Good Morning Everyone!
What an amazing photo! I just had to share it with you. I’ve flown several times on horse planes, H.E.Tex Sutton, but those planes do not have windows. Ann was on a plane recently and took this photo from her window. It is so unique to see the reflection of the plane in the clouds! In my opinion, this is truly a WOW moment!
There were other WOW moments over the weekend in racing. The results to the 3 Year Old Derby Preps left the entire Kentucky Derby picture wide open. My friend, MR.COMMONS, ran very well and was 3rd in the Santa Anita Derby. Bernardini’s son, ARTHUR’S TALE, was a closing 2nd in the Wood Memorial at Aqueduct. The Illinois Derby winner, JOE VANN, ran a very good race…but is not nominated to the Kentucky Derby. To run, his owners would have to supplement him to the race and that is extremely expensive. His team will have to make this decision for themselves as to what they want to do!
What happens in stakes races is the owner/trainer have certain dates they are to comply with in order to nominate a horse to a particular race. With the Triple Crown Series, there are 2 definite times when this opportunity is offered. In mid-January, you can do the ‘EARLY NOMINATION’. This is at a cost of $600 per horse.
During the final week of March, the ‘LATE NOMINATION’ option is offered. This time the fee is $6000. Sometimes, your horse is a late developer so this provides you with a 2nd chance to be sure your horse is nominated.
After this, it is very, very expensive to nominate a horse to the Triple Crown Races. That is why most people try to do the $600 early nomination process. This gives you an opportunity to ‘watch your horse and see how he matures and advances through the early part of his 3 year old year’. If all goes well, you are nominated and ready to move forward.
On a day-to-day basis, the nomination of horses to STAKES RACES is a very interesting process. ALL stakes races have deadlines for nomination purposes before the race. Once closed…(meaning the day after the nomination deadline)… the Racing Office publishes the names of the horses who are considering running. At times, supplemental nominations may be taken for a particular race if you missed the initial nomination date, but that is for a much higher fee.
Thus, when a horse runs in a STAKES RACE, there are normally 3 fees to be paid by the owner: a nomination fee, an entry fee, and a starting fee. When you are at the track in the future, you will see this information detailed at the top of the PROGRAM PAGE or RACING FORM CHART. It will tell you exactly what the fees are to run in that particular STAKES RACE.
Some stakes races are BY INVITATION only. This means that the Racing Office invites the most promising horses to run in that STAKE. When this happens, there are NO nomination, entry or starting fees…the horse is INVITED to run! The SANTA MARGARITA (Grade 1)…which I won last year at Santa Anita…is an Invitational Stakes. I was one of the horses who received an INVITATION to participate in this Grade 1 event. I must say, that was sure a FUN RACE TO WIN!
This is all part of the BUSINESS OF HORSERACING. Thank goodness, I had MY TEAM to take care of ALL of this FOR ME! Have a great day!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
PS…The ZENYATTA BRONZE contest is moving along. Barn 55 is drawing the names of the SWEET SIXTEEN today. We will print this list of 16 in tomorrow’s Diary. GOOD LUCK TO ALL!
Shari Voltz
Good morning Zenyatta We all loved the picture of the plane in the clouds. Kids thought that was cool!!!. I hope you get some sunshine in Kentucky. We are waiting for the sun to come out in Ohio. The class says to have fun and play with your girlfriends. We all love you bunches. Hugs and Kisses from Shari and Homeroom 215 XXXOOO
@Dawn fingers and toes crossed :)
@Kathy don’t be nervous at your meeting. I have taught special education for over 25 years. Remember you as the parent have All the rights. I am sure the sped teacher will help you. I have a little autistic boy in my room. He is just so cute and so smart. I can’t imagine a world without my creative special students. Good luck and God bless :)
LauraJ
@Roxi, the fees are refundable under certain conditions. If the horse can’t make the gate because there are too many other eligible horses before him, then the entry fee and supplemental nomination fee (if applicable) are refunded. No starting fee is owed unless the horse actually starts.
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Just a bit of trivia: the Derby is an unusually expensive race to enter. Most of the time, entry and starting fees are not exorbitant—on the order of a few hundred dollars. For example, the G3 Transylvania Stakes at Keeneland has entry and starting fees of $500. The G1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic is run right before the Derby. The early subscription fee was $100. Entry and starting fees are $2500 each. And this is a fairly expensive race to get into. Derby entry and starting fees are $25,000. The supplemental (aka last minute) nomination fee is $200,000! (Early nomination is $600.)
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@Sally B and @Linda in NJ, many horses do have lots of owners! Family and guests can go into the paddock as well. Noble’s Promise is owned by a partnership. So is Funny Cide, famously owned by a bunch of high-school buddies who formed Sackatoga Stables. Uptowncharlybrown, who was on the Derby Trail last year, has more than 50 owners through Fantasy Lane Stables. Each owns a very small share of him—less than 3% I’m in a partnership. I own 10% of a 3-year-old gelding. He hasn’t started yet, but will soon. :-) He is at Charles Town to get his official timed workouts and gate card.
Shari Voltz
Hey Zenyatta! We saw the picture we saw of the horse in the sky.. i think that was soo AWESOME!! I think that was a sign of god showing that he see’s you! We learn more and more about you everyday! I wonder how you are doing? i hope your doing just fine! Me and Brooke sure are! It is Brooke’s birthday! So.. We have go learn Social Studies to learn with Mrs.Voltz! Fun Fun Fun! Yea well got to go have a good evening and afternoon!
Talk to you later! Thank you for everything BYe!
Love Brooke and Ally:)
Shari Voltz
We love you God Bless your as good as gold! agian have a great day! buh bye now!
Theresa Aresco
Like a rainbow of love wrapped around you, protecting your flight. God is good.
Trina Nagele
Dearest Zenny, Just heard that storms struck central Kentucky yesterday. Hope you and all the other horses in the area were safe and cozy inside your barns.
Trudy Schossler
WOW what a picture, I am so glad you talk about the races and how it is done. Never thought how much goes into it, keep up with the info it is so interesting. Have a great day Zenyatta a big hug from me to you.
Trina Nagele
Dear Zenny, On the Internet I found weatherman Todd Borek for WKYT, and he says you should enjoy the sunshine and warmer afternoon temperatures today before more showers and storms arrive Friday. He says some of these storms could be strong, possibly severe. I’m sorry,I don’t want to worry you–we know Lane’s End will keep you safe!
DJ
Dearest “Sweet Z”,
I see Y.O.U. in the clouds, but I guess that’s who I’m looking for :) Enjoy a beautiful “Today”.
Kim Noble
What an extraordinary photo!! Thank you for sharing it, I’ve not seen anything like it.
Jean Moore
Beautiful Zenyatta, That is one amazing photo taken by Anne. I see a mare with her foal in the picture and another Z moment is shared with the world. This post has been so educational to those of us who really know very little about the business of thoroughbred racing so a big thank you to Dottie for relaying this info from you. In my opinion, you should have been invited to all your stakes races for the excitement you brought to each one. There will never be another like you.
J Smith
A beautiful bright, colorful, spot in a dark sky. That is Mrs Moss and her extended family. Thanks to Team Z for being our bright spot.
Trina Nagele
Dearest Zenny, I know you will be sorry to get the news that Bernardini’s son Arthur’s Tale will miss the Kentucky Derby due to a minor injury resulting from last Saturday’s race. Arthur’s Tale was second by a neck in the Wood Memorial to Toby’s Corner. Read more: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/62445/arthurs-tale-to-miss-derby-with-injury#ixzz1JQN1p800
The good news is that third-place Uncle Mo is feeling good and still going to the Derby. I’m so glad you always stayed uninjured, dear Zenny!
Sharon Call
@Sandra Gomez. Remember, nothing lasts forever, the good or the bad. I’ve been through times like this when I felt like everything I did was wrong. I came to the realization that I was my own worst enemy in those times by dwelling on the negatives. I know probably everyone has said this to you, but keep your head up and your chin out. Think about what you have accomplished in your life and understand that things will always periodically go wrong but they don’t have to stay that way if you don’t let them. Reach deep down inside yourself and find that spot that lets you go on to a positive place in your life. I never realized at the time how much my negative attitude was affecting the people I came in contact with, but it was. I’m 66 and have some not so great health issues, but I’m working every day, going to the doctor when needed and always thinking of things that I still can do, like enjoying this web site and the really great people (most of them) that post here. I can’t ride anymore and can’t afford to have horses and I really miss that but it is what it is. I sublimate with people that do have horses in some way or another because I love it. Find something that you love and do as much with it as you can. Keep your heart, Sandra! It will get you through to a better time. My thoughts are with you. You are not alone.
Roxi Cook
@LauraJ: Thank you for your explanation of fee refunds. I read the owner of Life at Ten was oblivious to the problems the filly was having just prior to the BC race in November, and because neither the trainer, jockey, vet or stewards scratched the horse and allowed her to start, the owner lost about $60,000 in fees. Not chump change for sure! Someone benefitted from fees that should have been returned and money bet on the obviously ill horse.
Trina Nagele
@Sharon Call–THANK YOU for those thoughts, Sharon, that can inspire all of us-me included.
Kathryn Cogswell
Dear Everyone: Diary Post #225 features another excellent reference to the monumental series of histories Abigail Anderson posts at http://racingvault.blogspot.com/2011/04/kentucky-derby-2005-giacomo.html in her archive, ‘The Vault,’ and this one is about Giacomo, the Mosses` 50-to-1-shot 2005, Kentucky Derby Winner, who thrilled them, John and Dottie, coming from behind to win with his deep heart and a remarkable ancestry. Abigail, a former teacher, likens the care and encouragement of a child to that given all the Mosses` horses, and what a long, patient series of choices enters into the grooming of champions. John Shirreffs` mastery of these choices really is an art form in itself. Believing there is greatness to cultivate is where it all begins, and finding that bit of grace is a search that benefits every life. Her writing is sublime.
Kathryn Cogswell
Reminded by MLV`s notes to wonder if anyone knows how horses and other animals are faring in Japan`s repeated shock waves? There are wonderfully-committed crews working `round the clock, as in similar disasters; just looking now for further news. So grateful, Myrna and Patricia, out on a limb, for ‘Old Friends`’ fine work.
Gary Moulton
Fantastic Photo!!!
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CONDITION BOOKS –
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http://www.equibase.com/static/horsemen/horsemenareaCB.html
jean
Yes, Margaret-Rose, I support Wild Mustang and other Horse rescue organizations….Very important causes! So glad to see others interested…The need is great.. Beautiful Zenyatta has made me even more aware of the need. Jean.
Kimberly Potter
My beautiful Zenyatta~ Thanks for the continuing education you give us. I love you with all my heart! Your #1 fan in Montana!!
summer
thats a cool picture
Meredith A Hughes
Thank You Ann! Thank you for keeping in touch with us!! Photo looks like Zenyatta’s beautiful head…I would love to just drive by first week in May and see her grazing….Is she “In Foul”? Blessings to you and yours, and of course, our Zenyatta….love her so much
Paul
That sure is an expensive nomination process for the horses. If I were nominating a horse for a race, I would do it as early as possible while the prices are low. Once again, Zenyatta, good luck to your buddies running in races. That is a great shot of the airplane. I don’t know what it is like riding in the kind of airplane that a horse rides in, but I would imagine that you get a bit restless while on an airplane for a long period of time just like any horse. If I were a horse, I would.