To my Dear, Dear Friends,
HAPPY FAN APPRECIATION DAY!
I wanted to take a day and truly THANK ALL OF YOU for being such wonderful fans and friends…not just to ME….but to MY TEAM AND MY SPORT! In reading the comments so many of you post, it is all quite touching!
I absolutely LOVE the way you rally around all of the Z FANS. You have become such friends and are so supportive of each other! I do hope in some way, I have encouraged this to happen and helped to make your day a bit more FUN! One thing for sure, by reading these comments, I do feel many of you have made some very special friendships….and for this I am quite pleased and proud!
So many of YOU are excited about MY LIFE SIZE PAINTING! So am I. As you may have realized, I have not seen it yet…but when MY JOHN says it is MAGNIFICENT….I couldn’t be more proud! Susan, Harold, Sharyn and Linda to name a few….your comments about seeing the painting at MY PARTY are TOO CUTE! I especially laughed when Linda commented that she would ‘swing by’ from North Carolina to come to the party!
As for where the painting will be displayed next, that has yet to be determined. Please offer some suggestions after it is unveiled at the party… and I’m sure MY TEAM will take them into consideration. They are just as excited to see YOUR FACES when it is unveiled…as they were to hear MY JOHN’S reactions to it. Jaime…we are really getting excited about this!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY….Deborah Richman and Charlotte Farmer! May you both (and all others celebrating an October Birthday) have a wonderful year filled with great health, happiness, and many special moments!
I’m still laughing at the comment Joy Bruce made when seeing the photo of MY JOHN laughing as he was standing next to Tiger….”HONEY, I SHRUNK ZENYATTA”. Joy, this is absolutely TOO CUTE!
To Erin, Kari, Alene and Doris McQ…..ALL BLESSINGS to each of you as you are dealing with your health issues! I’m sending each of you a HIGH HOOF and wishing you ALLTHE BEST during these very difficult times in your lives! I’ll be thinking about YOU!
How special of all of you to note that MY MIKIE is helping with saving Scrumpy! You are so aware and so helpful to others. Thank you!
My tail is fine. I know Karla asked about this. I never had a full-full tail. My Mario always had to be very careful when brushing it. It is really pretty much the same now…just a bit lighter due to the sun ‘highlighting’ it now. (The sun did it for free…LUCKY ME!)
MY TEAM’S DEAR GIACOMO…yes, he is in California now. I want to thank JAG/CALIFORNIA for all of the wonderful links she provided to all of the fans about his new home. He is such a beautiful gray horse…and so accomplished having won the KENTUCKY DERBY. What a thrill! I do hope you get to visit him when traveling in the Santa Ynez Valley. I’ve heard it is quite pretty there.
The Chris Antley ESPN piece…I’ve not seen it yet. I hope you get to enjoy it when aired. An interesting fact about Chris I know is that he rode SET THEM FREE when she won a stakes race at Hollywood Park. SET THEM FREE is GIACOMO and TIAGO’S mother. Their 2 year old little sister by Empire Maker is named STANWYCK. She is settled in nicely now at BARN 55. From all reports, she is a very pretty filly!
Delrene…thank you for the link to the L.A. Zoo Article and information on THE TOM MANKIEWICZ CONSERVATION CAROUSEL. The LA ZOO is very dear to my owners. I know they were more than happy to assist with this project for the zoo and its’ many inhabitants. I also did some fund raising for the LA ZOO when I was at Barn 55. I hosted 2 breakfasts at the BARN…to help out! I know they were very appreciative of my contribution…as well as that of my owners and their dear friend, Tom. (Oh Tom, we so miss you!)
And YES, Trina….that is ME on the right side of the carousel photo! I love it! I look rather good from behind if I say so myself! (Blush, Blush)
In my own special way, I wanted to take a moment this morning and THANK ALL OF YOU FOR BEING SUCH WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL…FANS, FRIENDS, AND SPORTS! I know I could not mention all of your names and the special things that you bring to this site…but please know in my heart, I know you are there. I truly appreciate the comments, the love, the support, and the kindness you exhibit each day on Zenyatta.com! It takes people working together to make special things happen…and each day, I take great pride in the fact that each of you are part of MY BELOVED TEAM OF FANS AND FRIENDS!
I am so, so deeply touched!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
P.S. Dottie just checked. At this very moment, I have 92,009 Facebook Friends and the number is growing! THANK YOU!
Guido
Z – I am sure your painting will be magnificent. It would be so wonderful if it can be exhibited in the NY market sometime. Maybe Belmont or Saratoga. So many of us here were not able to see you live but we sure do love you. Being your fan is the best Z. We look forward to your posts. Love you and can’t wait for the Z baby!!!
Vicki B.
Zenny, you’re welcome. We love you, that’s all there is to it.
Jan
Zenyatta,
Oh, Big Mama, I am so proud to be on your site, and among all the Z’sters. In a way, we are all one big family.. xoxoxo.
christine from Va
Dear voice of Zen,
You have the best of the best to write for. If must be a thrill for you. A gifted sweet animal sent from GOD.
I do not think you know how many life changing events have come from the inspiration of this dear horse. Things you will not hear in the news but yet take place. Even in the lives of people like me who never knew about the world of a race horse.
For me, you brought a grandchild and grandmother who were not connected together. YOU ZEN became that connection.
I will always be thankful for that in my life.
I know your portrait will always be in a place of honor no matter where it hangs.
Thank you Zen’s voice for giving me the gift of my grandchild.
God Bless you all.
Allie
Zenyatta I came across a YouTube that I had not seen before today. It was all about Girl Power (Rachel Alexandra, Black Caviar and who else…Zenyatta, of course). This video contained aerial shots of the 2009 Breeders Cup Classic. Impressive. As I grow older, running at least 4 miles a day is a challenge. But I have found that if I watch a few Zenyatta races before I hit the treadmill or track, I can run those miles down in no time. You are my inspiration. Sweet Dreams.
tony
Zenny, your backside was always a thing of beauty, especially when you were passing all others on the track and having them eat your dirt! About your picture…it definitely should be wherever the Horse Hall of Fame is located BUT not before it makes the rounds of all the tracks you frequented.
Cheryl Manista
Dear Zenyatta, Dottie, John, Jerry, Anne and all of “Team Z”,
I check Zenyatta’s diary everyday to keep up with her and everything she does for others. What a wonderful surprise to see myself in John’s photo from Breeders’ Cup at Churchill. I am the one petting “Queen Z” I can not put into words what that meant to me. I had just lost my precious Datum after 25 years to laminitis. He was a little Morgan with the most beautiful expressive eyes. When I went up to Zenyatta, she looked at me with those same eyes as my Datum! She just seemed to say ” I understand” as I started to cry after kissing her on the side of her muzzle. Just like I did when saying goodnight and I love you to Datum every evening. The time I spent with Zenyatta will stay with me forever! I feel so very special to have spent time with her. Thank you so much for allowing all of us to stay in touch with Zenyatta. She truly is ” A Gift From God.”
tony and sue
For Dottie…THANK YOU for continuing to be Zenny’s voice. And for the Mosses, THANK YOU for letting us continue to be a part of The Queen’s life. Finally, Z…THANK YOU for being the inspiration for all of it.
JAG / California :-)
Dottie ~ I never replied to where Z’s lifesize painting should be on display. I think the “Z Road Show” would be fabulous for starters! I imagine that won’t be inexpensive, though. Almost as expensive as security for the real Queen Z!
~~~~~~~~
Although Zenny’s home base was Hollywood Park, I’m concerned about that track staying open! We’ve been worried for years about that situation.
Because she won the 2009 BC Classic at Santa Anita, I feel that would be the best track for her to be on display, however, I also think the Kentucky Horse Park Museum is a good choice, too, since she was born in Lexington! Tough choices!
Judy G
Samantha
TEAM ZENYATTA, I’m so sorry about ZAZU D: So mad she is skipping the BCLC D: D: D:
janet Cutting
Zenyatta and Dottie: What a great Diary post–I so appreciate how you take time to express your sincere and heartfelt feeling for all of your devoted fans. When I first came to your Diary–I was one of the “newbies” to the wonderful world of horses and Zenyatta. I have enjoyed every Diary post and have gone thru our turbulent times out here and our silly fun loving times. @ENSIGN, you taught us alot about …you know….LOL!!! I have also discovered –since I met my first horse friend–Jack, and I told everyone out here–that I had a better understanding of how they feel about horses and for me its all about what you see in those big brown eyes! So, I am a keeper with you Zenny and I can’t wait for more exciting Diary Post along with the other 90,000 fans.
Debbie
hi Z! oh I’m crying again…YOU (and Dottie) are sooo special and I love YOU sooo much gorgeous mama xoxoxo
M. Kern
I love you Queen Z!!!!!
Andrea
Please give Zenyatta a hug for me.
I miss seeing her race.
When I see her picture or hear them talk about her on TVG, I get all excited!
To me, she is THE greatest horse ever and her human qualities make her all the more special.
In addition to the hug, treat her to one of those beers that she loves while toasting her.
Thank you.
janet Cutting
The Painting— I like the idea of it going on tour and then its finally destination should be with….. Zenyatta’s beloved John. Amen!!!
Debbie G/Kentucky
What a sweet, loving post, Zenyatta! You and Dottie and the rest of your team are just so special and thoughtful. Your post brought tears to my eyes. I’m counting down the days to your party. Love you, beautiful girl!
@Barbara Wood – I agree with what you said about Chris Antley. He saved the horse’s life, for God’s sake. Get over it! Also, thanks for the update on DMCQ. I’m glad she’s feeling better. I’ll say a prayer for her.
@Kimberly Potter – Congratulations on your granddaughter! I’m so glad everything went well. That’s a beautiful name.
@JAG/California – Thank you for the link to the John Lennon letter story. That is so awesome! That makes my day.
@Margaret – I’m sorry you’re still sick. That’s too cute that the doctor gave you a Z pack! That is definitely the right medicine. She can make anyone feel better!
@Dawn Conrad – The Skip Away service was very nice. There was a good crowd there. Skippy’s owner Carolyn Hines was there. You could tell she was emotional before the service, but when she got up to talk she could only get out a few words and she started to break down and couldn’t go on. It was so sad. After her husband died that horse was her world. A gentleman named Gary Stephens from Post Time was with her. He got up and talked about Skip Away’s accomplishments and then gave an impassioned speech about horse slaughter. They even had a special bottle of bourbon there that Woodford Reserve made specially for Skip Away with his name on it. I asked where I could buy one, but they said that was the only one. Afterwards Old Friends had a benefit dinner at a Lexington restaurant for the Hall of Fame cemetery. Old Friends is such an incredible place. I think you should try to make it out to Z’s party, Dawn!
Debbie G/Kentucky
I forgot to add, Zenyatta. I agree with a lot of the other Z’sters that you should have a traveling circuit for your portrait. That way fans from all the country could enjoy it.
Rusty O'Brien
Read about the new carousel in paper today.How wonderful! Pic. showed your beautiful buttum, would know it anywhere. Bet YOU collect more riders than your 2 horse friends and all those precious critters! Your owners have done a wonderful thing again. You are so lucky to have them! Good People.
Paula Higgins
WOW what a nice post from Zenny/Dottie! We fans are the lucky ones to be embraced by Zenny’s family and to be allowed such incredible access to her during her racing career. I think it is a first in horse racing. Now other owners and trainers are taking their cues from Zenny, Dottie, Jerry, Ann and John. Zenny and her family have made a huge impact on the sport. Pretty much amazing. I love that top picture of Zenny taken the day after the BCC. Still the Queen after her greatest race. The carousel is phenomenal!! OMGosh wouldn’t I love to ride on that (even at age 58)! It is a thing of beauty and imagination.
Shari Voltz
Dear Zenyatta You are so special to me. I have through You made such special and dear friends for life. I am honored to be part of something that I can not even put into words. You made life special for my classroom full of children too. This year we are working with a different Horse and it is because of YOU that they even knew who I was. How lucky I am to be just a little part of such a very special family. Yes we call ouselves the Z family and all I can say is THANK YOU. I love you and always will. Hugs and Kisses, Shari and Homeroom 215 XXXOOO
kannj
Zenyatta, You are a true philanthropist. Thank you Dottie for taking the time to communicate for Zenyatta. I do not think there is a keyboard that could accommodate Zenyatta’s hooves.
judy berube
Dear Z and Dottie,
What a beautiful and heartwarming post you have written today. We love you, your Team and all of your Fans. Hugs, Judy and Russ
Kim S in Tampa FL
A total and absolute “Thank You” Zenny and Dottie. Also to John for “helping” (not letting) Dottie keep Zenny’s fan base up-to-date on the everyday news. And to Jerry and Ann for all the things they do for your diary and fans.
Wish I was coming to your party but it was too late to plan so I will just give you a memory of mine from last year’s BC day.
I work in downtown Tampa, living approximately 10 mi away. On my drive to work BC day, having to be to work at 6a, it was still dark. As I got closer to downtown Tampa, I could see the taller buildings that make up the sklyine. The SunTrust building has lights at the very top. They are colored and changed depending on the holiday or sporting event. So guess what color they were on that morning? Yes, Zenny, your silk colors! I could hardly believe what I was seeing. I was just so excited and had tears in my eyes the rest of the way to work. I knew it was going to be a great day. And it was Zenny. I know that you thought you had won and you did. Overcoming the adversity of that dirt track and all the lengths that you made up. You told a story that day, the age old one about striving to win but even if you don’t come in first, always give your best and that’s what everyone will notice.
AS you can see from all your Dumplingz, you are a winner and a blessing to those that “get you” and your Team.
You all are always in our thoughts and prayers. With forever gratefulness of bringing us together, thanks again Queen Z.
Celeste/ Massachusetts
I certainly look forward to checking out your daily posts to see what news you have for us. It is so wonderful to be able to stay in contact with you Zenyatta. I have your beautiful face as my screen saver so I look at you all day!! Not a hard thing to do at all.
I think your life size portrait should be displayed at Churchill Downs. It’s sort of a central location in the country and Churchill Downs is such an historic place.
Thank YOU for everything you do for your fans and for your sport. You are truly special.
I am still suggesting the name: A Simple Gift for your foal. I cannot wait for he/she to be born.
judy berube
Dear Cheryl Manista:
Lovely post. Sounds like you had quite a bond with your Datum. So special. Hugs, JB
Vicki
Thank you for the October Happy Birthday wishes Zenyatta! I can’t be there for your luncheon but I’ve got 6 people going together who will give me a full report. I can’t wait to get to the LA Zoo so I can proudly say I rode Zenyatta!
Delrene from Carlsbad, Ca
I am 67 and I definitely plan on riding Zenyatta on the carousel!!!Next time I’m up at Hollywood Park, it’s a must see & do. Maybe for my birthday . Grandma’s can do whatever they want on their birthday. I could wear my princess tiara and ride on the Queen’s back. Too much fun.
Barbara Wood (Texas)
@Kathy B–thank you for the “behind the scenes” account from CD.
@Delrene–you and I can be at the party in spirit.
@Cheryl Manista–lucky girl!
@Shari Voltz–thanks for checking in. We miss you more now that school has started,but we’re always interested in what your class is doing.
judy berube
Dear Karen G:
Your post is too funny. Can’t wait to read DS’s reply. Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Susan in Tn.:
You’re so welcome. Hugs, JB