Barbaro Statue Awaits Ky. Derby Fans

His ashes lie below memorial
By Ambreen Ali,  Newser Staff
Posted Apr 27, 2009 6:06 AM CDT
Barbaro Statue Awaits Ky. Derby Fans
Trainer Michael Matz, left, and owners Gretchen and Roy Jackson view the larger-than-life statue of 2006 Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro at Churchill Downs.   (AP Photo/Garry Jones)

A bronze statue of the late Barbaro charging mid-air toward his 2006 Kentucky Derby victory has been completed in advance of next week's 135th Derby, the Courier-Journal reports. Buried below the sculpture are the ashes of the beloved colt, who was euthanized two years ago after struggling to recover from a leg that all but shattered in the Preakness. His supporters flocked to Churchill Downs yesterday to witness the statue's unveiling.

"It's closure for me," said a fan who traveled from Dallas. "Finally knowing he's in his final resting place gives me some peace. There was just something magical about him."
(More Kentucky Derby stories.)

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