Good morning everyone,
I hope you have had a very nice week. I have. It has been quite relaxing and peaceful here at Lane’s End.
Right before my team left Barn 55 for the summer (remember they had to take everything out for the every other year cleaning process) a friend of Anita’s (John’s sister) came to visit the barn.
He is an artist named Pema. He brought John a lovely piece which is meant to bring ‘good luck’. What a very sweet gesture on his part! Many thanks to him. For people in racing…luck is a very precious consideration!
In looking over the entries for this weekend…..the races look to be very exciting. Again, as seems to be the case during the summer seasons, there are quite a few major stakes races running around the country. They have definite implications as far as the road to the Breeders Cup is concerned.
David is currently at Saratoga for the next few weeks working. They have a yearling sale there next week. He also enjoys the opportunity to visit with the other horses he has purchased for clients and see the ones that have grown up from the matings he has planned for their owners. It is always so much fun to touch base. We horses….are like his dear friends!
Sarah will also be going to Saratoga to work for a few weeks. This is great news as Dottie has asked her to get some ‘fun photos’ from that venue for us to share with you in the diary. This will be so special to get an up to the minute report on the Saratoga happenings from these two people we know so well.
I’m off to stay cool under one of my favorite trees. Have a splendid weekend…enjoy the great racing…drink lots of water to stay hydrated….and most of all enjoy your time with your family and friends.
With love,
Hugs to all~ (especially my John’s mom, Mary Jane, who is truly not feeling well at this time)
Z
Signofthetimes
@DJ
Thanks for the evening prayer.
It puts things into perspective.
Kari Bussell
@Signofthetimes- Your words mean more than I can say. I feared I might have come across as bossy and was braced to be slammed….thank you!
J Smith
@ Faby Mattos, good luck and safe race to all the horses in the Grande Premio Brasil. Please let us know who wins, hope it’s one of the filly’s! If you are able to post a link of the race, please do. Thanks for letting us know about horse racing in Brasil. You must have been happy for Animal Kingdom winning the Kentucky Derby, as he is half Brasilian. There is a good filly here in California by the same sire (I can never spell his name)her name is Sarah’s Secret.
Joan.
@all,
I want to thank you all for your efforts.
I never intended for it take over the board. I am using all the links that have been posted and will go forward.
It was never my intent to change the site.
I love Z so, have seen her in her last work,get her bath and yes touched her and cried all the time. SHe makes my heart sing.I adore Z,she is such a blessing .
I am a computer idiot,I don’t have any idea of how to start a site or I would have done that.
This has taken on a life of it’s own,I never dreamed of all the responses and out pouring of love . Perhaps we should perserver in silence now. Ifanyone gets any response from those we have contacted post it just to bring everyone upto date. We are all adults and can do our handiwork in silence. Short of some one doing a site that is all I can suggest.
AGain thank you all for getting on board.
Love ya Z
RIP Deputy
Barbara Wood
@Diana S–thank you! Just trying to keep up. Pant, pant. Actually, I’m housebound with 2 big dogs in the inferno of central Texas (107 here otday) and a love for Z that makes me want to protect them all.
I really don’t believe any of us are anti-horse racing. I hope I’ve never come across that way. As Jane Velez-Mitchell said tonight (about dolphins) “We speak for them because they cannot speak for themselves.”
@DJ–beautiful prayer. I agree that they always seem to be chosen for apropriateness.
Dearest Z– It must seem very quiet and peaceful where you are now. Hope you have a good night, and I’m awaiting your next surprise for tomorrow. Love you always.
Quarterhossgal
My prayers are with John’s mother Mary Jane.
Queen Z I am happy you found a place to keep cool and relax!
Mary Johnson: You have my thanks for exposing a coward and cruel man that sent Deputy broad to slaughter. Everyone that had a part in this must share the blame, including Mountaineer Park for not enforcing the rules. I have called the racetrack and will leave my protests with them. On a larger scale anyone who violates the law should be fined and given jail time, perhaps those without a conscience can at least suffer some punishment. It is very difficult to legislate compassion, but because of the horses we MUST try.
judy berube
Dear Joan:
All of us will do all we can to right this wrong. Donations to rescues, e-mails to people we think may help bring attention to the plight of our beloved horses and not frequenting racetracks that don’t honor anti-slaughter. This is Z’s site and we all love her. It’s a happy, caring place to come to in anticipation of the birth of little Z. Even if we don’t have an organized site, each of us can do all we can every day to outlaw slaughter. I admire you so much for your passion, which I share. Will look forward to your posts. Hugs, J.B.
Joan.
@ Barbara Wood
Ilive in the Ridglea area of Fort Worth.I hope our paths cross someday.
Love ya Z
judy berube
Dear DJ:
Thank you. Hugs, J.B.
Yvonne and Maurice
Hi Zenyatta. Please enjoy your time grazing and peaceful time under your favorite tree. Stay cool. Yes, this is going to be a great weekend of racing – at Saratoga, Del Mar and Mountaineer. Will be going early tomorrow to put in my bets and then home to enjoy a great day and night of racing. Unfortunately, our race track does not simulcast Meadowlands where the Hambo will be run tomorrow. Will watch on t.v. though. Last year, I was in NJ for the Haskel and the Hambo – such a great time. Love you big girl. Stay cool, eat well for two, enjoy your time grazing and fun time with your BBFs. Love you, Angel in Disguise.
judy berube
Dear Gary M.:
Good luck tomorrow. I like Bernie’s Bomber Boy in an Exacta Box with Five Sigma Event in the 5th at Saratoga. Hugs, J.B.
Kari Bussell
GO ZAZU GOOOO!!!
Joan.
@ Judy B
Thank you Judy,it is not passion on my part,my heart breaks at the thought. It consumes me with grief.It is hard to verbalize how I feel.I can see their faces and it breaks my heart.Why, what did I do to deserve this.I’m sorry, I can’t express what I feel but right now
I am broken hearted.
Love ya Z
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Wow, that speed figure is off the charts. He is something. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
I guess we’ll have to confirm a situation before we post anything. Thanks for enlightening us on that one. Hugs, J.B.
Sunny Boyd
@ Kari Bussell
Really?? Wow, I’m touched. Yeah, by all means, hang it up. I wrote it for our Saintly Queen Zenyatta.
I do like all critters, really I do.
Of course horses are splendid, very showy, stately. But I also like the possums, praying mantis, they are all great.
I find horse-racing very exciting, I always hope they all come home okay. I do worry when horses lose, what the future holds for them. I am well aware not all are treated as well as the Saintly One.
Barbara Grimaldi
I agree we should take our mission to another site and leave this site as a garden of happiness and serenity, filled with Zenyatta and Team Z joy. I do not know how to create a website, but I have a friend who does. I will ask and get one up in some way…stand by, my dear new friends.
Goodnight, precious Zenyatta…you are a shining star in my life
judy berube
Dear Kari Bussell:
You are right. Hugs, J.B.
Barbara Grimaldi
Meanwhile–think of a good name for the site!!!
judy berube
Dear Joan:
I know there are no words to express your grief, but keep fighting the good fight and come here to Z’s site to see the beautiful side of the Sport. The most Magnificent Horse, the best Team and the Greatest Fans. Watch some of Z’s videos; they’ll make you feel better and give you the energy to keep fighting for the horses that need our help. Hugs, J.B.
Signofthetimes
@Judy B
I think we are all so passionate about horses
Racing and everything that goes along with it
It is hard to take an objective look. It is sad that
Someone keeps posting and reposting on the
Internet. Like Laura J said ” it may take awhile
To die”. Horse slaughter is a terrible terrible thing,
But their are so many wonderful things about horses
Racing dressage jumping eventing. I know you were
Discouraged yesterday; maybe dwelling too much
On these very difficult emotional issues. Really love
How you bring everyone together. That is a great quality
And what Zenyatta is all about. Good Night and sweet
Dreams.
Kate Wheeler
Zenny, if you look through the posts of the last several days, you will see how much you have drawn us to action. It is probably because in every horse’s face, we will also see you, ears pricked, bolting down the lane, with no thought in the world of losing the race. Now because of our connection to you, we are drawn to join together in another race, a race to avoid a grim ending for as many horses as possible not so lucky and loved as you. You are our beacon and I think you know it.
On a lighter note, enjoy your weekend, basking in the sun, savoring the blue grass and your special tree, and staying healthy and hydrated for you and for Baby Z. We love you so.
@John Shirreffs’ mom, Mary Jane: we are all pulling and praying for you to feel better. You must be such an extraordinary woman to have raised a son as extraordinary as John. He is truly a gift to horses and to people who love them. He is beyond doubt an artist with horses. And Zenyatta is one of his works of art, in our opinion his greatest.
@Z-sters and Z Dumplings: I spoke today with Elizabeth Weiner in Senator Mary Landrieu’s office (202-224-5824). She is Senator Landrieu’s point person on SB 1176, the American Horse Slaughter Prevention Act of 2011. She was a well of information. She informed me that this bill is Senator Landrieu’s true passion. Senator Landrieu has been to a kill pen and an auction and, I think, a slaughterhouse. In fact she and her family rescued a colt only several weeks old from a kill pen and he lives somewhere close to D.C. Senator Landrieu’s teenage daughter rides and loves horses.
Elizabeth said that the bill has 24 co-sponsors and is in the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, chaired by Jay Rockefeller of W. Va., with Kay Bailey Hutchinson of Texas as ranking member. (Take note Barbara Wood, Joan, Cara Ezell and other Texans.) Several of the Committee members are co-sponsors (Begich – Ark., Kerry – Mass., Laughtenberg – N.J., and Snowe – Maine). For names of the co-sponsors, as well as a copy of the bill, go to thomas.gov and plug in SB 1176. For majority and minority Committee members, just google “Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.” There are too many names to list here. We should encourage and commend the Committee members that are co-sponsors and lobby the heck out of the rest. According to Elizabeth, they generally pay closer attention to constituent calls and correspondence. So let’s divy em up and get crackin!
Certain Senators are likely targets, some because they sponsored an earlier version of the bill in prior years and have not yet signed on to this one: Boxer – Cal., Cardin – Md., Leahy – Vt., and McCain -AZ (although McCain has said that he won’t sign on this time because of Farm Bureau opposition. (Diastu-the-persuasive, this is in your hands.) There are other members who appear to be promising targets: Toomey – Pa., Rubio – Fla., Vitter – La. (he is a sponsor of puppy mill legislation). All 3 states have significant horse industries and Pennsylvania (don’t know about Florida and Louisiana) has vigorous regulations for treatment of horses.
Elizabeth suggests that we get educated about the pros and cons so as to be effective. Generally, opposition to the bill comes from 2 sources: (1)slippery slope livestock people who worry that if we ban the slaughter of horses, will pigs, goats, cows and chickens be next (for vegetarians like Diastu and me, not necessarily an impending horror); and (2)the animals-as-property, ownership rights people, such as Senator Cornyn mentioned above. Some of the property rights people are also opposed because preventing slaughter devalues the horses (monetarily) by preventing their sale, for whatever paltry dollars they are sold. (Don’t holler here, even if you think that slaughter is the ultimate devaluation. We must be composed and keep our cool as we lobby along.)
Also note, the GAO has published a report which we should read entitled “Horse Welfare: Action Needed to Address Inintended Consequences from Cessation of Domestic Slaughter. Basically this report states that since the cessation of slaughter in the U.S., there has been a marked increase in the number of abandoned and neglected horses, beyond what might be related to the economic downturn. Also horses travel farther to slaughter, with the incombent stress and mistreatment under transport (often without food and water and in crowded conditions) where they end up in substandard and unregulated slaughter facilities in Mexico and Canada. The report also notes that the prices of horses generally have declined (again not accounted for by the economy) because there are fewer sales options in the U.S. The GAO recommends either USDA inspection of horses in transit or, as SB 1176 provides, an explicit ban on domestic slaughter and shipping of horses for slaughter in foreign countries. The GAO report can be obtained at http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d11228.pdf.
So there you have it, a little background in preparation for becoming a Congressional lobbyist. I hope I didn’t go too far into the weeds about all this. If I did, please forgive me. In any event, to launch our lobbying careers, all we need now are Gucci shoes.
@Zenyatta again: We love you so.
Diana S
@Kate Wheeler: I do not say this lightly, or very often at all, but – AMEN!
diastu in tempe
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
You are Too Sweet. Love this site and this Z Family. Sweet Dreams to you. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Z,
Goodnight and Sweet Baby Dreams. Love you lots, Judy and Russ
Kate Wheeler
Uh oh! Perhaps I should have saved the above for another site. I’m sorry. But I guess our love for Queen Z has propelled us into action.
@Barbara Grimaldi: if you can get a site up, I will help you support it on a monthly basis. I am a computer ninny but I think they cost at least a little bit to maintain. Is the RIP Deputy Broad site on Facebook a good site to work from? I haven’t graduated to Facebook yet, but will very soon. As for names, I suggest “Deputy Broad’s Friends” or “Deputy Broad’s Advocates” or “Remembering Deputy Broad” or something else will be fine. Someone else is surely better at names.
@Joan and Kari Bussell. Your passions are inspiring, wherever they take you.
@All: on an upbeat note, Elizabeth Weiner in Mary Landrieu’s office knows and greatly respects the Mosses. I knew we were hanging with the right crowd.
@Zenyatta: you girl friend are the true peach of our dreams. Good night to you.
Joan.
@Judy B
Judy I have seen every race she has ever run. I was posting on this site in the beginning. I have owned horses,mucked stalls, groomed, cleaned hooves handicapped more races than I could ever count.I have followed horse racing since I was a teenager,I have a 50 year old daughter, so horses and racing are nothing new to me.Iwould have loved Z even if I had never heard of her because she is a horse. I have met the Z team, John and Dottie,Mario an Carmen and Steve.
I will continue the fight,I have been doing it for years. My first post I had 1 request, write your senators please and nothing more.
I’ll keep on plugging away, read Dottie’s post and say Love ya Z .
Marshall (girl's name)
Goodnight Beautiful Girl and stay cool! We all love you intensely! All the best to John’s mother, Mary Jane.
@MaryAnn: I agree with you! These unscrupulous humans cannot burn hot enough! Sorry, if that sounds harsh, but it is true for me — I continue to work on my benevolent and forgiving side!
@Kari Bussell: I do agree with you! This should be a site of joy and wellbeing! That is, after all, what the Queen and Dottie are all about, thankfully!
@Joan: I do agree with you, also!
Dogs and horses, they’re the BEST!!!
A good weekend to everyone! M.P. in NC
DJ
To diastu en soldier….Good nite!
judy berube
Dear Joan:
The more I know about you, the more I admire you. Hugs, J.B.