Good Morning,
Firstly, I’d like to mention how ADORABLE all of you are as you respond to the SWEET SIXTEEN participants in the contest. You are so supportive of each other! This is absolutely TOO CUTE! Upon reading your comments and responses, I see the same KINDNESS and SUPPORT you have shown to ME during my career…and I realize again for the zillionth time how appreciative I am of ALL of YOU!
We will draw the ELITE EIGHT tomorrow…and they will be published on Saturday! Good Luck to ALL!
You have also asked what will happen with the postcards after the contest. As I mentioned in the original contest guidelines, by submitting a card to ME for the drawing, you are also granting your permission for ME to use your card in the future. John and Dottie have been reading them and enjoying all of your wonderful and inspirational thoughts. In the future, Dottie will think of a way to share them with ALL of YOU…in one form or another. The words are too special and the thoughts too kind not to be shared with MY DEAR FRIENDS! Thank YOU for being YOU!
Another thing you asked about in the responses is the HORSE PLANE. This is a topic in which I do have experience. In the above photo, you can see ME (my blaze stands out in the crowd) with members of MY TEAM getting ready to deplane. I always flew on TEX SUTTON planes so my comments will be based on my personal experiences. The Sutton plane is designed to accomodate approximately 21 horses in all. The plane is divided into ‘rows’ with 3 stalls in each row. It is set up just like a horse van inside with the stalls being OPEN so the horse can see things going on around he/she and not feel closed in at all during the flight! Per my John, that is the beauty of this plane…it is secure, safe, and open at the top for the horse not to feel closed in at all while traveling!
On the day I was flying, the van would pick me up at the barn. MY BELONGINGS (tack, blankets, equipment etc.) would be packed and ready to also travel with ME! Before I’d be able to travel to another state, I also had to have a HEALTH CERTIFICATE and a COGGINS completed to certify several things: I was healthy and fine to travel and also that all of my vaccinations were current. This paperwork is extremely important and would always TRAVEL WITH ME!
Once loaded on the van, we’d leave BARN 55 and be off to the airport. Tex Sutton planes fly out of Ontario, California. It is about one hour plus driving time to get there from Hollywood Park. Members of MY TEAM traveled right with ME! Mario always flew with ME and went with ME on all of my van trips. When possible (meaning depending on space) Steve, Frank, and / or John would also go on the van and / or plane with ME.
Once we’d land, the plane doors would open up…as you can see above…and Mario and I would walk right down the ramp directly into the waiting van. This is an amazingly WELL-ORGANIZED way to travel. All of these people do a great job to make it so safe and yet relaxing for the horses!
As a matter of fact, my JOHN has some video of ME while on a plane trip! I’ve got an idea…why don’t you COME FLY WITH ME!
http://gallery.me.com/jonshfs#100180
Enjoy!
With love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
Ellie
Love the video!!! Love the glimpses into the behind-the-scenes happenings. SO cool! I see Z is a most excellent traveler :)
Patti
Oh Zenyatta…loved your video of flying with you. Thank you for sharing with us. I enjoy all I can see and read about you. Am enjoying your many fans postings as well. It’s amazing how one wonderful beautiful mare can connect with so many people; how incredible you are. Am so hopeful to be able to visit your farm this summer. Loves and Hugs.
Sharon in Seattle
Thanks for sharing so much interesting information. I think of the scenes in “Seabiscuit” when the ‘Biscuit and his team were traveling cross country by train. I bet Zenyatta would like that too. I sure do!! much more than flying!
Dawn Conrad
Dearest, Zenyatta. Hello my beautiful girl. I am so looking forward to the drawing on Saturday, I’m living a dream. I agree with you, isn’t everyone just wonderful with their support of one another. I certainly add my best wishes to all those still in the drawing. It will be so special to be able to read the cards, I am sure the love expressed for you Zenny was just amazing. Thank you, Dottie and John for the great pictures, video and information concerning your flights. You are such a smart girl, Zenny, checking out your surroundings while you munched away. Mario, your wonderful guardian, always near by. I remember when you arrived for the Breeders Cup, Ann and Dottie were there welcoming their sweetheart to Kentucky. You could just hear the love in their voices. Stay safe, healthy and happy!! Sweet dreams. Hug and kisses. XXXOOO
@MLV – I am so sorry about your Oliver. What a wonderful connection we share with our little loves, they add so much to our lives. Your story of Rum Car was amazing. Seeing him to the age of 33 is a testiment to your love and care. And, how special that you were able to give Heart of Battle peace and friendship in her final years. You are one remarkable lady!!
@Margie – Congratulations on receiving your Zenyatta Moneigh!!!!
@Nicole Tufano – Thank you for alerting us to the current situation facing Old Friends. I do not know the circumstances, but cannot imagine how this occurred. I just read the article on the Bloodhorse site. It does sound like caring people everywhere are responding in support of Michael and his wonderful champions. Hopefully with everyone’s help the problem will be resolved quickly.
@Uncle Mo – Wishing you a speedy recovery and your place in the Run for the Roses.
Dawn Conrad
@Shari Voltz – Just had to say a quick hello to you my friend. :) :)
@Karey R – Miss you, hope everything is well with you.
AJ from CA
Your video made me smile watching you happily eating your delicious hay but Mario looks kind of bored. Wonder where you were going on this trip?
Regina From NJ
@MLV Your stories about Rum Car and Oliver totally wiped me out for the rest of the evening. What a perfectly matched team you must have been with each of these amazing spirits. It is never too late to reach out with a kind word, so please accept my deep sorrow for your losses. There are truths in life that only animals know, and I believe Oliver will send you another who needs you.
Hello Zenyatta: I just feel like sayingt a big thank you to you for giving your loving friends such a special place to gather in your name. G’night. xoxoxoxoxo
Sunny Boyd
Good evening Zenyatta,
my what a lady you are, your entourage, limo-vans waiting,I bet filled with mints & carrots & stuff there waiting for you also. How glam was that?! And now you gotta pull your own grass, even though it’s blue, and you gotta stay in one place all the time. I bet they catch you twiddling your hooves every so often. Ha Ha Thunderstorm, better get off line. I’ll check you ‘Come fly with me, come fly with me later’. Have a good night & sweet dreams, up in the clouds, awaaaay :) :) :)
Kim S
Zenny, you never cease to amaze. It is an honor to live through you, the things that some of us will never get to do.
@MLV–what a moving story. Just remember all the good times with your four-footed friends.
@Shari–I was going to donate anyway to Old Friends, but followed your lead and sent $60 as well.
If everyone on this forum could send just a $1, that would cut into their deficit greatly. And if we all could do $5, well, their deficit would be gone.
What a nice way to remember these “Old Friends”. I will have to keep the Bucket List of things to do in KY for my eventual travels there.
Good luck to the 16 and speedy recovery to Uncle Mo.
Thanks Dottie for always telling us Zenny’s story.
Lotsa love to all
janet tedford
you are such a wonderfuly beautiful horse that I wonder if you even realise that you are even on a plane way up there at all oh don.t get me wroung AS for me I hate to fly and im a human being IM SO HAPPY FOR YOU THAT YOU GOT THE HORSE OF THE YEAR . BUT THERE MIGHT NEVER BE ANOTHER HORSE THAT CAN DO WHAT YOU DID WINNING 19 RACES OXOXOX
Linda/Maryland
Oh, Zenyatta ~!!! You are so beautiful flying . Amazing Lady~!! I love to see you chewing your nice green hay. I can smell it all the way here in Maryland !!
Thanks for sharing with all of us!!
Love you ~!!!!
Robin A.B.
Zenny – LOVE how you are just the coolest cat in the barn! Flying is fun!
Valarie Franklin
@MLV – Your description of the flight with Rum Car was awesome, I could just picture how beautiful he was :)
Angela
Excellent video, thanks for sharing! She looks like a pro at flying!
Kendra
thanks so much for letting us know these interesting facts about how you travel. Now I no longer wonder. I miss seeing you so much on the racetrack. But I know you are very safe and happy. I hope there will be a opportunity to see you at Lane End one day.
Bonnie MacRaith
Tex Sutton knows how to do it! And dear Mario, yes, bored but a “good” bored because he’s with his sweet Zenyatta.
Ingrid in MA
Hey Zen,and Co., thank you for the videos! Would never know you were in a plane if not for the drone of the engine in the background. You look so relaxed and at ease! And a hearty GOOD LUCK to everyone as we head into the ELITE 8! Especially Ingrid in SoBe!! Must cheer on the name! Good luck from Ingrid in MA!
Zenny,I have a question for your John,and I’m sure you could shed some light on it too,about training. You had such a remarkable running style-have never seen a horse run as you did as consistently as you did – that trademark come-from-way-behind-and-pass-’em-all you did. Well,how did John come to know that that was your style? Was it your style? Was it a game plan John had? The first time you sat behind like that,did they ever worry that you were just a slow-poke? Or was the come-from-behind all John’s Master Plan? I’m just curious how John and your team knew you were a closing demon! Thanks, Zenny and Team Z!
Love you,Sweet Zen!!
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: How are you today! Yes, I can see you very clearly way up there. You really do standout in a crowd! I guess you’re not scared of heights. Good thing! Your paperwork is almost like having your own passport. I would love to fly with you, but I can’t seem to open the video. I installed Quicktime, but it didn’t seem to take. Oh well, I’ll figure it out. Good luck to everyone in this next round! I am excited for all of you! Take care Zenny.
sandy
Thankyou for sharing your many experiences!!The Apple Blossom will run tomarrow and last year I went to the airport and watched you land and load into the van!! Wow!! What great memories you gave me “Z”! You ran breuatiful and what a show you gave all of us!! I will remember and love you forever!! Be safe and HAPPY!! You deserve it!!!
Linda in NJ
@MLV–Thank you for sharing your very touching and beautiful story of Rum Car.
Vicki B.
I just watched your video on the plane, Z — talk about a laid-back meal! More relaxed than I could have imagined.
S
@MLV, wonderful story! Many years ago my world revolved around my horses and showing. I did not think I would ever do anything else. From 6 to 27, I showed all over the USA and parts of Canada. Even took 2 of my girls to college and spent more time at the barn and at show then in class:). Marriage and a beautiful daughter ( who loved books more then horses) created a new chapter. A wonderful chapter but now Z has my passion returning. Closing in on retirement in a few years I hope, thought of a small farm to set up a safe place for horses in need has become a dream. Won’t be nearly as great as Old Friends but maybe I’ll call it Few NewFriends. Been praying about it and looking at property in Kentucky which was home over half a century ago. Zenny has made me dream again!
Amanda Gilliland
My Sweet Lady Zenyatta, One more post.
@ MLV-Thank You for responding to me. I just started crying reading about Rum Car telling all of his friends bye. Animals have this very powerful connection with each other and as humans if we observe we too can understand and connect with them if our mind & heart is open and receptive. MLV, you are one of those special people that have been blessed to enjoy this connection with your beautiful animals. I’m sorry for the loss of your dear friends. You did an amazing thing for Heart of Battle to let her enjoy her last years in comfort. That is so cool that Heart of Battle and Zenyatta are related.
Zenyatta, I love this site because we can share with each other how we feel about you and get to share our thoughts with others that love you. I love you, Zenyatta. Can’t wait to see who the elite 8 are! Sending Hugs & Kisses From Alabama With Love, Amanda G.
Julie DuVall
Thank you for the information on the Tex Sutton planes. I see them parked on the tarmac at ONT quite often, and now I know what they look like inside!
I drive right past that area of the airport on my way to and from work every day and I have seen horse planes and horse vans many times. I always wonder who is flying in or out of town!
It’s funny because the horse transport area is right next to the Fed Ex terminal; in fact, I heard once that horses have been shipped by Fed Ex! Do you know if that is true?
Good luck to everyone who is still “in the running” for statue #19! I can’t wait to read some of the wonderful things that have been written about YOU!
Celeste
Wow. That is just so amazing and wonderful to be able to watch a video of you flying, Zenyatta. It appears to be so calm and peaceful for you and you even got to have a mid-air snack! Years ago, airlines would serve meals to the passengers but today we are lucky if we get a small pack of peanuts. Ha! It is so wonderful for your beautiful John to share his videos and photos and stories with those of us who love you so much. I was needing a little bit of a pick me up this evening as I sat here dwelling on some issues I have, then it occurred to me that what I needed was Zenyatta!! And wow! Here is a new diary message including a video so now I’m already feeling better and will enjoy a different perspective for a while and ignore the lab reports – lol! Thank you so very much Dottie and Zenyatta and John and the wonderful Mosses for letting us share in the world of Zenyatta. This is a beautiful place.
Paula Higgins
Everyone, Old Friends is in financial trouble due to a mistake made by the bank which holds their mortgage. It’s a one time problem but they need help to get out of it. They have to come up with $300,00 by the end of April. People are responding and they raised $50,000 dollars in 24 hours. But they need more. Please go their site and donate anything you can. Nothing is too small because it all adds up. Bloodhorse has an explanation of what happened. They are a wonderful organization and are a home for retired thoroughbreds.
nina
Hope you got frequent flyer miles from those trips!!!
Dona
Inflight dinning! Aren’t you the one! First class Lass. :)
AJ from CA
Found article on Tex Sutton’s equine tranport with pix of our Queen deboarding a plane. (hope this link works)
H. E. Sutton Forwarding Co. still flying high – Thoroughbred …
AJ from CA
Guess it didn’t work, but you can check out this article on internet anyway.