Good Morning,
It is so hard to believe that another year has passed and Breeders’ Cup 2011 is now over! It is amazing how quickly the horses leave to return to their home bases. I know my pals, HARMONIOUS and MR. COMMONS, returned to BARN 55 the very next day.
It is quite interesting how the flights are scheduled and coordinated. The horse division of the Louisville Airport is very close to Churchill Downs.
My two BARN 55 pals and several other horses returning to California left the Churchill barn area Sunday morning by van around 4 a.m. for their flight. Their Tex Sutton Flight was scheduled to land at Ontario Airport in Southern California…also a special area that is meant for horse planes. The vans then pick up the horses from the plane and return them to their respective barns. The flight takes approximately 4 hours…give or take some time depending on weather conditions etc.
The Sutton Plane then turned around and returned to Louisville to pick-up the next load of horses. They will return to their home bases. I think the next load was going to New York.
When a horse travels like this, he / she must have all of the proper paperwork for safety procautions. Each horse MUST HAVE a current Coggins and also a health certificate stating exactly where the horse is leaving from and the exact destination.
A Coggins is a blood test that checks for antibodies to equine infectious anemia (EIA), a disease that affects horses worldwide. It is a viral disease that has no cure or vaccine for prevention. That is why it is SO IMPORTANT to test for it. Blood is drawn from the horse for the test and sent to a lab for testing to see if these EIA antibodies are present. You want the results to come back NEGATIVE!
Many states require a Coggins to be done once a year. California and other states require this to be done every 6 months. All horses sold at public auction must have one that is no more than 6 months old. The sales company determines this time frame for each sale.
A Coggins is one of the very important things that the FEDERAL GOVERNMENT requires to document that a horse is negative for equine infectious anemia (EIA). As mentioned above, it must accompany the health certificate when a horse is traveling from state to state. It is mandatory by law.
ALL of this is done to protect the horse. It is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!
Several of the horses who competed in this year’s Breeders’ Cup did not return to their barns….they were retired! GOLDIKOVA is going to become a broodmare…just like ME! GIO PONTI, COURT VISION and DROSSELMEYER are going off to stud. I’d like to wish all of these horses and all others who are retiring a very healthy and happy 2nd career! From my personal experience, I can say that life at the farm is great FUN and this 2nd career aspect of one’s life is quite intriguing.
With Love,
Hugs to All~(Hollywood Park opens their fall meet today! Good luck to ALL!)
Z
Tracy
Love you Zenyatta!
Rosemary McCauley - Southern California
More fabulous photos!!!
Ray lopez
Is that Barn 41 where I saw yu last year?
Maria Stanford
I always enjoy reading the notes in Z’s Diary. It was a sad day BC thinking back about how she must have felt walking past the winners circle. I know how much she liked standing and getting her picture taken. It was hard to watch, I think for all of us. Hope her baby is doing well and I can hardly wait to see it!!
Lynette Lucas
Zenny – Thank you so much for sharing these beautiful photos!!! Love you beautiful girl!!! Hugs and Kisses from Roswell,NM!!!
SHERRY D. WV.
IT MUST BE FUN TO FLY ALL OVER THE AREAS TO THE TRACKS. I HAVE NEVER BE ON A PLANE. THE RETIRED HORSES WILL HAVE A GREAT LIFE. THE BUSINESS OF BREEDING MUST GO ON, THERE IS SO MUCH HOPE THAT YOUR FOAL WILL BE GREAT. . WHO DO YOU THINK WILL BE THE SIRE OF YOUR NEXT FOAL??ZENNIE LOVE THE PHOTOS. LOVE TO ALL. SHERRY D.
Nancy
Any Thursday is brighter with a cheery greeting from you. On the retirements, apparently there is some debate about Drosselmeyer. Winstar is considering racing him again after his win in the Classic and has a clause in its agreement with his new stud facility that will allow him to do so. Perhaps we’ll see him and Mike team up yet again?
Leslie Bonnette
I am hoping that Drosselmeyer’s owners do decide to let him run at Churchill Downs on 11/25 – that would be fun – and Mike will have to come back for it!!!
Margaret
Hay Z
Since Mr.C traveled to Kentucky to race he had that Coggins prior to traveling. Would they re-do that Coggins even if Mr. c was in Kentucky for less than a week.
What about incubation times? Supposing the worst (just as an example and for education only) wouldn’t you want to re-test him anyways just to be sure like after a month of being home?….
Elizabeth S.
Interesting stuff about the Coggins and EIA. Had no idea about that! As usual though, Zenny, your diary posts are full of information that even some long-time racing fans don’t know about. Hope all is well with you and baby in Kentucky!
Joe Boots
Imagine the closing speed of a Zenyatta/Drosselmeyer baby!!!!
kelly- Allentown, Pa
Love you Zenyatta! ^-^
Kathy B.
Just read Drosselmeyer might have one more race! The barn really does look quiet! I’m glad so many people were able to enjoy the Breeder’s Cup this year….was it as cold as last year? I see horse vans on the road all the time out here in SoCal….possibly some of them are coming from Ontario and wonderful adventures!
Joanna from TX
Thanks so much for sharing the info re the pre-travel health testing; SO interesting. I would imagine that even horses being vanned across state lines would have to have their papers in order. Remember Mine that Bird who was trailered from New Mexico to KY for the 2009 Derby??
Have a great day, Z and friends.
graham
great photographs
Alex Bowdoin - MA
Good Morning our Beautiful Zenyatta, I love the cute picture of your old freind Gio Poniti! Too Cute…Have a great day everyone!
Marty R / Colorado
My goodness, Zenyatta…Do you get excited and wake up Dottie early to tell her what you want to talk about in your diary each day? I think you must intuitively know what your loyal followers want to learn about regarding the many facets of the horse racing industry. This is another example of an information filled entry. Thank you! Your John must have been a very busy guy during the Breeders Cup to take all the wonderful photos he has gen erously shared here. Your pal, Gio Ponti, looks like he’s feeling a little drowsy soaking up the rays, just as your yearling 1/2 sister did in yesterday’s photo. Hope you and TT are getting some nice November rays to be drowsy in, too.
Liz Carlin
Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures and thoughts with us. Love you Miss Z
Dallas from Texas
Good morning baby girl. I hope your day is going excellent. Thanks for the pictures. Gio Ponti looks as if he is ready for that great life of retirement…he’s been a trooper. Thanks for the great info on the Coggins Test. Many people don’t realize the importance of that simple test. You have a wonderful day baby girl, love you.
Marty R / Colorado
@Peggy(N)- I was up too late (for me that is)last night watching television so did not get back to yesterday’s diary until this morning. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers. I offer them up for you as well. I was happy to have the Breeders Cup races to keep my attention diverted last weekend. Hope you enjoy your day off tomorrow watching the Keeneland sales.
Allen
Great information and love the new pictures. Have a great weekend Queen Z.
Debbie
hi Z! thanks for all the info and the photos, I love the photo of Gio Ponti resting in the sunshine, I will miss him! Love YOU gorgeous mama xoxoxo
Allen
In Tn. all horses that come in contact with any other horse must have a current coggins. They have to have it before they can go on sactioned trail rides, shows, ect., weather they are in state or out of state.
Tatia
Kathy B. – No, it wasn’t nearly as cold as last year. Once the rain stopped it felt downright fall-like. I’m cold natured and it was not bad at all – especially compared to Friday last year. Brrrr!
Would love to see Drosselmeyer and Mike race together once more. A Dross/Zenny baby….now that is an intriguing though.
He’s pretty handsome Zenny….you might think about putting him in your “little black book” to consider.
Chris H / Colorado
Our daughter barrel races and we trailer our horses out of state and need to have a negative Coggins to cross state lines. Also important to carry a Brand Inspection card to prove that the horses in the trailer actually belongs to you. The wild west is still alive with cattle and horse thieves!
JAG Adores Zenny & John Henry / So. CA
Hi Zenny, Sweetie!
I love all the photos YOUR JOHN shares with us!
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Someone wrote a Zen/Drossy foal ~ that would be a super-duper Closer for sure LOL
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I have little things that I look for in the mornings to start my day with a smile :-). YOU are one of them, Zen!
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{{{{HUGS}}}} Mamma Zenny and Baby B/Z XOXOXO
Mary
Thanks for the post Z….it sure does take a lot of work to make it all come together in horse racing. Yes hard to believe another year has passed…time does go by so quickly. I have the picture of your life size portrait and Ann as my background picture right now. I change it often but it is always of you. Ann looks pretty standing next to that beautiful painting of you. Hugs to you Z…
Especially Horses / California
Off to a late start this morning so I decided to take a quick look-see and boy am I glad I did. First off a big THANK YOU to Trina Nagele. I was so surprised and touched by your Poem (post 374), what a way to start my Birthday morning. You have a very special talent and it was soooooo personal. I was pleasantly taken aback that you remembered a previous post where I mentioned my dear Candy Buck. So thank you again, it certainly will be one of the best gifts I receive today! I won’t reveal my age but when I close my eyes and picture myself riding Candy bareback and with a hackamore, I’m a teenager again.
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I was also thrilled to have the Z posters confirm that Vertigineux was bred back to Street Cry. LauraJ I am as astonished as you. Sounds like common sense prevailed. It would have been such a shame not to try for a “repeat” (although we all know there will only ever be one Zenyatta).
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Husband just walked into the office and gave me one of those “let’s get going looks”. We are off to San Diego for the weekend and a special dinner tonight.
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Lord on my Birthday I want to thank you for creating me with a love for the majestic horse and thank you for allowing me to see, in my life time, your great creation Zenyatta. God is good all the time.
The Kennedys in San Diego
Thank you for another great information-filled post. We just love the photo of Champion Gio Ponti. What a great race horse he has been — we will never forget his being overtaken by a freight train named Zenyatta in the 2009 BCC. Best of luck to Gio. We look forward to seeing him again when we next visit KY. Bravo, Gio!
Marty R / Colorado
@LauraJ in Cincinnati, Oh- Thank you for correcting my error in the initials of KBIF and for the link to their website. I will definitely go back to it when I can look it over thoroughly. I spent my “growing up” years in Ohio then moved to Colorado after graduating from High School in Toledo. My father and I visited all the states around Ohio except for Kentucky. I envy your close proximity to everything horse raceing related that is there.