Happy Friday to ALL!
It is another wonderful time for our sport this weekend. The programs in our country are highly contested. Then at Ascot, their weekend card features the inaugural British Champions Day. The race which will truly create a great deal attention is the Queen Elizabeth II Stakes–G1. FRANKEL is entered to run in this one mile turf event. He is going for his 9th straight victory while remaining undefeated! The feeling of anticipation and excitement surrounding this wonderful 3 year old colt is something to be enjoyed and embraced by all of racing.
FRANKEL…by Galileo (GB) out of Kind…is owned and bred by Juddmonte Farms. As a 2 year old, he performed beautifully in his races…so much so that he was awarded the honor of being the 2010 European Champion 2 year old colt.
As a 3 year old, he has continued to develop and mature at a very high level. As of August 5, 2011, he was ranked #1 in the World Thoroughbred Rankings!
This is truly an achievement of great pride and respect!
Other 3 year old stakes will be running this weekend in our country. In California, the Oak Tree Derby runs on Saturday and the Harold C. Ramser, Sr. (fillies) on Sunday! Then at Keeneland, we have the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup on Saturday for 3 year old fillies. This is one FUN TIME of the year to be 3!
HERE’S WISHING THE VERY BEST TO ALL OF THE HORSES AND THEIR CONNECTIONS!
Enjoy your handicapping and your weekend!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
PS. I know what MY JOHN did yesterday! I’ll share it with YOU next week! He said it was VERY SPECIAL and I’D BE SO PROUD!
JAG / California :-)
California stewards back Dutrow ban
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/national-news/2011/10/14/california-stewards-back-dutrow-ban.aspx
~~~~~~~~~
British jockeys back off from strike threat
http://www.drf.com/news/british-jockeys-back-strike-threat
Judy G
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
Sure looking forward to the special races taking place this weekend and especially excited for Frankel, just love that fellow. This is a fantastic time of the yr and there are so many talented now that are gracing the tracks. Miss seeing you though Zenyatta. Hope you have a super wonderful weekend. Love you lots dear sweet lady! Love & Blessings with lots of hugs!
judy berube
Dear Terry Crow:
Yes Russ knows and it did. Loved all the jokes today.
Thank you. Hugs, JB
sharon in seattle
Sharon call – couldn’t agree with you more! I know I’ve read somewhere the opinion that the BC 2010 Classic WAS Zenyatta’s greatest race. Queen Z is the epitome of TRUE GRIT!
Ingrid Arnone
My dear Zenyatta, thank you for wishing us a good racing weekend, yes I going to bet big this weekend I need the money this way I can go to see you in November, I can not wait for the news from John S. Love you Ingrid.
judy berube
Dear J. Smith:
I remember Turkoman. He ran 2nd in the 1985 Travers Stakes. Absolutely beautiful horse. Where did you read about the syndicate who owns him not paying for his keep? As of 2009, I found this link that has him pensioned at E A Ranches in Santa Ysabel, CA. Hugs, JB
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rockandracehorses/4092311422/
MLV
Dear Judy Berube:
I was the one who mentioned that his syndicate would not pay for him to stay at EA Ranches. I am a friend of Jeanne Mirabito’s who pays a big chunk of his board. I was at the ranch this week and was able to spend some time with Turkoman. The manager there also said that the syndicate would not pay all the board. He had been at another barn and even though there was nothing wrong with the barn, the barn manager called up the manager at EA Ranches and told her that if Turkoman were to stay at her place, he would not live long. It just was not the place for him. He has a huge pasture at EA Ranches and seems quite happy. That other place was much cheaper than EA Ranches and the syndicate would not pay for him to move to EA Ranches so Jeanne, the manager at EA Ranches and one other person are paying part of his board and the syndicate is paying the other part.
pamela manzer
Have a wonderful weekend Zenny. Love and Kisses
Debbie G
@JAG/California – Thanks for the wonderful news about Dutrow being banned from training in CA. Hoof ray! Also, thanks for the birthday wishes. Too bad I didn’t get to hang with fellow Dumplings and Mike Smith like you did!
@Terry Crow – Thank you. I love your redneck jokes!
@Heidi – Happy Belated Birthday!
Barbara Grimaldi
Sharon–I’m late in joining you, but I am joining you in what you say about Zenny’s last race. I’ve watched it many times because I still cannot believe what I saw. Way, way back, space getting shorter, and here comes this magnificent race mare roaring to the front. Unforgettable. As I watch that race now, I watch the Zenny the entire time…don’t have to see the other horses anymore…i just watch her. And when I see her flight, I thank God she did not stumble and injure herself in any way. That race, I think, made the most dramatic statement about Zenyatta’s greatness…
Not sure I can cut Hollendorfer any slack here, as suggested above, because he has a reputation for being no friend of horses. Wonder where that reputation comes from…
Question of the day, please…would appreciate any and all responses to this question, as the identification of a problem has to be paired with a real solution.
We all agree that TB racing has to be regulated, that it has self-regulated since its inception, that there is too much corruption, too much sale to slaughter, too much drugging, too many infractions by trainers/owners–and I’m sure you can add to that horrendous list. Could you please suggest what type of national organization/board/commission could be established that COULD manage racing, an entity that would be honest, unbiased, consistent, focused on the horse and not on money…what kind of an entity do you recommend to do that work? You see, those of us working on cleaning up racing don’t want to close down racing. All the problems and perpetrators of infractions could pile up in a box, but if there is no top entity to supervise and license and monitor–what good is the knowledge that infractions have been committed?
To give you an example, we’ve just found a list of all trainers in the USA who have committed infractions. Some big names on that list like Pletcher, et alia, but you should see the “fines” these good old boys get–$100, $75, $200, and the like. So why not drug your horse up or run it till it drops so you don’t have to pay for vet care, or sell your horses to kill buyers who haul them to a kill auction and then on to slaughter? No one is telling me not to, no one is catching me do this over and over, and if they do, so what? I can afford $200 an infraction.
So, repeat, what kind of group can govern racing, because if it doesn’t start on the path toward being governed by fair, professional and honest peers, the sport will continue to go downhill, no matter how many hundreds of thousands of dollars spent on McKinsey surveys for the Jockey Club. State boards seem to have no teeth and are often very biased. Heaven help us if a federal agency is appointed–federal agencies are the ones that encourage the murder of so many animals–horses, burros, wolves, and anything else that might injure the poor cattlemen’s empires.
Yes, clean up racing, but offer a workable solution for its governing. I rest my case, Judge Zenny! First time I’ve ever been in love with a judge…
Debbie G
@Laura J – Did you get tickets for Z’s party?
Marian M.
Live stakes races that South Texans can attend this weekend are the El Joven and La Senorita. The M2 Technology La Senorita Stakes will be run at Retama Park on Saturday. We don’t have many races at this level run in South Texas and so we are especially pleased to see fine Thoroughbred two-year old fillies compete on our home track. The El Joven stakes will also be run on Oct. 15 at Retama for two-year old colts.
Mark Martinez, CEO of M2 Technology, is a devoted fan of racing. His company sponsors the M2 Technology Paddock Preview during the entire TB meet at Retama Park and supports the $75,000 purse for the M2 Technology La Senorita Stakes. Mark throws a party for the stakes race each year in the pavilion at Retama to celebrate the horses and their connections. Mark also supports a string of Thoroughbreds. He selected Michelle Lovell as trainer because she insures that the horse’s interests always come first.
Jonathan Boxie, Remata’s lead outrider, with Riley, his faitfhful Quarter Horse, add much to activities at the starting gate. Riley loves to help anxious Thoroughbreds enter the gate by placing his rump against theirs and pushing. It’s fun to watch. He accomplishes with ease what it would take men effort to do. I am bringing a package of horse treats for Riley on Saturday night.
If you’re anywhere near San Antonio, come to Retama Park on Saturday night. If you’re not, you can catch the races via streaming video at Retamapark.com.
Deborah Richman
Best of luck and safe trips to all the competitors this weekend! The beautiful fillies, the great Frankel, so many to root for :)
Thank goodness for HRTV and their free web casts.
@Debbie G…Happy Birthday!
@Trina Nagele…great poems for Debbie G, and the Three Zenyateers!
@JAG…thank you for all the links. Giacomo is so beautiful and has so much personality…that video of him running along the fence IS heavenly :) And I’m so happy about Frazier!!
Brenda S…how lucky that you got to meet Giacomo!
@Sharon Call…your description of Z in the 2010 BC Classic was spot on! I was new to racing when I watched it and even I had goose bumps, realizing I was watching true greatness.
@Judy Berube…your comment to me a couple of days ago was really beautifully said. Thank you, and as always, thank you for all the interesting links and information :)
@Terry Crow and the rednecks… all the various forms of redneck jokes are really making me laugh too much! The California redneck jokes are hitting close to home :)
@Heidi… Happy Belated Birthday! The fifties are fabulous and the sixties are sensationational!
@MLV…really enjoyed your description of visiting Turkoman and helping out with Game Plan’s vet treatment.
All Z-sters…I know I am missing a lot of people, but I have enjoy all your posts so much and appreciate all the links, etc. Thank you! It is nice to have a love for Z in common with so many wonderful people :) Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!
judy berube
Dear MLV:
So for now he is able to stay at E A Ranches? This is so wrong. When these TB’ give their all, run and earn, in Turkoman’s case $2,146,924.00, some of that money should be put aside for the horse’s care in retirement. They also earned fees from his Stud duty. The industry has got to make mandatory funds available for these horses for their retirement. So you think it’s only low level Claiming horses that are neglected. This proves it can happen to any one of them; Claimer or Champion. Shameful and so sad. Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Deborah Richman:
You’re welcome and thank you. Hugs, JB
Deborah Richman
@Sue Fredrick…You lucky duck, you saw Giacomo too :)
Germaine
Zenyatta, with all of this talk about the 2009 and 2010 Breeders Cup Classic Races, I decided to watch them on YouTube. Your athletic ability was simply AMAZING and Mike Smith’s choice of routes in 2009 was brilliant. I know that Mike Smith blamed himself for the 2010 BC defeat, but I think instead we should thank him for bringing you home in such fine shape. Love ya.
Delrene
Happy Frday Zenyatta.
@JAG – My friend and I are coming from Carlsbad tomorrow to the races @SA. and staying the evening so that we can go watch early morning workouts@ Clockers Corner. I’ll be wearing my Z Dumpling Badge of Honor. Hopefully we will cross paths. We are just going to get Clubhouse Admission because I wander all over the place, finish line, paddock and for sure will not miss the statue of John Henry! We are “ladies of a certain age”!
Go Cloudman!!!! A safe trip for all horses this next weekend. I wish we could go see Blind Luck. I’m assuming she is over @ Hollywood Park . Would love to say goodbye to her and thank her for all her incredible races.
Trina, I’ll go back later to read your poems. I always am amazed at your talent. What a gift.
Lois
Visited many horse farms, and all the visits were great, but Adena Springs, where Giacomo stands stud, is outstanding.
judy berube
Dear J. Smith, MLV and Z Fans:
Check out our new website where a campaign of letters, e-mails and telephone calls is underway to urge the Thoroughbred Racing Industry to make Retirement Funding for Thoroughbreds Mandatory. Please go to http://www.equi-army-ndo.com/ and click on our Campaigns page if you would like to participate in this very important effort to help our beloved horses. Hugs, JB
Sally B.
Loveable Z, I am glad I am not holding my breath as I am so excitedly curious about what John has done!! But, I can be patient. Bravo for Frankel He sure is showing what he is made of. I love the way you are happy for all the others racing. Of course, you would know what it is like and what it takes to have done what you have all accomplished. And, we all just love & adore your personality & your dance!! Please always remember this. Your our forever Queen. My friend & I hope to drive by Lanes End, perhaps drop off some treats for you Z. Pretty soon I will start counting the days until I have the chance to meet your family & see you at your party!! Wish all the horses involved in the races a safe journey.
Enjoy your week-end Mama-to-be.
Love with 2 kisses on your soft nose, one for baby z
Joan Pitt
@MLV If Turkoman sired Colonel John, contact Winstar Farms, they will get to the bottom and porbably take him to Winstar for a really comfy life. They are known to cliam horses form their sires and retire them to Kentucky. Why hasn’t old friends been contacted, he would be more then welcome. The key is to track down this ruse’ of a syndicate and smoke them out.
Your beautiful Z, can’t wait for THE LUNCHEON!!!! Love ya Z
quarterhossgal
Hi Queen Z…good Friday to you, hope you are enjoying a beautiful day!
Re Turkoman: It sounds like it is time to put in a call to Michael B at Old Friends and see if he has a special place for the old Champion. I wish we could legislate compassion and care but that has to come from the heart such as kind caring people like John and Dottie and the Moss family.
Peggy One
Barbara Grimaldi: It’s hard for me to know why you would make such a statement about Jerry Hollendorfer “he’s no friend of horses”. I’m just flabbergasted to hear anyone even suggest such a thing. I’ve been in racing since 1960 and that’s a damned long time. NEVER have I heard anyone make such a statement about him! EVER. Please don’t repeat something someone said that knew nothing about him at all. At the very least it’s not kind and at the worst it’s gutter gossip.
Sally B.
@Peggy(N) Nice to hear from you too. I will be there in Ocala at those sales, God willing! I think you said March 13 & 14 or was it 14th, 15th. I’ll find my note somewhere. Bloodhorse may post that info too, do you think? Are you going to Zenyatta’s party?
@all; has anyone ever gone a day or so before an auction takes place to view the horses? We were thinking of doing that at the barns at Keeneland while down for Z and I was wondering if they let you walk through.
guido
They are good Z, but none are you. The excitement you brought to every race is unequaled! But I’ll be rooting for your old friend Goldikova to win in the Breeders Cup. I’m sure you share this sentiment!
JAG ~ California
I’m sharing lots of links because I won’t be on here tomorrow (Saturday), I’ll be at the track ;-)
TJC Launches Thoroughbred Incentive Program
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/65561/tjc-launches-thoroughbred-incentive-program
Judy G
JAG ~ California
Feud Over British Whip Rules Growing
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/65560/feud-over-british-whip-rules-growing
Sally B.
@Kathy Wilson; I seldom do responses, but I am truly tickled for you!!
Sunny Boyd
Good evening Zenyatta,
well, it’s Friday, yeeehaaa. I bet to you oats taste just as good on Saturday than they do on Friday. You lucky horse, you.
@ Judy Berube
I agree with you about the financial responsibilities covering the entire life cycle of a racehorse. How much, what would the numbers actually look like for that to happen properly?
Pillow chuckle for tonight’s sleepy time:
Things aren’t right. If a burglar breaks into your home and you shoot him, he can sue you. For what, restraint of trade? Bill Maher
Have a restful night and dream sweet