Happy Friday Everyone!
As we were walking in our paddock the other day, TASTY and I had a wonderful chat. We both decided that we LOOK pretty terrific for being
several months in foal. Our baby bumps are approximately the same size. Dottie was doing a pretty thorough comparison of each of our tummies when she was here the other day. Since our last breeding date is exactly the same….this is positive news! TASTY and I really have so much in common. It is great to have her as a paddock mate and a very dear friend.
The November Sale at Keeneland is progressing in a very solid manner with strong prices. On a personal note, I have been following the sales of BERNIE’S weanlings. His babies have been very popular and sold very well. It is great to see this! Additionally, DARLEY recently announced their stud fees for the upcoming 2012 Breeding Season, and BERNIE’S is going to double from $75,000 to $150,000 stand and nurse. So far this year, BERNIE’s progeny has earned over $5,000,000 in purses. This makes him the leader in the second-crop sires’ list for 2011. I’m so proud of you, BERNIE!
Hollywood Park opened yesterday for their fall season. The TURF FESTIVAL, which takes place during Thanksgiving Weekend, will be one of the highlights of their meet. Additionally, several two year old stakes including the CASH CALL FUTURITY-Grade 1 and the HOLLYWOOD STARLET-G1 will also make this meet special. These races provide us with the opportunity to become familiar with some of the promising young horses, 2 year olds–turning 3 on January 1st, currently developing on the West Coast.
At Churchill, there is discussion that Drosselmeyer may run around Thanksgiving in the Grade 1 CLARK HANDICAP as well as next year. The
original plan to ‘retire him to stud in New York’ looks to be ‘on hold’ for awhile. I love to see horses who run at the top levels continue to compete. It all adds to the excitement of a sport we all love!
In New York, the CIGAR MILE at Aqueduct is one of their premiere races in November. They, too, have a very good Thanksgiving of racing planned with stakes for 2 year olds as well as the GO FOR WAND and the GAZELLE.
On top of all this, the FAIRGROUNDS opens in Louisiana for their meet also around Thanksgiving and it runs until my birthday, April 1st.
So many races to ponder, and so many fun handicapping experiences for us all to enjoy!
Have a wonderful weekend…and here’s wishing you a terrific NOVEMBER!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
PS…MY NEW SHOP is just opening on my web-site! ENJOY!
Linda M
Zenny and Tasty – I LOVE this picture of you SO much that it is now my computer wallpaper on my 30″ Applie iMac. So when I walk in my office, I see the 2 of you stanidng there just like you were outside my window; almost feels like I live next door to you and Lanes End :) Have a great weekend and if you are not out and about, let’s have Brunch tomorrow!
Meredith Gibbs
You both are beautiful healthy happy mares. Just the way it should be.
Anne from Paramount, CA
Hi Queen Z… dropping in to say hello and to wish you and Tasty a very happy weekend. Isn’t it great that people are still talking about YOUR party? It is wet and dreary here in SoCal. Hope it is sunny at LE. But it is always sunny where YOU, our QUEEN reside, right?
@Karen Gogue: thanks so much for the Breeders’Cup video… really enjoyable to view! :)
@JAG and Peggy: Nice John Henry stories!
@Anyone local: did you hear Bill Spawr and Z’s Mikey on local radio show this morning? Nice interviews.
@Kari, thinking positive thoughts of you. Please feel better.
@All the dumplings/horses/jockeys and all connections: Safe riding.(I hear Hollypark is off the turf today.)
Lucia
I love this picture of you two! Sending love to both you and “Tasty” <3. I was thinking of you as a ran my 5k race this morning :)! You always make my day Zenyatta and I wiah many blessings to your connections and to Tasty's as well. It's back to homework for me :/ but you all have a great day!
Hugs,
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
What an exceptionally gorgeous picture of you and Tasty Temptation, Zenyatta. Both of you gals are very lucky to be such friends and have so much in common. Your babies are due at the same time, wonder which one of you will go first? And the other that is left and waiting, I am sure will truly miss the other. It is a time off but I am sure that it will be here before we all know it. WIshing the both of you the best. Sending my Love & Blessings with hugs and kisses to both of you!
Cynthia/Where Zenyatta Danced
@Anne from Paramount: Weren’t they great interviews, Anne? One cannot help but be ecstatic for Bill Spawr, who is solid old-school both in training techniques and in loyalty to long-time friends. A dying breed. And our Mikey was as self-effacing and gracious as always. He did mention that there are some up-and-comers from the Shirreffs’ stable to which he is looking forward to riding. Go Mikey!
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
Zenyatta – You and TT live in one of the most beautiful spots on earth. Such a pretty picture. It was rainy and cold this a.m. and I decided to re-watch some of the Breeder’s Cup races on tv ( DVR). Somehow I thought about Pluck – last years winner in the Juvenile – not sure if turf/sprint/ …. he was such a good looking young boy. So I looked him up in Bloodhorse and was surprised to hear about his recent surgery for Colic. However looks like he will recover. For any of you interested I’ll attempt to post. Have a wonderful weekend. http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66016/pluck-recovering-from-emergency-surgery
Peggy(N)
@Delrene from Carlsbad CA, Thank you for the info on Pluck. Hope he gets better.
Anne from Paramount, CA
@Cynthia/Where Zenyatta Danced: I am in total agreement w/your assessment of Bill Spawr. I was/am so happy for him! It will be great to see him at the Eclipse Awards! And of course, go Mikey! :)
@Anyone of interest: My email is still down. When it is operative again I will let you know by ending an email. DUH! :)
sharoninseattle
Tasty looks so regal in the photo! She and Zenyatta are a couple of beautiful mares! Thanks, Max, for the link to TTs race. It was fun to see her in action. Nice, smooth ride – or at least that’s what it looked like to me!
Ingrid Arnone. South Beach.
@ Max, thanks for the link from T T, she was so good, Ingrid.
@ Judy B, I hope you are okay, hugs Ingrid.
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
@ Max – Thanks for the video of Tasty. She didn’t run too many races and never at Fort Erie. I didn’t go to the Queen’s Plate in 2009 or to Woodbine for any of her races in 2010. She has a most odd pedigree, missing information of the dam’s side, I’ve not seen a pedigree like it before, but she’s good on her sire’s side.
LauraJ (Cincinnati, OH)
@Brenda S., where are you looking? Tasty’s pedigree is complete on both equineline.com and pedigreequery.com.
http://www.equineline.com/Free-5X-Pedigree.cfm?page_state=ORDER_AND_CONFIRM&reference_number=7745234®istry=T&horse_name=Tasty Temptation&dam_name=Parisia&foaling_year=2006&nicking_stats_indicator=Y
Rhonda
Hi Zenyatta, thanks for the update. You look great!
We really miss seeing you at the races but love your recap from the barn.
There’s just no one like you!!!
stephanie (s in san diego)
http://www.pedigreequery.com/tasty+temptation
Heres the link to TT’s family.
stephanie (s in san diego)
oops sorry Laura J, didn’t mean to repeat your post. Must have been looking it up when you were posting.
mary bobolis
What a gorgeous picture of you and Tasty against the backdrop of Lane’s End Farm. It’s truly spectacular. You are really showing quite a bit now, I can only imagine how wonderful it will be to see your new foal running by your side. Sleep weel Big Mama. I understand Mike E will be visiting you around Thanksgiving.
Max
Does anyone knows how many hands TT is? In this photo and in some other photos with Zenyatta, she looks to be as tall or nearly as tall as the Queen. If so, they are remarkably well matched and seem to be very close pals. Great to see that Zenyatta has such a good friend. Z looks as fabulous as ever. The camera always loves her.
Barbara Sanders
Do the Moses plan to breed you immediately after you have your foal? Her fan’s are hoping for a little break so that they might get a chance to visit her and her foal @ Lane’s End. At least this fan is really hoping there’s a break.
Abigail from Montreal
Good evening Miss Zenyatta & baby ZeeBee, TT, Dottie & Zen-sters:
What a gorgeous picture YOUR JOHN has taken of you, Zenny. I just love the arch of your neck….such an artistic curve! And you and the lovely TT certainly look as though you’re having a chat. Like a few other dumplings, I, too, would like to know what you girls were looking at…..certainly, it was NOT the camera. Seriously, this shot is beautiful enough to be the subject of still another painting.
GREAT to see that your store is up & running….I do feel that there may well be a Jaime Corum print of you in my future….
RE: WAR HORSE (the movie): I believe that I posted some of this in a prior Diary, but thought that ALL those with Christmas gifts in mind and those TEACHERS who are part of our community might appreciate hearing it again.
The book, “War Horse” was published in 1982 by author Michael Morpurgo, who was the third person to hold the title Children’s Laureate in the UK from 2003-2005. He writes for children & youth between the ages of 10-14, roughly. “War Horse” is an absolutely AMAZING short novel that teaches about the ravages of war through the eyes of Joey the horse. Like thousands of horses, Joey was “seized” (albeit politely) by the British army for service in WWI, even though he was the pet of his owner’s son. And the plot goes from there — in a story that takes children & youth into War in a far gentler way than many films might do, while helping them to see the sacredness of life. It is an uplifting, life-affirming story in the end, as are all of Morpurgo’s books.
Of course, a movie can do things a book cannot, and vice versa, and from the trailer Karen Gogue posted, I would say that Speilberg is aiming for an older audience. I do think, though, that he will be faithful to the story — he usually is, unless the film medium comes into play in ways that demand him to make adaptations. But I do think that the movie will raise people’s conscience about the plight of horses in war, especially WW1 where over a million of them died, and in general. One hopes that horse rescues worldwide will benefit!!!!
Love to all
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
@ Laura & Stephanie – thanks for your links, as I’ve said before, I’m a complete dimwit when it comes to computers. My info was coming from Horse Racing Nation.
@ Max – I too would love to know how many hands. I asked here once before but nobody responded. I think Tasty and Zenny are about the same height.
Elizabeth in New Mexico
Zenny, YOU and Tasty are such perfect FRIENDS – ears perked … watching after each other, enjoying the moment. Dottie, such a beautiful photo that John took of THE ‘MOMFRIENDS’! Thanks to everyone for all of the wonderful links! So much to read, see and enjoy every day!
Zenny, my Dad was a Veteran of World War Two and Korea. He and I watched all of your races right up until he passed away last year after a heroic battle with cancer. You brought him (and he and I) such JOY! We shared cheering you on during all your races that we watched together. SUCH MEMORIES – I can’t Thank YOU enough for them! Almost all of the men (and some of the women) in our family are Veterans (I must tell you – they know who Zenyatta is! – How could we not share our enthusiasm and love for YOU!) . God’s blessings to all of the Veterans especially this weekend.
And God’s blessings as always to your FAMILY, Zenny and everyone on your website who consider themselves a part of your family too – including my family here!
Abigail from Montreal
ALL: Just noticed this on The Blood-Horse site about a fan visit with Havre de Grace @ The Vinery…..proof positive (as if WE need it, LOL) that Team Z has had a PERMANENT impact on the sport…in their own sweet & gentle way!
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/throughthelens/archive/2011/11/12/a-visit-with-havre-de-grace.aspx
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
Wow. Tasty Temptation’s pedigree is like reading royalty. I’m so glad that you & TT are best friends. And thanks for the link to watching her race! Fun to see her in action too. Pouring rain here in So. Cal – perhaps L.A. too. have a birthday dinner celebration for my husband tonight and must go out in this! My dog hates the storm – lightening & thunder so she will accompany and remain in the car – with windows rolled partially down. She is a German Shepherd, but a big baby when it comes to rain! Crazy – wonder if she would get used to it if she lived where it rains a lot. chances are she’ll be under the covers tonight. What we do for our wonderful companions. Definitely won’t be heading up to L.A. for the carousel ride. Another time…. ladies…. If you go, have fun…
Margie in So. Calif.
Love this picture, Zenny. I already knew you were gorgeous, but now I can see how lovely Tasty is, too. I hope the boys aren’t looking out any windows in their barn – one look at the two of you and they’d bust through the barn door! :-) Sweet dreams, sweetie…
Shanna
What a beautiful photo!
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny
Hope you had a great racing Sat. Spent some time at
Our wonderful Annual Nutcracker Market shopping for
The holiday with a BBF horse friend I used to ride with.
She had a lovely very large trechaner/TB mare, Bunny
That she breed and I rode briefly. Bunny was large, talented,
But was ditsy like a TB. We both loved her and it was so
Good to talk about her at holiday time. Have a great relaxing
Sunday. I am going to send you those Delicious Harry and David
Pears for Christmas. Hope you enjoy them. XXXXOOO
signofthetimes
Dear All
Heard from Judy B. She has a wonderful support
system on place so is able to get together with
Her sister and her children are close by. Each day is a
New day, one at a time. XXXOOO
signofthetimes
HRTV has a great Inside Information on Northern Dance.
A lovely tribute and story
signofthetimes
@Susan Fredrick
Your poor hubby, dog house it is. These new cameras!!!
So glad you have other sources for photos. Love to know
When you post them. So glad Indy’s groom brought him out
So many times. I bet he loves everyone loving on him.