HAPPY BELMONT DAY!
Today is such a fun day of racing! There are so many quality races taking place around the country this afternoon headed by the 143rd running of the BELMONT.
From all reports, it is still rainy and wet in New York. It is supposed to rain until early afternoon and then level off to a 40-50% chance of rain until early evening. The track surface, both turf and dirt, at this time is listed as ‘good’. Of course, all of this can change at any moment….weather being weather! Let’s hope all is comfortable for everyone!
The Belmont Stakes runs at approximately 6:35 East Coast Time. The horses usually leave the barn area to walk to the paddock about 30 minutes or so prior to post time. Thus, today’s 12 entrants will be leaving their stalls around 6ish and head to the paddock for the race. It is such an exciting time for everyone! Just imagine, you are participating in a TRIPLE CROWN RACE. Then, the ANTICIPATION of the race and how it will develop is so much fun. Racing is so EXCITING! My best wishes to ALL 12 of today’s Belmont starters. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!
I’m thinking I will sit back, relax, and enjoy watching all of the great races today. In looking over the entries, I see ZAZU’S friend, Turbulent Descent, is running in the ACORN today at 2:34 NY TIME. Then at 5:39, my dear friend, Gio Ponti, is running in the Manhattan Stakes for the 3rd year in a row! I have such great memories of running with Gio Ponti in the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Classic. What a guy! I really want to wish him well.
If you are not going to the race track today, these events…and many other races…will be on television. I know MY TEAM at Barn 55 and my friends at Lane’s End will be checking in on the updates, races and results all afternoon.
HRTV and TVG will be showing many of the day’s activities. Then a channel named VERSUS will be showing several of the stakes starting at 2 eastern time. At 5, the programing switches to NBC for the balance of the NY Stakes and the Belmont.
VERSUS is a relatively new channel that is going to carry quite a few races today and in the future. On your computer, if you go to NBCSPORTS, then click on TV LISTINGS, they will provide you with the TV schedules for today. If you put in your zip code, they will tell you the exact channels you need to go to in order to find the races you want to see on both VERSUS and NBC. This is really good to know. We have DISH and now we know exactly what channel to program in so we are ALL SET and READY TO WATCH GREAT RACING!
Which horses do you think will win today? Have fun handicapping!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Karen Gogue
@Ann in Paramount
@JSmith
I WILL BE THERE NEXT SATURDAY – NOTHING’ STOPPING ME!!! LOL
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–Ruler on Ice? Now I have to go donate blood so I can stay in action. The Last winning week I had was three years ago-16 bucks.
Signofthetimes
Dear Zenny
There are some great photos of the Belmont in Bloodhorse.
JV did an awesome job with that stumble. Those who do not
Ride may not be aware of how much a riders position and balance
Signals the horse how to move. AK knew JV was unseated and lost his
Stirrup. AK could tell by weight shifts so he slowed until
JV got his iron back and then responded appropriately but
Lost tooo much precious time. Look forward to AK and Breeders Cup.
GM sat back when he saw the start, but he did not turn his head. He
Continued to watch the race. With all of his experience he knew it
was over. JV got him back on track and made up some but
Did not have enough horse left.
Love the photo of Shackelford with The pack following him.
He is truely all business. Digging in and really pushing. He is
Soooo cute. Love the little explosions. The big question with my
TB was “is he Quiet?”. If he was everything was a go to even
Let a 10 year old show him in walk trot class. If he wasn’t more
Lunging. If I had a hundred dollars for everytime I called
Him “nutty” I ‘d be rich. But when he would not drink water on the
Show ground. I brought huge plastic bottles with barn water.
Catering to these “crazies” is the life of a TB owner and we
Love it!!!!
Look at the Mosses and John Sherriffs faces when Zenny lost the 2010
BCC.
Signofthetimes
Dear Zenny
Hope you had a great Sunday. Grazing on that beautiful KY
bluegrass. Looking forward to summer races.
XXXXXOOOO
Signofthetimes
@Judy B
I think you are right. We might have to wait until Z
Has a colt for a TC winner.
Trina Nagele
@Susan in TN—Prayers for Lou, your daughter’s one-in-a-million dog.
Trina Nagele
@Ann from Indiana—So glad your hubby is doing better. Prayers for his continued recovery, and that you get to make that trip to Kentucky.
Trina Nagele
Congratulations to John Shirreffs for placing at Hollywood Park with Star Billing and Tiz Gianni.
Trina Nagele
TO ALL re: D-(for “DOTTIE”)DAY— Karen Gogue has thought up something really special to let Dottie know how we feel about her on the occasion of Dottie’s birthday (AUGUST 10). IF YOU ARE NEW TO ZENYATTA’S WEBSITE AND DON’T KNOW, IT IS DOTTIE SHIRREFFS WHO WRITES THIS DIARY FOR ZENYATTA! This will be a wonderful opportunity to show that lovely lady how grateful we all are for everything she does to allow us to keep in touch with Zenyatta and to feel like a part of Team Z. Now that Karen has posted her e-mail karenlg06@yahoo.com (“l” as in Larry and “g” as in golf), please e-mail her directly AND LEAVE YOUR CONTACT INFO SO SHE CAN GET BACK TO YOU OFF-SITE. I am passing on to Karen all the contact info already sent to me. I hope EVERYONE participates!
judy berube
To Terry Crow:
I’ll tell the nurse your blood is rare and give her some money for you. Oh, it is rare – give me my money back. Hugs, J.B.
J Smith
@Karen Gogue, I’m only going if u bring cake! Just kidding, I don’t usually go that often, but I just saw Blind Luck is running in the Vanity and I would really like to see her. I’ll decide later in week. Will u post on Friday to say for certain if u r going, & a spot to meet, I’ll do same, but u can pick the meeting spot.
Signofthetimes, agree with your AK JV post. Goes to show what a great horse AK is to still finish 6th. As we know, sometimes, it’s a loss that shows what you are really made of.
Kathy Kimber
Thinking on Noor. I pray everything works in getting to transfer his remains. He was a great horse. Sometimes graves are lost and that is a shame. He needs to be where we know he is safe. He should be honored. So many aren’t. I know we can’t save every horse from slaughter, I know we can’t account for every grave and its a shame. The thought of a bull dozer going in there and doing its worst really upsets me.
When I was a little girl growing up and so very “horse crazy”. I can’t say who my favorite was but one day it would be Whirlaway (Mr. Longtail) the next Citation , the next Armed. Their pictures were pined to my bedroom wall. Pictures taken from newspapers or magazines, grainy wire photos. Noor raced and beat Citation and I believe it was more than once. I seem to remember he beat Assault. Correct me if I’m wrong. Triple Crown winners he outran.
I remember newsreel footage. We’d go to the movies on a Friday night. My favortie night because there was always a western (full of horses) a mediocre B film for a second feature but in between them would be a Newsreel and at the end of it would be a recap of horseraces. There my heros would be each and every week. You’d glimpse the faces of people like Bing Crosby, Clark Gable, the Aga Kahn sometimes at a track but it was always the horses I waited for. Can you imagine what it took in those days to beat the likes of Citation? Noor was so very, very good. He deserves to be where he can rest and be remembered. So I will keep praying.
Kathy Kimber
Has anyone heard if Animal Kingdom came our of the race OK it is always a concern. I’m so happy for Ruler of Ice what a gutsy horse and on a nasty track. I hope he continues to be successful on the track.
Thanks dear Zeny for alowing us, as always to take up space. Sweet Dreams
judy berube
To Signofthetimes:
I think it speaks volumes (maybe with the exception of AK because he had a bad stumble and stirrups problem), how much wear and tear it is on horses running in all three races of the Triple Crown. The race may have been too long for Shackleford, but he gave it his all. And MMM, although he bumped with AK at the start, I think running in all three races took its toll on him and on Shackleford. What do you think? Hugs, J.B.
zenyattaloveramy!
hey! zenyatta do you want your foal to be a boy or a girl or does it not matter to you? FROM YOUR BIGGEST FAN AMY.
Sue Fredrick
Hi big Mama, how is your baby doing? Tell him or her that her daddy’s other baby, Stay Thirsty came in second in the Belmont! Everyone ruled him out, announcers were all over AK and Shackelford, Master of Hounds and they did nothing when all was said and done. I congratulate ROI, Stay Thirsty and Brilliant Speed on their wins and I feel the announcers should learn a lesson and give a little more recognition to the other horses in the race……maybe they wouldn’t look so foolish next time.
@Sharon I agree wholeheartedly.
@Dawn welcome back with your good news.
@Ann from Indiana I pray for a speedy recovery for your husband it sounds like you and he have been thru the wringer
Luv you Z and kisses on your nose
Max
Unfortunately Nehro was injured in the Belmont. Here is the news article about it. Let us hope for a speedy recovery.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/732275-belmont-stakes-2011-nehro-expected-to-have-surgery-after-belmont-injury
Lisa g
I thought it was cute and quick thinking of Ice’s trainer to say he is a little nuts, he is a 3 year old…they are kids. I saw the video of Mo seeing Awesome Maria walk by, and it was just Too Cute, he went….nuts.
AJ from CA
I agree with some comments on the Belmont being too grueling on some of the contenders who raced all 3 versus the ones with lots of rest. Kudos to Shackleford for being consistent in what he does although he did tire out in stretch as expected with the mile and a half distance but no shame in his gutsy performance. It was a real quirky race but just glad they all came out healthy with the exception of Nehro who I hope has a successful ankle chip surgery/recovery.
Lisa g
I am so sorry about Nehro. Thought they came out of the Belmont with no injuries, after getting the reports of AK and Johnny v
Barbara Wood
So sorry about Nehro. Praying he will be fine.
Shackleford’s gutsy runs remind me of Mine That Bird. BTW, his movie should be out soon.
@Ann in Indiana–praying that your husband improves.
@Susan in TN–any updates from the vet?
Sharon Call
@Judy Berube. I think it was Isn’t He Perfect that bumped AK. JV was pretty mad about it and it has gone before the stewards.
Charlotte Farmer
@Max – Thank you for the link. Thank God it wasn’t more serious and maybe we will see him again in the Breeders’ Cup Classic per Nehro’s owner Zhmed Zayat. He has such a good trainer in Steve Asmussen. Will continue to hold good thoughts for a full recovery.
@Animal Kingdom – Here is a link. It looks as if he is alright.
http://www.drf.com/news/kentucky-derby-winner-animal-kingdom-may-try-turf-summer
signofthetimes
@ Judy B
Yes, I do agree that all three took a toll on them. How did Secretariat do it? I guess it was a different time.
Here is some cute pic’s of Ruler on Ice getting ready for Belmont and after:
http://blogs.courier-journal.com/racing/2011/06/12/ruler-on-ice-worth-the-trouble/
Christine in VA
Hi Zen,
I know this is going to sound stupid to many here but I can not watch a live race. As a kid I saw a horse injured while racing and the picture is still so fresh in my mind. I am now a Sr and still read if all the horses are safe before I can watch. I look at your races over and over and feel the thrill of your wins as if I were there. Sorry I can not feel what many of you feel about racing but it is what it is. Even when I watch movies if there is a hint of any animal being hurt OFF it goes.
Zen forgive me if I am a chicken but I am looking forward to the good things happening to you now. Stay well Zen.
suew
I tell you it was a miracle (with the help of an angel) that our Zenny competed for 3 years without any injury. John kept her in tip-top shape and for that I’ll always be thankful.
Max
@signofthetimes. Great photos of Ruler on Ice at the Belmont. He is quite the character. Strong willed.
@Charlotte Farmer. I thought the same. Zenyatta is a wonder horse and wonderfully cared for to have run 20 races without injury. Truly amazing. I am glad that she is now free of the risk of race injuries.
signofthetimes
Tried to copy link from bloodhorse photos and unable to of Belmont 2011. Here are some:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-belmont-stakes-2011-pg,0,4701347.photogallery
Trina Nagele
Dearest Zenny, Your Bernie’s boy did so well! Hurray!
@Cara Ezzell—Bless you for sponsoring a TROTT horse! Good luck to Scrumpy in finding a forever home.
@Lisa G—Your posts about Gio Ponti in ’09 and ’10 made me smile. Thanks!
@Diana Harris—I loved your poem for Schackleford—I was pulling for him too. He gave his best, the distance was just a little long that day.
@Charlotte Noor—That’s great news that Noor’s remains may go to Old Friends. Is anyone helping you with fundraising for transport and interment?
@Laura J—I hope Better Step Aside will be OK. Keep us posted.
@Maggie N—Your post made me smile too (poor hubby).
@Sherri Voltz—It was an honor to get to talk with you. Congratulations on your bet! Hurray for Thirsty!
@J Smith—Great handicapping! Way to go!
@Keely—Thanks for your exciting report about watching Gio Ponti run and your thoughtful remarks about loving thoroughbreds. Hope you get that photo next time.
@Linda in NJ—Thanks for your news from the Belmont. How great to meet Mrs. Chenery and Ron Turcotte!
@Kathy P—You’re an angel! Not only did you help the abused woman with children, you also eased the pain of the widow Mary Gaffney. Bless you.
judy berube
Dear Sharon Call:
Can’t remember if it was Bloodhorse or DRF article said that AK bumped with one horse (MMM) and clipped heels with another (supposedly horses on both sides of him article said). I will try to find the article and post it. Hugs, J.B.