Good Morning All,
It is such a fun time! I’m hearing the weather in California is a bit cooler than it is here. I am so enjoying all of my time outside…snacking on this very tasty Kentucky Blue Grass.
Many of you asked in the responses about our contest winner, MISS # 19…Dawn Conrad. Well, it is TOO CUTE! Dawn actually went to California on a bit of a holiday and asked Dottie if she and her friend could visit BARN 55. Here she is with STEVE…..standing right in MY STALL! She looks fabulous!
Dawn spent her time at the barn visiting with the horses and all of MY TEAM. She truly enjoyed herself and sent Dottie a wonderful message yesterday. Since so many of you asked how she is doing, I’d like to share parts of her email with you! (Dawn is fine with this.)
“Once I introduced myself as the lucky owner of #19, congrats were offered and we all went to Zenyatta’s stall for some pictures. What fun and how special I felt!!!”
“Then there were the beautiful horses!! Ebby was so gorgeous and such a sweetheart. You can certainly see some of Zenny in her as well as Bernardini, especially in her coloring and lovely top line. Received a kiss from Nereid and Mr. Commons was a perfect gentleman. Then it was on to see Makoma and meet Winston. I could have spent days talking with everyone and going from one stall to the next. I agree with the sentiment of John’s you voiced in today’s diary. After the time I spent at the ‘Clinic’, it was great for my soul to hug the horses. (I did get good news from the clinic. Yippee!!)
“The only thing that could have made it better was seeing Zenyatta, herself. I could picture her standing in her stall or grazing under her trees. It was a bit bittersweet for me having never met her while she was there. I had tried making it to California and the Breeder’s Cup, but the timing did not work out. To lay my hand on her neck as I did Ebby’s will be a hope I will hold in my heart forever.”
“Everyone speaks of her with great pride and just a touch of sadness. You can tell John misses her a great deal.”
How special of Dawn to share her thoughts with Dottie after the visit. I must add that Dottie did agree with her that John really does MISS ME…as does all of MY TEAM. In reality, I was at Barn 55 for over 4 1/2 years. I never left their sight for one moment. We spent countless hours together and have so many cherished memories.
In life, it is such a GREAT FEELING to know that you are missed, you are loved, and you can touch someone’s soul to such a degree!
I am truly SO FORTUNATE!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Kirren
I am so happy Dawn got to visit Barn 55! I have been thinking of her and praying for good things on her trip. I am overjoyed to hear my prayers were answered for her!
Love and miss you, Z!
LauraJ
Lucky you, Dawn! Zenyatta’s stall looks like a little museum. I guess it is.
Josie Daily
How lucky for Dawn to visit barn 55.
Misty
Zenyatta touches so many lives…love her
Fran
Well, here I am again Z. Good morning! Graduation was great and now Emma is going to college! Time does fly. And, soon we will see a foal, and I am terribly excited about that! The weather is beautiful here in CA. Today, it is warming up so the hot weather is now changing quickly. Summer is right around the corner! Have a great day Z! xxoo
Misty
I just wanted to share something with everyone that still touches my heart. After last year’s Breeder’s cup race my husband and I were standing in line to get on the shuttle bus to get back to our car. An older gentleman behind us was overcome with tears and said he had seen Secretariat run and he never thought he’d ever see another horse that could compare to “Big Red” – until he saw Zenyatta. He was so emotional that everyone around him choked up with tears. There’s something magical about Zenyatta. Words just can’t explain it. I will never forget seeing her run – never in a million years. It was one of the most amazing moments of my life.
Theresa Buck
z you have touched the hearts and souls of all the ppl around the world
Jan
@Misty. Totally agree with you. :)
Gloria Jeanne
I’m crying Z – I miss you too!!!
Debbie
hi Z! How wonderful for Dawn to be able to stand in YOUR stall and have her own private tour!! YOU are truly a special gift for us all, you are so loved!!! Have a perfect day munching the KY bluegrass gorgeous mama! love YOU xoxoxo
Kirren
@Misty: Thank you for sharing! I never get tired of hearing people’s stories, and they always make me tear up!
Gloria Jeanne
https://staging.zenyatta.com/news/diary-post-267#comment-52716
I’m not sure if everyone has seen this or not, just thought I would share it with you all.
Hugs
Gloria Jeanne
http://www.ntra.com/galleries/gallery/details/Njg=
my bad – here is the real link I wanted to post.
Kelly
Thank you for the great update, Z! (Oh, Misty – what a beautiful note. Indeed, Z has touched so many with her healing powers.)
Cynthia H.
Thank you, Dottie, for sharing some of Dawn’s wonder-filled day with us. And thank you, Dawn, for your beautiful words. Barn 55 is indeed a most magical place. The home of our hearts. Dawn, you will not have to hold that hope in your heart forever. It will happen. Believe it.
Dawn Conrad
Dearest, Zenyatta. Wow, thank you Zenny for posting my picture (with wonderful Steve) on the diary today!! You are TOO SWEET!! My visit to Barn 55 really was magical! Everyone was so kind and generous with their time and your spirit of love was everywhere, Zenny. You certainly are missed, always loved and you touch many, many, souls each and everyday. Love you beautiful. Sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
@Z Friends – Thank you all for making me feel so special!!! Your “welcome back” posts are very dear to me!
@Karen Gogue – Loved the cake, just wish I had been there to share with you all. Now, I can celebrate a special kinship with everyone who has gone to Barn 55. It is such an amazing place.
Ann Maree
Oh, Zenny, we are the fortunate ones! Just being in the same world with you is a joy you have brought to countless thousands of your fans. Love what Misty said, describing a simple situation of standing in line with one person getting choked up and others around him being overwhelmed from the strong emotion of the moment. Only Zenyatta has such an effect on people of all ages. “You are so beautiful”, as the song says! Big hugs! Your friend, Ann Maree
NorCalFan#1
@Misty: I second that! It’s an indescribable feeling being in her presence!
@Dawn: When that day comes that you, too, lay your hand on Zenyatta’s neck, you’ll say, “I’ll never wash this hand again!” That’s what I said…and now all I have to do is close my eyes and I can feel Z’s warmth again on her so very soft neck. It’s something you’ll never forget! So very glad you made it Barn 55!! They are so wonderful, aren’t they?
Thank you, Z (and Dottie), for brightening up this cloudy NorCal day!
Hayley
What a memory that will be! I love the drawings of Zenyatta on the stall walls! :)
AJ from CA
@Misty – thanks for sharing your moments at the BC last year…brought some tears to my eyes then as well as now. I don’t think we ever see something like that again.
Glad Dawn got to meet up at Barn 55 and share her visit with us. I’m sure it’s just not the same excitement there anymore without Big Mama but maybe they will hear the patter of little baby hoofsteps in the very near future?
Doreen
Here’s another article about Uncle Mo’s future in racing. http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2011/06/08/uncle-mo-future.aspx Also, Mike Repole stated in the article that his Bernardini colt Stay Thirsty along with Animal Kingdom are the best bred horses in the Belmont Stakes for distance. Hopefully Zenny’s foal will inherit this trait from both parents. I guess we’ll have to wait and see – but anticipation is what makes horse racing so exciting!!
Judy (Maass) Gadwood ~ CA
Hi Oven In the Muffin Zenny!
Yes, it is “June gloom” in Southern California… a little drizzle, too.
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My friends and I are hoping we get to see your “shrine” and also visit your sista’ Big E (wink, wink, Dottie!) ;-D
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HUGS & KISSES MY QUEEN XOXOXOXO
Stella Bagwell
Dearest Zenyatta,
You have not only touched my soul, sweet girl, but also that of my husband and son. We all love you dearly and miss seeing you on the track. Yet we smile at the thought of you relaxing and being treated like the royalty that you are.
Your Barn 55 stall is such a special place. I can’t ever see another horse worthy of living there where you once stood.
Happy Wednesday and enjoy the grass and the warmth.
Love and hugs,
Stel
Beverly G
Dear Zenyatta, You have touched my soul and enriched my life since I first heard about you on 60 Minutes in October 2010. I go out to your website every day and I have your picture on my desktop at work. You are truly the greatest race horse there ever was and greatest horse.
Judy (Maass) Gadwood ~ CA
Oh, my! I just read my typo!!! It should have been MUFFIN IN THE OVEN lol!!! How silly am I, Zenny!!! :-)))))
Alexandra Bowdoin
Good Afternoon Dear Zenyatta, Great picture of Dawn and Steve in your old stall…Lucky Dawn! How nice to have met Team Z at Barn 55…
@Dawn, I was pleased to read that you got good news from the clinic!
AdmiringFan
@Misty. Perfectly Said. :))
Judy (Maass) Gadwood ~ CA
@ Misty ~ that experience is so moving! We are so blessed to be living during the “Zenyatta Years”!!! We’ve been touched by an Angel :-)
dunie
You live in our hearts and souls, dear Zenny!
sherry drish
ZENNIE WILL ALWAYS BE THE HORSE OF A LIFE TIME. I AM GLAD JOHN HELPED HER REACH HER FULL POTENTIAL. IT WAS A TEAM EFFORT. HOW COULD YOU NOT MISS A ONE IN A LIFETIME MARE LIKE QUEEN Z. SHERRY D. WV.