Good Morning Everyone!
This photo is TOO CUTE! It’s my guy, Mike Smith, who helped us select the FINAL 4 for our ZENYATTA BRONZE CONTEST! Mike stopped by Dottie and John’s last night and held my reins in his hands…just like he did when we were racing. I think this definitely got him IN THE ZENYATTA MOOD to select our Final 4! This photo brings back great memories…for both Mike and I! We had lots of great times together!
The names of the FINAL 4 will be given…along with the thoughts each person expressed as to what I meant to he / she. Go to the bottom of this diary post and click the button next to the person whose entry you think deserves to win. Click the Vote button, and you’ll see the current results.
We will allow the voting to take place for one week. The winner will be announced next Wednesday, April 27th. John will look at the polls before he leaves for the barn that morning (5 o’clock in the morning, CA TIME) and the winner’s name will be posted.
The poll has been moved from the Facebook page to this website so that non-Facebook users may vote!
GOOD LUCK TO ALL 4 OF YOU!
ENTRY #1…..VICKI L. VINSON……APPLE VALLEY, CA I knew Zenyatta was “one” special horse the first time I saw her in person. She came over to me and stuck her nose right in front of my camera. That was before the ’08 Lady’s Secret. Little did I know that a year later she would become the best medicine in the world, in helping me through the worst time of my life. I’ll love you forever Zenyatta!
ENTRY #2…..VALERIE FRANKLIN….DAVISON, MI Zenny, you have made people believe in horse racing again. Our sport has suffered so much tragedy and in this time of economic disaster and with Barbaro and Eight Belles so fresh in our minds, you have given us a chance to escape and to dream. We love you more than you could ever quantify.
ENTRY #3…..GEORGIA HARPER…..BELLEVUE, WA My obsession began half way through your first year and such enthusiasm could not be ignored by my husband. After 49 years, my husband and I have become such good friends but are so busy with work and family we don’t always take time to actually think about one another. As a gift for our wedding anniversary last August, I received an email at work from my hubby with an itinerary attached for San Diego saying “Tickets for my queen to go see the Queen”. We not only had a wonderful day at Del Mar, never leaving the paddock and visiting with so many young people who had been there to see only you but we really enjoyed our time together. I’m not sure what we will do for our 50th this year, but I don’t think it will compete with the happiness we shared last year watching you come across the finish line and celebrating as best friends enjoying not just a horse race but watching the most magnificent thoroughbred ever. We miss you, we love you, and look forward to cheering on your foal.
ENTRY #4…..DAWN CONRAD…..CEDAREDGE, CO Dearest Zenyatta. “Why are you special to me?” Is it the stately stature of the Queen like carriage? Is it the glistening brown coat with the diamond dapples? Maybe it is the dance or those still moments with your head held high? Is it your intelligence and fathomless brown eyes? Was it your first run free or perhaps a camera-ride on the back of Pegasus? Is it posters in the stands, a warm crowd on a cold Kentucky night, the excitement you bought back to racing? Your place in its history and future, the Breeders Cup, 60 Minutes, Horse of the Year, Vox Populi Award? A Fred Stone portrait, Jamie Corum lithograph, Nina Kaiser bronze? The cheers I shouted the tears I shed? Certainly your beauty, power, grace, breathe taking speed, final kick, heart stopping finishes and 19/1. Absolutely your gut wrenching, never give up, try! It is all of this, yet more. It isn’t only who you are, but what you mean to each of us. With Team Z, you are Jerry and Ann’s pride and joy, John’s soul mate and patient masterpiece, Dottie’s muse and she your voice. Mike’s talent, guidance and prayers brought you home safe each race. At Barn 55, you had care from Mario, workouts with Steve, walks with Carmen, loving star struck visitors and kisses from all. At Lane’s End, paddock pals, peppermints, pears and precious motherhood. Your family embodies the word generosity and together you have been transformative. You give pure happiness to thousands. You are a horseman’s ideal, a child’s dream, a friend to charities, a moment of healing to someone ill, a smile in the face of sadness, a sweet memory to all those you meet and a wish of all those that you haven’t “including myself”. While totally unique, I see in you the memories of my youth: the Black Stallion, Flicka, Secretariat and my Cinder (a gift from a brother leaving for Vietman), live again. There were endless summer days of best friends, bareback rides, Breyer’s horses on the bedroom shelves and glorious Triple Crown winners. With you, I am that horse loving girl again. What fun! I have my own challenges in life, as everyone does. While I seek to remain positive there are those moments. You are there to lift my spirits and touch my soul. Your diary is a place of remarkable civility where information, support and all things Zenyatta are shared and celebrated. Facebook, over 70,000 and still counting! The experience has been once in a lifetime and continues to be a magical ride. In the end my love cannot be fully explained, it is simply heart felt and joyful. It is no mystery why the word “angel” is used to describe you, for you are a creation of God, a blessing to us all and a remarkable gift. For everything you are and everything you mean, Zenny, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. You are truly UNBELIEVEABLE! As always, sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
Wow! I hope you enjoyed reading these as much as I did! Dottie commented that she was literally in tears typing them for ME!
Vote for the ENTRY of YOUR CHOICE!
Blessings to All OF YOU who participated in this contest! I can’t THANK YOU ENOUGH for ALL OF THE LOVE AND KINDNESS you have shown ME!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
DJ
Goodnight Sweet “Z”,
Coloring eggs now with a Big Z on them! See you after Easter Brunch..enjoy yours :)
Kari Bussell
Oh my goodness @Robbie My last comment @ Toby was meant for you. I am really tired right now I meant no disrespect getting the name wrong I get spacey when I am tired.
Karey R
@Trina Nagele, Sincere thanks for your kindness and astute understanding.
Kari Bussell
@ Karey R – Just like you told me I can see how Regina could have misinterpreted your comment. I read it over several times before I caught the real sentiment. I don’t really know either of you but based on your mutual kindness, passion and love for Zenyatta I have complete faith in the two of you to “kiss and make up” so to speak. Hugs, Kisses , Love & Joy to you both.
Carol
Sally B. and Joyce have shown us how we can put the power of Zenyatta to good use by making a donation to Old Friends, a retirement home for racehorses. If you are able to, please think about sending a donation. (Sally B. gave you the address or you can find it and more about Old Friends at their website.) Let’s show the racing world just what Zenyatta fans are able to accomplish.
Paula Higgins
For all those celebrating Easter, Happy Easter. I missed Passover, so a belated Happy Passover to our fellow fans who are Jewish. Please, in the spirit of these religious holidays, let us all be at peace with each other on this site. We are all here because of Zenny and the kindness of Dottie.
Sophie S.
You guys are all NUTS fighting over this. This shows VERY LOW maturity levels for what seems to me ADULTS. You all need to calm yourselves down and come back when you are mature enough to handle a contest. I don’t even want to read what half of you said because chances are it is out of jealousy that you aren’t winning this contest. This site is for the love of Zenyatta, not you stupid remarks to one another. Bring it somewhere else.
Susie
I have to second what Carol said about Old Friends. My husband and I visited last week for the first time, and they do an un-be-liev-able (wink, wink) job of caring for retired racehorses. The couple who run it do it strictly for the love of retired thoroughbreds and have wonderful and dedicated volunteers who help them out on the farm. Jerry and Ann Moss, I am told, are very generous contributors to the operation and even have at least one of their former runners residing there. It would be a fitting tribute to Queen Z to make a donation in her name.
Thank you, Team Z for giving us the gift of Zenyatta and for all your efforts to keep us close to her through these diaries. I’m sure I speak for many out there who are eternally grateful for your caring and generosity.
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: This is a wonderful idea of helping Old Friends in celebration of you. My donation is on the way!
Cindy from LA
@Astrid
Thanks for sharing that magical mystical drawing of Zen.
How wonderful of the Mosses to commission an artist to develop
A childrens series on Zenyatta’s life experiences. What
A wonderful way to build self esteem in children!!!!
Watching John Henry winning the San Juan Capistrano
Go John !!!!! On HRTV
Sweet Dreams Zenny !!!!!!
LauraJ
@Susie, there are three former Moss horses at Old Friends! You probably met one or two of them. There’s Cherono–he’s the one who broke his leg. There are also Falcon Scott and Benburb. A former horse of theirs, Ruhlmann, is buried in the cemetery across from Creator. The Mosses support their horses financially.
Margaret
Dearest Z:
I have been sitting here all afternoon reading about mare care and breeding. Really it is so interesting stuff that I find myself quite happily glued to my Kindle. I don’t suppose you’ve ever gotten so distracted you forgot where the food is! Soon I’ll be starting this really expensive Kindle book on care and so forth, I’m hoping for more tidbits about how and why this and that–works the way it does. Thanks Z for bringing the love I had for horses as a child back into focus.
I’m sorry if anyone was offended by my post of the other day. I could easily say that I was just dragged into things but that would be denying my own responsibility. Hence for my post and to anyone that was offended you have my deepest apology.
I do have one question about the contest. I don’t believe this was ever addressed or had cause to. I was wondering if there would be/could be some kind of consolation prize for the 64 people drawn at the first round. I was hoping that some kind of donation could be made to Old Friends in lieu of any prize to the rest of us. Or at least me. To be clear I have donated to Old Friends in this critical time. I’m cash poor right now but I’m hoping to be able to do more so the horses don’t lose there home
Kitei
Q- What’s the best thing about global warming and peak oil?
A- Rediscovery of kissable transport alternatives: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/the-horse-is-this-the-secret-weapon-to-beat-global-warming-760408.html ;)
Leslie
Thank you Dottie and all of Team Z for continuing to give so much to Zenyatta fans. Yes, I love what Regina said, to think of this Diary as a “gentle meadow” and to honor Zenyatta, “a magnificent being embodied within a horse.”
May it continue to be so… Thank you Dottie for all your work which allows us to see and hear and know Zenyatta as her life goes on. I too would stop my breath should news of her go silent.
Thank you…
Julia B
Happy Easter to all ! Luv to you Zenny ! Hope you are not getting rained out there in KY! Maybe the Easter Bunny will come by and share some carrotts with all of you there! God Bless !
Linda in NJ
Dear Kari Bussell: Your post really touched my heart. Keep fighting. Remember Zenyatta never gave up. My prayers are with you.
Kirren
Happy Easter to Z, Team Z, and my fellow Z fans!
Jackie
Good Evening Queen “Z” Happy Easter/Passover to you, Dottie, John, Mike, Mario, Carmen, Steve, Mr. & Mrs Moss and all your friends at Lanes End.
Hope the weather will be nice for Easter. Bet you will be hunting for treats!
I know there has been horrible weather. Stay safe.
Hugs and Kisses
Jackie
Amanda Gilliland
My Sweet Lady Zenyatta, Happy Easter and Celebration of Life from Jesus as He wrote His Love for us in Red. Sunday, I’ll gladly celebrate Easter by singing praises to God for loving me. Even after all my mistakes & wrong doings,God still loves even me. When on the tops of the mountains, I could see forever and nothing could ever seem to go wrong, but in the valleys, I learned the most about myself. I learned, if I had what it takes to survive. Now that’s where you, Zenyatta, came into my life with the power you carry and the effects it has. I believe God uses His creations to teach us all lessons if we are willing to be receptive to what we see & hear. To open our mind up to possibilites. Zenyatta, I can only say what I saw & heard from you, Nov 6, 2010 forever changed my life. I felt a bond of a super natural qualities between you & I. As the race started and when the dirt hit your face, startled and unsettled, in that split nano-second everything became clear to me as I watched you arise from the dust as a Super horse with a life force not of this world and race the most beautifully magestically planned race I’d ever seen. As I watched you cross the line inhaling, pulling your head upward to Blame exhaling, his head reaching forward & down. You did win that race that day! I watched as Mike dismounted and you turned and looked at the winner’s circle and couldn’t understand why you were led away & not to it. You knew you won. Zenyatta, you ran the best race of your life. You covered more lengths in the shortest time. I’m still in awe every time I watch that race to see how far back you were from them and you did it! Yes, You are “The Great Zenyatta”. I’ll never be able to explain this to anybody else but you. It’s that nano-sec decision you made to go for it, that was burned in my heart, body & soul that day. You knew you could do it. No self-doubt! Pure, positive, solid heart of gold. An undying quest for giving all of your best that you are to obtain the goal you were meant to do. That’s why I love you, Zenyatta more than you know. Even with my forced life changes, I have faced them, now accepted them and trying to make a difference by paying it foward to other people’s lives the lessons I have learned in the valleys. All Thanks to you. I found out about the 90/10 principle. Each day, 10% of our life, we have no control over. The 90% is the key. That is how we react to that 10%. Our response to an action sets the tone for the day. My reactions to what happens to me is in my control. Just like you did when the dirt hit your face. That was the 10% of no control. It’s your 90% of control reaction that counted! God used my love for you into a life changing event for me. Now do you see why I could never repay you for what you’ve given me but simply say “Sending Hugs & Kisses To You From Alabama With Love, Amanda G.
Jackie
It’s me again Queen Z, I started reading some of the posts above and it pains me that on such a wonderful site there is all this bickering. Has anyone thought perhaps there won’t we another diary post from Dottie. If I were Dottie and saw some of this childish behavior I probably would not continue.
THIS SITE IS MEANT TO BE FUN AND INFORMATIVE NOT TO BICKER!
Again, Hugs and Kisses
Jackie
ARPfan
Dearly miss updates about Queen Z, but completely understand under the MANY surrounding circumstances. We all love and pray for her and her entire team, past and present. Blessed be to everyone!
DJ
Dear Amanda,
That is as sweet a love letter as any…”Be Perfect as our Father In Heaven Is Perfect” says our Lord. And yes, He means in Love. I was there too, that day; for my 23rd wedding anniversary, just to see Zenyatta. All you said is True, and we carry all of that Truth in our hearts, including our Zenyatta. We were all ‘One’ that day, and you expressed it so eloquently. Her Spirit is indominitable; her every expression is captured by human hearts in likeness of familiarity. It has been said that God does not have favorites and neither should we, but if He did? Well, we are already prisoners of such perfection…for even in loss she displays utmost grace. Thank you for such a beautiful tribute.
Valeria Cannon
Happy Easter/Pesach, Lady Z, Team Z and Zen fans world-wide. May joy, love, peace, and forgiveness rise anew in each and every heart. ‘May you be filled with all the love your hands/hooves, head, and heart can hold.’
@ Shari, what a wonderful article, I so enjoyed reading it, and you are amazing in the creativity of using the love/history of horses to teach children life lessons.
@ Tyler School Horse Club, really enjoyed your Easter eggs, and I’m quite sure Zenyatta will too!
Hope all have a beautiful and sunny day and Lady Z; you and the girls have a great spa day (mud bath), and a delicious brunch with all your favs, and don’t forget your easter bonnets! :) :) Wishing butterflies, hugs and peppermint kisses to all!
Valeria
Jan
Zenyatta,
Happy Easter big Mama :) Happy Easter Everyone :)
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, Happy Easter! Hope your day is rainbow filled with peppermints, carrots, pears, flowers and love.
Joan
Hi Z, Happy Easter to you. Beautiful day here in Texas. I love jellybeans, horses can’t eat jellybeans. You would love them!!! A great day to everyone.
Love ya Z
suew
@Amanda, what an amazing tribute to an amazing equine athlete.
judy berube
Dear Z, Z Team and Fans:
God’s Blessings to you this Easter Morning. Z, hope the weather there is good so you can enjoy grazing in your paddock. Love ya. Love to all of you. Judy and Russ.
susan in tn
Happy Easter, everyone! Zenny, if you have to race the Easter bunny for the carrots today, my money is on you!
@ Barb France: glad to know there is another “great mind” out there!
@ Judy B. thanks!
@ Dawn, Georgia, Shane: COME BACK!! okay, we don’t have a “Shane” but i’m worried about Dawn and Georgia.
@ Dottie,John,Ann,Jerry and ALL of Team Z: have a blessed and happy Easter!
Amanda Gilliland
Happy And Blessed Easter To My Sweet Zenyatta, Jerry & Ann Mosa, John & Dottie Shirreffs, The Team Zenyatta, All The Barn 55 Family, The Land’s End Family and All of The Fan Family.
I hope all of you know that you are loved written by Jesus in Red on the cross, forgiven of all sins, and He lives today!
I want to tell you I love you all.
My life has been Blessed by the your lives crossing paths with mine.
Sending Hugs & Kisses To Zenyatta From Alabama With Love, Amanda G.
Personal Message For DJ ( The real meaning of Zenyatta to Me)
Thank You for your kind & thoughful words. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on your life. I always look forward to seeing & reading your posts. Congratulations on your 23 years of marriage! What a gift to each other of commintent & love and the anniversary gift to see Zenyatta. That is the one thing I miss is seeing her in person & to see her race. I hope other fans on here will share their moments they did see her, so I can live through those moments as well. DJ, I wasn’t as forunate as you & others with a marriage of husband that loved me. I love haering of those who do have that. Instead my husband wanted to do away with me by violence. Thank goodnes I did not have children. I am an advid animal & child abuse advocate. I use to live in the past but through Zenyatta, she showed me to go forward and stop complaining about what I didn’t have or what could have been. To just stop, look at what I do have and what I CAN do instead of what I don’t have and can’t do. Life is so much better and I’m happier. Since, I had to retire from nursing in 2000 due to physical limitations resulting from many surgeries resulting from a car wreck in ’82. It took a toll om my body and mind in every area of my life. I didn’t know what to do. Years of Drs., surgeries, medicine, therapies, many family deaths and a marriage that wasn’t meant to be. I prayed & prayed & prayed. I still had faith & hope. It took 19 yrs 6 months and my prayer was answered. By seeing Zenyatta, God revealed to me to take the focus off of me. To stop looking at my situation, Be Thankful for what had happen even the bad. To learn from it and to use it to show others that they too can overcome and go through it. Since I could not do surgical nursing anymore, that I really loved to do and miss so much, many friendships in medicine of more than 33 yrs, I had to leave working & being with them each day to move from Emory in Atlanta back to Alabama which allowed me to be with my Mom the last 3 yrs of her life. What a wonderful time that was. And thankful to be able to be there. My father passed in ’95 so Mom needed me because she was not well either. But I needed her wisdom more than I realized. The fast & exciting life in medicine came to a complete standstill. Big adjustment! She kept telling me to slow down & live. I was there with her as she took her last breath and she knew I had finally accepted I was forced to slow down and this was my life now. The problem was what to do. All that I lived with each day was with the physical pain and mental anguish of what I couldn’t do. From ’03 to now, I ws worn out fighting with myself. Just completely worn out! I forced my smile and went through life just miserable with a mind ready and willing to do but a body that would not let me. I thought of just giving up completely and I knew that was so wrong but I had reached that point. So that in a nutshell of those years is why Zenyatta is so important to me. I’ll spare you all the other boring details.Instead of looking at me, I now pay it forward to help others. I realized that I am the one who benefits the most! The BIGGEST benefit is I forgot about my problems, they seem so small compared to what I see each day. That’s what I have seen Zenyatta do and I saw the effects she had on people and she stands taller and is smarter than most humans I know. I thnka God that The Mosses own her and The Shirreffs trained her and all of them share her. I know that they are wonderful, loving, caring & sharing people. Zenyatta is proof of that. They have paid it forward to other through her. That is a Blessing for them as well! I am not saying look at me for what I do but to say do I love giving and the rewards of blessings I recieve from that. I’m a very private person( being on here allows freedom) and here where I live will share if people ask me what have I been doing lately. I now spend my time volunteering by visiting the nursing home, VA home and just listening to those that can’t even get out and go. Just being a listening ear to anyone, anywhere, anytime. I don’t have children just pet kids( which I share in pet therapy at the nursing home so I volunteer with children work at church. When asked I volunteer my nursing knowledge. I found that my time is my most valuable thing I own now. To give freely helps me the most to fullfill the void I miss from nursing. I’m not rich by others standards but my life is enriched & purposeful now. DJ,I wanted to share the real meaning of Zenyatta with you because I feel you would understand. Have a Blessed Easter with your family. Amanda G.