Happy Thursday to all!
I’d have to say, I’d be able to recognize this guy anywhere no matter what he is doing. It is MY JOHN and look what he is wearing….my Z HAT! On the back, it says… ZENYATTA…2010 HORSE OF THE YEAR! I don’t feel I’m being biased….but I really do believe it looks terrific on him.
One of our dear fans, Daniel Sigal, sent this photo to Dottie. It was taken at Del Mar last week and he thought she’d enjoy seeing it! As you may know, MY JOHN is a hat person. He wears a baseball type cap ALL OF THE TIME! As I’ve written earlier, we even played our own version of the HAT GAME when I was at Barn 55. TOO CUTE!
Thank you, Daniel, for sharing this photo!
Yesterday’s Del Mar Futurity sure had some anxious moments. Creative Cause is a wonderful 2 year old colt. He truly ended up getting the worst of it all when being crowded and bounced around from both sides during the final part of the stretch run.
As a result of all of this ‘bumping’, the inquiry sign was posted on the tote board as soon as the horses crossed the finish line. The Stewards, who are the ‘chief guardians’ to monitor our sport closely, immediately evaluated the different views of the video tapes involving this race. In slow motion, they are also able to review every angle of the action in great detail to aid them in making the proper decision.
Every race track around the country has its own set of 3 Stewards on duty each race day.
After much evaluation, they disqualified Majestic City and placed him behind Creative Cause. They felt MC was the horse who initiated the chain of events for the infractions which took place in the stretch. Drill remained the winner as they felt he just reacted to what was started by MC.
It is the official policy of racing that the horse who causes the interference MUST be placed behind the horse he or she bothered in the race. Thus, Majestic City originally went under the finish line 2nd…and Creative Cause 3rd. However, after the Stewards’ review and ruling, Creative Cause was moved up to 2nd…and MC was placed behind him in 3rd. This policy is true in every racing jurisdiction around the country. The Stewards work very hard to keep everything fair and carefully monitored for our sport!
RACING LUCK is also a very big consideration. You do need to have it. As you saw yesterday in the Futurity, a horse can inadvertently end up in a position where the opportunity to run his/her best race is definitely compromised!
With the Del Mar Meet concluding Wednesday, the balance of the horses will be leaving that track and returning to either Santa Anita or Hollywood Park to continue their training. The Santa Anita Fall Meet begins September 30th.
Starting tomorrow, on the Southern California circuit, The Los Angeles County Fair Meet at Pomona will run for the next few weeks. On the East Coast, Belmont Park opens tomorrow for their fall meet of racing!
That’s another great thing I love about our sport…it is always filled with action!
Have a wonderful day!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
KIMBERLY
Hi Queen, I saw your John at Del Mar… I think I may have seen your sister too…. She looked alot like you except wihout a blaze…. Miss you!
judy berube
Dear Z Fans:
Z’s 2009 BC Classic win. Hugs, J.B.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ud_XPH6Eix4
Signofthetimes
@Judy B
Definately Mike kept her out of harms way for
The most part. She was so mature and ready
To run when she started and that is definately
A great skill John Sherriffs has, patience.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Patience, yes. Every time I watch that 2009 BC Classic, I’m in awe all over again. She was kind of in a tight spot and she did this little bob and weave; then third gear and she’s gone. Although, all her races have the same affect on me. Hugs, J.B.
Marshall (girl's name)
Dear Zenny, hope you had a good day — it was quite beautiful here in NC. Take care and sweet dreams! Love you!!
@Abigail in Montreal: Thanks so much for the Secretariat and Eddie Sweat article. I really enjoyed it — very sweet and also, sad for Mr. Sweat and his two champions. I know they missed each other. Again, thank you! All the Best!
@Judy B.: Thanks for the good news about cute little Mine That Bird. Glad he is happy at his home. I always liked him.
JAG ~ California :-)
VIDEO – Leger Legends Classified Stakes 2011 (Julie Krone’s win!)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om1kOs-8-kw&feature=player_embedded
Marshall (girl's name)
Sorry, I meant to thank JAG and Abigail for the MTB updates! I got my Judy’s mixed up. Thank you Judy Berube for all the informative links and for your knowledge. Goodnight Everyone!
Diana S
@Zenny and Dottie and Team Z: YOUR JOHN is TOO CUTE in his favorite hat, but he can be recognized another way too – he is almost always smiling! He has such a neat smile!
Continued appreciation for this wonderful blog and gathering place for all who love YOU! (And we DO!) (And Baby Z too!)
Zsters and Dumplings: I’ve been absent this week, but I hope the post below explains a bit why.
diastu in tempe
judy berube
Dear Marshall (girls name):
Thank you too Marshall for all your posts. Wonderful people in Z’s Diary family. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear JAG:
Thank you so much for the link to Julie K’s win in the Leger Legends. OMG, she looks great. Looks like she could return any day to regular riding. Always loved her. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Z,
Goodnight and Sweet Baby Dreams. Love you lots, Judy and Russ
Diana S
Zsters and Dumplings: Most of you remember the discussions of the tragic end of Deputy Broad who last raced at Mountaineer in July and was sent to slaughter in Canada. For those of you who wanted to take action against horse slaughter, and for the welfare of all horses, I would like to invite you to explore http://www.equi-army-ndo.com the new activist site (formerly referred to here in shorthand as “The Annex”).
The site has been lovingly and laboriously created by a small group of Dedicated Dumplings you all know well. If you are prompted to join us, we heartily welcome you! The issues facing our horses are daunting. We need the help of all who are willing to lend a hand.
If you are unable to help, or uncomfortable doing so, we still extend our hand and love, for we are all – first and foremost – Zenyatta’s army.
Hugs, diastu in tempe
Diana S
@Terry Crow: Your jokes and humor are rays of sunshine on even the darkest day. I send continued wishes for the comfort and serenity of your long-time pal, Don. Today marks the 3rd anniversary of the loss of my best friend Beverly. Also a horse lover, she and I met – in a mud puddle! – at age 5 and were joined at the hip forever more. I truely understand.
diastu in tempe
Diana S
@Zenny: A note on your Kitty friend in Post #335 – I have a house and yard full of rescue kitties. All shapes and sizes and personalities. I love them all! But when I visited YOUR Barn 55 a couple of months ago, I not only got to meet your sis E, but the cute little orange tabby you talk about! And I petted him and took his picture too! I sure would like to know his name!
diastu in tempe
Vicki B.
I’m way behind, posted at the end of #336 too:
@judy berube, @Trina Nagele, @Max, @Linda E Ohio, @Terry Crow – Catching up from #335, you’re all very welcome, glad you enjoyed Kincsem and her cat. I was blown away by her, when I first read about Kincsem, from a link somebody else posted here months ago. And I had no idea there’s her statue in the Chandelier Room at Santa Anita — I will have to hunt it out, next time I get out there (I live near Hollywood Park).
@Cynthia H – Thanks for the vid of S.A., it’s mellow, not hyped-up, which is very nice.
J Smith
Judy Berube, you rock! What fab pix, how ever did you get all those pix to come up. I thought I was doing well getting a 5x pedigree. Had no idea you could get it in pix. Loved the pic of Geisha.
Texans, I can’t imagine how awful it must be to be near those fires. Please let us know if there is anything useful we can do from afar.
Abby From North Carolina
Zenyatta, John is a wonderful trainer. You are lucky to have him as a trainer. Yu are a wonderful horse and I believe he trainer you VERY well. I would sure want him to train my racers.
Barbara Wood
@Jan–thanks for the report. Haven’t heard anything yet on the Whitney fire. This whole summer has been unimagineable.
Sharon in Seattle
@Susan in TN – JAG and Abigail posted about MTB’s current status (living with good people in New Mexico) — he is such a little guy and his Derby win SOOO huge!! gotta love it!
Sunny Boyd
Good morning Zetty,
10 yrs ago you were the future yet. We’re moving towards ‘THE DAY’ when time seem to stand still for days. Thank God you are a horse, you don’t know of any such things. Your world is the paddock in a beautiful setting and plenty of oats & grass & hay & all those other delicious snacks.
morning ponder:
Money brings some happiness. But after a certain point, it just brings more money. Neil Simon
Have a swell one :) :) :)
Abigail from Montreal
Here’s a clip-it of Julie Krone interviewed about Zenny before her run in THE VANITY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0-HKvw2jVM&feature=related
@JAG: Thanks for the link to Julie’s victory! I just subscribed to that channel on YouTube because I find it if-ey to operate otherwise & they have TONS of recent races in the UK posted on YouTube. So that was a GREAT find! Thank you.
@Brenda S., Dawn Conrad, Sue F.,Debbie G.,+ Barbara Wood: Thank you so much for your wonderful, inspiring comments. As time goes on, I find that my “ideal readers” — the person(s) I write to & for — are the Zen dumplings. And that’s just SO rewarding. You have no idea. But I bet that our Dottie would understand. You are all AMAZING & it’s a privilege to write THE VAULT for you!
RE: MTB. Thanks for the thank you’s.
HUGS TO ALL!
Abigail from Montreal
P.S. I’m not sure how many realize this, but if you CLICK on my name, it takes you directly to THE VAULT and the most recent article. There are also some excellent links that I put up for those who would like to read even more about thoroughbreds & the sport on the side bar.
Doreen
@All – here’s a link that is addition to the link that JAG from California provided yesterday about genetics and pedigree. It includes comments about Zenyatta and what made her such a great racehorse:
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/64938/science-in-the-mix-pedigree-is-genetics
Doreen
Sorry, meant “is in addition” and not “is addition”. Oops :)
Cynthia H.
@Vicki B: Thank you! I agree with your opinion on the video.
@Terry Crow: We are blessed to both be children of Reenies. The “statue” of the immortal Kinscem in the Chandelier Room is actually a largish bronze, and is very beautiful. When I first began working at Santa Anita, my job was to take children from the L.A. Unified School District on tours throughout the facility. I was intrigued to learn that, despite the excitement of a tram ride through the backside, with it plethora of horses, dogs, chickens, rabbits and the occasional goat, the children often cited the Chandelier Room as being their favorite stop on the tour, awestruck by the “real gold palm trees” situated behind the bar. Who Knew?
@Kari: 12th.
Cynthia H.
*its plethora
Lisa
Your John is a model for trainers to look up to. You were lucky to have him, and he was lucky to have you.
Terry Crow
Just catching up on some very good posts. Zenyatta people are the best. @Judy Berube, Brenda S and Barbara Wood-Glad you enjoy the jokes. @Sue Noel-I would like to take credit for the devil’s siste joke as it make me laugh, too. However, it wasn’t one of mine. Whoever posted that one, stand up and be counted. The Three Lives of Thomasina is one of the best of its kind. I’m sure you miss your cat as I miss my old hound. @Sue Fredrick-I also read the book about Secretariat’s groom and agree with you. I have a book with Kentucky Derby champions in the winner’s circle and Eddie is there, you can see his checked pants, but you can’t see him. I guess that tells a story in itself. @JAG-Thanks for the link to Julie Krone’s win. I consider her one of the best jockeys of all time, not merely the best female jockey. Interesting in that the race did not have any turns. @Diana S-As always your comments are very much appreciated. Sometimes life is just not fair. @signofthetimes-As far as BL is concerned,it depends on what the owners and the trainer have in mind for her. Are they going after glory or dollars? If it is glory, BL must run in the BC to win HOY. IF not, shut her down after her next race and campaign her next year. I really admire the Mosses for bringing Zenyatta back in 2010 to compete for HOY when she should have won it in 2009. That move produced a series of races that will be remembered long after I’m gone. I belive that Hollendorfer was playing poker with BL and lost. IF HDG had lost in the Woodward, a distinct possibility, the path would have been clear for BL to be HOY. Anything else this year for BL is strictly for the money, not that there is anything wrong with that. As usual, your opinions are thought provoking. @Cynthia H-We are indeed, blessed. I plan to see the Kincsem bronze on my next trip to SA. @Susan in TN-I can’t believe that someone from Tennessee is not familiar with Slim Whitman. Check him out on you tube if you get a chance. Your question leads me to believe that you HAVE worn shorts to a funeral parlor. @Kari Bussell and Susan in TN-You might be a redneck if you celebrate Groundhog Day because you believe in it. Will post a joke later.
Susan
Your Team is the BEST. What a great example they set for trainers, owners, jockeys, support and YOU
We all miss you-I bet at Breeders Cup this year they’ll be lots of Z hats
Delrene
Hi Z – Down here in Ca ( San Diego County and other areas) massive power outage for approx 11 hours starting around 3:30 on Thursday. Nothing as horrible as fires or floods but more of a traffic snarl-up and inconvenience. Most everyone is back up now. So I have lots to catch up on in your blog and no time today. Must say though, one caught my eye. JAG IN CA LOVES MTB as much as I do!
Met him at his home in NM for “Mine that Bird” day. Dr. Blach, his groomer, his exercise rider and all the family. He is tiny and so cute. Love how he plays with his ball. I know they love him too. Plus he looked so spiffy in the parade march at Ruidoso Downs. and a bizarre turn of events later in the year, I literally almost walked into Calvin Borel at the Hilton in Monrovia California that winter or early 2010 when he was awarded the George Wolf award. I was in town for another event and out he pops from a big SUV. He was with his wife and brother. Such a gentleman and I told him I just thought he did great with Birdy. It was great for me and he was very polite and courteous. Horse fans love their horses and riders. Anyway, can’t wait to have some time to read the posts and all the links. Everyone stay safe and hope Mother Nature calms down.