Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #309

Good Morning Everyone,

I sincerely hope you had a great weekend! Mine was quite nice and very relaxing. I’ll share some current photos with you during the next few days.

I thought all of the weekend racing was quite captivating. I was especially pleased to see Bernie’s son, STAY THIRSTY, win the Jim Dandy Stakes-G II at Saratoga. Bernardini also had some other nice winners over the weekend. This is great news! Congratulations, BERNIE! I’m sending you a HIGH HOOF!

On another note, I am very pleased to share some information with you this morning. It is so special to touch base with an ‘old friend’ and keep up with how he or she is doing. This weekend, Dottie was able to get an update on my PONY PAL, HOOTIE, to share with ALL OF US. You have seen HOOTIE in countless photos with ME…accompanying ME back and forth to the race track. While I was in training, he was with ME on these walks the majority of the time. He has been my very dear friend for years.

One of the many jobs at the race track is to be a ‘PONY PERSON’. In this position, you and your ‘pony’ (which is often a retrained retired race horse) work with different trainers and accompany certain horses from their barn to and from the track. A man named Freddie Wilson owned HOOTIE and he was a pony person at the track. Since I really liked HOOTIE and got along so well with him, MY JOHN worked out a schedule with Freddie so HOOTIE could be MY PONY in the mornings! As we have written in a previous Diary, after I retired….so did he. HOOTIE was adopted by TROTT of Southern California and now has a second career working with them. In the above photo, he is getting his daily “SPA TREATMENT” from Dee, on the left, and Susana, on the right. Per Bonnie, who updated Dottie on all of this, he is truly one of the BARN FAVORITES. HOOTIE has truly become part of the TROTT TEAM!

TROTT is a wonderful organization which ‘adopts’ horses from the racetrack and retrains them for their NEXT CAREER. So many dedicated people work endlessly trying to accomplish this goal to help horses. The organization is volunteer based and the hard work and loving care given by these people is truly appreciated by all of US! MY TEAM and I have also worked to help raise funds for TROTT. I loved the one T-shirt they did with ME on it. MY JOHN came up with the words to be placed underneath my picture stating……’DANCING AGAIN IN 2010′.

I have been told that TROTT is currently planning a Del Mar Charity Fundraiser. They are a 501(c)(3) organization. It will take place on August 28th at the San Diego Polo Club from 6 to 11 p.m. More details may be found on their web-site….TROTTUSA.ORG.

I also understand that Liza G. Fly will be singing at this event . I hope she sings the song she wrote and recorded for ME! I must say…I DO GET A KICK OUT OF LISTENING TO IT! (Blush, Blush)

Watch it here…ENJOY!

With Love,
Hugs to All~ (Great to hear from you, HOOTIE! I’m SO HAPPY to see you again!)
Z

Reader Interactions

258 Comments

  5. / Reply

    Dear Signofthetimes:
    The Woodward is a little shorter than the Travers. That might suit. What do you think? Hugs, J.B.

  6. / Reply

    Dear Barbara G.:
    Can’t watch the video. Makes me too sad. I know they bond and have emotions and feelings for each other. I’ve seen it many times. Hugs, J.B.

  10. / Reply

    LOVE, LOVE, LOVE that Hootie boy…smart and affable..no wonder Z liked hanging with him!

    Now he’s volunteering! Is there anything Hootie doesn’t do?!

  11. / Reply

    Hi zenny. a friend posted this on face book I thought you might know someone that can help.. From a friend: FREE horses!!! 52 thoroughbred horses need homes. Will go to Sugarcreek this Sat. for slaughter. Gentleman died and his son wants nothing to do with them. FREE and papered. Friend of the deceased is trying to find homes 440-463-4288 Barnesville, OH. Please copy and paste this on your status to get the word out

  12. / Reply

    @ Judy B
    Loved the video of Shackelford getting off the van (DRF) article. He is one mighty big strong boy. Never noticed his short skimpy tail. It is TOO CUTE. Soo full of energy!!! He is like lets party and have some fun before we get down to business on the track. I really like his personality.

    One week longer and 1 and 1/8 mile might be better for him.
    Let the 3 year olds duke it out. He has already proven himself.
    Not sure what 4 year-old he would run against? Any ideas?
    Sidney’s Candy ? Twirling Candy ? The article you posted said
    that the 4 year olds were wide open too.

  13. / Reply

    Oh Yeah !!!
    Getting off the van: Shakelford says; “Wow I’m at Saratoga”
    “What a great place!!!!”

  14. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    Will be thinking about you this weekend when the Clement
    Hirsh is run. Will miss your beautiful dancing.

    XXXXXOOOOO

  15. / Reply

    @ Laura J
    Very strange we are getting that same statement again from February about the horses that have been placed ???????

  17. / Reply

    Is it really true Lisa’s Booby Trap has a club foot?
    Wow that is amazing she is soo talented. Hope to see her again when her mouth feels better. So glad she and her jockey did not
    get hurt.

  18. / Reply

    Hi Zenny, I was glad to see your pony horse HOOTIE once again, he is really cute. I am glad that he worked with you during your years at barn 55. It sounds like he is in good hands now and well liked there. I’m sure that makes you feel good. I love the Zenyatta song that Liza G. Fly sings and the video shows you racing and Mike with big smiles on his face. Thanks for shareing those moments with us. I love you and love watching all I can in your wonderful racing days Queen Zenyatta.

  19. / Reply

    Dear Signofthetimes:
    I guess we’ll have to wait a little bit and see how the race fills. Whichever he runs in, I be rooting for him. The only problem I’ll have in the Travers is Stay Thirsty. I love that colt too. Hugs, J.B.

  20. / Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ALL OF THOSE Z FANS THAT HAVE B-DAYS IN AUGUST !!!! It is hard to keep track of everyone. Especially
    those lucky fans in CA.

  22. / Reply

    William****
    I put your post on a rescue site in Ohio and asked them to spread the word.
    EVERYONE!!!! Please put the word out for these thoroughbreds..
    see William’s post above.

  24. / Reply

    Hi Queen Z: thanks for the Hootie update! :) So happy he is enjoying his new life. What good friends you have, Z.
    @Barbara Grimaldi, sure hope you are feeling better by the time you read this. Enjoyed your Monmouth report, but so sorry that tree root jumped in your way. Ouch! Take care of yourself! Hope no bad bruises. BTW, the paddock area there looked very pretty on TV…is it really like that? Hope so!
    @signofthetimes and@(San Diego), thanks for the weather reports! Never would have known! (I just learned that The San Diego Wild Animal Park changed its name to Safari Park. When did that happen? I must get out of my stall more often.) :)
    @Diana S, happy hoof/birthday to you…perhaps by the time you read this it will be history, so hope it is/was a happy one–but of course it was, as you were part of the Dumplings Nation conversation!
    @Kari Bussell, THANKS for the video, loved seeing it all AND the DUMPLINGS, myself included..TOO CUTE…the whole thing, not moi! Merci! (We once spent a few days in Paris–even saw the Arc, oui! I have just about exhausted all my French. We did see Ouija Board there–she came in third.)
    @Diana S. was that you, diastu, who wrote about serving frogs??? (Not sure it’s been a long day.) Well,as a frog collector,I resemble that remark, as that cartoon cat would say.
    @Terry Crow, once again thanks for the jokes. I get a lot of mileage from them!
    Good night, all. And Z, I second the motion of where to send “mail” now that HollyPark is all tightly wrapped. Find out what you can, in a casual kinda way,okay? :) Thanks, Queen Z..you and your TEAM are the GREATEST!!

  25. / Reply

    Dear Signofthetimes:
    Apparently. According to the post on Facebook, the original owner died and his family does not want them. Hugs, J.B.

  27. / Reply

    @Judy B
    Yes, Travers with both will be tough. In a way, it might be better for the late bloomers to compete, but not sure about any
    threats in the 4 year old group. Oh well !!! The trainers will decide and we will just have to see how the dice roll and who is in what race. Happy Handicapping.

  28. / Reply

    Hootie is looking great! I bet he misses you though just like we all do! Have a great day! Can’t wait to see your updated photo’s!

  29. / Reply

    Hi Zenny and all, Love Liza Fly’s Zenyatta song. She does it beautifully.
    Kari Bussell: Another beautiful video!
    LOL, Arlene

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