Good Morning,
It is now just a few days before Christmas! SOPHIE looks like she is anxiously awaiting her presents from Santa Claus. I know she received a big package from STELLA and VIOLET last Friday…as they were busy sending out their holiday gifts. Rumor has it she opened them all immediately ! You know how it is….she just couldn’t wait!
Oh, look….I think I’m in the picture right next to SOPHIE! I so adore the fact that I am truly very special to my California families!
I know my BARN 55 pals still think of ME often! As MY JOHN said to Dottie just last night….ZENYATTA will always be a big part of our lives and in our hearts….ALWAYS!
May all of you who are busy with this year’s HOLIDAY RUSH take some extra time to enjoy spending special moments with your loved ones. Our wish is that you are ALL blessed with great health and many memorable and happy moments during this holiday season and throughout 2012!
With Love,
Hugs to All~(A special big hug from the SHIRREFFS’ HOUSEHOLD TO YOURS this holiday season!)
Z
D Stuart
@All: A wonderful donation from Barbaro’s “mom and dad” to benefit the children of the backstretch. Bravo!
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66670/jacksons-donate-150000-to-bcca?&utm_source=DailyNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20111222
diastu in tempe
Sally B. (Wi)
@Maryp(NY) You have my prayers, whatever may be the reason, I have asked God to watch over you
@Abilgail from Montreal; I really appreciated reading your Vault; it is such a wonderful reminder.
@Signoftimes, Jag and others; Thoroughly have enjoyed your links, from personal Christmas wishes, to foals with mamas & horses running in the snow! (Yesterdays post made my morning)
@Terry Crow; I believe I will keep quiet(its hard, ha) through the holidays too. Merry Christmas!
@Jag; Wow, horrible news is right. So sad for Chocolate Candy
@PeggyN; I wish for you special good news from your doctor. I will pray that God will give you this very special Christmas & New Year gift. hugs
Sally B. (Wi)
@all; one more comment: yes, Stay Thirsty should be in the running.
Suzanne TX/CA
My friend gave me the best present and insisted I open it early. Your ornament “Z”. It is so beautiful and it right on the front center of my tree. Merry Christmas to team Z and thanks for the lovely moments you have created this year. I attended the Z Celebration at the BC and it was truly the highlight
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: Thank you for sharing this special holiday greeting with us. Sophie, of course, is always adorable, but she really looks TOO CUTE sitting under the Christmas tree. My goodness, I can’t believe another year has come and gone. Over this past year, Zenny all of your fans have been so blessed to have had the opportunity of staying in touch with you. THANK YOU Dottie for your labor of love, and many thanks to YOUR JOHN for sharing his great photos of you with us. YOUR John and Dottie are very special folks.
Just think Zenny, this time last year we were on Diary Post #38. On this very day, one year ago, you told us that you met your very first BBF, PQ. We were so happy for you that you had a new friend! Now, thanks to YOU and Dottie, we are on Diary Post #403. Can you believe it! Just think Zenny over this past year, it has been through YOUR many, many posts of sharing your life with us that many of us have now become friends. I enjoyed meeting some of your CA fans, and YOUR John and his Barn 55 crew this past summer when I came out for Gold Cup Day. It was great fun! Great memories!
A very special hug and Merry Christmas right back to YOU, Dottie and John and little Sophie!
To All Z Fans: Wishing all of you a very Happy Holiday Season!
Max
@Dawn Conrad Thank you so much for the link to the video on Purim. He is very like his sire in all apparently but his disposition. I read that Dynaformer has lost none of his aggression as time has gone by. I love that horse. I hope that you will enjoy this link to a Three Chimneys’ advertisement on Dynaformer. It is cleverly done, and Dynaformer himself looks so sweet and innocent.
http://a4.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/190241_10150104831056050_62777301049_6891754_1643626_n.jpg
Lynne Langill
Happy Holidays to Zenyatta, her Lanes End family, and her CA family
Your forever pal, Lynne from Surrey, B.C., Canada
Karen Gogue
Zenny
Memories are fragile pieces of our soul that we have safely tucked away so that when they are called upon they bring with them a sparkle to our eyes and a smile to our face …may each and every one of you find that place and may it bring with it a truly warm and wonderful memory of your Christmas Past …
CHRISTMAS PAST
by C. David Hay
The memories most endearing
No matter where we roam
Are those of Christmas past
In a place we knew as home.
The magic of the season
With scent of wax and pine,
The aroma from the kitchen
That beckoned us to dine.
The dancing lights upon the tree
That cast their Yuletide spell,
The joyous song of carolers,
Peace on Earth – Noel!
The ghosts of cherished loved ones,
They live and always will,
For no one ever dies in
The place where time stands still.
The treasured scenes of yesteryear,
Could prayer but make them last.
Traditions of the heart live on
In dreams of Christmas past …
It does not matter what traditions you celebrate this year or of Christmas past … for we all our one under the Heavens spell and make this one last with memories for another Christmas past …
Linda in NJ
I am so sad over the tragic news of Chocolate Candy. He was just retired to Bar None on December 5th. It sounds like he was playing and really enjoying his new found freedom when the accident happened. What heartbreaking news.
candi carter
merry christmas to Zenny,sophie,ebby,tasty.as well as dottie,john,ann,jerry,steve,mario,carmen,and all the whole 95,000 fans healthy and prosperous new year 2012,Candi.
Cheryl Harshall
Special Christmas wishes to you Zenny and your wonderful California and Kentucky families.Special wishes and hugs to you and Sophie! Thanks once again for these wonderful diary posts.So enjoy reading them and looking at John’s photos. Merry Christmas to all!
Barbara Wood (Texas)
@Sandy in NE Ohio–I will go see War Horse. It was, after all, a children’s book. The preview alone is enough to draw me in.
@Sharon Call– well said! Wonderful Christmas blessings back to you.
@Terry Crow–got it! Wrote you back.
@Jeanie–posted Marlene’s plea on Equi-Army site and my FB page. Anyone who can, please help.
@Karen Gogue–beautiful posts. Thank you!
@JAG– we do remember your dear Mary.
@LouAnn Cingel–you are so right. Love is the strongest force in the world. Nothing can stand against it.
A special thanks and Merry Christmas to all the devoted staff at LE. Thanks for all you do!
signofthetimes
@ Karen G
Lovely poem
signofthetimes
To all going to Santa Anita after Christmas;
Just saw and Inside Information on “The Shoe Man”, hope to some day meet him (97 years old and has been at the track since it opened in 1934); has had many jobs but now shines shoes with pride and everyone love him. Have a great day at the races all of you in CA. !!!!!
signofthetimes
Lanes End Pedigree of the Week —- Liason
http://www.paulickreport.com/index.php/features/the-lane-s-end-weekender-pedigree/the-lane-s-end-weekender-pedigree-liaison/
Deborah Lawson
Zen,
Your posts are the best! Sophie is too cute! My Christmas is complete when I put your Zenyatta ornament front & center on our tree. Merry Christmas Zen & Tasty!:))
Michelle Cross
Merry Christmas to everyone! Sophie is adorable in this photo.
Sharyn ~ Vermont
Merry Christmas to you, Tasty and all your connections – especially, John, Dottie and Sophie too!
Shari Voltz/Ohio
Hi sweet Zenyatta I must say that Sophie is TOO CUTE! I love the picture of her. It is like a Christmas card. I want to wish my Z Family a very Merry Christmas. I am up late making Peanut Butter Balls. My husband loves them. I also wanted to say that I got a few cute horsey gifts from some of my students and teacher friends. One of my friends bought me the Jockey series and now I have your 2009 Breeders Cup Race on a DVD. Watching you run that race just blows me away. You came from last and never blinked an eye finishing first. You remind me of Secretariat. A female Secretariat. Going from last to first like the other horses were standing still. WOW! Zenny you were the BEST!!!! I hope you have sweet dreams and just know I love you so. Thank you Dottie for keeping this site going. It is so relaxing to come here and read, learn and enjoy the other Z Family members. Hugs and Kisses, Shari
@ Dawn sweet friend. I am sending Christmas Hugs your way :)
@ Hi Susan in Tn :)
@ Hi to Rosemary :)
@ Hi to Lisa G I miss Uncle Mo how about you?
signofthetimes
Just watched Eric Lamaze win Achen Germany
Grand Prix 2010 on Hicksted. What a wonderful
Exciting win for them both.
signofthetimes
Chocolate Candy, what a tragedy!!!!
signofthetimes
@Sally B
So glad you enjoyed the links. They are fun to find.
Marty R / Colorado
Some, like we in Colorado, will have a white Christmas. Some, will have a warmer than usual Christmas and for others it will be some where in between. No matter the weather, my wish for all is the warmth, goodness and blessings of the holiday season with the anticipation of hopeful expectations in the new year.
Peggy (N) South Georgia
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you Dotty & John & Sophie, Ann & Jerry Moss.
Merry Christmas to Everyone and Thank You so much for your well wishes, Sis Dawn, Trina, DebbieG, Kimberly P, Maryp(your in my prayers), Celeste, Delrene, Kari,(Know your in my prayers), Judy B, Sue (thank you for telling me about your mom and friend) its going to be a long time till next Friday my Dr’s visit., Susan, Sally B, Barbara, Signofthetimes. Hope again I haven’t missed anyone.
Oh, and Dawn Thank You so much for the You tube video of Dynaformer, I like him but sawone of my favorite fellows to the side there in his own video. None other than Point Given, (Just love that boy) Indy and Point Given are just my very favorites. There’s just something about those two fellows. Hoping so hard to get back to see them both in 2012.
Oh My Gosh, Marty R so sorry I had you on my mind above and left you out. Please forgive me. Merry Christmas and Thank You. Know your in my prayers too, for continued good news.
Love to all.
Peggy (N) South Georgia
@Zenyatta, Love You and Merry Merry christmas to you. I’ll be back again before Christmas. Love Ya
signofthetimes
Now we know why LE was so careful in getting
Zenny used to the snow, and rounded the corners
Of her paddock.
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
This is a wonderful story with a happy ending…http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66697/heroic-santa-anita-paddock-guard-to-return…
So tragic to hear about Chocolate Candy. All Candy Ride’s babies are so handsome. This helps us appreciate even more the care that was taken with Zenyatta ( a So Cal girl) getting used to the different weather and surfaces… Please understand I am not laying any blame on any one Sadley a tragic unforseen accident. I’m sure everyone connected at the barn and owners are devastated. So very sorry for your loss of this wonderful, exhuberant stallion. Zenyatta, you are fast asleep I’m sure. Hopefully your foal lets you get some rest!!!
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
When I checked to see if the article posted, it didn’t, but you can go toBloodhorse.com and read about the 91 year old gentleman ready to return to work on 12-26. I’d like to say hi to him… http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66697/heroic-santa-anita-paddock-guard-to-return
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
2nd time worked. I always send a silent prayer of thanks to Trina who taught me how to post articles on your website. Bless you!
Karen Gogue
Sophie you too were an angel Heaven sent -bless you and your family always. Cynthia H. got it right when she said you were an angel fluff – I might add to that and say you are the cutest fluffy Angel snowball! I’d like to have one just like you all wrapped up in my Christmas stocking … What joy you must bring to your Dottie and John, how could Zanta not be good to you this and every year!? Peace and love and joy to all at Barn 55 (horsey ones too!) and to Mr. and Mrs. Moss for the love they continue to shower upon us through their Queen …. Bless them!