By Sam Story
Inspin.com/WagerWeb.com Contributing Writer

Barbaro, winner of the 2006 Kentucky Derby, has had yet another surgery. The surgery was a planned procedure months ago and gave the veterinarians a chance to remove “additional hoof wall and cut a tendon in his left hind leg as part of the colt's continuing treatment for laminitis in his left hind foot,” according to the Daily Racing Form.
Dr. Dean Richardson, who has received all sorts of awards for his work with the Derby winner, also put a cast back on Barbaro’s right hind leg in order to provide additional support.
The procedure comes less than a week after Barbaro endured yet another roadblock in his recovery from laminitis in his left hind leg. Laminitis, a horribly painful and fatal inflammation (if not treated properly) in the hoof, can develop due to excessive weight-bearing when a horse shifts his weight off of an injured leg and onto a healthy one. Barbaro's initial injury occurred May 20, when he shattered his lower right hind leg early in the running of the Preakness Stakes. Barbaro developed a horrid case of laminits in his left hind hoof in the middle of July, prompting Richardson to remove an estimated 80% of the hoof wall.


San Rafael Stakes
Notional, sent off at odds of 3-5, proved to be too much in a powerful four-length win of Saturday's $150,000 San Rafael (Grade 2) for 3-year-olds at one mile at Santa Anita Park.
Trained by Doug O’Neill and ridden by Corey Nakatani, a most powerful Southern California combination, Notional has been sizzling and super popular in the LA area.
He garnered much of his attention after a smashing debut at Santa Anita's Oak Tree meeting with a 2 1/2-length victory Oct. 21 in a six-furlong time of 1:09. He then switched to Hollywood Park’s Cushion Track after that, finishing third as the 13-10 choice in the seven-furlong Hollywood Prevue (Grade 3) Nov. 18. He followed that up with a 6th-place performance in the Hollywood Futurity (Grade 1), beaten by just 2 1/2 lengths by Stormello.
With the decision to move back to a mile Saturday, Notional produced his second win in four starts and increased his earnings to just over $133K
"His maiden win was so impressive that he kind of regressed a bit, but hopefully this is one we can improve on,” said O'Neill, who also trains quality 3-year-olds Great Hunter and Liquidity.
One thing to be sure of as May approaches ... look out for this hot O’Neill and Nakatani horse and combination.

San Fernando Stunner
Awesome Gem, owned by the West Point Thoroughbreds Partnership, unloaded a terrific stretch drive to snatch victory by a nose from Midnight Lute in the final strides of the $200,000 San Fernando (Grade 2) at Santa Anita Park on Saturday.
The gelding, similar to 2003 Derby winner Funny Cide (who still races), notched his first stakes victory in a quality field of 11 4-year-olds in the 1 1/16-mile San Fernando, which he completed in a good time of 1:41 4/5 with Tyler Baze in the irons.
Craig Dollase trains West Point horses. Awesome Gem had one prior stakes appearance, finishing a fast-closing second in the one-mile Sir Beaufort on the Santa Anita turf course in his last start Dec. 26.


WagerWeb Horses