To all my dear, loving fans,
I want to THANK all of you for your support, encouragement and love.
I gave it a good GO in the Breeders’ Cup Classic…and tried my best! I’m home now at my Hollywood Park Barn. The flight back to California was great. My friends, Mario, Frank and Harmonious, traveled on the plane with me. It was a smooth trip!
The last week has been exciting and thrilling! I had a great time in KY and everyone was so kind to me. I posed for hundreds and hundreds of photos yesterday alone with so many fabulous fans. They brought me Z cakes, apples, peppermints, and carrots. They hugged me, kissed me, and made me feel so special. I am one lucky mare.
Then when I got back to the barn there was a great WELCOME HOME ZENYATTA sign hanging at the barn. People signed it with such sweet messages for me! Everyone makes me feel so special.
Today, I’ll walk and relax a bit and, of course, GRAZE! LUCKY ME!
Hugs to all…and again…THANKS TO ALL OF YOU for being so loving and supportive of me and all of TEAM ZENYATTA.
With great appreciation…
Love,
Z
Fran
I am so glad you had a safe trip home. At first I felt like crying when you lost the BC, but then I realized that you did not lose at all. You gave us, the public, a horse that became the Peoples Horse-we love you as though you are our own. You inspired us, and we fell in love with you. You are a grand and special girl! We got to see how your owners love you, your grooms love you, John and his wife love you and Mike – well he is very much in love with you too. You gave the public the side of horse racing that we never see; the other side of the business which is love, understanding,caring and devotion. So Queen Z you have given us so much more than 19 wins-you gave us so much more than winning a race. You have given us hope for the future. You have a nice and well deserved vacation. You graze on nice green grass and raise your head to the wind and be at peace for you are and will always be QUEEN Z
Margaret
Zenny I love you so much. I was so sad that you just missed the triumph. But you have great human folks who own and love you. And a great great trainer.
What I’ve come to know in my heart is that you had to give Blame a 20 length headstart to beat you. Were you to have had a clean race we know who the winner would be and it wouldn’t be that colt…
Dan the Man
The two (2) greatest sporting events I’ve ever seen were the 2009 & 2010 Breeders Cup Classics. I suppose it was just a coincidence that you, Zenyatta, were in them both. Great job to you and all the folks that made it possible. HOAL (Horse Of A Lifetime)
Karey
To Zenyatta’s good friend and jockey, Mike Smith: Your love and deep appreciation for our Lady Z make you as cherished to me as she is. The courage and heart she shows on the track tell me that she feels safe with you. What precious gifts you have given to each other. I believe this final race ended exactly as it was meant to, as difficult as that may be to accept. Together you are helping to teach the world in ways that go way beyond racing. Mike, you and Z are both stars of great magnitude. Thank you for shining on us so brilliantly.
Ms. Wood
Dear Ann Moss,
I wanted to tell you, as a Mother myself. I have watched how you adore your little (big) girl Zenyatta. I LOVE the way you LOVE her. She is your Baby, protect her the rest of her life.
R & D W
DON’T GO, you need to stay here in sunny California for awhile. We need you and you could always keep that athletic physique by galloping to victory in a couple of races. It might be a little warmer in Kentucky by then. Team Z you are the greatest you have given us so much enjoyment. Words cannot express the gratitude and love we feel for all of you. Zenyatta, you are forever in our hearts and we wish you a glorious future. Can’t wait for all the updates.
Love,
R&D
Patricia Emery
P.S. Yes, if anyone has any updates on how the Queen Z is doing, we’de all love to hear!! Sending lots of love to all.
Mary
My daughter introduced you to me Zenyatta and I am so glad she did. You are such a beautiful creation of God and you are very humble. I wish someday I could meet you in person but I don’t see that happening with you in Ca and me in NY state. If you ever decide to race at Saratoga, I’ll do my best to be there. I will continue to keep reading and checking facebook to keep up with your exciting life. You must have the best friends in the world watcing over you. You can see the love in their eyes when they are with you. Stay beautiful.
Juliane Jay
Lovely Zenyatta, after the race Saturday I was overwhelmed with gratitude to your owners and trainer for allowing you to grow big and strong before sending you out to race – maybe that will be your legacy and a good lesson to the industry. P.S. You didn’t lose that race…Blame hit the wire first, but you will always be the winner!
Beatrice Lian
So privileged to have had Zenyatta in our lifetime! And so sad to think that she will most likely be retired shortly. She is so unique & talented, and she seems almost human. She has captured our hearts & emotions on & off the tracks. To me, she is the horse of the century! We will never have another horse like Zenyatta again. A heartfelt plea to Mr. & Mrs. Moss -please, please do not retire her now. She has still so much energy, desire & talent to race. Could we enjoy her for a little while longer please?
Mary
Mr. & Mrs. Moss….Thank you for sharing Zenyatta with us. It is sad that we will not see her again. As I put on Mike Smith’s Facebook page…why don’t you, Mr. & Mrs. Moss… let Zenyatta have her own “reality show”…I know sounds a little crazy…just do not want to not see her anymore. I hate to see that personality and dancing go to waste. I told Mike he would make a good first visitor to her show. :) I have some ideas.
Lisa g
Good night, Ms Zenyatta. Hope to hear more about your days soon. Details, our Queen, from when you open your eyes till you close them. Thank your Team for me. I miss you so, I recorded your race, I can watch you prance and dance anytime I want. Lisa g
RHONDA C
QUEEN Z GOD MADE YOU SPECIAL. THERE HAS BEEN AND NEVER WILL BE A HORSE AS SPECIAL AS YOU. I LOVE YOU ,GIRL. I CAN NOT WAIT TO SEE YOUR BABIES. TELL YOUR FOLKS TO PUT THE BIRTH ON LIVE CAM.
Cindy Foster
It occurs to me after reading each and every heartfelt post here on Lady Z’s website that no matter where we are from; no matter who we are; no matter where we were; it was that first time our eyes set sight on this incredible and amazing creature who opened her heart and soul up for us each and every race that we all crawled inside and are now with her forever.
Zenny, when you let it all out down the backstretch with Mike on your back, we are all with you. Interestingly enough, when we go about our daily routines you are with us.
Arriving home from a long run Monday morning thinking about you all the while (proudly wearing my new long sleeve Breeder’s Cup T-shirt purchased by one of your biggest fans who was at the race) I closed the door and said to myself, “That was for you big girl.”
Special thanks to Jerry, Ann, John, Dottie, Steve, Mario, Frank, Carmen and the entire Z Team for loving you the way we all do!
Life teaches us lessons and we are all so blessed to have learned from you!
Pose, dance and have fun running into history as the greatest racehorse I have ever seen.
Larry S.
No question you were the best on Breeders Cup day. But as we all know the best doesn’t always win….In the hearts of all of your fans you were a winner on Breeders Cup day and a winner for what you brought to us in each and every one of your races. Regardless of what happens you are our horse of the year. Thank You for all the wonderful memories.
Brent
Queen Z,
You did an outstanding job on Sat!! I am very proud of you. I have seen many of your wins including the BC wins and you are truly an American Hero.
I have “our picture” proudly displayed with my winner circle photos and cherish it as much as any win that I have ever been lucky enough to be part of.
Having met and talked with your Team, I know you love your current life, so let’s go one more year!!!!
Lisa
Z, don’t go away just yet! You like to kick butt, don’t you? If you’re still into it you should keep giving us the thrills you’ve graced us with for the past three years. We don’t care if you don’t cross the finish line ahead… that was a fluke to be sure and probably wouldn’t happen again anyway ;) Keep it up! Motherhood isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, ya know? Plus, there isn’t anyone out there worthy of you (or tall enough either, if ya know what I mean
Come to Chicago! I would gladly come and serenade you in the barn with Bach Cello Suites (and I’m a professional musician so it wouldn’t suck, you’d LOVE it!) :)
To your Team, thank you, thank you so much for managing a stupendous career and sharing your treasure with us all.
Liz Coglianese
Already miss you Z and you haven’t left yet! Any chance we can come see you and say good-bye before you leave to wherever you will be going in retirement?
LeAnna
Zenyatta,
I just want to let you know that you are still a Perfect 20 in my eyes and you always will be. You did an awesome job in the Breeders Cup Classic! Coming from that far back, pass all the other great horses and just miss by inches, tell me just how great you are. You and Mike Smith make an awesome team and I am proud to watch you race on tv. You have brought so much back to the sport and for that I will be ever grateful.
Just wished I had gotten to see you, Mike Smith and the rest of the Z team in person, but up here in Montana, I just don’t get the race track like I would like to.
Good luck to you on the road that lie in front of you!
NancyP
Hello My Beautiful Girl!
Please thank Ann and Jerome Moss, John Sherriffs’ and Dottie, your entire team of helpers/riders, and last but not least,Mike Smith your wonderful jockey for giving people around the world the opportunity and thrill of a lifetime to experience how great and beautiful you are whether you are winning, or in glorious defeat. You are our Queen Zenyatta forever!
You are deeply loved and you will always be in our hearts and minds forever.
Bless you!
Carolyn Burton
I am so in love with Zenyatta – she is an amazing horse. I have watched all the videos of her races and read everything I could find. It would be a dream to see her one day. Thanks for being a special girl.
Camille
Zenyatta, you will always be #1 in the hearts of your fans!! Your record may no longer be perfect, but YOU still are!! You ran the race of your life big girl, and I am so glad I was there to see you. Your fans are extremely proud of you!! Even in defeat, you showed such dignity, grace, & class and proved to the world yet again what it means to be a TRUE champion among champions. Case in point – I was at Churchill Downs the morning AFTER the Breeders’ Cup….you, my dear, were surrounded by hundreds of “Zeniacs” (crazy, yet loving fans) who were there to take pictures of you, video their own personal “Zen Moments” and just bask in the awesomeness of your presence…Blame, on the other hand, stood alone in his stall, with only his Breeders’ Cup blanket around him. Enough said. You’ve done everything that has been asked of you, Queen Z; now you can enjoy a well-deserved retirement. One chapter of your life is ending, yet another is just beginning. You have been such a blessing to us all. Every now and then God creates something so magnificent that it cannot be ignored. I feel honored to have been able to experience such a creature as yourself. When I saw you arrive at Churchill Downs on November 2nd, you took my breath away…seeing you run for the final time on November 6th was a memory I will treasure for a lifetime. Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Moss, for being such caring owners and sharing Zenyatta with her adoring fans. To John Shirreffs – you are a wonderful trainer! Your patience with Queen Z has allowed her to become a legend that will be remembered for generations to come. I was too young to witness Secretariat’s great accomplishments, but Zenyatta’s record is undeniable and her personality unforgettable!! The crowd at Churchill Downs erupted when the “dancing queen” strutted her stuff!!! To Steve Willard – you’ve been an excellent exercise rider for Zen and helped to keep her in tip-top shape. To Mario (Z’s groom) – thank you for taking such good care of the big mare and always knowing just how to handle her around those noisy (but loving) fans!! And last but certainly not least, to Mike Smith – you are an incredible jockey who I know has a close bond with Zen…..she responds to you like no other….the connection between the two of you is magic. Please don’t put undue stress on yourself for her not winning the BC. BLAME the winner, not yourself; you two gave it your all; nobody can ask anything more than that. What really matters most is that you & Zenyatta are both safe and sound. You guided Zen safely around the track on multiple occasions in front of thousands of fans……allowing her to dance her way into our hearts and race her way into the history books! We’ve all enjoyed the ride. Thank you for such precious memories. God bless you, Zenyatta, and all her connections. Looking forward to a promising future…..BREED MORE ZENYATTAS!!!! =)
George Moffett
I hope you will sustain this site for a year or two so we can follow Zenyatta’s adjustment to a new life. I for one would learn from this web site if information could be provided on her care, her on-going companionship, her new non-racing routine to keep her happy, how decisions are made for breeding, and other matters that would interest those of us who have not grown up in this world. Your web writer is perhaps a bit exhausted from all the heat, but I think the interest in Zenyatta will continue and offers a great educational opportunity, even if only through this site.
Kristin Clegg
Zenyatta and Co.
Words are not enough to express the love we feel for you! Your beauty and character combined with your amazing athleticism are awe inspiring. Clearly, you have the most dedicated and loving trainers, groomers and caretakers. God bless you all for showing the world anything is possible, especially for a 6 year old mare in a field “young boys!”. We love you!
The Clegg Family
Paula Higgins
To The Connections of Zenyatta:
Look what you have wrought! The outpouring of love, admiration and affection for your horse is pretty much unique and amazing. I have never seen anything like it. Barbaro was loved but for a different reason. A large part of this is due to the way you have encouraged and valued her fans. You have been very kind to the people who wanted to meet her. I want to thank you all for that. You didn’t have to do it and many in the business would not have. All the accolades we are showering on Zenny are your’s as well. None of this would have been possible without her connections. Again, thank you for everything you have done for all of us.
NancyP
Zenyatta – RAT’s tribute (Nov.9, 2010) to you and all of your human connections beautifully and eloquently expressed the esteem and respect we hold for all of you.
‘…God spoke to the south wind: ‘I will create from you a being which will be a happiness to the good and a misfortune to the bad. Happiness shall be on its forehead, bounty on its back and joy in the possessor.’
Lillian Langford
I’m sure that you’ve figured out by now how much you are loved and adored by your many, many fans, including me and my family. I never had the chance to see you race in person, but I’d be thrilled just to see you up close and personal, and I’m hoping I’ll still get the chance. Mike Smith said in an interview that, as far as finding you the right male horse to breed with, none of them are worthy of you. I think he may be right, so play hard to get if you must and hold out for the right one. At least have him wine and dine you first (carrots and Guiness?) As far as Horse of the Year, you still deserve it. There is a great article about you in the New York Post (Nov 8) by Ed Fountaine titled “Zenyatta Must Be Horse of the Year”. OK Lady Z fans – let’s all put our heads together and figure out how we can start a “Zenyatta for the Horse of the Year” campaign. HOY would be the icing on the cake that Zenyatta and Team Zenyatta truly deserve. All Hail the Queen!
Anna
Thank you, dearest Zenyatta, for the memories. You are truly America’s Horse.
Gloria
Dear Big Mama Z,
I am so proud to be a fan of yours. You’re the only one who could come in second in the biggest race of the year and still command more attention than any other horse! Love you so much, you gutsy girl! Can you ask your connections if you could just stay in Southern California….I mean, forever? Wouldn’t it be fun to come out and visit the track every once in a while to see the fans? Ah, well, wherever you go, sweet girl, thank you for a great run. You’re the best I’ve ever seen and I feel grateful our paths crossed. Give Mikey a kiss from me. XOXO!
Elena Erdman
Dear Zenyatta….
I want to thank Jerry and Ann Moss for being such elegant and charming people and sharing you with us, your fans.. They are the givers of this world and Mike Smith… you are great and you brought Zenyatta home safe and well and what a race…. and John, you are such a great trainer and cared so much to do the right thing all the time for Zenyatta and your grooms, oh, my goodness, how wonderful they are …. please stay in California…. let the stallions come to you….. are you sure you want to be bred now? or do you want to do a race here and there? Or an appearance once in a while to our racetracks so we can see you again? Maybe being outside and eating grass is more fun than staying in a barn.. I am sure you will let everyone know what you want to do… should you make an appearance at a race track, you know there will be thousands there just to get a glimpse of you.. look at what you have done for racing? …. you gave us all the beauty of perfection and class and that is so needed in this world now… Your owners just added to the atmosphere, they talked to us and smiled and shared you with all of us…. I wish all you the best of the best and please let us know what is going on, we need you in our lives… Your energy transformed itself to your admirers and we all felt wonderful for experiencing greatness… I was at 9 of your races…..I love you so much….