Happy Friday!
It is always so hard for ME to believe how quickly time is literally flying by. It is already September 2nd….and the closing weekend of racing at both Del Mar and Saratoga. Labor Day is upon us…and students all over the country are returning to school.
I hope all of you enjoy your weekend and all of the great racing that is scheduled. The 2 year olds are starting to step up to stakes activity on both coasts….and then Havre de Grace is going to take on the males in The Woodward Stakes–G1. Additionally at Del Mar, the Del Mar Derby G-2 will be showcased. All the best to all of the participants and their connections.
Yesterday, a few dear friends of mine sent Dottie a link regarding an article in the September, 2011, issue of THE AMERICAN TURF MAGAZINE. The piece is written by Mark Shrager. In it, he is listing (in his opinion) the TOP 10 AMERICAN RACE HORSES EVER!
Guess who is there at #6? ME!!
Now this is very special…and I so appreciate Mark’s ranking. The list of horses and how he rated the TOP 10 are as follows:
1) DR. FAGER
2) KELSO
3) SECRETARIAT
4) SEATTLE SLEW
5) CITATION
6) ZENYATTA…….THAT’S ME! (BLUSH, BLUSH)
7) AFFIRMED
8) MAN O’ WAR
9) SPECTACULAR BID
10) JOHN HENRY
Click here for the article.
This is a list of some amazing thoroughbreds with massive racing accomplishments. I am so PROUD to be included with this elite company. Dottie was commenting to John last night that I AM THE ONLY FEMALE on the list. Also, I am the only horse to be included who ran in the last few decades. John Henry won his HOTY titles in 1981 and 1984. All of the other horses represent decades of racing before that time. This is truly significant and as I mentioned earlier, I am extremely PROUD and HONORED to be in such company.
I hope you enjoy the article, your weekend, and some great RACING! Cheers to great handicapping!
With Love,
Hugs to All~ (Thank you Camille and Jim for sharing this article with US!)
Z
Cynthia H.
@Loretta B: Agree about Native Dancer. But which one would you bump in order for him to make the list?!
Ann Maree
@LauraJ: Excellent explanation…enjoyed your thorough take. Just one addition: according to the PPs, it looks like she carried 129 pounds in both the 2009 and 2010 Vanity races, while in the 2008 Vanity, she carried 124. She also carried 126 and 127 pounds. As you point out, high weights don’t seem to be as prevalent as in the past.
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For anyone who might like to have her lifetime past performance chart, this is from the commemorative issue published by Thoroughbred Times titled: Zenyatta – One of a Kind. This issue is a free download at TTimes, by the way, but here is a link for just the one page that includes her pps: http://db.tt/g75rhcJ
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@All: I always enjoy everyone’s comments and information, poetry, links. What a wonderful community to be a part of. Just like Zenyatta….she inspires all of us to be the best we can be, to be kind, to be generous, and to be loving. Thanks all.
Joan.
Love ya Z
Barbara Wood
ZENNY! I am so excited! You’ll never guess what! I just heard on our local evening news that some farmers from YOUR town of Lexington are sending bales of hay to us in central TX. You are always talking about teamwork, and what an example that is! GOD BLESS KY, and GOD BLESS LEXINGTON! High hoof!
Have a great Labor Day weekend, everyone!
Abigail from Montreal
GOSH! How could I forget this?!!***
Judy the Beauty & Georgie’s Angel face off on Sunday @ Saratoga AND OUR JOHN’S “CLOUD MAN” also runs Sunday in the Delmar Derby.
Good luck John!
And may every one of these thoroughbreds come home safe & sound.
PS — I agree. How did Ruffian not make the list?
Ingrid Arnone
Oh! You are so special, you are one in a million, love you Ingrid.
Pat Beck
If Citation’s on the list, shouldn’t Noor be there too, since he beat him several times? And I love me some Swaps! Otherwise, no beefs. Love you always, Z.
Amy
You are truly a beautiful gift to us all! None of these guys have been on Dancing with the Stars! xx
Gloria
You might be #6 on that list, Big Mama Z, but you’ll always be #1 with me! XOXO!
Ann Maree
P.S.: One other thing I would consider to be important, which I’m sure the author took into account, is she did run the “classic” distance to defeat the males in 2009 and she did again beat all the males except one in 2010 at the 1 1/4 mi distance. Other than Genuine Risk and Winning Colors in the 1980 & 1988 KY Derby, what other American female horses have been successful against males at the classic 1 1/4 mi distance? Along with her many other considerable accomplishments, that would seem to add additiional weight to her resume.
Ellie
Seems like a good top 10, sounds about right. Even though all of those horses had every right to be on that list, NONE of them “did it all” with the presence and personality of Zenyatta!! She will always be #1 on THAT list:)
LauraJ
@Ann Maree, you are so right! Truth is, I didn’t check the PPs. I remember prior to one of her races last year (the Vanity, I think) how John Shirreffs was fretting about weight. I believe he really thought they’d load her with 130 or more. She could have handled it!
Sue Fredrick
Oh Zenny, it looks to me like Matt was trying to sneak up on you and put your sunglasses back on and you caught him in the act!!!My horses used to do that to me and then I had to chase them around the paddock.
I’m happy to see you made this prestigious list…..and the only woman, WOW!!! You are truly our number ONE gal but it just comes down to opinion I guess.
Looking forward to this weekends races and Godspeed to horses and jockeys. Go HDG!
Luv you Z and kisses on your nose
JoAnna Liming
I agree with this list! You definately deserve this honor and you hold some wonderful company. Each (you included) truly represent the elite of their time. Well done!
Hugs and Kisses
harold moore
you are one of a kind, and nice to have you on this list.
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Will try to find Bios on every horse on the list and post them. Here is Dr. Fager. Hugs, J.B.
http://www.spiletta.com/UTHOF/drfager.html
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Here’s Kelso. Will post two more tomorrow. Hugs, J.B.
http://horseracing.about.com/od/famoushorses/a/aa070598_2.htm
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Here’s the Bloodhorse article on Z’s half sister. Hugs, J.B.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/64851/zenyattas-half-sister-to-sell-in-november
Karen Gogue
Thank you Judy B.! Great idea!
Terry Crow
@Susan in TN-With the exception of Secretariat, who I saw at Saratoga, the others on the list raced in California at one time or another and I was fortunate enough to be at the track when they ran. My point on this whole thing is idf you put these ten horses in the starting gate for a total of at least five races, you would probably get
at least five different winners, depending on the distance. Doctor Fager at anything up to a mile and 1/16, perhaps because of his speed, but who knows? Zenyatta would certainly be right there at 1 and 1/8 or 1 and 1/4 miles and could win at those distances. Anything shorter, I don’t know. How do you like this one–You may be a Californian if you think the OJ trial was a Minute Maid taste test. @Brenda S-That was you? ten Hail Marys. @Judy Berube-Thank you. You may be a Californian if you got acquitted for murdering your first husband because he threw out your Elvis 8-tracks. @Pat Beck-Citation was over-the-hill when he ran against Noor. Swaps is my favorite all-time horse. One horse which never seems to get its due is Personal Ensign. Retired undefeated, its last race was the Breeder’s Cup ladies Classic. Beat Winning Colors twice and took the measure of Gulch. Ran 1 1/4 miles in 201:1, mile in 134:1 and 1 and 1/16 in 141:4. Not saying I think she should have been on the list, but would have been an interesting choice.
Susan in TN
@Terry Crow: haha! And good points on the horse greats!
Susan in TN
@Judy B: Thanks! Great idea! <3
Susan in TN
@Abigail in Montreal: Thanks for race reminders- appreciate it!
Susan in TN
@Barbara Wood: That IS exciting! I’m very happy for the recipients of that hay and bless the group from Lexington for helping! I hope Texas is getting LOTS of help. I follow a rescue in Texas on FB called “Bluebonnet Equine Humane Society” (think that end is right!) and the horses in your state especially need assistance. I may have mentioned that rescue before, but I’ve learned a lot from reading the posts and have ordered a book written by the director, Jennifer Williams.
LauraJ
@Susan in TN, there will be a link on the Keeneland sales web page. It worked just fine last year. I’ll warn you, it is weirdly addictive.
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@Abigail, the reason these folks didn’t put Ruffian in the top 10 was weight. She never carried more than 122 pounds. That’s the problem with “Top Ten” lists–they change according to criteria. Their set of criteria is reasonable, but one could certainly come up with equally reasonable criteria that would produce a different result. I agree with Terry Crow. You could put every name on the list and every name mentioned here into a hat, and pull out a top 10 list that would make sense to somebody (and no doubt offend someone else).
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@Ann Maree, interesting question. I guess it depends on how far you want to go back. In the last 100 years there have been a few females who won at the classic distance against males. There’s Regret (KY Derby 1915). Gallorette won the Brooklyn Handicap at 10f in 1946. Busher won the Arlington Park Handicap at 10f in 1945. Busanda won the Suburban at 10f in 1951. In 197 and 1971, Shuvee won the 2-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup. There may be a few others.
Carol from Connecticut
Zenyatta, I am so happy to see that others hold you in such high regard. You very much belong on this list. You and Team Zenyatta definitely deserve this honor. Congratulations!
Susan in TN
@DMCQ: Have missed your posts on Z’s site!
@Kathryn Cogswell: Will be glad when you are back!
@Sharon in Seattle, LouAnn Cingel and Kari B: Hope you had a GOOD day! <3
@Havre de Grace: Good luck! Run fast and be safe! <3
@Zenny-our #6 who is NUMBER ONE! Love you!
Susan in TN
@Laura J: Thanks! Yes, I can imagine it would be easy to get swept in!!
From #332: @Cara Ezell: So sorry about your friend’s Arabian who was special to you, too. And sorry you had to be exposed to some callousness. <3
@Kimberly Potter: Thank you for the link to Mikey C- he sounds like he was amazing and I feel terrible for his partner.
@Kim S: I'm so glad that you and your daughter are sharing your love for horses! My daughter (obviously!) has always loved horses and our son (the black sheep of the family) thinks horses wouldn't have survived evolution without human intervention :P Forgive him- he knows not what he says! And he DID love our pony Scout very much! Kids- whadda ya gonna do?!
Susan in TN
P.S. When I was visiting my son recently, I told him about Zenyatta and this site and-there’s hope!- he was very interested!
Debbie G
Congratulations, beautiful girl! As I’m sure you’ve figured out by now, you’re #1 in our hearts and always will be. I love you, Zenny! :-)
@Abigail in Montreal – I just wanted to let you know I haven’t forgotten about you. My friend Jim left a note at Matt Goin’s house last week, but he said he thought he was out of town because he didn’t pick up his mail for a few days. But I just now finished writing him a note myself explaining to him about The Vault and how you would love to contact Tom Harbut and I asked him to call or email me. Jim is going to stick the note in his mailbox tomorrow. If you’d like you could send me your email address now in case he contacts me, or if you want to just wait and see what happens that’s fine too. My email address is ukdebbo@gmail.com. Thanks for your patience!