HAPPY DEL MAR 2011 EVERYONE!
Today is the beginning of the WEST COAST SUMMER RACING SEASON at Del Mar. It is a race track that is also known by the phrase….”Where the turf meets the surf”.
When you are sitting in the grandstand watching the races, the Pacific Ocean is directly to your left. The ocean breezes are always surrounding you…and the environment is breathtaking. You literally get to see the waves roll into the shore and later watch the sunset while you are enjoying each race!
I remember Del Mar very well. I won the Clement Hirsch G1 there on 3 different occasions. They use the TRAKKUS system to monitor how fast the horses are moving while running…and they noted that I was closing in the 2009 Hirsch at over 40 miles per hour. NOT BAD…if I say so myself!
Dress is totally California Casual. Nice Walking Shorts, T-shirts and sandals are A-OK for most parts of the track. You do need to dress ‘up’ a bit if going to the Club House or Turf Club….but it is still summer casual and very relaxed.
MY TEAM tells Me the restaurants are fabulous down there. One can drive down to San Diego and eat on the water or stay in and around Del Mar and enjoy the local restaurants. I’ll share some of those with you as the season goes on.
Overall, it is a wonderful change in scenery and pace for all of my friends.
I truly hope that you get the opportunity to go RACING AT DEL MAR!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
nina
It’s important to expose the BLM. They only care about cattle farmers. We used to have 2 million wild horses we are down to several hundred thousands and I mean about 300,000.While dear Z is very lucky many are not and we all should try to help our local rescues that do the hard work.Get involved!! I am.
Trina Nagele
Dearest Z, Del Mar sounds great! I am behind in reading the posts, so I’ll check in again later.
@donkeyhotey—I wanted to tell you already on #299 that your excellent name really made me chuckle! Too cute!
Robyn Mullhausen
40 MPH! Wow. The next time I am driving at 35 MPH I am going to just picture you passing my car. Zenny, you are amazing. Del Mar sounds beautiful.
judy berube
Dear Sharon:
This whole thing with LOT doesn’t make any sense. I hope she travels well and gets settled back at Brandywine and is happy there. Yes, she is a beauty. She has kind eyes. Hugs, J.B.
Paula Higgins
DelMar sounds beautiful. For those of you who can go, you should. A great way to support horse racing. @Sharon Call the story about Suki is amazing. I donate to New Bolton/U.Penn periodically and to the Barbaro Fund. I mostly donate to Old Friends, which I never would have heard of if it hadn’t been for Zenyatta:).
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: Last summer, I saw you in the Clement Hirsch race. Wow, what memories I have of you. The Del Mar is absolutely beautiful! You know what would be terrific, since all of us love following your friends at Barn 55, if your John could share his schedule with us a couple of weeks in advance. For those of us traveling, we can make plans to come see your friends. Many of them have become our favorites and we enjoy following their races. Just a thought. Take care, Zenny.
Brenda S
Del Mar looks wonderful and we sure could have used some of those ocean breezes today in Kentucky, it has been one HOT and sticky day so I hope you had lots of fans keeping you cool. At Churchill they cut the outside walking tour short because of the heat but I wouldn’t have missed it and at least it was cool inside the Museum and Gift Shop.
Hope everyone had a safe trip at Del Mar and that John and Mikey were winners at the end of the day.
@ Judy B -I’ll be watching for Judy the Beauty when I get home, maybe she’ll come down to Fort Erie from Woodbine.
@ Charlotte – Safe trip to you all.
@ Lil in Ky – We need to put our names on the waiting list now.
We are looking forward to tomorrow – visiting Lane’s End and Three Chimneys, sadly our last day here. There’s so much to see that our three days just haven’t been enough.
Sleep well Zenny, lots of hugs and kisses are on the way to you.
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
What a terrific race Mr. Commons and Mikey just won. I swear Mr. C. did some of Z’s dance moves in the Post Parade. They came from the back of the pack, four wide and Mr. C. closed beautifully to win. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Brenda:
Yes, maybe. She won as the favorite in a Stakes race with a purse of $150,000.00. It will be fun to follow her. Hugs, J.B.
Maria K.
Great race! Mr. Commons and Mike won the Oceanside Stake! Congrats to all of his connections and John.
Peggy (N)
@John Shirreffs, Mr Commons a huge Congratulations sent your way. A true class Act. Great, Great job
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
Not much to say today, the day was a bit difficult for me but hopefully, as time moves on, it will get better.
You are so wonderful, Zenyatta and I love you oh so much!
Peggy (N)
Mike a huge congratulations sent your way. Blessings Peggy
KIMBERLY
Hi Queen, Yup we are going to Del Mar next Friday and Saturday…. We will miss your beautiful face….. Hope Baby Z is behaving in that wonderful racehorse body of yours!!!!! love ya
Linda in Fla.
Last year’s trip to the Breeders’ Cup was the trip of a lifetime for me and gave me some of my favorite memories. The highlight was seeing you up close and personal and speaking with Mario who kept brushing the autumn leaves out of the way for you. The excitement at Churchill Downs become palpable even before you began your trip from the barn area. I’ve heard so much about your fans being mostly women but trust me, I observed far more men than women there to see you. And they were perfect gentlemen, relinquishing their places to give me a better spot to take pictures. I have never been to anything as exciting as that Classic and although my husband worried that I would be devastated if you didn’t win, he was surprised when I said that it was the most exciting race I ever witnessed, proving your tremendous talent and heart. I have been fortunate to see many of the 100 Greatest Thoroughbreds in person, but you are most definitely the number one in my book. Thanks to you and your people for sharing you so generously with us. I can safely say that there will never be another quite like you and it is refreshing to note that on HRTV there have been comments about your legend only growing greater in time, as well it should. When the movie is made, and it will be, there will be a lot of people asking why they didn’tknow about you at the time, and that’s a shame. But for those of us who got to witness your remarkable career it will remain the most cherished of memories.
Sunny Boyd
:)
OraJean Stevenson
Dear Queen-Z & Team-Z,
Congratulations to MR. COMMONS and your John and Mike Smith!! What a wonderful race…he seems to LOVE the grass!
Was your 40MPH speed at the close of the
HIRSH STK.’10 usual for you, Zenny? It
sure sounds FAST!!
Stay cool and relaxed. Hugs. Fondly, OraJean
Barbara Grimaldi
Kathryn C: if we lived near one another, we could meet for coffee and probably speak about writing and literature and culture for about 77 hours straight! Glad to know you!!!
Love
Barb
Barbara Grimaldi
Barbara Wood: In this case, I hate being right. But I’m probably much older than you and have been involved in animals rights since 1981, so I’ve read so many sad tales of what those two agencies do. Breaks my heart. All cruelty to animals breaks my heart. Can’t help it. Today, a very tiny daddy longlegs died in my bathroom. I found him stomach up, with legs akimbo, on the floor and just about cried. He was so little! How he got to me on the third floor in a bug-free building beats me–but I cannot get that little guy out of my mind! To me, animals are my kids, since I never was able to have any of my own. That’s kind of how it is with me. When I go, 25 animal welfare organizations get part of the pennies I leave behind–because they take care of my kids!
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–No joke is forthcoming. I just couldn’t figure out why I was receiving all of the emails for online pet products. Since this is the only web site I post on, and it does involve an animal, even if she is a queen, I was thinking that somehow it was connected.
Barbara Wood
@Sharon Call– I just now had time to read the link on LOT. (If I had read it earlier, I guess I wouldn’t have misunderstood). She is lovely. I’m glad Friends of Barbaro are keeping an eye on her. I was disgusted at the snarky comment from “Anonymous”, who said she wasn’t nice about taking her medicine. I imagine a lot of horses aren’t!
Congratulations to Mr. Commons and Mikey. Way to go!
@Brenda S–so glad you made it to the Museum as well.
@Linda in FL –thanks for your wonderful account of the BCC. I wasn’t there, but your report made me feel as though I was.
Good night, sweet Z. Hoping for cooler weather in KY as well as here. Love you always.
Kathryn Cogswell
Dear Barbara G: Me, too. Thank you. Did you get to Karen Gogue in time for the D-
Day .. …? Her e`mail address is karenlg06@yahoo,com Know she wants you in on . … . .. it.
Kathryn Cogswell
0OpSo0rry! karenlg06@yahoo.com ~ Check w/ her if you haven`t, even if it`s late
Sally (B)
Sweet Z; Delmar sounds so so appealing!!
Hope I can visit there some time even though I won’t see you race. I can not imagine what it feels to be riding you at 40 mph! Whoopee!! Must be a thrill of a lifetime as you have been to me just watching you. love with 2 kisses on your soft nose; one for baby z
Barbara Grimaldi
Kathryn–I just did! Thanks!
Jackie
Good Evening Queen “Z” It has been a very trying week, but sitting down and reading all the posts is quite uplifting. Dottie always seems to be a voice that is full of energy, enthusiasam and encouragement. Need a lot of that this week! Thanks Dottie and Z.
Congrats to John, Mr. Commons and Mikey for a terrific ride. Sure looked like a lovey day at Del Mar.
How can we ever forget Barbaro. What story of true courage. Gotta love him always! Eight Belles giving her life doing what she loved to do as did Ruffian. These beautiful animals who have heart, courage and the will to run even when in pain or injured. They are simply amazing creatures! They deserve to retire with dignity, kindness and love.
I guess my week has caught up with me. A little emotional. To all Z Fans and Dumplings have a wonderful evening.
Hugs and Kisses to you all
Jackie
Charlotte Farmer
@Terry Crow – Thank you for the cowboy joke. Remember the catch phrase from The Rounders? “Whatever suits you just tickles me plum to death.” Henry Fonda to Glenn Ford.
I wasn’t sure, they use to play Bing’s song on Del Mar’s website or when you called and were put on hold there is would be again. Haven’t heard it . . . that’s why I was asking you. To old for the new generation I guess. Del Mar will always be Bing’s spot.
@Judy Berube & Brenda S& Especially Horses- Thank you for all the well wishes.
@Barbara Wood – Yes, my head is continually spinning. My normal bedtime has become 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. Tired yes, but never daunted by what is ahead. The only thing is just when I think I have everything covered something else pops up. I feel like I am in the army and this is troop movements. My former boss, the Colonel would say you are a good master sergeants daughter.
Janice
I watched the Oceanside Stakes today from Del Mar and it was great to see Mr. Commons sweep to victory. He is a beautiful horse. I’ll be going to Del Mar in a few weeks myself!
Debbie G
@Barbara Grimaldi – I totally understand how you feel. It seems like the older I get, the more soft-hearted I get. I can’t stand to see any kind of animal or bug get hurt. I used to not pay much attention to bugs and I was scared to death of daddy long-legs, but not now. They are all God’s creatures and I try to save all of them I can. I got really upset the other day because my cat killed a spider. I don’t have children either and I consider my animals my children.
Holly Zemba
I’ve never been to Del Mar, but I’ve seen pictures and it looks like a very beautiful track!!!