Good Morning, Everyone,
Here we are starting another week with so many different activities scheduled. I do want to take a moment and CONGRATULATE my Barn 55 Friend, NEREID, on her Grade 1 victory in the American Oaks! Her sire is ROCK HARD TEN, who just happens to be on our stallion roster here at Lane’s End Farm. Needless to say, everyone at our farm is also pleased to hear this news.
YEAH, NEREID! I AM VERY PROUD OF YOU!
To win a Grade 1 race is the ultimate victory in our sport. In our country, a total of 123 Grade 1 races will be offered throughout 2011. This number is further defined in the following manner. There are 112 Grade 1 stakes races offered throughout the year at various racing venues which are designed to incorporate and appeal to the 1) sex of the horse 2) a variety of distances, and 3) different racing surfaces as dirt or turf. Then, additionally, the Breeders’ Cup offers 11 GRADE 1 races on their 2 days of Championship Racing. Thus, to win a Grade 1 race at any time during the year is truly a wonderful achievement and a fabulous addition to one’s pedigree page.
A horse’s pedigree page is a detailed history of the horse’s family. It notes the horse’s race record as well as that of family members. It is outlined through the female members of the family….as 1st Dam, 2nd Dam and 3rd Dam etc. Their names are written in ALL Capital Letters…and whether in blacktype or not depends on the dam’s racing accomplishments. There is an industry format that has been created to note all of this information in a clear and precise manner.
If a horse is unraced or a winner…the name is listed in normal print.
If the horse has achieved in stakes competition….1st, 2nd or 3rd…. BLACK-TYPE print is used.
For example, I will use my name to further illustrate the manner in which this information would be provided on a horse’s pedigree page.
Zenyatta…………written in lower case letters and normal print….means 2 things…that the horse is either “UNRACED” or “WON” some type of race whether it be a maiden race, maiden claiming, and /or additional races at either claiming or allowance levels.
Zenyatta………written in ‘blacktype’ letters in this format indicates the horse has placed (2nd or 3rd) in a stakes race
ZENYATTA……written in BLACKTYPE letters and ALL CAPITALS…indicates that the horse WON a STAKES RACE.
ALL BLACKTYPE ACHIEVEMENTS are very, very important to a horse for many reasons. Firstly, it truly enhances the value of the horse at the breeding shed. Secondly, the trickle down aspect of stakes activity and ‘blacktype’ also extends to the rest of the horse’s entire family.
On the pedigree page, after the horse’s name, they list other pedigree information, the number of races won during the horse’s career, the total amount earned by the particular horse, and the names of the stakes races and their ratings: as G1, G2, G3, (L) which means listed…etc. Further details as this are provided. It is almost like a coding system which is highly monitored to specifically make all of this information readily available to all aspects of the industry.
To further illustrate all of this for you, I’d like to share MY PEDIGREE PAGE which is current in the details through my 18th victory. I’d like to thank the Thoroughbred Daily News for this pedigree information!
Click here to see my pedigree.
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Josie D
Congrats Nereid!
sharon in Seattle
shout out to Nereid!! way to go! Her sire, Rock Hard Ten, was my favorite that season. I first saw him at Santa Anita for the Derby and he was a VERY handsome guy!!
Gloria Jeanne
Beautiful Zenyatta – Thank you!!! Congrats to Nereid!!!!
Cathy Braun-Emig
Way to GO Nereid!!
>^..^<
Hayley
Congratulations to Nereid! That is very cool information, Zenyatta! I’ll remember that when I own a Thoroughbred. :)
Kira
Congrats to Nereid! What an exciting race that was!
Liz
Great weekend of racing!!!! I won with Nereid. Congratulations to her and Barn 55. Your John sure knows how to bring out the best in a gal. Looking forward to Opening Day at Del Mar. I’ll be there. Hopefully I’ll catch a glimpse of Mr. Commons.
Kathy Baldwin
Sending a High Hoof to Nereid! What a beauty
she is. Nice photo. And a High Hoof to you
Zenny and everyone of your very special
“Connections”!
Continued Blessings,
Kathy from SoCal :)
p.s. Thanks for the pedigree info. Very
interesting.
Gloria Jeanne
Zenny- Thanks for the link this is a lot of info to read about – too cute!!!
Thanks for sharing your example. You Rock.
Lauren
Dear Zenny – thank you for sharing such interesting information. Congratulations to Nereid!!! Have a blessed day beautiful girl. Say hello to Dottie. Love you. xoxoxo
Michelle
Thank you; that’s really interesting. On the pedigree chart what is the significance of the * and = notations?
Gloria Jeanne
Zenny- this does not include all 19 wins – it only has 18 wins and not all of your earnings to date :(
DJ
Thank you Sweet “Z” for sharing Y.O.U.R. Pedigree with us! Wow! I am sending it with this Diary information to my racing friend :) Also, Congratulations Nereid!! Enjoy Zenyatta’s stomping grounds..
Janey Boyd
Congrats Nereid and to her sire Rock Hard Ten and Lanes End.Also thank you Z for the lesson on the Pedigree!You always provide such insight to racing and the horse racing industry.Very appreciated,love your daily postings!!!
Ingrid Arnone
My adorable Zenyatta, thank you, for all the information, and yes congratulations to Nereid, I won with him… Love you, Ingrid.
Rosemary McCauley
Imagine … if, in 2004, there had been no Zenyatta …
rachel
neirids dapples are shining in the california sun just like yours are doing in the kentucky sun
Especially Horses
What a sweetheart photo and what a race!
Suzen
Zen,
Congrats to Stablemate Nereid ! Did you see the Delaware Handicap? A couple of other girls who just love to race. Thanks for the pedigree info. It is the first time I have seen your page back to the 4th dam, Mrs. Peterkin.
Stay cool!
RDV
Congratualtions Nereid – one of the most exciting races this year!!
Zenyatta – ALL CAPITAL BLACK TYPE – some pedigree page, I’d say!!
XOXOXOXOXO
We miss you, Zenyatta!!
Carolyn Caswell-Brown
Congrats to Nereid! WOW! What an exciting race! The first dead heat, (with Cambina), at Hollywood Park in a stakes race since 2002. High Hoofs also to her stablemate Star Billing who finished third after a bad start. The gals really put on a show this weekend with Nereid/Cambina coupled with Blind Luck’s awesome “nip at the wire” of Havre de Grace on Saturday in the Delaware. Some great performances Zenny but no one close to filling your big shoes yet! LOVE & PEACE
Karla Phelps
Thanks for the explanation “Z” – that is very helpful for those like me with not so much racing saavy in their pedigree like you!
Mary
Love you Z….we know you have a great pedigree …and we know your foals will be considered great pedigree. Hope not too hot there in KY…it is way too hot in Virginia….but it is July. Hugs to you Z…tell them to keep you cool…and that baby!!!
nancy in nj
Z – Thanks for showing us your pedigree page. It is the first time I have seen it, and it is a thrill…but I think there needs to be something beyond “black type”. You know, something like “GOLD TYPE” for our Queen Z and some others who have really rocked the racing world by doing something that no one else (or few) has done! Also – high hooves to your friend Nereid and all of the team at Barn 55. She reminds me of her handsome sire. Just look at those amazing, muscular legs. As always, thanks, Dottie, for all your efforts!
Especially Horses
@Diana S: You nailed it with your “lurking” description; so true for the majority of us. Also, I’ve thought of using my name for Posting at this site – Dianna S. Even though it is Dianna with a double “n” I think it might cause a bit of confusion. Besides that, since Jr. High, whenever the occasion was right I would always sign off with Especially Horses instead of Especially Yours. Fortunately I’ve never made that mistake on a Business Transaction :)
Stella Bagwell
Dearest Zenyatta,
Please send my congratulations to Nereid! That was such an exciting race! You must be very proud of your Barn 55 pal. And thanks for the pedigree info–being the Queen that you are, you obviously have a royal family tree! :)
Stay cool in this heat, dear girl.
Love and blessings,
Stel
Karen Mitchell
Dear Zen and Dottie, Congrats to Nereid, who ran a great race. And thanks for the pedigree information. Your all capital, black type record is amazing. Like Michelle above, I too was wondering what the * and = symbols signify. And also if possible can you explain what the difference is between Grades I, II, and III? From your explanation above, I take it that the black type and capital letters mean the same thing regardless of the Grade of the race. Also, are Handicaps treated the same way in the pedigree? Thanks for any info you can provide. I still miss YOU so much and feel blessed that YOU came along in my lifetime.
Gary Moulton
Somebody has been a bad boy in the jocks room.
.
Do you know who it was?
.
http://www.nctimes.com/sports/article_e653406c-78b9-57e0-83fe-b4511e445bb0.html
Susan in TN
Hey, Zenny- love the information! It’s like “Ancestry.com” for horses :) It’s so fun to keep going back in a pedigree and see who is there! Just think- in years to come, people will be searching to see if their horse is related to YOU! Your John’s horses ran great- congrats to Nereid! Hope you and Tasty T are having a good day. Love you<3
Jeanie
Dearest Z,
I want to join you in congratulating your friend Nereid. She was magnificent! And thank you for sharing your pedigree with us. I also want to note that another great lady of racing, one that is near and dear to us here in California, has passed on to her eternal resting place. I am speaking of dear old Brown Bess, one of my all-time favorites. God rest her soul — little Mighty Mouse!
Your humble J