Barbaro's

many fans in Philly are in tears over the news.

Here is another guest book.

Joe Drape has his report.

John Scheinman has a piece up.

Andrew Beyer has a few thoughts.

He thinks Barbaro could have been the best three-year-old horse since Spectacular Bid had he not been injured.

Beyer makes what I think is the definitive statement on Barbaro:

When Barbaro broke down in the Preakness and was precariously trying to stand on his three good legs, a nationwide television audience witnessed horse racing at its worst. But over the next eight months, America saw the extraordinary devotion to the horse by his owners, his trainer and especially the veterinary team in the New Bolton Center in Pennsylvania. Dean Richardson was everything that a human patient could want from his own doctor -- capable, honest, realistic, compassionate and totally dedicated.

Critics of horse racing often say that owners and trainers exploit the animals in their care, but Barbaro's final eight months demonstrated the usual nature of these relationships. People in the sport love these fragile creatures and are devastated when they are hurt.

As far as those critics go, they can go to hell. Barbaro had more courage and more brains in his forelock than all of the animal rights nuts in the entire world.