Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #363

Silks of the KEENELAND STAKES WINNERS line their Paddock Area. Many of these races are preps for the World Championship Events each year! Photo by John Shirreffs <br>

Good Morning,

It is October 24th…the day for Pre-Entries to take place for the 2011 Breeders’ Cup. This means that ALL horses who are hoping to run in the World Championship races this year must let the officials know their plans by going through the pre-entry process.

By noon today East Coast time, a pre-entry form for each participating horse and the fees must be submitted to the Breeders’ Cup Office. The BC Staff, in turn, will compile the various entries for each race and get them ready for publication. A horse may be pre-entered for 2 events at this time. On the form, the owner/trainer places a 1 by their first choice and a 2 by their second race option. If the horse is planning on just one race, that is the only race these connections pre-enter for at this time.

If a race does not “overfill”…which means less than 14 entrants, all pre-entered horses will get the opportunity to run in the race of their choice. If the race does “overfill / oversubscribe”…which means more than 14 horses select a particular race as their first choice, then the Racing Secretaries Panel selects the top 14 horses they feel should be in this race based upon their Past Performances for the year, current form, and points earned. The other horses go on the Also Eligible list.

This Wednesday, after all of the above is considered, the final list of pre-entries is released to the press. The horses continue to train, prepare, and work towards their BIG DAY!

Step 2 of this process takes place on October 31st. The final entry procedures are completed. At this time, if a horse has been pre-entered in 2 races, his/her connections must now declare which race they will be participating in…their preference. The final entry fees are paid. The post positions are drawn and the fields for the 2 days of racing are finalized.

In the oversubscribed races, the first 14 horses are in the body of the race for the post position draw and 2 other horses will be listed as ALSO-ELIGIBLES. They will be listed in order of preference by the Racing Secretaries Panel. It is all such a detailed and well-organized process. Wishing all the best to each horse pre-entered this morning and their connections. It is such a special time!

With Love,
Hugs to All~(Yeah, Black Caviar! #15…I’m sending you a HIGH HOOF for your accomplishment!)
Z

Reader Interactions

188 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Zenny, my family watched your BC 09 race this weekend on video again. We seem to be addicted to it. You were something special that day and it continues into your retirement. Just had to say it again…thanks for the thrills. There isn’t another horse who can do what you did…over and over.

  5. / Reply

    Hi Queen Z! Be sure you are well rested for your hostess duties! Will you be serving tea and crumpets? (In Kentucky??)
    @Trina N: LOL about your “Rightful”
    comment in previous diary! Manners, please! More LOL.
    @Judy Berube: Trainer Mike says he should be racing in November at HP.
    @Delrene-Carsbad: thanks for the Secretariat video. Very heartfelt and touching.
    @Kennedys (I hope): thanks for the Switch update! Friends commented on picture with JAG’s John Henry on 10/8–noting my Switch T-shirt. (Thanks J. Smith!)
    @Dawn Conrad and all: Silver Charm is the grandsire of winner Silver Street in yesterday’s (Sunday) 4th–go Charm!! We went to Clocker’s Corner only and made early bird bets before leaving– and I bet $2 across on Silver Street because of The Charm being in the family. Per the program, she is not a gray. Oh, well. She won!
    @All who have been chatting about their rituals for BC–enjoyable reading. We will be in Vegas (as last year) and have been discussing ideas as to where we will be at race time on both days. Regarding attire, I hope to wear (weather and air conditioning permitting) my Zenyatta t-shirt and jeans. I will leave the hat at home–too easy to lose. I like to peruse USA Today’s commentary on each horse so keep that handy, along with Rod’s Form. (I usually need to ask him to decipher his markings all over the pages, though.)
    @All: a very pleasant good night or what is left of it. Sweet party dreams to you our hostess, the Queen! :)

  6. / Reply

    @Elaine
    So pleased you have finally decided to share your thoughts today. I too had admired Z for such a long long time before posting any comments. We owe it all to the way The Mosses and Dottie etc chose to share her with the world. Everyone is welcome and appreciated. Glad you are here.

  9. / Reply

    Dear Anne from Paramount, CA:

    That’s good news. Will look for him. All the best wishes for RI. Hugs, JB

  10. / Reply

    @signofthetimes – Thanks for the link to the trailer for “The Last Train from Bay Meadows” documentary film, I want to see the rest of it now. I never got to go up to the track, years ago when I lived in San Jose, but had a friend who was part-owner of a TB, and he would talk with excitement about it, and loved to go there.

  12. / Reply

    Enjoyed all your “rituals” for the BC – First and foremost, nearby will be all my Zenny memorabilia: photos, sculptures, unclaimed-bet tickets, Queen Z mug, videos, her muzzle-painted art print. I’ll wear what I almost always do at home – shorts and a t-shirt, but not a Zenyatta shirt, which I don’t want to mess up with pizza. Ice-cold lemonade, or a homemade fruit smoothie, some garlic bread, or tomato soup and veggies if it’s “cold” that day. My brother might drop by to watch with me for awhile, he won’t mind my yelling, since he hollers too, but he tends to regale me with too much handicapping “info”, so if that happens, I will encourage him to leave (he just lives next door). Got to get my shopping done beforehand.

  13. / Reply

    Thanks for the great information, Zenny and Dottie! Hugs!
    @Shari Voltz: All the Best Wishes to you and your husband! Positive thoughts and prayers go out to you — a speedy recovery, too. Take care!

  14. / Reply

    Sorry I didn’t post earlier today. Turns out now the ear canal is infected, so I’ve been in a fair amount of pain. Doc gave me meds for the ear and really good cough syrup.
    What to eat at BC? Well part of this easy. Go to Atasteofkentucky.com and order up a Derby Pie or two. Trust me your taste buds will die and go think they’ve gone to heaven.
    Also please check RTFitch at fb for Jason Meduna. He’s due for a parole hearing on Wednesday. He’s the creep who starved a whole bunch of horses, begged money from others, told nasty lies–and there thinking of turning him loose on society again. RT has an article about this and contact info.
    And Thurs is the first meeting of NAS–this was suppose to be an independent study but of course BLM stacked the deck in the favor–there is some question as to whether this will be streamed. I got an email saying yes and heard from another saying no. If you are going to be in Reno it would be good to come to this and show your support for ALL the horses.
    Public meeting starts at 1 and will go until 7:30. The last two hours they will be taking public comments.

  15. / Reply

    Good night, sweet Z, sleep tight till the morning light.
    @ Elaine from Deerfield, Illinois— Welcome to posting! I look forward to hearing much more from you in days to come.
    @Shari Voltz—I’m so relieved to hear Larry is doing better. My prayers for him will continue.
    @Jeanie—What a good question you asked about people’s BC watching rituals! It was so much fun reading the responses and your own account of your parties with Bill and Lill Nichols. Party hearty, all!
    @Happy Harriet—I loved your “up close and personal” account of Gelila’s race on Sunday.
    @Happy Harriet, the Kennedys in San Diego, or other race goers—Could you maybe answer Gloria’s question about how Gelila’s name is pronounced? Does it have a soft “g” and rhyme with Delilah? Is she perhaps named for the Ethiopian beauty who is a model and also known as a humanitarian and a social activist?
    @PastTheGrandstand—I enjoyed your blog entry on Zenyatta’s races and agree that her final race solidified her greatness. I’ll go back to read your other entries another time—they look interesting. When Terry Crow is “back in the saddle,” I’m sure he too will be pleased to welcome another “avid young racing fan.”
    @Terry Crow—Hope you’ll be back soon. Please give our best to Don.
    @Anne from Paramount—I enjoyed your post.
    @Delrene—Don’t worry that the links didn’t “work”—I was able to copy and paste the addresses into the URL box and get to the important article about horse slaughter and to the delightful video of the young horse playing with his ball that way. Thanks for sharing!
    @Margaret—Thanks for reminding us about keeping Jason Meduna behind bars , and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS)’s review of the Bureau of Land Management program regarding America’s wild horses and burros. Hopefully fewer will be removed from the wild.
    @Those who did not hear about Jason Meduna, see my longish citation of J T Fitch’s fb page on #362 with e-mail address for letters of concern to keep Meduna from getting parole this Wed.

  16. / Reply

    Good Morning Zenny, It’s pretty chilly here this morning, there may be a bit of frost on the pumpkins, so I hope that you and Tasty have got nice warm coats on. I love the photo of all the jockeys in the winning colors along the wall at Keeneland, it’s such a pretty track. Vic and I were really lucky when we met a very nice employee who took the time to give us a personal tour. He took us up to the private suites and gave us a taste of what it would be like to watch the races from such a vantage point. Amazing!!! I also love the gift shop.
    Enjoy the day Zenny and stay warm and comfy.

  17. / Reply

    Good morning, Sweet lady. I am reminiscing about last year’s Breeders Cup and remembering YOU. Such a wonderful race and YOUR Mikie did a wonderful job with you. When the race was over, there were tears in my eyes – I can remember saying (outlous) “She lost” and then being silent with more tears. I was actually shaking with excitement and disappointment by the time it was over. You wee so beautiful and Mike was so precious. We will ALL certainly miss you this Cup day. I Love YOU.

  20. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    The excitement is mounting for the BC, your party, all of the BC reccommendations for their get togthers at home, entrants etc… Hope you are relaxing before all of the excitement.
    So glad we are going to see you on TV.
    XXXXXOOOOO

  22. / Reply

    @Everybody planning to be at home for the BC, you need to make yourselves some Kentucky Burgoo. It is a stew or thick soup made with at least three different meats and whatever veggies, beans, and/or roots you like. It is cooked slowly for a long time, until everything is tender, even mushy. It’s a great crockpot dish. You can use any combination of beef, pork, chicken, mutton or lamb, and/or any sort of game. Just make sure you have at least three meats. Yum! If you need a recipe, just google “Kentucky burgoo” and you will get dozens. For dessert, try Derby pie (as someone mentioned above) or bourbon balls. Churchill Downs won’t be serving mint juleps, though. Breeders Cup has an official cocktail, made with Grey Goose vodka: It’s purple, made with cranberry juice and blue curacao. (It has to be Grey Goose to be “official”, as they are a sponsor. Unofficially, you can make it with whatever vodka you like.)
    –
    http://thejetsetgirls.blogspot.com/2010/11/breeders-cup-cocktail.html
    –
    http://horseracing.about.com/od/breederscup/r/Breeders-Cup-Down-The-Stretch-cocktail.htm
    –
    You can also treat yourself to a good bourbon. Or beer. There’s always beer at the track.

  23. / Reply

    To all who posted BC rituals–I love them! Anyone have suggestions for TX fare while watching? I don’t want anything that requires a lot of cooking, as I’ll be glued to the tv. Our weather is so unpredictable.
    @Margaret–never fear–as miserable as you are, that nasty infection will leave eventually. Prayers for the right medicine to knock it out. I’ve written the parole board and am trusting you to keep us informed. I was very surprised that quite a few horses for adoption at the Bluebonnet Expo Saturday were BLM horses.

  24. / Reply

    Thanks for all your news. I always look back at your Breeders Cup races with great pleasure. There will never be a horse like you. You did so much for racing! Love to you Z and z.

  26. / Reply

    Dear Queen Z,

    I can’t to see your baby

    son/daughter on the racetrack in 2014 at

    the earliest. Also I too can’t wait til

    the Breeders’s Cup. My pick to win the

    Breeders’ Cup Classic is the

    Fox Hill Farms owned and J. Larry Jones

    trained Havre de Grace. In fact, I’m

    predicting if she wins it

    (the Breeders’ Cup Classic) she’ll be the

    13th female Horse of the Year and the

    female in a row to be named Horse

    of the Year after Rachel Alexandra (2009)

    and Zenyatta (you) (2010).

    Sincerely,

    Kyle Stasierowski

    26-year-old loyal TVG viewer,

    HRTV Live Feed viewer,

    TVG Community member, and your

    FaceBook friend from

    Alden, New York

  27. / Reply

    Dear Queen Z,

    I can’t wait to see your baby

    son/daughter on the racetrack in 2014 at

    the earliest. Also I too can’t wait til

    the Breeders’s Cup. My pick to win the

    Breeders’ Cup Classic is the

    Fox Hill Farms owned and J. Larry Jones

    trained Havre de Grace. In fact, I’m

    predicting if she wins it

    (the Breeders’ Cup Classic) she’ll be the

    13th female Horse of the Year and the

    female in a row to be named Horse

    of the Year after Rachel Alexandra (2009)

    and Zenyatta (you) (2010).

    Sincerely,

    Kyle Stasierowski

    26-year-old loyal TVG viewer,

    HRTV Live Feed viewer,

    TVG Community member, and your

    FaceBook friend from

    Alden, New York

  28. / Reply

    Dear Queen Z,

    I can’t wait to see your baby

    son/daughter on the racetrack in 2014 at

    the earliest. Also I too can’t wait til

    the Breeders’s Cup. My pick to win the

    Breeders’ Cup Classic is the

    Fox Hill Farms owned and J. Larry Jones

    trained Havre de Grace. In fact, I’m

    predicting if she wins it

    (the Breeders’ Cup Classic) she’ll be the

    13th female Horse of the Year and the

    third female in a row to be named Horse

    of the Year after Rachel Alexandra (2009)

    and Zenyatta (you) (2010).

    Sincerely,

    Kyle Stasierowski

    26-year-old loyal TVG viewer,

    HRTV Live Feed viewer,

    TVG Community member, and your

    FaceBook friend from

    Alden, New York

  29. / Reply

    Good Morning Great One and Z’isters,
    You know, the reason I asked about RITUALS is kind of like being in a support group. It helps to know you’re not the only one! HaHa! I don’t know about you, Sister Z, but I thought everyone had really cool RITUALS they follow for BC Days. I got some good ideas too. I’ll bet YOU have your own RITUALS, beautiful ONE! I am really excited and can’t wait for November 4-5. Wish I was going to be at CD, but with my summer trip and my upcoming Christmas trip, just can’t do it. Here’s wishing all of you great viewing in your very specific environments in your very specific “uniforms,” and eating and drinking your very specific menu. And most of all I wish for great, safe racing for all your equine buddies, dear Great One. Your humble J

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