Good Morning,
This is going to be a very busy week. Some of my dear friends from Barn 55, NEREID and STAR BILLING, are in town to run in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup this Saturday at Keeneland. It is a Grade 1 stakes race going 1 1/8 miles on the turf for 3 year old fillies.
This is an Invitational Race…and both fillies were invited. What an HONOR for each of them! When a race is classified as an ‘Invitational’…it means the Racing Secretary (the person who manages all of the entries for races and writes the condition books) reviews all of the possible candidates for a particular race . He and his staff then decide which horses would be the most qualified to run in the particular race based upon their accomplishments. After all of this is considered, the top horses are given an ‘invitation’ to run.
NEREID and STAR BILLING arrived Tuesday at about noon Kentucky Time via a Tex Sutton Charter. MY JOHN, Frank, and Jose Luis traveled with them on the plane. I heard the flight went very well and they have settled nicely into their Keeneland barn.
The weather here is picture perfect at this time. I hope it stays this way the rest of the week for them.
When MY JOHN took this photo, Frank was doing something by NEREID’S stall. Jose Luis’ charge, STAR BILLING, was in her stall relaxing nice and comfortably.
So much fun!
As you may recall, FRANK was on my traveling team. We always had such fun together.
Entries for Saturday’s race will be taken this morning. Here’s hoping they both get a GREAT POST POSITION!
Joe Talamo will be flying in from California to ride NEREID. Victor Espinoza is coming into town to ride STAR BILLING! Hmmm…..I wonder if their jockeys will travel together and be on the same flight…just like the fillies did?
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
luvscritters
Can someone explain to me what the problem is with Blind Luck, et al, being sold at auction? ZENYATTA was bought at an auction as a baby. It’s not like these horses are going straight to a slaughterhouse, it’s an AUCTION; I seriously doubt there would even BE a kill buyer at an auction like this. Am I missing something?
Most racehorses have a racing career of about three years or less — if an owner tried to keep every horse he ever raced he’d quickly be overrun with horses and couldn’t possibly feed them all. Would you rather see these horses standing useless in a stall or go on to a new career with a new owner? Zenyatta is LUCKY to be owned by the Mosses who are NOT “typical” racetrackers; she is not the norm. Racehorses are workhorses and have a job to do. Only the extreme cream of the crop, like Zenyatta, can have the kind of life she has earned. For every Zenyatta, there are 1000 horses that were slower than she is that get culled from racing every year. It’s the reality of the industry, especially for owners who don’t have a farm in the first place. If Zenyatta were unable to have foals, would you rather see her standing in a paddock for the next 25 years, or sold to the highest appreciative bidder as a dressage prospect? Zenny would LOVE dressage! She loves to dance! Maybe Blind Luck would too. If you’re worried about where Blind Luck will end up — GO BID ON HER! I seriously doubt she’s going to sell for the $500 she might be worth for horsemeat. They could have sold her on Craigslist for ten times that. It’s no crime, nor is it a sin, to sell an animal you no longer want or need so that it can give someone else joy.
Debbie
hi Z! I always look forward to watching the races, GOOD LUCK to both Nereid and Star Billing! And to all a SAFE trip!!! YOU must be sooo excited to see YOUR John;) Love YOU gorgeous mama xoxoxo
The Kennedys in San Diego
@LauraJ — Your knowledgeable comments are always appreciated.
Sally B.
Hi sweet Z; Your info is sooooo interesting! John is close by and you can see him, along with Frank too. If I lived in Kentucky I would be visiting those Keeneland barns and going to the races so often. They call the hunters’ wifes in Wi.,hunting widows; my husband would be called the horse widow! ha ha I’m glad you have more excitement in your life.
Love with 2 kisses on your soft nose, one for baby z
Sally B.
@luscritters; In my opinion it just seems so ungrateful of the owner to place this proven race horse at auction right after a lose, when earning 3 1/2 million for him, and BL still had potential . Guess it is all about money not the horse.
Sally B.
@Peggy(N) Thank you for your expression on Blind Luck, I agree with what you’ve said. I am a worrier too for many things! Wish I wasn’t, life could be much simplier.
Sally B.
@Judy Berube; thanks, thanks for the Barbara Livingston photgraphic tribute link. I wish she had prints for sale!! Especially of Mario and Z. loved them
judy berube
Dear Sally B.:
I think she does have prints for sale. Here’s the link to her web page. Don’t know if she has that particular photo for sale. Hugs, JB
http://www.barbaralivingston.com/#
judy berube
Dear Terry Crow:
I’m the President of the NE Redneck Club? Wow, what an honor! Love all the redneck jokes. Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Sally B.:
Here’s another line to BL with a great photo of Zenyatta and Mario. Maybe you could contact her and see what photos of Z she has for sale. Hope this helps. Hugs, JB
http://barbaradlivingston.photoshelter.com/gallery-slideshow/G0000_OXHVNHGtXk/?start=
Barbara Grimaldi
I think it’s really nice to see so many of us sincerely concerned about Blind Luck. OK, so she’ll be fine, but many of us are in love with that little firebolt and we just don’t want to see her hurt in any way.
About Dutrow, he doesn’t earn a living–he steals it, so I have no sadness about a guy like him, with all his violations, if he gets chased out of the industry.
Will other states take him? Does King Kong like big bananas? He could have a wonderful career at Mountaineer, Beulah, Penn, etc., mucking out stalls until he can’t bend anymore. And we’ll only give him shots every few days, so he won’t suffer much…
All kidding aside, the Dutrows of the world are the cancers on the soul of racing and they have to be expelled.
Zenny–please ask the Mosses and Dottie and John to buy Blind Luck so that you and Tasty have another sweet friend to romp with. Wow–would that be a happy MGM technicolor ending or what???
Sue Fredrick
Zenny your friend Nereid takes a lovely picture, she’s got a beauitiful head. Good luck tomorrow and Saturday to all those racing and no more injuries PLEEEEESE!!
@Barbara Grimaldi I agree with you BL is my Mighty Mouse I love her and I guess I ‘m protective of her. I loved your post with the sarcasm…..too cute.; Do you suppose the Mosses read these posts and will take the hint and buy BL. That would be a dream come true.
Diana S
@Barbara Grimaldi: Skipper, you are okay. Back from the ledge you have led many of us. Glad to see the acerbic wit intact.
@luvscritters and @LauraJ: You both made excellent and honest points that I mostly agree with. My concern and disappointment comes from the rapidity of the decision to sell at auction, and the insensitive way it was announced. Yep, the owners and trainers have the right. But that doesn’t “make it right” if you get my drift. BL will be fine, almost regardless of where she lands. I’d still love to see her rested and raced next year to go out a winner in the hands of a true horseman instead of a poser and under a cloud.
diastu in tempe
Pam
Thank you for the information about an Invitational. I’m learning so much from you, Zenyatta!
I love the pictures that Mr. Shireffs took of the plane and the horse transport van at the airport. It amazes me because I can’t imagine any of my horses on a plane! Yet, horses fly, settle in to a new stall, and race as if they had gone around the block instead of across the country.
Good Luck to Nereid and Star Billing!
Hugs to you, Miss Zenny and your little Z/B.
Robyn Mullhausen
Did “your John” serve Guinness to the horses in the First Class passenger stalls?
Paul
Zenyatta, congratulations to your buddies being invited to run in an invitational race at Keeneland. It must be amazing to you that your friends who still live where you used to live are racing in the state in which you live currently. I wish them luck.