Happy Monday Dear Friends,
I must say, whenever MY JOHN visits he has so many wonderful compliments for ME. He has always allowed ME the opportunity to be ME…and to feel so good about myself. I love spending time with him!
Per my California update this morning from Dottie, I heard that it rained over one inch in just a few hours yesterday afternoon at Hollywood Park. For some parts of the country, this happens quite a bit…but in Los Angeles, this is truly a rarity. Thus, the last few races at Hollywood Park were canceled…simply for safety
reasons.
This morning, it is absolutely gorgeous there…the sun is shining brightly and it is crisp and lovely outside. It is the perfect November morning! Thus, the track should dry out quickly. All should be A-OK for the horses and Hollywood Park’s Autumn Festival of racing to take place there this weekend.
On other racing fronts, I do want to send a HIGH HOOF to Steve Asmussen on winning his 6,000th race this weekend. This is truly a remarkable accomplishment…and then to top it off by having SABERCAT win the Delta Jackpot adds to the FUN!
The Delta Princess went to NOW I KNOW who is now 5 for 5 in her racing career. This is very special! Congratulations to this lovely filly and all of her connections.
Then tonight, RAPID REDUX goes for #20 in a row at Mountaineer Park. His race runs at 9:55 Eastern….6:55 Pacific. All the best to him in this one mile event! My Lane’s End friends and I will be watching! His sire is Pleasantly Perfect…who is one of the stallions who stands here at our farm. Good Luck, Rapid Redux, in this quest!
With Love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Susan in TN
@Terry Crow (again): Does it matter if you gave the Happy Meal toy to a child or an adult??
@Cynthia H and Dawn Conrad: Count me in for the Zenyatta Austen Club!
Congrats to Rapid Redux and Steve Asmussen!
@Peggy N: Ouch! Hope you feel better soon!
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: Another great picture of you and YOUR John. Your family sure does love you!!
Linda in NJ
Congratulations to Rapid Redux! Way to Go!!
Emily
Good morning Zenyatta. Hope you and TT are warm and dry. A great big shout out to Rapid Redux, congrats on winning your 20th. An outstanding accomplishment on any level of racing, and all in less than a year. Happy that you came through it all safe and sound. I hope your success is acknowledged and awarded in some way. When the time comes I wish you the best in retirement. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to retire to the Kentucky Horse Park or Old Friends.
To LindaJ in Cinti, I really enjoy your posts. I find them very informative and interesting.
A good day to all.
LauraJ (Cincinnati, OH)
Congrats to RR. Hope he wins the Claiming Crown.
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@AJ, the scratches aren’t that unusual. Many trainers will scratch if the track is muddy. Some horses just hate mud and/or don’t run well in it. Generally, you will also see a bunch of scratches when a turf race is taken off turf and run on the main track.
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@Cynthia H and @Dawn Conrad, I want to join the Zenyatta Austen Society as well. Colin Firth—yum! (If I had a filly or a female show dog, I’d name her Regency Romance.)
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@signofthetimes and @Doreen in CT. LBT is a great example of heart! I think she is another one who just loves to run. She also shows the value of a good farrier.
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@Vicki B and Kari, you’re welcome.
signofthetimes
Lane’s End Top Graded Stakes earning Farm
2010
http://www.paulickreport.com/features/keeneland-presents-american-graded-stakes-standings/keeneland-presents-american-graded-stakes-standings-top-producing-farms-never-rest/
signofthetimes
@Susan in TN
Have a wonderful week with your boys and Happy Thanksgiving.
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
Have a wonderful restful exercising day today with TT. Enjoy the nip of the cool weather and great time in KY. XXXXOOO
signofthetimes
@Laura J
The heart,courage, boldness, detemination and tenacity of the TB come in all of their bodies, no matter what the limitation. And of course a good farrier is a must for every horse with good shoes that stay on. LBT is a wonderful little horse. Her story is very touching.
I guess Stacelita showed us you can run with one eye, when she had the cup over her left eye during the BC.
signofthetimes
@Vicki B
Thanks for posting RR win. A whip does not hurt a horse. It is an aid used to
get the horse to move. It becomes abuse when it is used repetatively and the horse does not respond. That means the horse has nothing left in the “tank” and a whip is not going to improve that. If a horse responds to the whip it is appropriately used. Having the gate guys push them in by the rearend and grab their ears and bridle seems less palatable than the use of a whip once to move the horse forward. It is an aid. Jockeys only have a whip and hands, no legs to use or spurs to move the horse forward.
Yvonne and Maurice
Hi Zenyatta. High hoof to Rapid Redux. Love you, Angel.
Leiana in Santa Barbara, CA
@Vicky B: RR has always been a bit …fusty in the gate. I think it might be a bit claustrophobic for him to go in there because if he didn’t want to run, he wouldn’t break so cleanly and go right to the lead and just sit there, galloping along like he was out on a Sunday hack. They did open the front gate to let him walk in, and his jockey gave him a few taps. Whips aren’t evil torture devices, they’re effective aids if properly used. I’ve had to carry a jumping bat now and then when riding my own horses (and more respect for jockeys who can’t use their legs as aids). RR looked very happy running. He’s run a lot this year, but that’s what life is like for a lot of horses that don’t run in graded stakes races at the top of the game. They’re 99 percenters, they fill the every day race cards and are blue-collar types. He was only running for $5K, so it’s a lot different than a horse running in the $5 million dollar Classic. He runs more because he runs in races that give less, so he’s earning his keep. (Now, if only I could figure out how to make my horses poop gold so they can earn their keep ;)
Vicki B. near Hollywood Park
@signofthetimes & @Leiana – Thanks for your responses. I’m not completely at ease about it, but realize it’s possible my reactions may be due to my ignorance and inexperience with horses. RR definitely seems to like to run out, once the gate opens. So his resistance in the gate seems contradictory, but I don’t imagine being able to read his mind and know his thoughts.
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