Barbaro, the horse scrutinized by many for the strength and speed required to win the Triple Crown, is now under the watchful eyes of doctors and his owners, Gretchen and Roy Jackson. The thoroughbred colt underwent emergency surgery after shattering parts of his right rear leg in Saturday's Preakness Stakes.
The devastating injury occurred before the field had reached the first turn in the race. It ended the hopes that Barbaro, who easily won the Kentucky Derby two weeks beforehand, would win the second phase of the Triple Crown.
The racehorse is currently in a stall at the intensive care unit of the New Bolton Center for Large Animals in Pennsylvania, where he was operated on Sunday. Veterinarians have given him a 50-50 chance of survival. With Barbaro's racing career over after just five races, the Jackson's are hoping he can still have a breeding career as a stallion.
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