this from another article, from espn:


Dr. Scott Morrison, who applied the cast on Jan. 3, called the latest development "a bump in the road" and said Barbaro "can possibly overcome it.

"When a horse tries to grow back an entire hoof capsule like Barbaro is, complications are expected along the way," added Morrison, the head of podiatry service at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Ky. "While the foot is growing back, there is some wall structure and tissue that becomes compromised along the way and has to be removed."

Though Morrison wasn't present at New Bolton when Richardson removed the loose tissue, he believes Barbaro's condition has not regressed or gone "back to square one."
"But I wouldn't say the prognosis is good for the foot," he cautioned. "It's still grim. He still has to grow a hoof wall for his prognosis to improve. There's still a long road ahead."

No doubt they're aware of the intense public scrutiny and are cautious about how and when they release information, but I agree that they seem to be up front. This whole thing seems to have placed a big burden on both the owners and the vets -- sort of like they have an obligation not just to the horse but also to the racing community to see it through. But I think they're handling it with dignity.

It's ironic, but I went to my first Kentucky Derby to see Barbaro run, and now he ends up just a few miles from my house.

You are dead on when you said that they feel as if they have an obligation to the racing community to see it through. Dead on.

Another article:

http://www.drf.com/news/article/81784.html

Just my opinion with no real knowledge about the subject, but it seems obvious that the new foot cast applied last week stressed the hoof and caused this newest problem.

yep, i agree with that. they said something about trying to rotate his coffin bone. i doubt this was a surprise to them really, they had to know there could be a problem.