H. Graham Motion, one of the more successful thoroughbred trainers working out of Delaware Park, talks about the emotional bond that humans develop with racehorses.

City Paper: What goes into the decision to treat a severely injured horse?

H. Graham Motion: It's a tough question. Obviously part of the reason that a horse is not saved is for financial reasons. It's like taking a dog or a cat to the clinic for an extensive surgery. I know the Jacksons [Barbaro's owners from Chester County], I trained Barbaro's mother and I think this is a personal, not a financial, decision. We've all been in this position. I've saved horses. It's a very close emotional bond. I ran a horse on Saturday, a 7-year-old who's been with me [since it was] 3. If anything was to happen to that horse, I would be absolutely devastated.

CP: Does a horse have personality, like a dog or a cat?

HGM: I think someone asked [trainer] Michael [Matz] at the press conference, did Barbaro know he was there? He said no. A dog would know whether it's you or I—they're so domesticated. But [horses] do have personality.

CP: What forges the emotional bond?

HGM: I think a lot of the attachment is what they give to us when they race. They're so generous. In our sport, we feel we need to repay them.

CP: Are there certain personality traits that you often find in a successful horse?

HGM: We call it the class factor. A very talented horse like Barbaro has to have very high class. A nervous horse at that level just can't run. If you watch the Kentucky Derby every year, the horses that run well walk out of the paddock like they're taking a stroll. They [also] have to be very giving. At the end of the day, the most successful horse is going to be the one that tries the hardest.