The condition of injured Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro's left hind hoof, stricken with severe laminitis, is steadily improving and the hoof itself has begun to regrow, said Dr. Dean Richardson, chief of surgery at the George D. Widener Hospital for Large Animals at the University of Pennsylvania's New Bolton Center.

Although he described Barbaro's overall condition as "very guarded," Richardson was more upbeat on Thursday night than he has been in weeks.

"We change the bandage on his left hind every day now and it's improving regularly," Richardson said. "It looks like he's starting to grow at the coronary band again. It's where the hoof grows down from. It's where he's going to have to grow a new hoof, so that was nice to see."

Richardson also had good news about Barbaro's surgically repaired right hind leg, which he examined late Wednesday night.

"Where the new plates were put on it actually looks very good. There were no signs of infection," Richardson said. "I was pretty happy with how the leg looked as well as how the X-rays looked, so he was put back in a fresh cast on his right hind.

"If you were to look at him, he looks like a happy horse. He's eating well and he looks bright," Richardson said. "He's lost a lot of condition, but that's expected. You can't put a horse on bed rest for two-plus months and expect him not to lose a lot of muscle, so he has lost a lot of muscle."

Dealing with two problematic legs instead of one has made the recovery process more difficult, but Richardson said the mood around Barbaro is much more optimistic than it was two weeks ago when the laminitis struck.

"His prognosis remains very guarded, but we're not even remotely considering quitting on him right now," Richardson said. "The horse looks too good. No one is thinking about quitting on this horse now."

(From Thoroughbred Times reports)

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