Happy Friday to All~
I can’t believe another week has gone by…and so quickly! Lots of different things have happened during the course of this week and I’ve heard lots of good news. We’ve certainly had fabulous health updates for several people including our friend, Dawn Conrad! All of this news is so, so special!
Remember the HAT GAME I used to play with MY JOHN? Well, apparently it is still going strong at Barn 55. I guess because MY JOHN always wears a baseball type cap (and I do mean always) that the horses he works with each day just love to play with these hats.
Yesterday afternoon, while Mr. Commons was outside grazing, relaxing and enjoying the California sun, he decided it was his turn to play my game. Bruce was there with him! He let Bruce sit on the saw horse bench, scratch his neck, hug him and play with him. In return, Mr. Commons decided he would ‘tease Bruce’ and started playing with his cap! Within moments, Mr. C was playing the HAT GAME with him…and totally took off his cap and handed it back to Bruce!
It was all TOO CUTE! Everyone at Barn 55 was laughing…and Mr. Commons was really proud of himself for getting Bruce’s cap. I know this feeling. I loved to play this game with MY JOHN.
There are so many FUN THINGS like this one that happen each day in our lives. The experiences are so sweet, yet extraordinary, and most importantly they make us LAUGH! I’ve been told that there is a very famous saying which describes what I’m trying to say…..TAKE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES! It is really so much fun to truly appreciate the joy and beauty of these special moments.
Lucky US!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Celeste
It is posts like this one with the adorable hat game played by Mr. Commons that continues to endear all of Team Z/Barn 55 to such a special place in my heart. It is obvious from this site, these diary entries, the photos shared, that John and Dottie truly are remarkable people who get it, who understand and focus on the horse and nurture them as well as doing the conditioning/training and so on. It is just overwhelming then how this billows out through Zenyatta and flows to the rest of us, making even me here in Texas feel a whisper of this magic. Thank you. I wish I could express it better, but maybe each time I take another peek at this diary is a moment in my day that I am stopping to smell the roses and enjoy the warmth of Zenyatta. Thank you.
Kathy Kimber
To all the horses racing tomorrow. To each good luck and may God bring each and every one jockey and horse home safe and sound.
Trina Nagele
Dear Zenny, As you know, many of us worry about horses who are not so fortunate as you. There will be what I think they call a webinar at The Horse dot com called “Unwanted” Horses—Problems and Solutions on Ask the Vet LIVE Q&A Wednesday, June 22, 8:00 p.m. EDT. You can go to their website now to register and submit your questions. It’s free. One of the experts will be Tom Lenz, DVM, the Immediate Past Chairman of the Unwanted Horse Coalition. http://www.thehorse.com/
@PAM, SARAH POWELL, and SANDRA GOMEZ—What talented and clever horses you had!
@SHERRY DRISH—Love that Black Magic! Wish I had been there, but then your description makes me feel I was. Thanks!
@KELSIE– I’m glad you and Grylls both had fun playing Drop the Sweater.
@SARAH POWELL and VICTORIA RACIMO— Good one! Great minds think alike!
@GARY MOULTON—Great song (“…You never will be ‘nothing’ if you never give up hope!”) Never heard it before. Brought tears to my eyes. Thanks for sharing.
@JUDY (MAASS) GADWOOD—I have that wonderful book “Zenyatta at Home”! I remembered those pictures of Zenny taking John’s hat off, and now I know who the lovely smiling lady in the background is—IT’S YOU! TOO CUTE!
@DAWN—I have your contact e-mail. I will keep you posted as things progress for D-Day (to others, see #268 if you missed reading about Operation D (for “Dottie”)-Day.
@KINCSEM FANS—I so agree that Kincsem has to move up on the list. I’m sure she would if more people knew about her.
Trina Nagele
Good article on Rags to Riches’s Belmont. http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/racing-news/2011/06/09/rags-to-riches-resonates.aspx
judy berube
To Terry Crow:
I agree with you. What I don’t like to see are comparisons made, as people do, about which horse is better. I think each one should be given his due. I don’t think it’s right to have these nasty comparisons made. It’s just as you said, somebody’s opinion is fine; you can have a favorite without being critical of someone else. Also, some horses have race records better than others. 54 and 0 IS AMAZING. Besides, so much goes into what a horse can accomplish; raw talent, good racing luck, the right owner and trainer and good health. Hugs, J.B.
Trina Nagele
@CELESTE—Well said!
judy berube
To Kathy Kimber”
I second your thoughts on safe trips for all horses tomorrow. Hugs, J.B.
Brenda
To Dawn, Your description of Claiborne is so perfect that I can see it now, even tho I’m sitting in Fort Erie. Each time I have been there since that sad day when Secretariat left us I have left him some peppermints on the top of his grave marker, I think HE would enjoy them more than flowers, altho he is said to have eaten Mrs. Chenery’s roses on one occasion. Fingers and hooves are crossed for continued good news from you. For all lovers of Big Red I recommend “Secretariat’s Meadow”, a book I received this last Christmas – beautiful photographs and history of the Chenery family. Have a happy weekend Dawn.
Alene
Hi Zenny, Mr.Commons is too cute… You`re right. These are moments that are special. They make you smile and laugh. That`s a wonderful feeling. thats the same feeling that you and your team have given all of your fans.. We just adore you!!!!!!! Lots of Big Hugs and Kisses, Alene…P>S. Thank you Dottie. You are the best!!!
Cheryl Y
When you work with race horses,there is never a day that goes by when you don’t laugh at them.They are always doing something to make you love them even more.They love the hat game,because almost everyone working in a barn wears them,but not everyone finds the humor in it,so once you laugh at them,they know they have won you over!My daughter and I worked for the same Hall of Fame trainer and whenever we traveled to the races with them we loved it because we got to spend the whole day with them.The horses always liked the undivided attention also.When you take them to the races,once you put them in a stall,you sit with them until its time to get ready for their race.We took folding chairs and sat outside their stall.If we didn’t pay constant attention to them,they would play some sort of game with us.I always took my camera with me and one of my favorite shots was of Foiled Again with his head out of the stall grabbing hold of the chair and trying to pull it and my daughter into the stall.We laughed so much,our stomachs hurt. Needless to say,he played that game all day!!Zenyatta,I know you love to make people laugh also,the picture of you and Mario laughing together proves it,thats one of the reasons I love you so much!
Elaine
I was lucky enough to see you play that hat game with your John. Both of you are a riot!
Cathy Marshall
I would love to walk through Barn 55, and just sniff the air. Being around horses is good for the soul.
Signofthetimes
@Laura J
You did s great post awhile ago on famous full siblings.
However, Barbaro’s dam has been bred I think 4 times
To Dynaformer with no colt equal to Barbaro. They are
Trying a fifth with dynaformer to try and get a filly, who
Maybe can reproduce a Barbaro type. It serms that
Zenny has such a strong gene pool that she may be able
To recreate herself or a have a son or daughter that
Could rather than having her mother try again through
Street Cry.
Roberta Smith
Bery cute pic of Mr. Commons taking off the hat! Have a lovely weekend Zenyatta! Can’t wait to watch the Belmont! I love you!
Bonnie MacRaith
@Alexandra Bowdoin…Thanks, I have never seen the photo of Z with her eyes closed because of the mud. I will look for it. I just remember her being stunned by having mud kicked in her face and considering that was the first time it happened to her she recovered pretty quickly…she had so much to overcome in that race. It’s downright amazing she did as well as she did!
Love that Mr. Commons and his sense of humor and yes, as someone said there is nothing Uncommon about him!
Signofthetimes
Dear Zenny
Love the pics of Mr Commons. He is quite a handsome
well stacked young colt. Soo cute and playful. Playing
Is important because training is sooo very serious.
Hope there is no slop for the Belmont. Love tooo many
Horses. AK, Shakelford and his gutsy tenacity as said by
Steve Haskins, Master of Hounds who got distracted
By the girls, but is now back to business and MMM with
His “ruby slippers “(new shoes). It is going to be an exciting
Few minutes. Stay under the trees and hope the wind
Is blowing.
XXXXXOOOO
Bonnie MacRaith
I meant to say there is nothing common about Mr. Commons! Sorry Mr. Commons, you probably knew what I meant!
Judy (Maass) Gadwood ~ CA
@ Paula Higgins ~ You made me laugh girlfriend! I’m glad you’re enjoying Big Z’s hat :-D
———-
@ Trina Nagele ~ You made me smile!!! Are we the only two Z fans to own this book… hello!!! Every Zenny fan should have one!!! Right, Dottie? (wink wink) ;-D
tony and sue
Zenny…you are quite a philosopher! The nuggets of wisdom you give us are a treasure. In a hurry up world and a “me, me culture your posts are always so refreshing and thoughtful. Thanks to Dottie for being your “muse” and the wonderful Mosses who continue to share you with all of us.
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
What darling pics of Mr.Commons and Bruce playing the hat game, he looks like he is a real character too. And yes,Zenyatta, you brought so many special moments that I will remember for the rest of my life.
Love you lots and hope you are enjoying yourself. Love & Blessings
Nancy
Zenyatta…I really miss you at the races. I try to get excited about watching the Triple Crown, etc, but it just is NOT the same. Sadly, I don’t think it ever will be. I hope to travel to KY to see you in person one day. I went to Churchill Downs just to see you last year, but all I got to see was just your head, as the rest of you was hidden behind your pony horse. I am enjoying all your newsy postings here, and can hardly wait to see the little baby Zen next year. If I owned you, you would be the fastest trail riding horse that ever lived. LOL
saharagold
I love Mr. Commons! Can’t wait to see John start him in more races. If they’re at Hollywood Park, I’ll be there! I love you, too, Queen Z (of my heart)! You rock! Motherhood rocks! None of us would be here without it.
Barbara Grimaldi
Dearest Zenyatta: You are a tonic for racing–tell me what you think of this situation…I live in NJ and read the NYT and look at newspapers across the country on my computer. Do you know how much coverage the Belmont Stakes is getting??? Next to nothing! Pathetic! I can remember a time when all three legs of the Crown had front page coverage, or at least split page coverage. Now, coverage is at a trickle. These 12 horses will be running the longest race in awful heat and with a good chance of intermittant thunderstorms throughout the day. This is racing’s premier race for distance champions–and little coverage. Unfair. All I see is baseball, basketball, hockey…so, dear Zenny, we all have to do something about this and demand coverage, which I’ve just done to the stations I observed.
Today there was an article on CBS that said no horse should be given Lasix. It said that all horses get Lasix. It said that all 12 horses tomorrow would get Lasix, and that race horses are getting weaker and weaker because of weaker horses getting wins because of drugs and being used as sires and dams. The writer is a retired trainer who said horses don’t need Lasix–that the 20 to 30 pounds it takes off a horse should not happen on race day or any day. What do you think of that, Zen???
Much love to you.
AJ from CA
@Kathy Kimber & Judy Berube – My main wish also goes out to all the jockeys and their horses to come home safely no matter who wins and I heard that there is a possible storm tomorrow which would make for a sloppy track. (Wish they could break from tradition and hold one of the triple crown legs in California with the better climate) but that would make too much sense.
Neva Rae Powers
I adore being a groupie.
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–Comparisons of horses is always a tricky thing. Did you see them run, was the track muddy or fast, etc. Kelso has many supporters on this site, but when he came out to California in 1964 to run at Hollywood Park he couldn’t finish in the money in a race won by Mustard Plaster, hardly a household name although he was one of my favorites. Does that make him a bad horse? Hardly. He was a champion of the highest order. Some days are diamonds, some days are stone. He just didn’t like the race track. When it comes to people, you are one of my favorites. Always a good word for everybody. @Trina Nagele–The more I know about Kincsem the bigger fan I am.@Kathy Kimber–ditto your sentiments about all horses and riders being safe on their journey.
Bernie
It is just amazing the amount of time and detail that Ms. Z & Dottie put into this posting everyday. How wonderful a heart so big as to share it with the rest of the world. You are very special to us all.
Thank you.
Bonnie MacRaith
Here is a fantastic photo…hope you all can open it. Alexandra Bowdoin first made me aware of it. If you can’t open it it is on TLT Outdoorphotography…Zenyatta in the 2010 Classic against Blame. It’s Zenyatta in her hour of heroism fighting the onslaught of mud in her face for the first time in her life…she even has her eyes closed it’s so bad…she’s at the back of the pack on a very muddy track thus getting mud kicked in her face from all the horses in front. It was the only time that hanging back was a problem. It’s amazing that she did so well considering all this!
http://www.tltoutdoorphotography.com/gallery/Zenyatta2010/IMG_7915
Sharon in Seattle
I just heard a radio broadcast today of a “love letter” to Zenyatta from a woman named Julie Shapiro who – I think this is correct – works with Third Coast Radio Festival – something like that. Anyway, it was an NPR broadcast and it was quite good. I was on Interstate 5 while I listened to it and it brought tears to my eyes. I-5 is not a place to tear up!!
judy berube
To Cheryl Y.:
Enjoyed your story about Foiled Again. I remember him. If I’m not mistaken, he was a jumper? (Don’t think that’s the right terminology), but he jumped fences (or hurdles) in races. Think I saw him at Saratoga. Johnathan Sheppard trained him. Hugs, J.B.