Happy Friday to ALL!
I so hope all of you are well…and our friends who needed some of our ‘special thoughts’ earlier this week are doing better!
Recently, I have spent some time outdoors with Matt contemplating so many different things. On Saturday, BLACK CAVIAR is competing in the G2–Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse. She is going for her 15th victory in a row…with the hope of becoming 15 for 15. Here’s wishing her a safe and successful trip! This is quite an accomplishment to achieve the first 14 victories…so all the best to her!
Then in America, we have some wonderful races taking place over the next few days. New York has their Showcase Day on Saturday. The Breeders’ Cup prep events are concluded and we are now gearing up for the Pre-Entries to be taken on Monday morning. It is getting quite exciting!
The majority of horses preparing to run in the World Championship races will probably have 2 more workouts before their BIG DAY! So much needs to be organized and planned in advance so each horse is RIGHT ON TARGET to do his/her best when competing in these events!
As for my dear pal, ZAZU, she will not be participating in the Ladies’ Classic this year. After she breezed the other morning, she had an inflammation in her right shoulder area. The proper tests were performed. It was discovered very quickly and she will be 100% soon. She simply needs some RNR at this time. Zazu will be out of her regular training routine for about 90 days. During that time, she will be hand-walked a couple times each day and enjoy a well-deserved and relaxing vacation.
We thoroughbred horses are athletes…no different than humans. Sometimes, we are not quite ourselves, for one reason or another. Fortunately, we have wonderful people around us who pick up on this very quickly…and the proper measures are taken to be sure we will be fine.
The technology today is also at such a high level. The veterinarians and vet hospitals have machines that can evaluate the different parts of a horse’s body to see exactly what is going on with specific bones and muscles. The level of sensitivity that these machines can analyze and detail is quite amazing. The constant growth and progress in this aspect of the industry truly amazes ME!
Relax and have a fun weekend! As for ME, I’m resting up for MY PARTY. It takes place exactly 2 weeks from today!
With Love,
Hugs to All,
Z
signofthetimes
Take Charge Indy has Bullet Work; another of AP Indy’s talents
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/65698/take-charge-indy-has-bullet-work-at-churchill
signofthetimes
True Nicks information on Cape Blanco
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/truenicks/archive/2011/10/20/cape-blanco-joins.aspx
Kathleen Kimber KC.MO
Diana S. Sorry about your Aunt Helen.
Congrats to Black Caviar. Happy racing today may everyone come home safe and sound
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
Hope you are having a great Saturday. You look great in your sweater cheering in your PAL Black Cavier, another talented filly.
There is only one Queen Zenyatta. RA does have a very noticible
baby bump as well. You long body is hiding yours well. Just like women with long waists, you look wonderful. Enjoy the Blue Grass
today and relax with TT. XXXXOOOO
signofthetimes
@Abigail from Montreal
Have been trying to find the answer to this question on internet, but not much luck. Wondered if you might have any ideas or references regarding this question; What is the advantage of breeding to the stallion directly like Galileo versus one of his sons?
If the son is talented would it be as powerful of a stamp for Galileo’s breeding. I guess it would be like Bernardini, stamping himself, through his dam and sire who were both talents. ?????
signofthetimes
@Terri Z
Here is an article on teaching a stallion how to breed correctly; and not offend a mare.
Most of the big breeding operations have a teasing stallion so the the mating stallion just come in when the mare is ready to be bred:
Very interesting article:
http://mccallshorseworld.com/cms/images/pdf/HandBreeding.pdf
Alex Bowdoin
@ DianaS- condolences on the passing of Aunt Helen. Take care, Alex….
signofthetimes
@Abigail from Montreal
Just read your blog on So You Think, so wonderful; he has such a confident kind eye and that forelock of his is sooo very masculine and rugged. What a talent !!!! Loved his win in the Irish Stakes and the battle with the very talented Snow Fairy. He is definately, if trained right and likes the dirt, a force to be contended with in the BCC.
Really love your blogs so much !!!!
Kimberly Potter/Montana
@Susan in TN, Judy Berube and ALL~ Thanks so much for all the “Congrats” on my new grandbaby girl Evyn Bell. My friendships here mean the world to me. I’m sorry I can’t name everyone by name… but I thank you all from the bottom of my big Z heart. It is a very busy time right now as I also have my daughter and 3 other grandkids (5, 4, and 2 1/2)here with me. Craziness abounds and I love every minute of it!Love and hugs to all of you.
Zenyatta’s #1 fan in Montana!
Kimberly Potter/Montana
@Diana S~ So sorry about the passing of your Aunt Helen…Hugz to you and your family!
Patricia Emery
So glad to see you outside getting some great autumn fresh air! So Sad to hear about ZAZU and her injury, but as mentioned by someone above, happy to hear her health and wellness comes first. As Z fans, it really is remarkable that you raced without injury for 20 races and retired at 100%! Extremely thankful to the Mosses and Team Z for their extraorinary care for you and ALL of their horses. As we are getting closer to BC, you need to get extra beauty rest because it will be a BIG day for you and all horse racing fans.
XOXO
Kimberly Potter/Montana
@Deborah Richman~ CONGRATULATIONS on your new little Dumpling Keith….who would have thought that our grandbaby’s would be born a day apart. Thanks for the kind thoughts and please know that mine are coming your way as well. I LOVE THIS PLACE….:)
Patti
Happy afternoon dear Zenyatta. I sure miss seeing you race. Well, as much as I miss seeing you I am so so happy you are doing to wonderfully well and keeping so busy with your updates. You special girl. Looking forward to Breeders Cup weekend (on TV). Oh, I sure wish I could attend your party. Take care happy girl. Smooches and hugs to you today.
Vicki B.
About the Conservation Carousel opening Oct. 27 at the L.A. Zoo, that Anne & Jerry Moss are sponsoring, which focuses on endangered animals, but also includes a unicorn, and 3 horses: Zenyatta, Giacamo, and Tiago. I told my brother, he wants to go ride them, and he also sent this joke: “You might be a red-neck if you mistook the merry-go-round for a shooting gallery!” http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-zoo-carousel-20111019,0,2703053.story
Gloria Jeanne - The O.C.
http://www.facebook.com/ZenyattaOfficial?sk=photos#!/ZenyattaOfficial?sk=photos
I posted some photos on FaceBook of a Mare and her 1 day old colt. They are TOO CUTE – It’s that we can look forward to in March 2012.
Dottie- I hope this event can be well documented for the future. Zenny foal is going to be THE MOST FAMOUS FOAL in a long time – Zen Royality. I hope a movie or a documentory is in the works.
Anne from Paramount, CA
Hi again Queen Z. So much to keep up with it and through it all you continue to look so calm and gorgeous!
@Debbie G, yes I second Dawn Conrad’s words,thanking you for your Skip Away ceremony description. Always good to hear from someone actually at such an event.
@Dawn Conrad, MANY thanks for the Silver Charm link and photos. I will go back later when I have more time so I can look and squeal and say, wow, look at him! LOVE the Charm!!
@Z/Dottie, also add my thanks for the Fan Appreciation Diary. Very, very sweet and so thoughtful. High hooves to you both! :)Photos of said fans a great added touch, right Karen Gogue? :)
@JAG/California: I came across an Old Friends 2012 Calendar at Champions gift shop and saw your name in the month of October honoring (of course) John Henry. Made me smile as I obviously did not know it would be there as I was paging through. Nice calendar over all, too.
And, we got our Paddock Magazine in the mail (finally!) and oh my, you ARE SO RIGHT about the centerfold–WOW. OUR Queen and your John. That was a great issue overall, and those photos were fantastic! Great LA Times article, too about the carousel at the zoo. Keep us posted!
@Linda Henderson: got a kick learning about the $50.00 Zenyatta glass in Santa Fe. And honoring Mikey, too! Wow is right!
@Diana S. Add my condolences about Aunt Helen. So sorry.
@Zazu: get well and rested up!
@Trina N and ALL: Rod visited Rightful Image at S.A. this past Thursday and get this: he is in the stall right next to Caracatodo!! (I wonder if they have been discussing BC strategy?) As an aside, Rightful was very attentive as long as Rod had a carrot. Otherwise he wanted nothing to do with him. :)
@Z: rest up for your party!!!
@Terry Crow, thinking of you!
@All, happy weekend!
signofthetimes
@The Kennedys
Definately true, the comparison seems to be only on
Number of races won no matter what style or level.
Rapid Redux is a part of the mix as well.
signofthetimes
@Kimberly Potter
You are a wonderful grandma, enjoy!!!
Anne from Paramount, CA
@Z+ALL: almost forgot: Congrats to Black Caviar! Continued success and safe racing! (that goes to everyone, of course!)
The Kennedys in San Diego
@signofthetimes — Thank you for the link to breeding procedures. Hope to view some live covers on our next trip to KY. Little question that it takes real pros to manage the cover for the safety of mare, stallion and man.
Anne from Paramount, CA
@Linda in NJ: thinking of you! Good R&R to you also after surgery! :)
The Kennedys in San Diego
Interesting 2008 article on Lane’s End breeding procedures.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/farm-management/farm-management-11-22-08.aspx
Ingrid Arnone. South Beach.
Congratulations to Black Caviar!Love you my dear Zenyatta.
signofthetimes
Lanes End on Nov 6, 2011 is having a Fan Appreciation Day
Viewing their stallions.
signofthetimes
@The Kennedys
Great article about LE breeding operation.
So much organization and some unpredictability
For the particular stallions
signofthetimes
Rosie Naprovnik back in the saddle at Laurel.
She has won 2 or 3 today.
Louise Castello
You are looking so gorgeous in your stylish little sweater! Love you sooo much. Congrats to Black Caviar. She did it so easily! Jockey didn’t even have to move a muscle on her. She’s flawless. Filly power, indeed!
Mary
I just watched a post on youtube of you at the 2009 Breeder’s Cup…it had clips from after the race..one of the best I have seen…17 minutes long….it was so good to see Dottie, John, Ann, Jerry…they were all so happy…I got tears watching it. I thought why am I sitting here crying two years later…but to see the love you give and love people have for you shows such kindness. It is always wonderful to see love, kindness, and joy…and you bring all three of those to your team and to us fans who love you. Hugs to you on this Saturday Z….
Jacquie
I just wanted to say that my son who passed away in 2005 shared your April fools birthday!
Kendra
Thanks to all for the breeding shed articles. This September when touring many of the horse farms, I recall the breeding shed manager at Claiborne Farms telling us how both a stallion and broodmare came down on his boot at once, breaking a bone in his foot. Sounds like they take all kinds of precautions, but still sounds like a dangerous job to me. When a lady on our tour asked if the stallion wouldn’t rather be alone with the broodmare in the shed, the manager smiled and said that was the last thing a stallion wanted as those mares can really cause a ruckus. I noticed that most of the breeding sheds used small ponies or horses for teasers, but Adena Springs actually uses another full-sized horse. And YES, the teaser horses get to go out on their own dates once in a while:)