Good Morning All,
I am just getting ready to leave Barn 55 at Hollywood Park and go to the plane. I can’t thank everyone enough for the kindness, generosity and love you have all shown me during my racing career.
We have had a terrific ride together…20 fabulous races over a 3 1/2 year span. I have been able to travel and visit with so many wonderful people. I have made so many wonderful friends.
Last night I spent some time just thinking about how GREAT it has been. I looked outside and saw the wonderful area I have grazed on for years. I have shared it with so many loving friends: After Market, Life is Sweet, Tiago, Giacomo, Zardana and Harmonious to name a few. It has been a blast!
Yesterday’s ceremony at Hollywood Park was so special. So many of my dear fans came to greet me. I had fun looking at everyone in the paddock, up on the stairs, and in the balcony. Then walking to the track for the last time…was a bit emotional…for me. I knew I wasn’t running…as all of my normal pre-race stuff was not happening…and my dear Mario…was not wearing a NUMBER. (That was a big clue.) I paraded and went to the Winners’ Circle…even did an encore for my 2 presentations from the Dodgers and the San Pedro Winners’ League. It was special!
John is looking at me now. It is time to bundle up (I’m going to heavy coat weather….good thing I have a great wardrobe)…and get on the van.
My 2 dear friends are in the picture in this post…Dottie and Sophie enjoying the night on my ‘grazing grass’.
I will miss everyone…HUGS, HUGS, HUGS!
Again…THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU…for EVERYTHING!
I will keep in touch! I would not miss visiting with all of you for anything.
Blessings to all!
With love,
Hugs~
Z
Joan H
John and Dottie I want to thank you both, mario, Carmen, Steve for being gracious host’s, for allowing all the fans all over to be able to see her.You have change racing for the better with this magnificent ride Zenyatta allowed all of us to have.I just love the daily blogs awesome work Dottie. Your whole barn is just the best group.Thank You again see you in Del Mar.
Yvonne and Maurice Kirby
It was so wonderful being there with you yesterday at your retirement and appreciation day. You are so beautiful – I took many pics of you and was able to get your latest t-shirt, your stein and Mike Smith’s bobble head. It was an awesome day – though I am so happy for you – I had so many mixed emotions – will surely miss you and I am getting teary eyed again. Love you so, stay warm and may all of your babies be as beautiful and sweet as you.
Franci Nelson
Thank you Zenyatta and your friends at the barn for allowing us to go on this journey with you. You are and always will be my favorite racehorse. I will miss watching you run and miss reading your diary posts. I hope you will write us from time to time to let us know how you are. Enjoy this new chapter in your life. You will be a terrific mother. All the best to you and your family. Have a wonderful life in Ky. We love you so much and feel honored to be a part of your life.
Mary Stanford
I will keep following you….no way we cannot want to continue to enjoy your amazing personality. I have tears thinking about how hard it must be at Barn 55. But life changes and we have to accept it and many times it brings even better things than what we have experienced in life. Love you Z….. cannot wait to see you in your new environment.
Ellen Zachary
Safe travels, Z…love to you and good luck as you fly to your new life…KY is wonderful…I know you’ll be very happy and have a wonderful life…love, Ellen
Patti and Don
ALOHA, DEAR ZENNY, UNTIL WE SEE YOU AGAIN THIS TIME POSING WITH YOUR PRECIOUS NEW BABY…HOW CUTE WILL THAT BE! DAVID WILL BE OUR SPECIAL ANGEL WATCHING OVER YOU. DOTTIE, JOHN, JERRY, ANN AND MIKE WILL TRULY MISS YOU BUT THEY ARE NOT ALONE. ENJOY YOUR NEW LIFE. BEAUTIFUL LANE’S END FARM IS ANXIOUSLY AWAITING YOUR ARRIVAL.
YOUR NEW “GIRLFRIENDS” WILL BE THRILLED TO MEET YOU. WE HEAR YOU ARE EVEN GOING TO HAVE A “BOYFIREND”. HOW SPECIAL IS THAT?
THE WEATHER IN KENTUCKY MAY BE COLD BUT MAY YOU ALWAYS FEEL THE WARMTH FROM THE LOVE AND GOOD WISHES YOUR LEAGUE OF QUEEN Z FANS SEND. YOU ARE OUR HORSE OF THE AGES. ALOHA :)
Georgia Harper
I guess we have to say good-bye for now but am sure you will be happy in your new career. I think you will have fun once you get used to the cold and those snow flakes that will tickle your nose. I hope we get to see pictures of you dancing in the snow. Please keep up your diary so we can all follow your days in Kentucky.
Love you so much and will wait to see when we can come to Lanes End to see you.
Pamela Hutchins
Thank you Zenyatta and your connections for so much that I can’t adequately put it into words. You are so deeply loved and admired. Remember this, if you ever need a place to stay, I have a spare room in my home. I will leave the light on for you.
xoxo
Maynard
Good-bye Zenyatta! You have brought us so much excitment and happy times! YOU are the BEST – Horse of the year, for sure!!! We will miss you – Love you – Thanks for all of the thrilling memories and good times that you’ve given to us!!!
Quarterhossgal
Well today’s post did it for me. Many tears thinking about Queen Z and her new life. I am so happy to hear that Mario will stay with you a few days to get you familiar with Lane’s End. Our temp’s are in the 20’s today but no wind and bright sunshine so my horses are enjoying the day. Z you will love it when you get used to the change in climate. Everyone will take care of you like a Queen’s ransom. You are everyone’s special lady and we love you. TEAM Z THANK YOU FOR TAKING SUCH GREAT CARE OF ZENYATTA. YOU ARE WHAT ALL HORSEMEN SHOULD BE!
Maria
Good bye Zenyatta. I will miss you so much. Luv you!
Judy Tyler
It was so wonderful to be at Hollywood Park yesterday with the thousands upon thousands who adore you like I do, even though saying goodbye was very sad and made me cry. But I know you are going to have a wonderful and happy life in Kentucky, just like you deserve — and you will remain in our hearts forever. WE LOVE YOU, and WILL MISS YOU TERRIBLY, ZENYATTA! Safe travels, dear precious one, and thank you for ALL THE GLORIOUS MEMORIES! You are ONE IN A MILLION and I will be forever grateful that I was able to meet you in person!
Kathy B.
It was very hard not to be tearful at yesterday’s goodbye and I was proud of myself for staying strong…..but this post has turned on the waterworks. How to say how much I’ll miss you Zenyatta? Thanks Dottie for the lovely posts…you have truly captured Zenyatta’s voice. I have to find my Kleenex now…safe travels to all and I look forward to visiting the farm in KY in the future. It’s been the experience of a lifetime!
Anne B
Thank you Dottie, and all the connections, for a wonderful ‘ride’ with your girl. Thanks, too, for doing this diary. Hard to read without tears streaming down my face, but then again, can’t imagine what it must be like for all of you. I do hope you have good communication about how Queen Z is doing in KY so that you can continue to keep us updated. We all are going to miss her terribly, and the time here in CA was too short! I wonder if there is any way she could be brought back to John’s barn after weaning her first foal, to visit and be visited, until breeding time comes around again? We in CA would be ever so grateful! Just a thought… Thanks again for everything Dottie. You, John and the rest are exceptional people, for which all of Zenny’s fans are very grateful!
TammieCanal
Goodbye Zenyatta!!
You will be dearly missed but never forgotten………
Love you,
Tammie
jan bellet
I called Lands End farm this morning and asked if they could put a webcam in her stall. They said it couldn’t be done because electrical wires could be a fire hazard in that area. Hope they will put pix of her in her new surroundings.
Kathy Kimber
Dear Lady Z, Time to begin a new chapter in your life, Our thanks to all your connections may God Bless and keep each and everyone of them.
You my gracious Lady have raised all of us up to more than we ever thought we could be. Keep the posts coming. We love you like no other.
Jen D
No, thank YOU big girl!!! Yesterday at HP was so bittersweet and now the reality is hitting me again. Lots of tears right now while reading this latest blog. I don’t want this chapter to close. Darn it. I wish you nothing but an amazing life in KY and hope to visit you and Life is Sweet at Lane’s End someday. Big hugs from an adoring fan.
Carolyn
It was so great spending 2 hours in the morning first at the barn with you and your team, Zenyatta. Then the afternoon was bittersweet. Your tail looked fabulous and Mario knows why! We’ll miss you. Say hi to Life is Sweet for me!
jena hobert
Zenyatta Godspeed and safe journey. We love you. Dottie thank you for keeping us in touch with Zenyatta. John thank you for sharing your star. Mr.&Mrs. Moss thank you for giving us all a gift. Mario, Carmen, hang in there I know how hard it is to let go. You are in my prayers. I emailed Daniele at Lane’s End, she said to keep an eye on this website and the farms website for updates on Zenyatta’s schdule of possible visitation. I will check everyday. We love you Zenyatta. God Bless the Queen. Secsea Dance, Salawgi, Simon, and Picssso.
Lanie Johnson
Gosh…sorry..I can’t stop crying!!
You should just about be there or already are girl. I still..at times can’t believe this career is ending..how very blessed I am to have traveled this journey with you.
Ill be seeing you in all the old familiar places…every track…every finish line..We are the ones who are thankful.
Every once in awhile God out does himself…he has with you.
Thank you so much for all you have done for us and for racing! I love you sweet girl.
Welcome to my OLd Ky Home..God out did himself when he made this place too!!You will enhance everything He did!!
To all of you who are saying goodbye to her…we love you..we feel your pain…thank you for sharing her with us…you will all go down in history…people of the future will never quite know or understand this time of ours.
Thank you for caring for her and for us…most of us seldom get to stand next to greatness..thank you for that.
Have wonderful Holidays and love..beyond measure..til we meet again…love each of you.
I could have missed the pain…but I’d have had to miss…the dance.
Your friend, Lanie, under the Ky sunshine.
Linda T
i’m so glad i got to see you at Churchill and look forward to seeing you in Kentucky, you are by far the best thing to happen to horse racing in years and i know your spirit will live on in your offspring. Love, love, love you Zenny
Delores
Thank you Queen Z, it was wonderful being at Hollywood Park yesterday and to see you on the track. Please keep in touch with all of us. I want to give the Moss’s a BIG THANK YOU for sharing you with your fans for so long. They are very special people. Thank you very much for the memories. We love you very much Z and you will always be in our hearts.
Heidi Kruckenberg
Thank you to the entire Z Team!! You guys and gals made all of this possible, for the fans to get close and personal with their Heroine! I will always root for your horses Mr. Sheriff’s. Ann and Jerry Moss, I will always root for your colors! I know that this has been a very sad last couple of days for many fans but, I can’t imagine how you guys (Team Z) are going to deal with saying good bye to your beloved Mare/daughter: Zenyatta!! My heart goes out to every single one of you!!!
Zenyatta… See what you have done? You have been such a positive in a negative world! You have people chanting your name and crying! You’ve made us mere Humans bawl like babies! Making us blubbering idiots.. :)
Have a safe trip Big Girl and I hope they make the right “Date” for you! From what I hear, it’s snowing in Kentucky.. Ever see the stuff before? LOL… That should be an exciting adventure for you!!
Lanie Johnson
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BaDZWa8a4dE
Jennifer
California feels a bit lonlier without you here. We will all miss you here, but wish you the best of luck in your new career as a mommy! It’s the best career you can have!!! We love you, Zenyatta! Thank you for all the excitement you brought to racing over the past few years. You truely were a special gift from God!!!!!!
Henry
Zen, have a safe trip & i hope you’ll like your new home.Thanx for the memories.I LOVE YOU QUEEN ZEN
Amanda Gilliland
My Sweet Lady Zenyatta, I am so proud of you! Thanks you for the wonderful posts and I pray they continue.I prayed this morning for a safe flight and you have a wonderful safe retirement. Zenyatta, you have given all of your fans such wonderful memories and I really Thank your loving Team Z for letting your fans have a close and personal contact with you. Without Team Z we would have never got to know you or got to enjoy your GREATNESS and your wonderful and successful career up close as we did. I feel so lucky that they shared you with us. I hope Land’s End will realize how IMPORTANT you are to your fans and let us have visits with you. I believe it would be ashame that they take you away from the excitement we feel in seeing you and the love you give us and the love you recieve form us. I know you are use to being in the spotlight and I think that will be hard to adjust to, if it didn’t continue. That should be a gradually slowing down. I love you, Zenyatta. I want to thank you for being so special and meaning so much to me! You helped me so much when I needed something to help me through a rough time in my life by being spectacular, amazing, wonderful & beautiful, drawing me into watching you race and watching the people around you love and take care of you. I fell in love with you from that moment I first saw you. You will always have a special place in my heart and I pray I get to just see you even if it is from a distance in the pastures enoying life with your babies. Oh how special they will be. Just like you are! With love as always, Amanda
Karen Henry
God speed, dearest Zenyatta. My tears flow, but I guess they are tears of happiness for you and for your new life. I will miss EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU. You are loved so very much by so very many. Thank you Team Z for taking such good care of our beautiful, national treasure, Zenyatta. BIG hugs for a BIG girl..with lots of peppermint kisses. Have a safe trip and keep warm in Kentucky. Much, much love from an adoring fan. Love Karen
Casey
Zenyatta it was a very emotional day yesterday seeing you at Hollywood park and saying goodbye to you. I’m so very greatful that me and my family got the chance to see you at your barn the last weekend of November. It was a day we will never forget! Thank you again. And thank you team Zenyatta for all you have done with her and for the fans you all are truely special! Looking forward to hearing about your new life as a mommy! Love you Big Girl!!!