Jacksons New Bolton Honored with Eclipse
 

The great story of horse racing coming out of the disaster in the Preakness.
http://news.bloodhorse.com/viewstory.asp?id=37106

Words fail me.

This is great news. :)

not to be a jerk but..i was a barbero fan from the get go..future bets fla derby ..the derby and preakness..he was a fine animal..the problem ..i feel that giving a ecilips award to the owners is a joke..unless the award says somthing like.. for meritorius spending of money to ensure breeding of a derby winner......lets face facts ..he was saved because of one thing..greed..you ll not find one other owner that would do this..again my opinion ..if this horse was to not be saved for breeding and that reason only..ill eat may hat..

hooves....i don't think they really feel at this point he will be able to do so. i hope you're wrong and they aren't being mercenary about this. both back legs are in BAD shape. not sure this guy will be able to handle the stress of it all.
they have said from the beginning that it had nothing to do with going after stud fees.

well i can only say...I WAS 100 PERC RIGHT..IT WAS A FRIGING JOKE..lets give duel awards for every one....and a "special award to jose desilva and john mc cracken who checked the chloriine in the aqua -pool..at the new bolton center..they really have done enough."..

Hooves --

Every organization that has a ceremony of this nature -- one that gives out public awards based on the subjective opinions of a restricted pool of voters -- wants to at least acknowledge public opinion. And the public opinion is that some gesture needed to be made to recognize the Barbaro story. Perhaps this was just a "feel good" award, but I don't think it cheapens the other awards, which, though ostensibly awards of merit, are nevertheless also often affected by politics. It's okay to be a purist, and want the awards to actually mean something, but what does it hurt to be a realist as well, and at least tolerate a token that garners good publicity for the industry?

give it to the horse..ill be the first to admit that the work done in the intrest of the horses at the new bolton is great,but intrest of the horse is not the first and formost issue here..if not for the breeding of barbero the first reason for "saving" him ..this horse would have been put down ..yes the public likes a fighter and an underdog hence the huge public intrest..hell they turned it into a info mercial for new bolton....the horse was an after thought.

and how will they look if the horse has a setback and dies...

I remember you on the Barbaro train early on. Maybe the award is more just a way for these voters to reward one of their own. Who knows. I say let them have their award. No cost to me. The way he looks moving on that leg makes me think he won't breed.

I think the public has been well-prepped to not be surpised if the worst comes to pass, though, of course, everyone hopes for the best.

Look, I understand that you question the motivations of the people involved, and don't want to reward greed (and from what I've read, and from their statements, I completely disagree with your belief that the Jacksons are primarily interested in just maximizing their investment), but sometimes a story grows beyond the motivations of the people involved, and comes to stand for something bigger. That's how I look at this award.

i guess if the jacksons didnt own it id more apt to give the praise....

Good post. :)

I don't understand how anyone or anything can be better off dead? Isn't doing right by the horse not killing it until there are no other options and not letting money be a factor in your decision? This attitude that the right thing is to put him down because he might die totally baffles me. They have way more to lose if he survives but can't cover a mare than they would have lost if he'd have been put down on the track and they cashed an insurance check.

I agree, Sniper. If it was all about the $$ for them, they would have destroyed him and cashed the insurance check.

I can't understand half the things you write but from what I gather I think you're way off base here. The Jacksons don't need the money. They're multi multi multi millionaires and they're attempting to save Barbaro because they love the horse. There's been 132 Kentucky Derby winners in history, and they have one of them. I'd love the horse too if I were them.

well i see im the minority on here..but think about the horse..if he cant cover any mares whats his quality of life goung to be..stall ridden..not exactly a go prance around the field deal....and no they dont need the money..i guess i just see though the false impression that these are such GREAT PEOPLE..LOL..

What is the quality of life of ANY breeding stallion, hooves? Let's be realistic here... how many horses are "happy" being kept alone all the time? Not many... They are herd animals and as such, they don't like to be alone.

He won't be stall ridden once that laminitic hoof is grown out IMO. I'd venture to say that he'd be allowed out in the paddock just like any other stallion.