To ALL of my very DEAR FRIENDS,
I would like to wish EACH OF YOU a very MERRY CHRISTMAS and a LOVELY, HEALTHY and HAPPY 2012!
It is my fondest wish that this holiday season and the new year brings each of you great joy…in so many ways. May you be blessed with treasured moments with friends and family, wonderful health, and the time to really stop and appreciate the things in life that truly matter!
My pals here at Lane’s End….Mike, Charles, Matt, Donna, Sarah, David and the Farish Family all send YOU their warmest wishes as well!
Oh…..and yes, TASTY DOES TOO!
Please be safe on the roads…and enjoy your day!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~ (I do mean to ALL OF YOU!)
Z
I also wanted to mention that Santa Anita opens tomorrow. MY JOHN and Dottie will be racing…so we’ll all touch base in the middle of the week and again share all of our holiday and racing news! HERE’S WISHING MANY WONDERFUL BLESSINGS TO ALL!
Kari Bussell
MR. COMMONS WINS!!!!!!!!!!
YIPEEE!!!!!!!!!
CONGRATULATIONS MR.SHIRREFFS, MIKEY &
MR.(SWEETFACE)COMMONS!!!
LauraJ in Cincinnati OH
@Jeanie, will donate, but it will have to be tomorrow. I am having some computer issues that affect PayPal.
Alene
Zenny have a wonderful Xmas. With love and cheers to all of your family..Both of them!!!!Alene
Kari Bussell
Congratulations also to RANDAZO for showing tremendous heart, running a great race to get third.
@Sharon Call-thank you, the music is by Dino.
@All who enjoyed the video..thank you so very much for all of your kind words. …with the Queen as the star, others great video (TVG), photos and Dino’s great music how could I go wrong?…It does give me great joy to know you enjoyed it…thank you for taking the time to let me know.
@Cynthia H- I hope you are having a great opening day at Santa Anita…Mr. Commons-Wowow!!!12th-heart!
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Better late than never – Merry Christmas Zenny to you, Tasty, Team Z in California and everyone and Lane’s End, and to everyone who posts on this site. I have learned so much (about horses and life in general) from all of you.
Thanks to those who encouraged me to see War Horse. The “Christmas orphans” group (i.e. no family or no local family – mostly because we’re old) went to see it yesterday. I LOVED it, and all of you will too. I could just see John talking to Z the way the Albert talked to Joey.
@Kari Bussell
Thank you for the beautiful Christmas present. I have NO idea how you produce these wonderful videos, but they are a great treat, and yesterday’s was sensational!
Hope all of the Dumplings had a great time today at Santa Anita – we’ll be eager to hear about your adventures.
Kari Bussell
@JAG & the Dumplings- I hope you guys are having a blast!
Dearest Dottie- Congratulations to YOU!!
Margaret
Mr. Commons won? That’s so cool. My dad used to work for a man named Commons. So while I’m not so up to date on this horse I LOVE his name. Congrats to Barn 55. Let the apple cider flow! And don’t forget to share with the horses!
Darlene Daniels
Congratulations Mr. Commons, Mike and John. Hope you are a great day my angel Zenyatta. Love to all!
Linda in NJ
Hi Zenny: I hope everyone had a great Christmas. Wow, Mr Commons won!!! Congratulations!!!!! This is great news. I saw Mr. Commons race in the Preakness!!
Elizabeth in Oregon
Big Congrats to your guys, Queen Z: Mr. Commons, Mikey, and YOUR John! Nice to see those big smiles on John’s and Mike’s happy faces! What a great race to watch with Mike splitting horses for the
win at the Great Race Place!
Karen Gogue
Sigh! What a disappointing day for me Zenny. Sat in traffic for 2 hours trying to get into Santa Anita! Everybody was trying to go today! Whew, by the time I got to the parking entrance, the police CLOSED the lot!! “All full – next gate, gate 3 please.” Yeah right! Another 45 minute wait in line of cars – by that time it was the 4th race! And who knows what race it would have been by the time I parked and walked into track! So, needless to say, so near yet soooo far. I go every year to opening day and I really wanted to see your friends from Barn 55 run today Zenny. Long story short, SA had over 45,000 in attendance and I came home after almost 3 hours in traffic. Good news though, HRTV was on the local station for opening day, so I got to watch the races from the 5th race on at home. Oh well, next time SA! I missed the Z dumplings and their company though.
Karen Gogue
OMG Mike Smith! You sure did take the polish off those two jockey’s boots!! Great race and congrats to Mike and Mr. Commons, and John! LOVE IT!!
Shari Voltz/Ohio
@ Barbara Wood thank you for the support :)
@ Karen Gogue thank you for the e card. You always make my day :)
@ YEA to Mr. Commons and Mike Smith !!!!
@ Yea to John!!! One of the Best Trainers Ever :)
Karen Gogue
Cynthia Holt
I saw your TOO CUTE little self on TV down by the tunnel at SA as the horses were coming onto the track. High Hoof!
AJ from CA
@Karen Gogue – sorry you got turned away at Santa Anita but glad you got home in time to watch it on tv. There was a huge crowd @ SA today but I think the traffic was a mix between the Arboretum, mall crowds and the races. I waited 45 minutes in line just to get a sandwich but did manage to see Mr. Commons in the paddock and Mike Smith and put my token $2.00 bet on them so very happy they won. Just gorgeous weather and great opening day crowd.
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
Congratulations to Mr. Commons and Mike Smith and your super-duper trainer John Looks like it was a very big crowd today. Things can get super crazy combined with the mall right next to the track and day after Christmas sales. On my Equibase Mr. Commons Dad is Artie Schiller and the place horse Dad is Artie Schiller too. ( Different dams of course) That is pretty interesting too. I need to find the time to look at Kari’s you tube video!!! Been crazy today with doing my rescue work with cats. They needed lots of love and attention today too.
Will watch the replay on my computer. Congratulations to the Factor too.
Barbara Wood (Texas)
Sandy in NE Ohio–I love the “Christmas Orphans”. We are fortunate to have our one child about 10 blocks from us, but I can’t tell you how many people I know whose families are scattered to the four winds. SO glad you got together.
I’m loving the reports of the movie and chomping at the bit to go. Sunday might be our first chance if we miss tomorrow, which looks likely. Grrrrr.
@Karen Gogue–bummer! I can’t believe it!
I thought the parking at SA was a cinch. So many have said it’s easier than CD. At least, you’ll get more chances. Now I’m concerned about BC2012….
Congrats to Mr. Commons–will go to BH and watch his race if it’s posted.
Love to all and especially YOU, Z. Love you always.
Forgot to mention @Laura J–thank you for remembering the rescues.
Delrene from Carlsbad - (California)
@ Karen Gogue – Sorry you got stuck in traffic. Been there myself. Getting out of the parking lot at Del Mar the day Zenyatta ran for the last time in Del Mar, was awful traffic tie up. About the same amount of time you spent. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Big crowd at Santa Anita for sure, but that is a good thing for racing. And Zenny girl, you had lots to do with that!
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
Hope you had a great day after Christmas watching all the races at Santa Anita. Boy Mr. Commons was on his game today, fantastic performance by him and great ride by YOUR MIKE. Also, congradulations to THE FACTOR. After all of those rail post, now an outside one where he could relax, cruise and kick. Heard he really liked training at Hollywood Park, quiet except for the planes.
Hope you relaxed, ran and ate healthy this holiday.
XXXXOOOO
signofthetimes
@ Karen G
Gary Stevens said there were more people at Santa Anita today than has been their for years. I guess with such an up in the air year, everyone was hoping to make some money on the last few days of racing this year. Glad you got to watch on HRTV.
Thanks for the wonderful card. You are so very special to send them to us.
signofthetimes
THE FACTOR’S win in the Malibu Stakes;
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66717/the-factor-cruises-in-malibu-stakes
signofthetimes
SANTA ANITA BIGGEST OPENER IN YEARS
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66719/santa-anita-opener-biggest-in-years
signofthetimes
GO MR COMMONS GO GO GO !!!! YOU WON !!!!!!
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66718/smith-guides-mr-commons-to-sir-beaufort-win
signofthetimes
Glad Joel Rosario was OK, after his horse (centralintelligence) spooked along the rail; glad he is such a good rider, really caught him off guard. Look at the replay the horse actually jumps something and Joel takes him back; white rail or too close for comfort at the rail. “mental issues”.
signofthetimes
Really like the filly Ismene, who won the CA Breeder’s Champion Stakes; Mike Smith rode her and she is such a talent; WOW can’t wait to see her as a 3 year old. Just blew away the field!!!!!
signofthetimes
Lots and Lots and Lots of talk about many votes for HDG as HOY,
so very much hope she gets it. Talking heads are comparing her year to Curlin’s second year HOY, he came in 4th in the BCC, too.
She really has been the most consistent horse all year, beating the boys in the Woodward and then her win in the Beldame over Royal Delta was just superb. Her year was not like Zenny or Rachel, but not all HOY are such great talents.
jackie feinberg
Good Evening Queen Z. What a lovely picture of you and Tasty. Hope all enjoyed a wonderful holiday. Saw War Horse yesterday. What a masterpiece. I think I cried from the beginning to end. What a touching story. Joey entwined so many lives. I can see this movie winning so many awards.
What a great day for racing. Santa Anita had the highest attendance since 1994. I believe it is due to you our Queen and everyone connected. Your connections did such a fabulous job in bringing more interest into the game.
Congrats MR. Commons, John and Mike. What an unbelievable ride. I was shocked you made it threw! Glad you came home safe.
Dottie, you are one special person. Hope Santa was good to you.
Again hope everyone enjoyed the holidays and I hope the new year brings good health and happiness to all.
Hugs
jackie
Karen Gogue
AJ
I thought that too, about the day after Christmas shoppers, BUT as we inched closer to each gate from the closed full lots, NONE of the lines were for the mall. The mall parking was way up on Baldwin past the SA entrances! Go figure!
Bridget
What a gorgeous picture! Love you, Z!
Karen Gogue
Barbara Wood
Not to worry about Breeders’ Cup 2012! All the Breeders’ Cup races I have attended there at SA have gone smoothly. I just think it was because Monday (today) was an off day for a lot of people and why not go to the track! Usually the parking is a breeze there, and never had a problem even when Curlin and Zenny were running – huge crowds there for those races and the Breeders’ too. Just get to the track early on Breeders’ Cup days and you will have no problems. (HOOVES CROSSED! FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, YOU KNOW LOL!)