Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #375

The Churchill Downs barn area is much more quiet now after the Breeders’ Cup! Photo by John Shirreffs

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!

My pal, GIO PONTI, relaxing in the sun! Photo by John Shirreffs

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

Reader Interactions

195 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Thanks Trina for finding the listing of Inside Information topics on HRTV. Would love to see the one on Mike Smith.

  4. / Reply

    @Especially Horses
    Hope you are having a fun B-day date with you Hubby tonight.
    Please check Post #374 lots of B-day wishes for a special person.

  6. / Reply

    @Delrene from Carlsbad, CO–thanks for the great story on Blame and Z. a year later. I’ve heard he is very friendly.
    Anyone have an update on A.U. Miner?
    It’s been a lovely day. Good night, all, and Zenny, we love you always.

  10. / Reply

    JUDY BERUBE- So glad you can at least check in each day. You and Russ are in my heart and prayers. Hope you are both being filled with positive energy and love.

  14. / Reply

    Barbara and Marty – You are most welcome, I have Trina to thank for teaching me how to post links!!!
    a big hug for Trina the talented -Zenyatta’s poet laureate (hope I spelled that correctly)

  17. / Reply

    Woot! Just ordered MY Christmas present! Best ta all Z connections and to the great Zen – miss you..still

  18. / Reply

    Good night, sweet Z, sleep tight till the morning light.
    @Kate—High hoof to you and your pony Poco!
    @Celeste—I saw on the page for the Queen’s Dance that you said tragedy had struck your family in August. I am so sorry. I hope you do order a print—seeing Zenny will surely be a help at this difficult time. Hugz to you.
    @Ingrid in MA—What you wrote about wanting familiar horses to cheer on sure makes good sense to me!
    @Gloria Jeanne and the Kennedys—Thanks for the info about the stud fees for Bernardini and Street Cry going up.
    @JAG—Thanks for the great news about the Street Cry filly Wallstreeter winning at HP! High hoof!
    @Karen Gogue—Great link to the beautiful photos and history of Hollywood Park. I notice the site is called Save Hollywood Park. Do you think it can be saved? I sure hope so!

  19. / Reply

    @ Margaret said: I ordered my poster last night. Yippee! But I did see a foil thingy. I’ll have another look. Thanks for bringing this to our attention. I love Drosselmeyer too. I was ecstatic when Mike and him won. I sure hope they race him another season!!!

  21. / Reply

    Zenny, so happy that you, one of THE Regal MOMs of all time, are thriving! Thank you to your family for giving us all so many kind and informative ‘posts’ that are such an inspiration to us all. We just ordered your AMAZING portrait (signed print). It will go in our living room, where you are already ‘DANCING’ in Bronze right in the CENTER of the house – thanks to Nina Kaiser’s wonderful artistic talent! If there’s a way to send Dottie and your Family a pick of our ‘Z’ room, please let us know how to email it, and we will. So many wonderful people are keeping up with each other through you and your family. So looking forward to many exciting days ahead for your and your FAMILY (especially your 2012 baby Z!). Sending love and many of God’s blessings to everyone in your Family and to our Z-internet family, and especially – even though we don’t know you in person, Kari – you are in our prayers.

  22. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    Hope you have a great day today. Lots of fans are purchasing your wonderful print.
    Thanks so much for giving us this oppotunity. Really look forward to seeing all the photos of where fans are putting all of your memories. We are so very lucky that you have such wonderful connections. It should be a great chilly day in KY, eating for 2 and grazing in the KY blue grass. XXXXOOOO

  24. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    Will be purchasing your BC glasses and Goldi’s for those special parties. So glad the BC is honoring both of you.
    Really looking forward to the birth of your foal; will it be grey???
    Have a restful day. XXXOOO

  25. / Reply

    Good Morning Dear Zenny – On this very special day, 11/11/11, I hope that YOU and Tasty are enjoying yourselves, quietly mowing the grass in your paddock and wearing your sweaters. I am hoping the weather is kind this morning since Vic is representing her high school in the Remembrance Day ceremonies at the local cenotaph and laying a wreath. I hope to take some photos of her in sunshine, not rain.
    @ singofthetimes- – thank you for the post of Eric Lamaze at the Royal. It took a lot for him to ride, high hooves to him.

  26. / Reply

    @signofthetimes and ALL — Loved the link on the sale of Unrivaled Belle — very emotional for the owners of their homebred winner of the 2010 BC Ladies Classic. She was spirited as usual (reared and bounced around) during the auction stopping the auction briefly while her handler took her out. If you recall, she broke her withers before the Ogden Phipps H. last June when she fell backwards and was retired from racing because of the time it would take for the injury to heal. If anyone has found video of the auction, please post the link.

  27. / Reply

    Good Morning, beautiful Zenyatta.
    Sending you love and many thanks to your voice, Dottie.
    The photos, the info…..all, very much appreciated.

  29. / Reply

    @signofthetimes: Zenny’s foal can’t be grey. A grey horse must have at least one grey parent. Zenny would have to be bred to a grey to have a chance at a grey foal.
    diastu in tempe

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