Sounds great, it's pouring down rain here.

Yum, Alexa, all sounds terrific! And your yard looks lovely too, I meant to write that on the other thread. I think you'll be staying indoors today, however :(

I love your crab canoe - and all the other goodies sound marvelous! I've met some of your friends, you know, and when you say friendly betting, I'm laughing - I think you're all pretty darn serious - LOLOL!

Have a great time!

Thanks for reminding me about the Derby. I enjoy watching it, but almost always forget all about it, usually because I'm out in the garden. Today is so chilly and damp, that won't be a problem.
Your menu looks great!

Oh Alexa, I am sure you are as upset as I am about Eight Belles. What a tragic end to such a good finish! She ran such a good race! Rest in peace beautiful Eight Belles. I can't stopped crying for her family. Gina

OMG Alexa I just heard this on the news. If it wasn't for you I would not have even known she was running.

How sad and how tragic...not sure how I feel about it all. To put down such a beautiful animal, was it necessary? I just don't know enough about it, except to know it saddens me.

Chase, a broken leg or fracture of any kind on a horse is excuriatingly painful for them, but to break two completely is no way for them to be rehabilitated. So they do the most humane thing for them and put them down. It just saddens me so much to think about it. Barbero who ran in 06 fractured only one leg, had surgery after surgery, came through them, had months of rehab and still passed. It's just so sad! Gina

Hey all

I was hugely impressed with Big Brown - that was a VERY composed 3 yo. I had heard several people (on TV) say that he is by far the best 3 yo this year, but the lack of experience would hurt him in the race. Guess we all got an eye opener.

Needless to say, watching that tragedy with Eight Belles really put a damper on things here, and we ended up shutting the TV off to go hang out on the patio and watch the kids frolic. It was so very sad, but much more merciful than what Barbero was put through.

A

Alexa, I know Barbarao's vet and I assure you he did not suffer, beyond the original break. He had laminitis and it simply got to the point where it would not improve and had he been allowed to continue on, eventually his legs would not have held him. His comfort was foremost in everyone's thoughts. His owners, the Jacksons, are about the nicest most caring people you would want to know. They even helped establish a school for the children of racetrack stableworkers.

That was a very sad accident in the Derby and I was thoroughly disgusted with the press for putting two pictures of Eight Belles with both legs broken into the paper and not ONE of Big Brown. No wonder newspaper circulation is declining when they pander to the lowest common denominator.

Here is a link that might be useful: Anna's School

Pam

I'm not sure how lengthy your conversations with Barbero's vet were, but I can assure you that laminitis is EXTREMELY painful for horses. One would certainly hope that Barbero's pain management was of utmost concern, but I still felt that he was kept alive much longer than he should have been. My opinion, of course.

As far as media coverage - I never even turned the TV on yesterday and I put the newspapers right into the recycle.

Alexa -- you were quite smart to skip yesterday's news.

I was told that Barbaro was not suffering at all and their hope was that he would live out his life in a nice green pasture. He sure wasn't going to run again.

At any rate, I put my faith in the fact that Dean and the Jacksons (owners) are supremely decent people and only had his welfare at heart. I met Dean at a couple of fund raising parties, but never had a heart to heart with him.

Laminitis does sound just awful.

Alexa.....do you have a recipe for your minted simple syrup that you use in the Mint Juleps.

Could you use the same minted simple syrup for Moijtos (sp)?

Those drinks are sounding very refreshing this time of the year, especially after working out in the gardens!

I just couldn't come here until now, although I agree absolutely with the decision to immediately euthanize Eight Belles. The front legs are actually bear much of the horse's weight, with both broken it would be impossible for her to ever recover.

As for Barbaro, it is very possible that he had enough pain medication to make him comfortable, in spite of the laminitis.

My own Morgan gelding was stricken with laminitis a couple of years ago. The condition is so painful that some horses go into shock just from the pain. I gave him huge doses of aspirin for pain and swelling three times a day.

What a damper for a party. Sigh. Big Brown was impressive, though, and so was Eight Belles. She came up from the middle of the pack and I almost thought she had it, for just a minute. Elery was watching with me and was stunned, he had no idea that they would immediately put a horse down like that.

Of course, what does he know about horses? Um, not much. LOL He picked Colonel John because he liked the name.

Annie