Good Morning,
I want to wish all of you a very Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Please be safe as you travel and enjoy your free time! This is technically the opening day of the ‘SUMMER SEASON’. It is such a terrific time of the year!
On the West Coast, we have the Hollywood Park Meet running now. In mid-July, Del Mar opens for their summer season. On the East Coast, the Belmont Meet is in full swing now. Then those horses move upstate to Saratoga for their summer racing dates. In between, Churchill and Delaware Park, to name a few venues, will enjoy their seasons. It is a very exciting time in racing. These summer meets are FUN! I always enjoyed them! The big stake days are quite crowded and the people are always so enthusiastic!
I’ve heard many people also like to BARBEQUE on holidays. My Pals and I are very content to GRAZE! One thing for sure, we all like to be with our friends and have a GREAT TIME!
This is the view I have each day from my gorgeous paddock. My pals and I get to share time with our friends and enjoy this absolutely lovely scene each day! We have soft breezes here now and the sunshine is just perfect!
It is funny how the simple things we see so often in nature can be so special! It is really the time of the year to enjoy the outdoors and all the beauty nature provides for us!
FROM MY HOME, TO YOURS… HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED HOLIDAY!
I’ll catch you up on ALL of the news next week! HOOVES CROSSED!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Signofthetimes
Epsom Derby on HRTV next week. Lots of
Updates planned all week on HRTV.
Ella Emery
Zenyatta- you are so beautiful. I love you, hooves crossed! You are the queen.
Love, Ella(your 6 year old fan)
Joyce
Z, first to wish you and yours a wonderful and well deserved Memorial Day weekend. Love your view!
@Mary Whitmer – sorry about the 2011 season at your track. It rang a bell as my local track has yet to announce further racing dates. Makes us realize the importance of our race tracks, not just to people (jobs are so important)but I worry about the wellbeing of horses who are not stars, perhaps our Z’s distant cousins, having their racing opportunities reduced. What will happen to them? Without racing we would never have known about and grown to love our dearest Zenyatta. Brrrh, that is a horrible thought.
Military families – thinking about all of you so much this weekend which honors the sacrifices made by your loved ones. Thank you and wishing you the very best in the future.
There are so many wonderful posts it is hard not to comment on each one, but I wish all who are hurting the blessing of peace and the encouragement of happier days ahead.
Lynn ..... (nearby Hwd Park) California
Hi Zenny, One of my friends is getting a very special mare, 8yrs old named; Cousin Sara. She is a raced T.B. and her Sire is AWAD. He is at ‘OLD FRIENDS’ (19yrs). He holds the fastest track record (1995) in the Arlington Millon race.
Also amazing… *** she a direct grand-daughter of —> *** SECRETARIAT! **** ! from her Dam, Jazz Session.
It’s so exciting… The mare has a foal at her side now. My friend will breed her again, but not for racing. This amazing mare rides and jumps too. My friend shows and trains horses, and is a multi-carded Show Judge. She even wrote and article (in a horse magazine) on retraining race horses. Just wanted to share with you, and all Ms Z.
I love your view … it’s gorgeous. I always love and appreciate views of natural land, not cars and buildings.
Hooves crossed sweetie! :)
Christine Coleman
Hi Zenny Moss-Shirreffs-Mario-Smith-Bernardini-Coleman. I’ve been missing watching you close and run down the field like you did so effortlessly during your career. But I had to remind myself of how happy you are now being a normal horse. Enjoy my beautiful mare!
Sue Fredrick
Hey just thought I’d let you know if you don’t already, Old Friends “Little Silver Charm” has a facebook page and it is just “too cute”. He has pics of his love
“Z” in his stall….what a macho little guy! Go and check it out it’s really fun!
Tairaterces
Thanks Zenny . . . . my fingers and toes are crossed for you . . ;)
Jo in CO
A beautiful view! And perfect with Z in that gorgeous slice of heaven. Happy Memorial Day week-end to Z and Team Zenyatta. Love and hugs ~ Jo
Abigail from Montreal
For anyone who might be interested, Racing Post in England has set up a separate Epsom site with photos, articles, videos & etc.
Here’s the web address: http://derby.racingpost.com/
Dani
God bless those men and women who have watched over us and protected our freedoms; some giving the ultimate sacrifice of their lives for us and for all the free people of the world. God please watch over those who serve now, that they shall be returned safely to us as the heros they are. Let us never forget our men and women of the armed forces whose strength of courage and spirit protects the happiness we are able to enjoy and live under because of that heroism. Please take this time to share a moment of silence in gratitude to them. God bless America.
Yeva
All of the news? I hope that means we get to find out about the status of your pregnancy! Yeay!!!!
Abigail from Montreal
@ Dani: So beautifully expressed.
@ Signofthetimes: Did you know that the Queen’s horse, Carlton House, is a son of Street Cry? And he’s one of the favourites!
Roseann King
Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hooves crossed :) :)! May you always be healthy and happy Z. I agree with an early post that a book with all the informative and fun posts would be fabulous! Happy Memorial Day to your whole Team and specially to your Dottie and John for understanding what this means to so many of us. I’m in Missouri and we’ve had multiple scary days this past week. On one day my OTTB, Robin, as well as others were being hurried out of the barn into paddocks as storms headed straight toward them. We were blessed that the cells passed without structure damage and Robin and his friends were all safe save a few nicks and some leg swelling.
Happy Memorial Day Weekend to all !
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–I am just surprised that there have not been more comments on Life at Ten’s breeder’s cup race. Anyone who has watched the video of that race must wonder. I thought that Gary Moulton’s comments were well-taken. No one likes to criticize a fellow horseman without knowing all of the facts. I just feel that the public is also entitled to the facts.@Mary Whitmer–Sorry to hear about Yavapai. I fear the same fate awaits Hollywood Park. @Joyce–your sentiments about the people who lost their jobs are well taken. Also, the horses at Yavapai were, for the most part, very low level claimers. I wonder what will happen to them?@ Shari Voltz–I am glad that there are teachers like you. Makes me hopeful that things in the future will be OK. @Kathryn Cogswell–Brick by brick, indeed.
judy berube
Dear Z,
Can’t wait to hear your good news next week.
To Susan in Tn.: Hope you’re feeling better.
To Signofthetimes: Hope AK does well in the Belmont. The distance should suit him. I was so wrong about Shackleford in the Preakness, though. He sure showed us he has stamina. Hugs, Judy B.
judy berube
To Terry Crow:
I agree. I’m not so sure the jockey should have been fined. He’s the only one that seemed to indicate something wasn’t right. What do you think. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Mary Whitmer and Joyce:
Two thoroughbred racetracks in our State closed years ago. Narragansett Park (where Seabiscuit raced once) and Lincoln Downs. I still miss not having live racing. We used to have so much fun; dinning at the Turf Club and going down to the paddock to see the horses up close. We now have just simulcast racing from a local casino. I hope Hollywood Park and others can be saved. Hugs, J.B.
Chris H
Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers for our filly & her mama. Doc says we are not out of the woods yet, still another few days of antibiotics. She’s not like the injections very well. This is our first and mama’s too, she is just so precious and mama loves her so.
@Diana Hanson — So sorry for the loss of your foal that was a red bag also. I feel so fortunate that the baby is still here with us. Was your foal stillborn?, or do you lose her later? Prayers to you —
Tracy K
Hi Zenyatta! I don’t post a lot but I read your updates and all of the comments every day. Fingers and paws are crossed in our house for you! On another note, I just learned that your John grew up in Newfields, NH which is just a couple of towns over from where I live. I assume he went to Exeter High School and my husband is a police officer in Exeter. Does John ever come back to NH? In reading his bio online I also discovered that his family worked with Peter Fuller whose Runnymeade Farm is a favorite of mine to drive by since you can see all of the beautiful TBs grazing. Have a wonderful holiday weekend :-)
Sarah T.
Zen, hope you and your pals have a great holiday too. I’ll be working, oh well. Looking forward to hearing your news next week. :)
Vicki B.
Sorry for the foaling losses – red bag, EHV-1, whatever the cause, it’s sad.
@Signofthetimes – no worries. And from what I’ve heard, the iPhone is very nice.
judy berube
To Joyce:
Very good point you made about what happens to the horses when tracks close. Even with all the great rescue organizations and owners like the Moss’, who sponsor their retired horses, there are so many more that need help. Hugs, J.B.
Vicki B.
“Wink, wink!”, “Blush, blush!”, “Hint, hint!” “…Dottie would kill me” – John Shirreffs. “I’ll catch you up on ALL of the news next week! HOOVES CROSSED!” – Zenyatta. (Sounds pretty official – sshhh!)
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–Agree that others should have been fined or even suspended. I just don’t see how this was allowed to happen. Horses with no chance and that are not ridden should not be loaded into the gate for a breeder’s cup race. You expect hidden ailments in a claiming race, that is part of the game. But this? For those who are not familiar, watch a video of that race. Life at Ten was the second choice with over a million dollars bet on her. Sorry about your local tracks. Any racetrack’s demise hurts. On a lighter note, Del Mar just announced a match race between Mike Smith and Chantal Sutherland in August. Horses to be determined. Wonder what their relationship is now and what this will do to it?
Lady Slew
Z, I know how much you like your sweet potatoes. You should try them barbequed – very tasty! If you have big carrots you can put those on the grill too. Won’t replace grazing of course, but I just wanted you to know there are things horses can enjoy barbequed.
Deborah Richman
Zenny, the view from your paddock is so idyllic, I am filled with joy knowing that you live in such surroundings. Have a lovely Memorial Day weekend with your pals, beautiful girl. I can’t wait to hear ALL the news next week! Wink Wink ;)
@Chris H…special well wishes to your little Irish miricle filly and her mama. Keep us posted.
@Everyone…whether you are a barbequer or a grazer, have a fantastic weekend! Deep gratitude goes out to all who serve in the armed forces and to all who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our country.
J Smith
@Terry C & Judy B, I really don’t feel we got the full story on Life At Ten, poor thing. If u r a jockey sitting on top of 1000 + lbs of horse, ready to go at 40 miles an hour, & u don’t think your horse is 100%, what the heck r u doing in the starting gate? Allergic to pre race medication! What, that was the first time u gave it to her, right before a big race? Come on now. That was not the reason for my post, but I got mad all over again seeing you mention it. Really makes u feel like u want to do something about it.
I’m actually posting to give everyone a link to a UK newspaper article about Zenny’s 1/2 brother (by Street Cry) Carlton House. As many of you know, he is the Queen Of England’s big hope to win the Epsom Derby on June 4. I believe she has entered 9 horses in this race over the years, none have won it. Perhaps our Queens brother can become the King of English racing. Nice photo of Carlton House with the article. By the way, Frankel’s next race is at Royal Ascot on June 14.
J Smith
DUH! I forgot the link
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/horseracing/8536492/The-Queens-Carlton-House-shines-in-final-Investec-Derby-gallop.html
Suzen
Hello Big Girl,
We will keep everything crossed, and look forward to ALL the GOOD NEWS next week. Have a wonderful weekend!
Quarterhossgal
Diana….I am sorry to hear about your losing a foal. Sounds like you had great vets that did all they could to help. How is your mare doing? It is so hard to lose a baby, I hope you have a safe delivery next time.
Queen Z….enjoy all your treats this week end. Can’t wait for your official announcement!