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!
zenyattaloveramy!
did she take on the way back to california?
Patti in Carlsbad
ANN’S PHOTO IS AWESOME…RATHER LIKE YOU!
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR THE VERY INFORMATIVE LESSON ON NOMINATIONS FOR STAKE RACES. IT VERY INTERESTING TO A NOVICE LIKE MYSELF. YOU KNOW, ZENNY, I JUST THOUGHT YOUR OWNERS ENTERED YOU, YOU RAN, YOU WON AND THAT WAS THAT :) THE INSIDE OF RACING YOU ARE AFFORDING THE FANS IS GREATLY APPRECIATED. HAVE FUN WITH YOUR GAL PALS TODAY. TELL THEM “HI” FROM ALL OF US.
Elaine
It was fun to watch you win the Santa Margartia, too! You were/are spectacular!
When are you going to have your next “date” with Bernardini?
Margaret-Rose Batterman
Dear Team Zen and of course the VERY loved Zenyatta:))
Are any of you involved in supporting the plight of our Wild Mustangs that are on the same path as our Wild Buffalo were??
They are Zenyatta’s “people”…….what are we doing for them? Zenyatta has the power to be listened to……she carries “clout”…..and has a HUGE following, like me:)
Is there a way sh can speak up to draw awareness to the struggles of our Wild Mustangs and Burros??
Madeleine Pickens…..who owned/owns the famous racehorse Cigar….has proposed and mostly readied a sanctuary for discarded wild mustangs, Mustang Monument and has the organization “SAM”……she is speaking in front of Congress this Thursday as to the mis management of our Wild horses.
Zenyatta who embodies the heart and soul of all that we love about horses……..could have a big voice on this issue. Zenyatta and Man o’ War……the two horses that hit me on a soul level….well Shy Boy too:)))
zenyattaloveramy!
cause i know she came to lanes end for your B-DAY.
zenyattaloveramy!
love you zen!!!
Debbie Minnis
That is definitely a WOW!!!! photo! Great job Ann! I love it!
Cathy Marshall
What a beautiful picture Ann took. Thank you, Zenny for filling us in on all the details of horse racing. Love ya!
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, Ann takes a really good picture…I said WOW outloud before you stated the Wow Moment.
Missed you, missed you…I know you have other things you have to do…but I still miss you. Has John got you BD pics ready?
I love ya girl, see you tomorrow. Lisa g.
Patricia Emery
Thanks for sharing…I know others have asked before me…any news of your next “Bernie” encounter?!
Lots of Love
Lisa g
Good luck to everyone for the SWEET SIXTEEN….are ya’ll getting more nervous?
sherry drish
DOTTIE, THANK YOU FOR THE RACING INFO THERE IS SO MUCH THAT HAS TO BE DONE, ZENYATTA HAS A GREAT TEAM, NOW AT THE FARM AND WHEN RACING. ANN, THIS PICTURE SHOWS GODS GLORY , SO GLAD YOU SHARED IT. LOVE TO ALL, SHERRY D. WV
Katie Clawson
Very interesting Z! Thanks for the insight :) When will you be meeting Bernardini?
Have a great day sweetie!
Love, Katie(future jockey)
suew
Zenny…your Ann sure is an eye for beauty. This pictue is so unique. Thank you for sharing it with us. And, please tell Dottie we REALLY appreciate her helping you explain the nomination process. I love that you continue to teach us things about YOUR sport. I hope you are enjoying some sunny weather and a taste of that bluegrass. Hugs right back at ya….
Joani
Neat picture, but I saw two cloud horses running and could not for the life of me figure what a plane was doing on the nose of the one, with rainbows no less!! Then I read it..OOPS!! LOLOL!
Shannon From Cool
Wonderful photo of the plane. I use to fly on Tex Sutton’s planes too. He was such a nice man.
Today we are celebrated Jackson’s birthday with a Zenyatta-esk birthday cake of apples, oranges and carrots. Yum. Jackson said, “I’m so excited, I’m 14 today and there are 6 other horses coming to my party!”
Jan
Zenyatta,
Great PICTURE. Great INFO. Great Team. Great HORSE.. Hope you are doing well & staying healthy big mama. Love & kisses xoxo..
Dmama
As usual………… loved the post and the picture and the background of stakes races. Thanks to your entire team.
Edie Dickenson
Your Ann is one talented and Loving Lady! I hear she also takes care of our dolphins! Zenny, I am seriously thinking of naming my boat after you. Then I could tell everyone at the dock about the greatest racehorse we ever saw!
Kathleen
That is a WOW. Also the only time you can see a complete rainbow ie the full circle is from the air. I have only seen it once. I was lucky and got 6 tickets to the Derby this year but am only using two. Just like when I watched Zenyatta’s fabulous run in the Breeder’s last October. If anyone is interested in 2 or 4 clubhouse 2nd floor seats e-mail me at kathleenastump@aol.com
Kathryn Cogswell
Rainbows circling the plane`s shadow, no clouds covering. Lovely.
Lauren
Dear Zenny – Thank you and Mrs. Moss for the outstanding picture. You never know where you will find beauty. One thing for sure is I know I found it in you. Keep smiling beautiful girl. Hugs and kisses xoxoxo
Linda
I have so much more knowledge of horse racing now thanks to Zenyatta.
Kathy Kimber
Rainbows around the plane’s shadow. God was watching over it. Really awesome.
To Margaret Rose: We should do whatever we can for the wild mustang. I wholly agree but what.
Jean
At first glance of the photo what I saw which I thought was a give to this photo, was the face of a white horse with the plane being on the nose,the rainbow is around the nose and jaw!!!!!!Please don’t let me be the only one who see’s this…. It is a treasusre of a photo regardless. Thank you for sharing.
LauraJ
@Sue Fredrick, have you been to Old Friends before? If you haven’t, be sure to wear walking shoes. Don’t forget your camera! OF provides carrots, but if you want to bring extras, Creator loves gingersnaps and pears (not mushy). Commentator and Special Ring like mints, as do a few of the others. They have some mints in the office, but I always bring my own. Some of the horses like apples, but Awad will spit them out at you. Have a wonderful time!
Jeanenne Cliffman
Dear Zenny, thank you so much for all your information and help. Some of these different rules and regulations are a little confusing, but you are great to explain them.
In this wonderful picture Mrs. Moss took I see in the clouds the outline of you, Zenny – it is gorgeous!!!!!!!
What a beautiful picture!
Love you
Allen
Great picture, Ann. Thanks for all the info on entering a race, learn something new every day.Hope everything is well with you Z, and have a great day.
Crickett Hoffman
Love that picture!
As for the nomination process and the whole process for getting into the Triple Crown let’s just say I don’t like it. I would much prefer a points system, or a time system like the Quarter Horses have. You know only the best get in that way. The way it is now a horse sadly out classed can get in just by running himself to death as a 2 year old and have the connections shell out some extra money.
Vicki B.
@Jean — see the post by Joani, above, she said “saw two cloud horses running and could not for the life of me figure what a plane was doing on the nose of the one”. which sounds much like your vision.
Ann, I think this is a great photo, thanks!