Good Morning to EVERYONE!!!!!
I hope all is well with all of you! I’m doing GREAT! I just had to share this photo with you this morning. Maggie Yount took it and sent it to Dottie. John and I have this game we play. As many of you know, John ALWAYS wears a baseball type cap! I have truthfully NEVER seen him without one. (Dottie even teased him that he needed to wear one when they got married. IT IS JUST SO MUCH A PART OF HIM…and HIS PERSONALITY.)
The object of our game is that I would try to take the CAP OFF OF HIS HEAD! Well, on this afternoon, this is the first photo…me sniffing around his head and nuzzling his head/cap. Then guess what happens next????????? I WIN! I grab the cap…and start playing with it. John just laughs. After a bit, I do let him take it back. John and I would do this often at the barn. THIS IS OUR SPECIAL GAME!
The other cute thing of this photo is that this cap is an AFTER MARKET CAP from Lane’s End. Well, AFTER MARKET was trained by John and was at the barn while I was there. He and I used to graze together in the afternoons. He would be grazing by one tree…and me by the other. AFTER MARKET is now a stallion here at Lane’s End. I hear his foals are lovely! In our industry, they refer to a group of horses born in a particular calendar year as ‘A CROP’. After Market’s first crop…they are currently yearlings. They will turn 2 on January 1st. As you know, that is the official birthday of race horses.
Breeding farms have a stallion area and a broodmare area. AFTER MARKET is in the stallion division in another part of the farm from where I am. When John is here, he also loves to visit his friend, AFTER MARKET. He was a terrific race horse and won some fabulous GRADE 1 races on the turf while he was with us. John is very proud of him and his accomplishments.
We have had such fun…and so many terrific memories!
Oh…the delivery truck is arriving at the main office. I’m hearing that LOTS of people are sending me Holiday Goodies! I guess I have been ONE VERY GOOD GIRL!
Thank you so, so much for thinking of me! Happy Saturday!
With Love,
HUGS TO ALL~
Z
Alex
You’ve been one amazingly good girl, Zenyatta Claus!
Samantha
You have been a great girl this year, Zen. You deserve more than goodies…. LIKE HORSE OF THE YEAR :D
Lara
Aww. Lots of horses love that kinda game. That and zipping and unzipping coats.
Terri
That sounds like a great game. :) You are a GREAT GIRL. Love ya
Terri
Sandra Frey
Santa will definitely be good to you, sweet girl! Thank you so much for posting each day – I really enjoy hearing about your day. I have a photo I’ll post on your Facebook page – I took it when I welcomed you to Kentucky at Keeneland. It’s not really a sharp photo because my hands were shaking from excitement and the cold. Blessings to you always, Zenyatta, and to your connections!
Nancy McNaul Applegate
What a precious photo! thanks for sharing some memories, Zen! you are so thoughtful!
Becca
Any thoughts on who you will mate with?
A.P. Indy? :)
I’m so happy you do these posts, I hope your day gose well, and I hope you get to meet Life is Sweet soon
Edie Dickenson
What a fun photo, Zenny! And guess what: I opened a Christmas gift early and it’s an ornament of you! So it’s now front and center on my tree! I am sending lots of love to you! I know you’ll keep your happy positive attitude!
Judy Gadwood Loves Zenny/California
Oh, Zenny! I look forward to your wonderful posts every day… it’s like Christmas morning every time! You fill my heart with so much joy and happiness. You were so blessed to have John as your trainer. Trainer of The Year! Hugs & kisses! XO
Becca
I’m so happy you do these posts, I hope your day gose well, and I hope you get to meet Life is Sweet soon :)
Henrietta Wolfe
Yes, Zenyatta, You are a very good girl. You deserve all the goodies you are receiving. I can hardly wait to see what your big Christmas will be. Did you ask Santa for something special!!! Love You!!
Terry
Z, you are the BOMB!!! Love hearing from you! John signed our “After Market” BloodHorse cover last March @ Santa Anita! Dottie introduced us to John and Mr. Moss. Took pictures w/ all. Everyone was soooo nice!!! You are so lucky to have these fabulous people as your family!!
Mary Stanford
I saw one other clip of you Z taking off John’s hat…that is so cute…you are such a smart girl. I am glad it is going so well for you in KY…but I bet if known …the people at Barn 55 wishes you were there. But things change and we just have to roll on with them. Hugs to you Z!!!
vicky
I made a ‘thank you’ for the Zenyatta team, at the end of one of my regular videos. The video is not a Zenyatta video (sorry) just one of my training videos, and the thank you is at the very end. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icUw6SrRQ10
Toi
Hi Zenny! Every time I read your blog I learn something new. This time it is about the term “crop”. Thanks so much and have a wonderful day. I’m in Georgia so I know how it has been rainy. I can’t wait to come visit you. I’ll be waiting to hear from Lane’s End on how and when that will happen.
kathy wilson
Keep them coming! Your fans love these pics and comments so much! I vote for A. P. Indy,also.
Patti and Don
HMMM! AFTER MARKET…ARE YOU GIVING US A HINT AS TO WHO WILL BE DADDY TO YOUR FIRST FOAL????
HOW MUCH FUN ESPECIALLY SINCE JOHN HAD TRAINED BOTH OF THESE CHAMPIONS.
sue w
Zenyatta…you are such a big tease! I know John must miss you and your little antics but at the same time you are in a great place at this point in your young life. Did anyone tell you that you should be a teacher? We learn such valuable stuff by reading your blog. May you continue to get lots of treats…YOU have been a very good girl this year. Please tell Dottie she should have some treats, too. :-)
Carol
I love reading your blog pretty girl! You have led a charmed life and we are so fortunate that you can share it with us! We love you!
Selene McCarthy
Everyday is Christmas Day for you, my girl! You have the best family a horse could hope for…and I second the opinion that John should be trainer of the year!
Keep taking his hat..he loves it!
Diana Hanson
My husband actually looked at my office walls today and just shook his head. You have a special shot on one wall…the I look at the most…lolol. I hope you have an awesome weekend! Have fun, Z!
Jenna
Yay! Saturday update. Thank you so much for your update. I hope John visits Z when he can. I’m sure she’ll remember him forever.
Happy Saturday and keep warm. Stay away from that ice.
Patricia
Zen- I cannot remeber whre I saw either this exact photo or one like it…there are so many Great pics of you on the internet…but, I love how you are wrapped a little behind the tree, as if you are playing “hide & seek!” I think you need a bigger tree though!!!
Hey…might you be chosen to have a section at the Churchill Downs Museum…along with Seattle Slew & some of the other Greats? What an honor & an appropriate place for you to be remembered…NOT LIKE WE WILL EVER FORGET YOU!!!!
Teresa
love your stories,its raining in cali,sure miss you…Were still watching all your races and my friends who didnt know you well now they do..and they thought you were beautifull…my dog loves to watch you too, we play your video alot danceing queen and she gets really excited watching you race, she runs around our living room its her race track..how funny she really enjoys watching you .we can hardly wait to see you and running around can make somemore videos of you danceing.
Kathleen Burnham
Hope you are getting alot of GREAT goodies!!! I bet that you will have plenty to share with all of the other horses too!!! I am sure that they are all very jealous of all the attention you have been getting, maybe if you share with them they won’t be so upset!!!! lol Have a good weekend, thank you for sharing the photo of you and John!!!
Zen-Fan
See how you get to the “heart” of all of us! How special of a game for the two of you to play! I read some of John’s bio…what an incredible man….I understand why the two of you have such a special connection…This is why so many simply adore you…it is effortless!
Patricia M
Hi, Zenny! I see that you came in second to Lindsey Vonn in the AP Female Athlete of the Year voting – as reported by CBS Sports this afternoon! And you were the top horse in the voting.
So proud of you Zenny – (and love the story about the hat game) – you are so sweet and intelligent –
Love you, sweet girl – Merry Christmas!
Bkaye
Just got your limited edition Christmas ornament. It really looks likes you. I will add it to my zenyatta shrine.
Linda B
Do I see a glint in your eye girl? I am sure the folks there will take their time finding you a “Date” after all you are the QUEEN. I am sure all of your fans are waiting for the day they see you run in the spring grass. You will smell sweet life all around you girl..That day is coming.
carolyn
LOL – My sister and I were actually there that day! We have similar pictures of you taking John’s hat off