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
Andrea from Germany
Great win of Nereid, congrats. LOve you Zenny.
suew
Zenny, another wonderful lesson on the art of racing and things that are important in the industry. You will be the beginning of another outstanding line of horses….your hoofprint will be felt on the track for many years to come. You came from great stock and you and your Bernie will set the stage for another round of greatness. Thanks, Dottie, for helping Zenny relay this information to us.
Cathy Marshall
Great race, Nereid! Lovely photo. Thanks Zenny, for all the information. Love ya!
Lil from KY
Hi Zenny, Hope you’re having lots of good things to eat, you are only drinking water now, aren’t you and NOT guinness? Later on after Little Zen is born, maybe some guinness then.
Congratulations to Nereid, what a race!!
Thanks Dottie for all you do, you’re great.
@ Ingrid—You won with “her” not him
Debbie
hi Z! The races were very exciting over the weekend! but I’ve got to tell YOU that I start crying every single time they have the BC commercial and show YOU and Blame! I miss watching you race Z!!! Congratulations to Nereid!! Thank YOU for teaching us so much about race horses! I love looking at all info about YOU!!! love you gorgeous mama xoxoxo
Roberta Smith
Hello Pretty Girl! Please pass on a high hooves congrats to Nereid! Beautiful and amazing!
Sheri
Wow thats cool! I love learning things in your diary! Zenyatta, I am doing a poster project on you for the county fair, and I just have one question… How tall are your sire and dam? I cant find it anywhere on the internet and your my last hope! Thank you! :D
DJ
To Lil from KY: Yes! Nereid means Sea-Nymph. Daughter of Sea-God Nereus :) (nice to finally communicate..I think this is the first time I typed your name, Lil) Have a beautiful Day!
DJ
p.s. There is a Nereus (GB)..but not going to go further into the ‘haystack’ today!
Irene Caty
Hi Zenny, Congradulations to Nereid on that good grade one win. Thanks for the oppertunity to see your pedigree. I copied it to add to my file on you. Have a great week and I love you.
Marilyn Hill-Russell
Such a Lady and always the Queen.
Mary
Congratulations, Nereid! I just love looking at pedigree pages! I could look at them all day long. And yours is quite impressive if I do say so myself, Zenyatta! Which of course makes sense considering you’re the best racehorse ever! I love you, Zenny! Hope your fans can visit you at Lane’s End by the time the Breeders’ Cup rolls around.
Mary
Zenyatta, So cute for you to notice the grass and trees by Nereid. A high hoof to her!
Hope you are enjoying warmer KY weather and the grass at Lane’s End.
Hugs and Prayers
Trisha Veazey
Sorry I missed the race, we were pre empted by the stock car race. NO COMPARISON. Would much rather watch beautiful graceful horses than cars any day.
Way to go NEREID
Love hugs and kisses googeous girl
Sue Fredrick
Hey Big Mama, send a High Hoof to Nereid and John for that great race, she sure ran her heart out!
Also thanks to Dottie for the pedigree and explanation, I didn’t know all those subtle details and that makes it really interesting. But think of your baby, what a royal pedigree he/she is going to have, I don’t think you could get any better than that, it’s certainly going to be a royal prince/princess!WE CAN HARDLY WAIT!!!!!!
Jan
Zenyatta,
Congrats to Nereid, way to go. Thanks for sharing your pedigree profile, it is very interesting and impressive. Stay healthy and happy Big Mama. :)
LauraJ
@Michelle and Karen Mitchell, * signifies that the horse was imported to North America. =signifies that the horse is/was foreign born and not imported to NA. (Zenyatta’s aunt Restrained was sent to England as a 4-year-old, and it looks like her babies were born in France.) Here is a nice list of pedigree terminology:
http://www.washingtonthoroughbred.com/magazine/Terms.htm
Allen
Congrats to Neirid. She ran a great race. Thanks for another great post Z and Dottie.
LauraJ
@Sheri, according to Darley’s website, Street Cry is 16.1 HH. Not sure about V.; I will keep looking.
Sharyn
Gosh, you are a wealth of information – you have taught me so much about racing and I thank you!
A big Congratulations to Nereid, she ran a great race – nice picture too!
Marilu V
Congratulations to Neirid! Happy Days…Thank you Zeny and Dottie for a great post. I learned something new today! Love and Hugs Zeny! Marilu
Ann Maree
Hi, Z,
You are sure the educator for us! All this is great information, even for those who have been around the sport for a while I bet don’t know a lot of this info.
–
Nereid was super, and so glad he gets a G1 win by his name, even though they had to share the purse. I noticed under her name at the Pedigree Query (Brisnet) under her races, it shows she won, which you would expect, but under Cambina, under her name, it shows Nereid won and Cambina second. Interesting, huh!
–
Your John has a couple running this week..Mr. Commons in the Oceanside, the kickoff to the Del Mar meet on Wednesday, and the Mosses have a couple running at Del Mar: Roxanne O (MSW) Race #5, and Cloud Man is running in an allowance (not for tag) Race 7 on Jul 22. Then your John has one owned by M/M Witt in Race 5 on 7-20, also! He’s going to be a very busy man this week! Best of luck and safe trips to all!!
–
Hugs to you and your baby bump! Ann Maree
Lisa B
Hi Precious Zenny,
Happy Monday to you and Dottie. Thank you for all the great info. Congrats to NEREID on her win. That was a great race. Star Billing came in 3rd and did a great job too. So happy for your John and the connections. Del Mar opening day is on weds. Can’t wait to see Mr. Commons. Love YOU OOOXXX
LauraJ
@Karen Mitchell, all you ever wanted to know about American graded stakes races and how they’re established:
http://www.toba.org/graded-stakes/
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Other countries have similar gradings for their races. In Europe (and other countries I think, not sure which ones) they are known as “Group” races. The abbreviation is exactly the same, so G1 can mean Grade 1 or Group 1. If the race takes place outside the U.S., this will be indicated; e.g., Prix Andre
Baboin [G3](FR).
Kathryn Cogswell
To suew: How you say what you say leaves a fresh way of looking at things. Your note to Ann Moss put a fine tune on our chorus of “Happy Birthday.’ It was a treat to read, and then, today`s note is too. I`m so glad you took the time to write.
Diana Harris
that was a great race! congrats to Nereid!
Sarah Powell
Congrats to Nereid – exciting race. Love the information – I always know that I will learn something when I come to this site. Hope you are staying cool – it’s getting hot again here this week but I’m thankful for the 3 cooler days that we had. Looking forward to more pics of you! (thanks Dottie and John for pics.)
judy berube
Dear Z and Dottie,
Thank you for the lovely photo of Nereid and for the informative post. Wishing you and TT fun in the bluegrass. Love you Z and love to all of you, Judy and Russ
Sue Noel
CONGRATS TO NEREID—AND YOUR JOHN!!!!!
@ Karen Gogue–I will send my e-mail to you tonight. Wanted to send another thing on e-mail from work today–don’t have your email here. Could you please either put it in a message again or refer to the number of post where I can find it???? THANKS!!!!!
The Kennedys in San Diego
Blind Luck is now rated #1 (up from #2) last week in the NTRA Polls. Brava!