Barbaro was the equine story of 2006. Those who worked with him, as well as much of the general public who follow racing, believed he had a good shot at becoming the 12th Triple Crown winner after he handily won the Kentucky Derby.

Hopes of becoming a Triple Crown winner were crushed in a split second when 3-year-old Barbaro shattered his right hind leg in the Preakness Stakes held last May in Baltimore, Md.

Even though the surgery to save Barbaro's hind leg was successful and the leg mended, Barbaro was euthanized Jan. 29 after complications from a series of ailments. The ailments included laminitis in the left rear hoof, an abscess in the right rear hoof, as well as new laminitis in both front feet. Basically, he wasn't left with a leg to stand on.

No one could have imagined the morning of the Preakness Stakes the ill fortune that would befall Barbaro that day -- ending his career after six victorious starts.

The morning of the Preakness, local horse trainer Randy McCall called her friend of 30 years, who was Michael Matz's farm manager at the time, to wish him luck.

Matz was Barbaro's trainer.

Bone (Jimmy) Herring told McCall to plan on meeting him at Belmont, the final race of the Triple Crown, to join the Matz team in the winner's circle for the traditional photograph of race winners.

McCall and Herring became friends when a mutual friend, Bernie LaRocque, introduced them.

Before Matz became a thoroughbred race-horse trainer, he had a successful career in show jumping, winning a silver medal in the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona, Spain. McCall and LaRocque had both braided horses for Matz when Matz was riding show jumpers.

Herring, who was Matz's race horse farm manager for 10 years, said from Maryland this week, "Things just happen in life that kick you in the stomach. I'm sure Michael (Matz) is taking it very hard. He puts 150 percent in everything he does. He went to see the horse practically every day of the eight months Barbaro was at New Bolton (University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center) whether it was to change bandages or to just give the horse carrots.

"Anyone who worked with Barbaro knew he was outstanding. He had the look of eagles. A few horses may have that look but very few have the heart to go with it. A horse like that wants to live. If he didn't, he would have stopped eating and given up on life."

Dr. Tom Daniel and Dr. Jim Hamilton, local equine veterinarians and partners in Southern Pines Equine Associates, agree with Herring.

"Barbaro exhibited the will to live and everyone involved did the right thing in giving the horse a chance to survive," Daniel says. "Hurray for everyone involved. They did exactly what they should have."

Unfortunately, horses breaking down in races or even in morning workouts -- often resulting in life threatening injuries -- are the realities of racing. Some horses are euthanized and some are saved. The defining factor for recovery is the same as in human medicine -- the patient's will to live.

It appears that Barbaro survived his initial injury because he had the will to live.

"There is good evidence from human medicine that how well a person recovers from surgery is in great part affected by his or her courage and desire to heal," Hamilton says. "Barbaro had tremendous courage and desire to live."

Some horses snap a leg racing and keep on running with a leg dangling, doing irreparable damage. Others simply give up and lay down in a heap and are euthanized on the track.

Very few do what Barbaro did -- he knew he was in trouble and he waited for help to arrive.

Barbaro showed a tremendous will to live from the minute he injured himself on the track through his eight months of recovery from his fractures up until the last two weeks when he suffered a number of setbacks.

"There was a great likelihood that Barbaro would recover." Hamilton says. "There is a misconception that inappropriate attempts were made to save the horse's life. The veterinarians followed tested and proven procedures. The horse succumbed to complications that were unforeseen.

"Barbaro is the classic example of the competitive spirit and courage which not only made him a great race horse but also got him as far as he went after the accident."

Perhaps that is why Barbaro's struggle has struck a cord with so many people. They recognize the strength of character and courage it took to maintain that will to live throughout his ordeal.

Barbaro was one-in-a-million, not just for his racing speed but for the fight he put up to survive.?