Barbaro's condition takes turn for worse

He has a severe case of laminitis and is now a long shot to survive.
KENNETT SQUARE, Pa. (AP) -- He still looks every bit the champion. Only the fiberglass casts on not one but both of Barbaro's hind legs are indicators of something terribly wrong.
"His ears are up, he's bright, he's looking around," Dr. Dean Richardson said Thursday. "If you look at this horse, it'd be hard to put him down."
That precisely is the heartbreaking task that could be imminent because of a hoof disease so serious Richardson said the Kentucky Derby winner is "a long shot" to survive.
"It could happen within 24 hours," Richardson said during a news conference at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.
Often fatal disease
Richardson said Barbaro has a severe case of laminitis in his left hind leg -- a painful, often fatal disease caused by uneven weight distribution in the limbs.
"If he starts acting like he doesn't want to stand on the leg, that's it. That will be when we call it quits," he said.
Richardson, who has treated Barbaro since the colt suffered catastrophic injuries in the Preakness on May 20, said 80 percent of the horse's left hoof wall was removed Wednesday with the sudden onset of the disease.
Though he looks just fine, that doesn't reflect the true nature of his condition, termed "poor" by Richardson.
"I'd be lying if I said anything other than poor," he said. "As long as the horse is not suffering, we are going to continue to try to save him. If we can keep him comfortable, we think it's worth the effort."
Heavily medicated
Barbaro is being treated aggressively with pain medication and remains in the same stall he's been in since being brought to the intensive care unit at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals.
Until his misstep at the Preakness, Barbaro's career was nothing short of brilliant.
He won his first five starts, including the Florida Derby. His 61/2-length victory at the Derby was so convincing he was being hailed as the next likely Triple Crown champion -- and first since Affirmed since 1978.
But seconds after the gates swung open at Pimlico, that career was cut short when the colt broke down, his right hind leg flaring out awkwardly because of three broken bones.
Race fans at Pimlico wept and within 24 hours the entire nation seemed to be caught up in a "Barbaro watch," waiting for any news of his surgery and condition.
And for the longest time, it all seemed to be going well.
Barbaro's first six weeks of recovery were relatively smooth -- despite five hours of surgery to insert a titanium plate and 27 screws into his three shattered bones.
Each day brought more optimism: Barbaro was eyeing the mares, nickering, gobbling up his feed and trying to walk out of his stall. There was great hope Barbaro somehow would overcome the odds and live a life of leisure on the farm, although he'd always have a hitch in his gait.
Richardson, along with owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson and trainer Michael Matz, all believed the colt had a chance to recover.
Within last week
Until last week, when Barbaro's condition steadily worsened.
The colt underwent three surgical procedures and four cast changes on the injured leg, followed by a hoof wall re-section to remove 80 percent of his left rear hoof.
"I really thought we were going to make it two weeks ago," Richardson said. "Today I'm not as confident."
The vet didn't mince words: "It's as bad a laminitis as you can have. It's as bad as it gets."
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