Good Morning All!
John and Dottie were on their way back to the barn yesterday afternoon when these adorable POODLES were driving right next to them with their owner. SOPHIE thought they looked just like her….only MUCH bigger!
John simply had to get this photo. (Needless to say, Dottie was driving!) The 2 dogs in the back sure seemed to be enjoying every moment of the summer breeze while driving around town. I think lots of our 4-legged pals LOVE DEL MAR!
The real point of John and Dottie’s trip from the barn was to go to the market and purchase more dandelion leaves for the horses. Per MY JOHN, they absolutely love them! I do remember that John always tried to have some fun and different things for us to munch on and play with all of the time….often with the primary objective being to change the pace from our normal routine…and KEEP THINGS HEALTHY AND FUN FOR US!
Perhaps you remember meeting my BARN 55 friend, BRONZE BEAUTY. In an earlier diary, I referred to her as “Sleeping Beauty” as she LOVES her naps. Well, John also knows she LOVES dandelion leaves. So much so, she’ll wake up to have them. Please enjoy her photos. She is a DOLL!
It can be pretty terrific to be a lucky DOG or a fortunate HORSE enjoying life in DEL MAR!
With Love,
Hugs to All~(Have some fun today!)
Z
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: The photos of the dogs enjoying their convertible outing is too cute. And Bronze Beauty eating her leaves is also Too Cute! In fact in the first photo I thought the leaves were a little toy. It appears the leaves have little eyes looking back at Bronze Beauty. Too Cute!
Well what do you think Zenny, the summer is almost over. Wow this summer went by so fast. I love the summer. I hope we have a beautiful fall. I’ll tell you something Zenny, you and Dottie just don’t know how much this site is appreciated. It truly is so uplifting for our spirits. It is like a breath of fresh air. With everything that is going in this world at least we can come to your site and find joy! We can enjoy those unexpected, adorable, simple and beautiful moments in life that your John and others have capture with their photos. Like these poodles for instance, sitting in the backseat of a convertible,–how funny is that. And you and your BBFs resting in the pasture sunning yourselves. Thanks Zenny and thank you Dottie and John for sharing these moments with us.
Signofthetimes
@Denise in AZ
Such a lovely colt. Beautiful markings. So amazing
They “popout” and start running and galloping. I guess
The threat of a predator (instinct) is strong.
Signofthetimes
@Anne
Was Souper Spectacular not racing?
Signofthetimes
@The Kennedy’s SD
Thanks for the Mario Tidbits about Z.
Can’t believe she was so lazy before a
Race!!!
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Thought you would like that one of Shack. He’s a riot. It’s Tricky is too. I don’t know of another “Freighter” horse. Could be. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Just checked on Souper Spectacular. Last raced on 1/9/11 at Gulfstream. Something must have been wrong. Will see what I can find out. Hugs, J.B.
Doreen
Zenny – Bronze Beauty must have received some sleeping beauty tips from another stall mate of yours, Life is Sweet. By the way, how are LIS and her handsome Smart Strike colt doing?
For those of you who expressed their concern over another gentle giant, Lisa’s Booby Trap, who was eased in her return race at the Spa, there’s good news. She spent 3 days at the vets undergoing various tests just to see if anything was missed. She’s back to working out at her home track of Finger Lakes where she’s known as the “First Lady of Finger Lakes.” Here’s a link to some photos that were recently posted of her trip to Saratoga: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2159348677568.119032.1662062755
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Yes, that is good news about R Heat Lightning. Hugs, J. B.
judy berube
Dear Amanda Fuller:
Thank you for the info. I wasn’t sure, but I thought she had been bred to Bernie like Z. Hugs, J.B.
saharagold
I think it would be more accurate to say, “It can be pretty terrific to be a lucky DOG or a fortunate HORSE enjoying life at the Shirreffs Racing Stables!” (or even a CAT!). John & Dottie provide the BEST for all their animals! What a blissful life!
Paula Higgins
The pcitures of the poodles are a hoot!!! How cute are they?! However, Sophie Shirrefs has the market cornered on cuteness. As for dandelions, I used to eat them too. They are canned (for humans) in Maine by Belle of Isle and they are delicious when cooked with salt pork. On another note, the ASPCA just donated $9,500 to the Emergency Equine Response Unit in DeSoto, Kansas. Gladdened my heart to see that in the ASPCA Summer magazine. They help horses too!
judy berube
Dear Doreen:
Thanks for the update on Lisa’s Booby Trap. Glad it’s good news. Hugs, J.B.
Gary Moulton
@BABY RESULTS …………………..08-18-11
.
SARATOGA – No Babies
.
DEL MAR –
Race 5 – I wasn’t even close in the only race I played today. Granny dropped $6 too. “Hard to Know” ran pretty good even though she didn’t hit the board. She came from last at the ½ mile pole to finish 5th. “Duality” was up with the pace for a ½ then fell back to 6th. Poor, poor little “Ali’s Lake” broke down in upper stretch. Time was 21 lengths off the track record, or slow. Finish was 5th, 6th, & last. -$6.00
.
-$6.00 Bet Today +$251.20 Starting Out Tomorrow.
Karen Gogue
@ Suew
A little tease – there is something in the works out there, be ye not surprised -two things actually in the fire….. that’s all I will say for now.
judy berube
Dear Paula Higgins:
That’s great that the ASPCA donated to an equine facility. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Gary M.:
Good luck tomorrow. Hugs, J.B.
KIMBERLY
Any animal should be so lucky as to be taken care of by John, Mario or Dottie!!!!
Sunny Boyd
Good evening Zenyatta,
dandelion leaves, you mean, they don’t have any dandelion leaves growing anywhere there wild?
Man, we have dandelions all over the place, and they don’t get sprayed either. Organic. Do they have to be fresh, or can they be a little wilted? Hey, I can jank those up in no time and send’em via CA.
Anyway all those pictures are **** :)
“The church says the earth is flat, but I know that is is round, for I have seen the shadow on the moon, and I have more faith in a shadow than the church.” Ferdinand Magellan
Sleep tight & sweet dreams
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Here’s what I found on Souper Spectacular. Hugs, J.B.
Souper Spectacular returns to worktab
Live Oak Plantation’s SOUPER SPECTACULAR (Giant’s Causeway), a half-brother to Horse of the Year Zenyatta, returned to the worktab Wednesday morning at Saratoga Race Course, his first breeze since April 17. Unraced since a close fourth-place finish in the Fort Lauderdale S. (G3) on January 9 at Gulfstream Park, the four-year-old was clocked in :38 2/5 for three furlongs over the good Oklahoma training track.
“We were getting him ready over the winter and he needed some time after one workout, we gave him that time and he’s coming back strong,” trainer Seth Benzel explained. “He looks good. He actually ran in two stakes down in South Florida against horses with much more experience than he had. You know, I don’t think he was beaten any more than two lengths in either one and really showed that the potential is there to belong with some of those hard-knocking horses.”
In the Fort Lauderdale, Souper Spectacular missed third by a head. In his previous race, the Tropical Turf H. (G3) at Calder Race Course on December 4, he was beaten three-quarters of a length for show and only 1 1/2 lengths separated the top three finishers. A maiden winner at third asking on September 4 at Saratoga last year, the colt smartly cleared his allowance conditions at Keeneland in October and Aqueduct in November.
“We still have big plans for him,” Benzel admitted. “I think any time these horses go through their conditions like he did, they’re going to face that point where they’ve just advanced too quickly and will be in against horses with more experience. I mean, he ran against Rahy’s Attorney (in the Tropical Turf) at a point where Rahy’s Attorney had made well over a million dollars. Those types of horses are tough.”
Overall, Benzel said he was pleased with Souper Spectacular’s progress thus far and looking forward to watching him develop as the year goes on.
“Live Oak did a great job over the winter of getting him back to us and he looks great,” Benzel said. “I think the jury’s still out on whether he wants to go real far, or if a mile to a mile and a sixteenth is his best distance. He had certain characteristics that I think that make that a little hard to tell.
“Maturity is also going to dictate what happens when he becomes a little bit more relaxed and more professional about what he does. Right now, I think his best distance has been a mile and a sixteenth and I can’t see any limitations as to how far he can go. I think it’s just going to be a process getting there.”
Kate Wheeler
Queen Z, I really enjoyed your post today. It is obvious that Dottie and John are just delightful to the core – going out for dandelions (who else does), taking pictures of passing poodles, obviously for Sophie Shirreffs’ photo album, gently waking, apparently, a barnful of snoozing horses – from Life is Sweet to Bronze Beauty and, according to Mario, you our precious Queen. Eat hearty, relax, sleep peacefully tonight, and wake up tomorrow refreshed for you and Baby Z.
@DMCQ: what an eloquent post on teaching – you are obviously a teacher who inspires.
@JAG: thanks for the link to the Pryor Mountain horses and the BLM’s seemingly misguided plans; I’ve sent my comment.
@Bonnie MacRaith: thank you for the info on the nutritional significance of dandelions – who knew? – and they grow like weeds (heh!)
@Kennedys in San Diego: your inside info on Zenyatta and Mario is priceless.
Goodnight, Zenny. I love and miss you so.
LauraJ
@signofthetimes, Zenny’s sibling will be owned by Coolmore, as they own Vertigineux. I doubt that they have any plans to sell this foal. I wonder if they will race the foal in the U.S. or ship him/her overseas. I always thought Zenyatta would be a good turf horse, and she could have run farther than 10f. If the foal has talent, s/he might do well in Europe.
Irene Caty
Zenyatta, you are so right that Bronze Beauty is Beautiful. She looked so cute wakeing up for her favorite treat. Dear John is so good at seeing the horses are well cared for. John shows a good sense of showing them that he cares for them and they sense that about him. Thank you for shareing this moment with us fans, we love it. Take care Zenny and know that I love you. The careing never stops!
signofthetimes
@Judy B
Thanks for the great update on Souper Spectacular and Live Oak.
To be a 1/2 sibling of Z’s is tough. Sounds like he is doing well and needed to mature. I will pay better attention when I hear that of that other Freighter again.
@LauraJ
So Coolmore twisted the Shiek’s arm and he put “V” on Street Cry’s books. It would be nice to see her full sibling race as a Euro. There maybe a lot of turf talent there. Street Cry produces such versatile runners. Can’t wait to see that foal.
“V” is so cute with her foals, she towers over them.
signofthetimes
@LauraJ
I am sure “V” foal will be added to Coolmore breeding stock either filly or colt. Knowing that “Z” will be homebreeding for The Mosses.
judy berube
signofthetimes:
You’re welcome. It does sound like he needed to mature (like Z). It’s going to be fun seeing him race. Will add him to my horse watch. Let me know about the other Freighter. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Z:
Goodnight and Sweet Baby Dreams. Love you, Judy and Russ
judy berube
Dear Dottie Shirreffs:
Just want to say thank you again for keeping this Diary and sharing Z with us. Hugs, J.B.
Mary Copelin
TRINA NAGELE-I so appreciate your posts. Not just your poems, all of your posts. When I met you, I thought you had wonderful energy. The more I read of your comments I am convinced that you are an especially insightful, loving and exceptional person. Thank you!
Mary Copelin
VICKI- liked your post about John’s special qualities. I totally agree with your assessment. I have followed his training career for many years and have always heard great things about him from many trainers and all kinds of backside workers.
judy berube
Dear Laura J.:
Just checked Horse Watch and Step was scratched out of the 2nd race tonight (8/18) at Charlestown (by the Vet). Wonder what’s going on with him. Hugs, J.B.