sharing. I've really enjoyed reading all of them.

RIP Barbaro

EXCELLENT STORY!! After Difficult Birth, Barbaro Thrived....
 

All cried out now...

Run in peace forever, Barbaro. We'll never forget you.

So long, brave guy. I saw you win the roses and, in my mind, that's where you'll always be. If there's a horse heaven, there's a groom walking ahead of you right now, saying, "Make way -- big horse comin' through."

Thanks to the Jackson and to Dr. Richardson for doing everything they could and for not wavering under huge pressure they faced when staying with the fight or in abandoning it when the moment came...

RIP Barbaro, up you go to where you're sound once more and accompanied by the roses you've won, the cheers of 100,000 at Churchill, and the hearts of those who you inspired.

Churchill could be Barbaro's burial site
 

Every once in a while a Horse comes along that transcends the sport into more. In 2006 we were blessed with such an animal, his name was Barbaro. On the first Saturday of May we all watched as Barabro was made the next “super horse.” In the eight months since then the world has fallen in love with Barbaro, but for different reasons. In winning the Derby Barbaro exhibited the traits of a dream Thoroughbred, Speed, Stamina, Courage. However, in the 8½ months since then we found out what a true Champion Barbaro really was. While under the care of the New Bolton center, Barbaro displayed the characteristic of a super hero: intelligence, courage, strength, and HEART. It was these traits that made the World stop and take note.

I would like to thank the Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Matz, Mr. Prado and Dr. Richardson as well as the staff at New Bolton for so deeply caring for Barbaro and seeing that he never suffered, even in his darkest time.

I will always remember Barbaro for what he was a . . . Champion . . .

Though I can understand if the Jacksons want to bury him at their farm, it would be nice if he were buried at the Derby museum so his fans could pay their respects over the years.

Thanks Barbaro for doing your job well. You made us, if only for a moment, forget the larger world of Darfur and Baghdad and OPEC and Al Qaida and shrinking resources and global warming and the smaller world of working for a buck and finger gestures on the freeway and offers of credit in the mail and the travails of being citizens and neighbors, parents, sons and daughters. In short, you made us forget about ourselves, but we will never forget you for your kind comes this way only once in a great while.

The Jacksons didn't have to be so open with us, we strangers; they didn't have to let us participate, for months, in an intensely personal portion of their lives. They didn't have to allow New Bolton to give us unprecedented access, to open themselves and their decisions to worldwide scrutiny. I imagine they did it for the love of Barbaro, and moreso of the sport, and I am ever grateful to them for allowing us to also intimately share Barbaro. They are sportsmen in the most generous and finest sense of the word.