Barbaro's condition status quo

Barbaro, the Kentucky Derby winner who shattered his right hind leg in the Preakness Stakes on May 20, continues to hold steady despite last month's complications in his healing.

The 3-year-old colt remained in stable condition at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center, surgeon Dr. Dean Richardson said in a statement the university released Tuesday afternoon. Richardson inserted 27 screws and a compression plate to repair Barbaro's right hind leg on May 21, then redid that repair last month after the colt showed signs of infection in the leg. In mid-July, Barbaro also developed the hoof disease laminitis in the left hind leg, a result of resting too much weight on that leg. So far, he has shown no signs of infection in the left leg, and the right leg also is doing well, according to Richardson.

"We change his left hind foot bandage daily, and it looks good," Richardson said. "His right hind leg also looks good, and his appetite remains strong."

Barbaro is in intensive care at the center's George D. Widener Large Animal Hospital, where he is expected to remain for months. Among the challenges facing the colt is to regrow his left hoof. Richardson removed 80 percent of the hoof last month after it was damaged by the laminitis.

The hospital's release said it would next update the public about Barbaro's progress on Thursday, "unless there is a significant change" in his condition in the meantime.