Hello Everyone,
Del Mar sure got off to a wonderful beginning yesterday! I gather it was quite a party atmosphere with approximately 48,000 happy people in attendance. The racing was fabulous and the crowd had a great time. It was perfect weather…in the low 70’s and really pleasant. Good luck to everyone during this entire meet.
While all of those people were enjoying their ‘DEL MAR FUN’, Tasty Temptation and I were out having a PARTY of our own grazing and enjoying the outdoors. You can see I am getting a bit more of a baby bump and my coat is ‘highlighted by the sun’. I do think it is definitely a great look for ME… if I say so myself.
I’d also like to CONGRATULATE my pal, MR. COMMONS, for winning the Oceanside Stakes on Del Mar’s opening day card. At Barn 55, he was stabled about 3 stalls down from ME. We saw each other all of the time and often grazed together in the afternoons. He is one handsome lad and I am so proud of his effort! What a great victory from off the pace! YEAH, MR. C!
I also noticed that MY JOHN had on his LUCKY Z CAP…..which has MY NAME on the back. It looks terrific on him….if I say so myself. The guys on TVG even commented about it. I know he really thinks about ME often and I will ALWAYS BE A HUGE PART OF HIS LIFE. What a bond we have had…very special and very nurturing. He was always so lovingly supportive of ME and ALL OF MY NEEDS! I, in turn, totally loved every moment of being at Barn 55 with MY JOHN and MY TEAM. I always tried to do my VERY BEST with every task I was ever asked to complete!
It’s starting to get a bit warm out here now. When it is like this, they take us back to the barn and let the fans circulate the cool air around us while we are relaxing in our stalls. I’ve even heard they are going to cancel the Woodbine races today because of this extremely hot weather!
Just as I thought….here come the guys now to take us inside!
Just like we are doing….please take extra care of yourselves in this HEAT!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Don’t forget….Saratoga opens tomorrow! Our sport is SO MUCH FUN! Something is always happening!
julia
luv ya z!
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: Another great picture of you. Your BBF Tasty is very pretty too. How is your very first friend doing, PQ. From the videos PQ looked like she really enjoyed your friendship! Congrats on Mr. Common’s win. I was rooting for him at the Preakness and got to see him up close at Barn 55. Try to stay cool Zenny. Today here in NJ and NY it reached close to 100 and felt like 110.
@Abigail from Montreal: At 8:30pm ET, it is 94 degrees in NJ.
@Gary Moulton: Wonderful poem. I can’t wait till the Travers. That’s good to hear about Monmouth. Last year or maybe it was the year before poor Rachel Alexandra ran on a very hot day that reached 113 degrees. Many of the surrounding tracks closed for the day. It was quite an upset that Monmouth Park didn’t.
Take care Zenny.
Cynthia H.
This photo by Sarah Andrew is beautiful, Zenyatta!. Gosh—it seems you have a couple of “Sarahs” in your life right now, and both of them happen to be camera buffs! That is extremely lucky for us, because we are treated to current pictures, and can watch your “development,” even though most of us live far away. This particular photo is as pretty as a Monet painting, owing to the heat haze in the field. And, wow! You look very fetching, sporting your stylish “blonde highlights!” I have to say, that I don’t believe you ever looked lovlier.
Your old dormitory friend Mr. Commons did Barn 55 mighty proud at Del Mar yesterday, winning the Oceanside Stakes in fine fashion, and capturing the attention and admiration of everyone as he pranced and light-footed his way from the paddock to the post. Barn 55 is bursting to the seams with dancing horses! He was so very regal in his bearing, a true aristocrat, with a ground-eating stride which is positively eye-popping! We are looking forward to future chapters in his story, as they unfold—-and especially YOURS!
Gary Moulton
Hey Mike did I tell you that I’m allergic to Alcohol?
.
Every time I drink it I break out in handcuffs. LOL
mj
Z, you look awesome as always. You don’t look as tall or long now that you’ve filled out and are not “racey” anymore. Unfortunely that happens to most of us at some time. Sad about Mike but terrific about Mr. Commons who has an awesome way of going. He should have a terrific turf season. Best wishes to the connections of Awesome Maria and Pool Play-thankfully they have a future. So many have been injured this year that we’ve all watched run, and who knows how many others. We can only hope for better surfaces and better rules and more careful breeding.
Kim S
Happy Thursday Zenny! Another great picture of you and also Tasty T :) Congrats to Mr Commons and YOUR John.
Sorry all, I forgot that I didn’t get back to the diary last evening to post and then forgot to go back to it and catch up. Didn’t mean to post info about Mike and Awesome Maria again. Then to see the news about Pool Play. Praying for all to get through their rough patch.
Great big hug to all.
Interesting idea about the convention, I’m listening :)
Hope you’re all settled for the night Zenny. Gonna try to get bedded down a little earlier tonight. The heat and humidity here in Florida is taking its toll. Everyone have a great Friday.
Lotsa love to all.
Kathryn Cogswell
All the best, Mike, The Land of Enchantment takes pride in you.
DJ
Mike Smith: God bless and keep your chin up! We are all humbled at times. Wishing you well.
Paula Higgins
Zenny you look beautiful and Tasty looks great too. keep cool girls. It is mighty hot out here on the east ocast. Glad they have the fans on. Congrats to Mr. Commons!!! Very happy to hear he won. @Eveline it sounds like the service for your husband was just lovely. How wonderful to have the service dogs there too. I hope they don’t race the horses at Saratoga if ir is too hot. I heard from my Uncle it was 99 in Maine today.
Kim S
Sorry Mike, forgot to add you to that Congrats for the win on Mr Commons. I have always thought you were one of the best for quite some time, even before Zenyatta. Just hate to hear the latest and a lot of us can say, “But for the grace of God go I…” I second DJ’s Chin Up!! Your fans are with you.
Lisa g
@Jan, I am in Dallas.
Kimberly Potter
@Mikey~Thinking about you. Keep your chin up always! I remember not to many years ago Garrett Gomez was in some really serious legal trouble….
Zenyatta’s #1 fan in Montana1
Kimberly Potter
@DJ~ Great minds think alike. :) Mike’s situation just goes to show we are all human!
Lisa g
@The Texans: My grass is brown, my flowers dead, and my evergreen dying. I am tired of this heat as well and the humidity. It has been said that when you live in Texas you are as close to Hell as you can be without being there..Yep, I believe it.
Lisa g
They cannot arrest Mikey, who did this to him and why?
Margaret
@PeggyOne per post 301
Observers at Fallon a year ago noted moldy hay. Besides alfalfa is not a good choice of feed for a fresh off the range mustang. They need to be slowly introduced to this hay.
Also at Fallon was suspect Pigeon Fever. BLM of course denied it but observers noted the swellings (check Elyse Gardner’s website).
Dare I mention Salt Lake facility earlier this spring?
What about Leslie Peeples who was buzzed by the contractors helicopter?
Bob Abbey director of the Wild Horse and Burro Program for the BLM refers to horses as rats on hooves.
Do not make the mistake I did last year. I thought one BLM employee was nice enough til later on when I heard the mistruths falling from his mouth. BLM caters to special interests (meaning cattle and oil).
When a government agency repeatedly rounds up horses in the heat of the NV sun that says something. When they do this in the dead of winter and horses miscarry–and they’re going back to do the same thing all over again at Calico–it says a lot.
Also be aware BLM refers to the mares as miscarrying their pregnancies. No where do you read about exercised induced abortion. The word abortion does not exist In BLM speak. No where in the vets books I’ve read this past spring does anyone refer to a miscarry. Before day 50it is Early Embryonic Loss. Between day 50 and day 300 it is called ABORTION. Theirs a reason BLM uses miscarry–it doesn’t sound as brutal as it is.
Just another one of those twist telling truths they speaks as to make themselves look angelic.
Cheryl Denton
Zenny, both you and Tasty Temptation look absolutely beautiful! Good to see you doing so well, it is great comfort to me to know this. I keep thinking of being at the Breeders’ Cup last year and it was ALL about you. What an exciting time that was, great memories.
Trina Nagele
Haven’t had the opportunity to read the comments yet, so I’ll be back later. @Sarah Powell —-I thought of you and your sneaky black snake when I saw that a horse named Snake Attack won race 1 today at Emerald Downs.
Terry Crow
@Anne from Paramount-We are indeed blessed, having so many historical race tracks within a relatively short drive. For me, nothing can top Santa Anita but I respect your choices. I, too, go to Los Alamitos on occasion@Jane wade– the equipment to which you refer is a shadow roll. It is used to keep the horse focused to what is ahead and not what’s at their feet. Many horses have been known to try to jump shadows.@Karen Mitchell-I live about equidistant from Hollywood park and Santa Anita, with del Mar about 80 miles south. Yes, I have lived in California just about all of my life, except for a stint on a ranch near Tucson when I was just a kid and some three years near Kansas City in my later years. I would love to meet you some time. As I said previously, it is not often I can talk to someone who has seen what I have seen.@Judy Berube-You are right. DEven when you know, you never know.@Gary Moulton-Saratoga is indeed a historical and magical place.
Trina Nagele
Belated responses to comments from #301:
@Jeanne from Vista—Great idea for a Zenyatta Appreciation Day at Del Mar! Kudos for e-mailing Del Mar about this. Wonder what day they have in mind. I’d love to be there.
@All re: Zenyatta Convention—I like Sharon Call’s idea of both east and west coast conventions. I believe it is often cheaper to fly coast to coast than to fly into the middle from either coast. Also, maybe they could be coordinated with a racing event. We are all wondering when there will be a Zenyatta Stakes or series of races, as was suggested earlier.
@Judy Berube—Thanks for the info on who to look for at Del Mar on Friday and Saturday. BTW, Bobine, who John scratched from race 5 on Wed., is a four-year-old filly (I don’t know why she was scratched either).
@Kari Bussell—Welcome back! You were missed.
Martha Kinkead
You look great!!! I know that they are taking good care of you and keeping you cool in this hot weather. I so enjoy reading your posts. Thank you for keeping us informed about your progress and thank you for all the information about racing. It is greatly appreciated. YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
Maggie
You look wonderful. I love your baby bump. Stay cool, healthy, happy. Love
you Z.
Sarah Powell
@Eveline – sounds like the perfect service for your husband – hope it brought you much comfort. Have to share a quick story with you. This past Sun. my sister-in-law’s mother wasn’t feeling well after dinner and went to rest a bit on the sofa. She has a dog that my sister-in-law rescued and gave her named Harry. Her son and grandson live with her. In a short period of time, she walked into the kitchen and said that Harry would not let her rest – kept jumping on the sofa – even jumped on her chest and would not let her go to sleep. However, when she spoke her words were slurred and she was not walking normally. Her son called EMS and long story short, she was diagnosed with a stroke. The Dr. said that if she had gone to sleep, she probably would not have recovered. He said the dog somehow sensed that there was a change in her and reacted. She came home today with no lasting effects. Needless to say Harry is quite the hero! Aren’t animals just amazing?!
Sarah Powell
@Trina Nagele – I love that. My sneaky snake is getting brazen – tonight he was stretched out across the top of a hay bale and just watched me for a bit – then when I turned around he had disappeared. Needless to say I picked up hay very carefully as I got everyone’s stall ready!
Cheryl
You look so absolutely beautiful!! Still holding your nice figure I see! What a fantastic girl you are. Stay cool, dont go runnin around in the heat! LOVE YOU
Shari Voltz
Dear Zenyatta you and Tasty T look beautiful. I have been out of the loop trying to get things back in order. When my husband and I go away it seems the mommy of the family has a lot to do when home again. I think things will finally start to slow down a bit. Yes this heat is really bad. I did manage to run early this morning before it got to bad. I only did a four. I was wiped out. I also try to keep putting ice in the water bowls around my house for my outside cat. He adopted us so I feed him. Sometimes he brings me presents. I guess he feels he is helping his family. The last present made me scream. It was a rabbit’s head. Oh Zenyatta I wanted to tell you when I visited Claiborne Farm I got to meet Blame. At first I thought I would not like him but he is really a sweet guy. He told me he was only doing his job and he thinks your one HOT MAMA. Too cute. I kissed his nose and fed him peppermints. I liked him because he was so gentle and sweet with me. I saw so many famous horses. The Kentucky Horse Park was just the best. I am (God willing) going back next year. Dawn and I have talked about maybe meeting and being there together. Well sweet girl I am going to bed. I love you and send BIG HUGS abd MANY KISSES TO YOU. I also send somes Kisses to TT. Pleasant dreams. Love, Shari XXXOOO
Shari Voltz
@ I forgot Yea to Mr. Commons!!!
What happened to Mike? I will back him. I think he is the BEST!!!
Sunny Boyd
****:)
Sunny Boyd
**** :)
DJ
For those who would like an evening prayer:
………………………………
Lord God, my Friend,
thank you for walking with me today.
Hand in hand, guiding me to discern
and know what is good and wise.
Arm in Arm, helping me to grow
in my compassion and empathy for others.
Side by side, staying to protect me
and showing me Your hidden ways.
Heart to heart, helping me to love and
to become all that I was created to be.
………………………………