Good Morning,
This is going to be one FUN yet BUSY WEEK! This morning entries are being taken for both days of OUR WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS. A very specific procedure must be followed. Every trainer is to formally enter each horse for the specific race he / she is participating in by 10 a.m. Eastern Time. The final entry fees must be paid and the jockey named.
MY JOHN went to the Racing Office right after his horses trained this morning and did his entries. YEAH, JOHN!
When entries close at 10 a.m. Eastern, the Racing Office officials then prepare the paperwork for each race in relation to the post-position draw. This is going to be televised on HRTV at 1 p.m. Eastern Time. Once the post positions are finalized, the Racing Form, the professional handicappers, and all publicity sources will be able to compile the information for the public. Official programs will be printed….and WE ARE OFF TO THE RACES!
One of the many wonderful things that happens in our industry is the RACING WORLD is like one big family. Often when you travel for certain events, you see many familiar faces.
That is exactly what happened this morning. MY JOHN walked into the Breeders’ Cup offices to place his entries and there working the phones was TOM ROBBINS. I know Tom quite well. He is the The Executive Vice President: Racing and Industry Relations/Racing Secretary for Del Mar Race Track. He used to come by and see ME all of the time when I was at Del Mar to run in the Clement Hirsch each year. Officials from several tracks pitch in to help out. They ALL want everything to run smoothly and be as special as possible for the FANS and ALL participating in these events.
They do a wonderful job!
I must also say, I am getting very excited about MY PARTY. IT IS THIS FRIDAY! MY TEAM has ordered a ‘party present’ for all who are attending. I hear they are TOO CUTE! Then Leonard was telling Dottie that the artists who have worked on MY SPECIAL PAINTING and mini-collectibles of ME will be attending the party to meet with the guests as well.
THE ZENYATTA, a Z drink, will also be introduced. I have always been a Guinness person myself (except now I am being SO GOOD while in-foal)…but I have heard that humans like other types of ‘adult beverages’. This one has apparently been developed and named for ME! I’ve heard about the ingredients and have seen a photo of what it will look like in a glass…but it will be interesting to see how all of you like it! HOOVES CROSSED! I’m requesting an adaptation be made ‘for children’ as well.
The horses from Europe arrived at Churchill Downs over the weekend. They are presently in Quarantine for the required amount of time by legal standards and will be back to the track very soon. It is all so well-planned and organized by everyone who works with these horses.
GOLDIKOVA is on the grounds and I’ve heard she looks fabulous. What a lovely, lovely accomplished horse!
Enjoy your week and ALL of the great racing updates from TV, on-line, and in print! THIS IS SO MUCH FUN!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Julie DuVall / Ontario, CA
Hmmm … the Zenyatta drink sounds intriguing. I have had the Grey Goose “Down the Stretch” which is PURPLE in honor of Breeders’ Cup (I had to have one right before the 2009 Classic because I was so nervous for YOU) and that was very tasty. :)
Last year, for the BC we enjoyed our own “Zenyatta” drink here at home: hard cider with a float of Guinness, served in our Del Mar Zenyatta pint glasses.
Getting excited for the races this weekend!
Cynthia H./L.A. L.A. Land
All of you fantastically fortunate Z’sters who will be attending the party and enjoying the entertainment at the Kentucky Derby Museum, Liza G. Fly (“Zenyatta” theme song) has been added to the program! She will also be singing at the Old Friends Benefit on November 6th! Try to see her if you can—-she’s fabulous!
@Abigail from Montreal: Thank you so much.
Kimberly Potter/Montana
@signofthetimes~ That video cam of Havre de Grace and Larry Jones is priceless! I am in LOVE with the way he talks to her….NOT TODAY….NO, NOT TODAY…GO Havre de Grace, GO BABY, GO BABY GO!
Pati
Hi Hi! I hope you are enjoying your pregnancy! My mom’s friend just gave birth to a baby boy and I couldn’t help but wonder about you!
I am going to miss you this weekend!I think you could have won this year too! (I still believe you won last year lol) I can’t go to the party this year, but do you think it will be televised? I so want to see you as you “host” the party!
Happy Halloween!
Sunny Boyd
Good evening Zenyatta,
I bet that Z- cocktail has carrot juice as its major ingredient and a mint leaf. We all know how you like your carrots & mints, we saw you woof’em down, rather noisily, I might add. :) :)
I’m sure Friday will be ‘Z’ smash bash at the BC.
Have a spooky Halloween, don’t let the gobblins keep you awake.
signofthetimes
@Kimberly Potter
Larry Jones is a special trainer. I love the way he talks to
her, too. It is funny when he says
It’s it’s wet you are going to fall on your butt, looks
Like she might be trying to rear up??? She is a special
Mare. Hope she does well. She has a good post position
If Chantal dosen’t force her out and wide in the turn.
signofthetimes
@Linda in NJ
Glad you have a great weekend planned for
BC. It will definately move you forward in recovery.
Margie in So. Calif.
Hi Zenny and Z’ers, just caught up on the last two days. So much going on, and the excitement brewing for the BC. How I would love to be there, Zenny, to see you and take it all in. But I’m thinking next year, Santa Anita Party Time! Can you imagine all the Z’ers pouring into SA for a humongous Zenyatta celebration? All we will need to make it perfect is you, big girl. I can dream…
@Sharon Call – signed the petition
@Judy and Russ – prayers for Russ’ recovery and for Judy’s continued strength.
@Trina and JAG – I’m really bummed about not being able to make it Nov. 6, but will be there with you in spirit. I’ll be driving right by the zoo on the way to the event I told you I must attend, and I hope my car doesn’t have a mind of its own and hangs a right on Zoo Drive! Uh-oh. Have a great time, and thanks again for including me.
@All – as usual, great links; thank you all so much. Those traveling to the BC, can’t wait to hear your adventures. A safe trip to all human and equine friends.
Love you, Zenny. Hi Tasty!
Paula Higins
Can’t wait to see the pictures and stories from Zenny’s Party. PLEASE post her drink ingredients. I don’t drink much, but for this I will make an exception. Glad to hear that Goldi looks so well. She is another truly amazing girl. Being a Gio Ponti fan my heart is a little torn. Uncle Mo has my heart but I HDG wins, I will not be heartbroken by a longshot. She is a wonderful, wonderful horse and I would be happy for Larry Jones. @Trina Naegle, what a lovely poem!
Linda/Maryland
Is the party going to be televised? Gosh I would like to watch !!
LOVE YOU ZENNY~!!!!
Deborah Richman, So. Cal.
Z, everyone is going to have so much fun at your party! And those of us who can’t attend will be celebrating with you in spirit as we toast you, Tasty T, and all your equine friends competing in the Breeders Cup. I hope that all of you attending the party have a FABULOUS time!! And we all look forward to hearing about it when you return!
@Linda in NJ…Happy Birthday! And best wishes for a complete and speedy recovery. Watching the Breeders Cup on your new TV will be good “therapy” :)
@Trina…how do you keep outdoing yourself, girl? Wonderful poem!
@Kennedys…love the masquerade party with “mystery guest”, Zenyatta. How fun!
@Judy B…Glad you checked in. Continuing to send lots of positive thoughts and Z hugs to you and Russ.
Trina Nagele in So Cal
A Halloween joke for Terry Crow.
“The Hitchhiker’s Story”
One dark and stormy Halloween night, a young man is hitchhiking. It is late and no cars are passing. The rainstorm is so strong he can hardly see a few feet ahead of him. After a while, he sees a car slowly come toward him and stop. Without further thought, he gets in the car, closes the door, and, when he turns to thank the driver for stopping for him, he realizes there’s nobody behind the wheel!
The car then starts slowly and quietly down the road. The young man looks at the road ahead and sees a curve coming. Scared, he closes his eyes and starts to pray for his life. Just before the car reaches the curve, a hand appears through the window and moves the wheel.
The young man, paralyzed with fear, watches how the hand appears every time they come to a curve in the road. Gathering his strength, he leaps from the car and runs to the nearest town. Wet through from the rain and in shock, he goes to a bar and asks for two shots of whiskey. He quickly tosses them back and starts telling everybody about the horrible experience he’s just been through. A silence envelops the bar when everyone realizes the young man is crying from fear and isn’t drunk.
About half an hour later, two men walk into the bar, and one says to the other, “Look, there’s that jerk who got in the car while we were pushing it!”
Barbara Wood (Texas)
@Delrene in Carlsbad, CA– I agree with you about the lights. It is a fantastic idea in the summertime to get people to the track after work, but in November, it’s too cold and damp.
@Dawn Conrad–hope you get to feeling better soon.
Mary Copelin
LINDA in NJ- Wanted to wish you a very happy birthday and to wish you a speedy recovery from your recent surgery.
It was such a pleasure to meet and interact with you at Hollywood Park. Here is hoping that your recovery is quick and complete and that we will see you next year at the Breeders Cup at Santa Anita.
Michelle
I can’t wait for your party. I just wish you could be there in person. Love you forever.
Debbie G/Kentucky
@Barbara Wood – No need to thank me. I’m just glad that I could help.
@Sunny Boyd – I love what you said about the Z drink. Maybe carrot juice, a mint leaf and a side shot of Guinness?
@signofthetimes – Thank you so much for the link to the HDG/Larry Jones video. That was so cool! I just love him (and her). A lot of trainers seem so business-like and serious, but he seems like a real person. You can tell he’s just crazy about her and that he loves horses.
Barbara Wood (Texas)
To all who helped donate to save Burning Lady: thanks to you, she has been saved and the money raised for shipping! She will remain in Boston until the shipper can pick her up. Thank you, Pure Thoughts and Elite Thoroughbreds.
And good night, precious Z> Thank you for providing a picture of you signed by Team Z for the raffle. Love you always.
Mary Copelin
Judy Berube- I am so very glad to hear that Russ is improving and home from the hospital. Keep thinking positively. I had a stroke 3 years ago tomorrow and have managed to overcome left side paralysis and weakness with physical therapy and hard work. Hang in there. Miracles can happen.
My love to you and Russ.
Also, thank you so much for the link to the poems a few diaries ago. I was in Texas for awhile so I am just now catching up on the entries.
Molly
Hmmm-mm a purple drink for the Breeders Cup. Now that’s a really good idea. Think I’ll try a purple passion. Zenyatta, when do we get the recipe for your special beverage? Have fun. Are they going to pipe any music into your stall, so you can do a few dance steps? Miss you sooooo much and wish I could be there.
Trina Nagele in So Cal
Another Halloween joke for Terry Crow—I hope it’s not too racy.
“Happy Halloween”
Bob and Mary Smith were invited to a fancy masked Halloween ball. Mary had a terrible headache the night of the party and told Bob to go without her. Bob, a devoted husband, protested, but Mary argued, saying she was going to take two aspirin and go to bed. There was no need for her husband to miss out on a good time. So, he took his costume and away he went.
After an hour’s nap, Mary awoke feeling great! It was still early… she decided to go to the party. Having kept her costume a secret from her husband, Mary
decided to have a little fun. She would see how Bob behaved when she was not with him.
Mary joined the party and soon spotted her husband on the dance floor, dancing with every attractive woman that he could, and stealing a little kiss here and there. Mary walked up to him.
Being very attractive herself, she smiled her most seductive smile, and she easily got his full attention. He left his latest partner high and dry and devoted his attentions to this new woman who had just arrived. Mary let him go as far as he wished; he was, after all, her husband. When he whispered a little
proposition in her ear, she agreed. Off they went to the parking lot, and the first back seat that they could find.
As the clock chimed midnight, Mary slipped away without revealing her identity. She went home, put her costume away and got into bed. Mary was more than
curious as to how Bob was going to describe his evening. She grabbed a book and pretended to be reading when he came home. Casually, she asked what kind of evening he had had. Bob responded, “Oh, the same old thing. You know I never have a good time when you’re not there.”
Then she asked, “Did you dance much?”
He replied, “I never danced a dance. When I got there, l met Pete, Bill, and Charlie. We went into the den and played poker all evening. But you’re not going to believe what happened to the guy I loaned my costume to!”
Mary Copelin
JSmith- I loved your coined term “dockey”
It really hit the mark.
I can just see JAG and all the other DumplingZ dashing for the carousel. They will have loads of fun.
Deborah Richman, So. Cal.
@Dawn Conrad…sending you lots of healing thoughts and Z hugs. Please feel better soon.
@Sunny Boyd…carrot juice and mint…great suggestion!
@Allie…your Velvet Hammer sounds really good! Thanks for sharing :)
@Signofthetimes…thanks for all the links, especially the HDG helmet cam. She really wanted to keep going!
@Barbara Wood…glad Burning Lady is going to be saved. Hoofray!
Deborah Richman, So. Cal.
@Trina…LOL!!!
signofthetimes
HDG jockey cam 10/31/2011 with Gabriel Saez
Not funny as Larry Jones video cam
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=94OP8Epc490
Talking heads were not impressed with this work said it was
slow, Larry Jones said it was more like a gallop for her.
Talking heads said that it would be better to have a slow work rather than a very fast one
signofthetimes
Bullet work rider cam on Shakelford (no talk about him by talking heads).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0pvWsmja4k
Germaine
@signofthetimes ~ Loved the Larry Jones cam. Now that I think of it, I don’t think that I ever saw John ride Zenyatta. Laughed so hard as it reminded me of myself and a horse I recently rode.
signofthetimes
@Germaine
It is too funny. Not sure if John every rode Zenny. She was quite a handful. I remember hearing he has ridden in the past.
signofthetimes
@Germaine
Oh yes, typical TB. Full of themselves and full of lots of energy.
I remember I used to have to yell at Jethro to “Stop it” “Stop it”
shaking head an pulling. TB are so very much fun. Sounds like you
have a very fun horse.
signofthetimes
Here is a video Girl Power (set to Bon Jovi, a little loud)
Rachel, Zenny and Black Caviar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MB-lE0EusFU&feature=related
Delrene from Carlsbad, Ca
I started a little and then my cat Lucy jumped on the computer – she was chasing the feather’s in my Halloween mask!!! If it went out to Zenny’s website, my apologies. Bad Lucy, bad kitty!
I was just going to say Great news for Burning Lady – may she enjoy her life with lots of peppermints, the finest feed and meadows to graze in happy times with her Mom and other mares. Great job. I have to find that video of Larry Jones and HDG. It must be priceless.
Have fun ladies… What a week to look forward to.