If Barbaro, now with a metal plate and 23 screws in his right hind leg, survives the catastrophic injuries he suffered in Saturday’s Preakness Stakes, the Kentucky Derby winner still may have a future in the breeding shed, his surgeon said.

But under the rules of the Jockey Club, thoroughbreds do not breed through artificial insemination. There must be a live cover, as it is called in horse breeding.

Unless technical assistance can be provided, Barbaro still would have to be able to support his weight on his two hind legs during a breeding session.

His genes obviously aren’t affected. This was an undefeated horse who had won twice on turf, making him even more valuable after he had shown his prowess at classic distances.

With a pedigree to go even longer, Barbaro was looked at as a future breeding star, capable of commanding the sort of stud fees now earned by his own sire, Dynaformer, and another Kentucky Derby winner, Smarty Jones. Both stood for $100,000 this year at the same farm in Kentucky.

If Barbaro is able to get that far down the road, there are obvious questions about how many breeding sessions he could perform in a season and whether the 3-year-old colt could have as lengthy a career as one of the top stallions. Many keep heading for the breeding shed past their 20th birthdays.