Steel pins inserted into Barbaro's right hind leg

Kentucky Derby (G1) hero BARBARO (Dynaformer) was taken back to surgery on

Saturday to remove a custom fabricated brace that was recently put on his right

hind foot. In its place, an external skeletal fixation device was placed on the

four-year-old's right hind.

As part of the device, two steel pins were placed transversely through

Barbaro's right hind cannon bone. These pins are connected to external sidebars

which in turn are connected to a lightweight alloy foot plate.

"We could not keep him comfortable on his right hind foot," Dr. Dean W.

Richardson said in a statement. "That foot developed a deep subsolar abscess

secondary to bruising when he went through a period of discomfort on the left

hind foot. It is not laminitis but the undermining of the sole and part of the

lateral heel region are potentially just as serious.

"We attempted to manage the right hind foot, but it was impossible to have

access to the foot for treatment as well as acceptable stability and comfort."

The new device will not allow Barbaro to bear any weight on his right hind

foot. Instead, all the weight will be borne on the pins in his cannon bone.

According to the statement, there is a potential for the cannon bone to fracture

from all the weight.

"There is significant risk in this approach but we believed it was our only

option given the worsening of the right hind foot problem," Richardson said.

"This approach offered our only hope of keeping Barbaro acceptably comfortable."

Barbaro recovered well from the anesthesia and has been in and out of the

sling. His left hind foot appears to be stable, and his attitude and appetite

were excellent overnight.

"We will continue to treat Barbaro aggressively as long as he remains bright,

alert and eating," Richardson said. "This is another significant setback that

exemplifies how complex his medical situation remains because both hind limbs

have major problems."

Barbaro remains in the Intensive Care Unit of the University of

Pennsylvania's George D. Widener Hospital at New Bolton Center.