The chief of surgery at University of Pennsylvania’s New Bolton Center said Jan. 15 that Barbaro had “improved significantly” after undergoing surgery two days earlier to remove more of the left rear hoof that has been impacted by a bout of laminitis.

“He is doing much better, but he has a long way to go,” Dean Richardson, DVM, Dipl. ACVS, said of the Kentucky Derby winner who had been dealt a serious setback in his effort to recover from a broken right rear leg and the laminitis. “He is eating well and we have not had him in his sling for the last 24 hours.”

Richardson said the Dynaformer colt, who has been at New Bolton since sustaining his broken leg in the May 20 Preakness Stakes, has a good appetite and his vital signs are normal. He is, however, confined to his stall in the intensive care unit at New Bolton. If necessary to make him more comfortable, the colt will be placed in the protective sling at some point during the day.

That is a radical departure from the scene two weeks ago, when Barbaro had made such dramatic improvement from his injuries that he was allowed outside to exercise and had the casts removed from both his right rear leg and his left rear hoof. Plans were being made to possible relocate the colt to a horse farm where he could continue his recovery