Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #418

ME….grazing at Oaklawn Park the day before my last Apple Blossom victory! Photo by John Shirreffs


Happy Friday, Everyone!

This is the beginning of a very busy and exciting weekend in sports!

Today, OAKLAWN PARK will open for its’ 108th SEASON of racing. This track offers a very competitive stakes program which will conclude in April with the “Racing Festival of the South”. The “Festival” runs from April 11-14th. This is the week when the Apple Blossom G1…one of my very favorite races…will take place. Also, the Arkansas Derby G1 will run at this time. For years, the horses running contentiously in these events have consistently performed at a high level in stakes programs throughout country.

I’d also like to wish their new announcer, Frank Mirahmadi, all the best. Frank has called races in California and worked in television for the last several years. Frank is replacing their long-time race caller and the voice of Oaklawn for decades, Terry Wallace. Mr. Wallace called over 20,000 Oaklawn races during his career including both of my APPLE BLOSSOM victories. ALL THE BEST to both of these men in their future endeavors!

Jennifer Hoyt is the Media Relations Manager at Oaklawn and I know her very well. She and her husband, Rolly, were assigned by The Breeders’ Cup to ME and BARN 55 to work with MY JOHN on media events during the entire month before the 2010 Breeders’ Cup at Churchill Downs. They did a wonderful job…and we couldn’t THANK THEM enough for all of their help and assistance.

On Saturday, we begin a 3 day weekend of great racing around the country. On top of this, the Pro Football Play-off games take place. This is TOO CUTE! There is a quarterback in Denver named TIM TEBOW. He is really getting people excited about football. From what I am hearing, even people who normally don’t follow the sport are tuning in to watch him play. HMMM…sounds familiar! I keep teasing TASTY that he has the same initials as she does…TT. HOOVES CROSSED for all of the teams to play their very best!

Sunday, the VOX POPULI award will be given to RAPID REDUX during a ceremony which will take place at Santa Anita. This year’s selection was done differently than when I received this award in 2011…..they had the fans vote and be a part of the selection process. Congratulations to Rapid Redux on being this year’s deserving winner of the VOX POPULI AWARD! He had a very exciting year!

Finally, on Monday night, the Eclipse Awards will take place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills, California. The ceremony will begin at 8 Eastern Time / 5 Pacific …scheduled to last approximately 2 1/2 hours. If you are unable to attend, they will be broadcast live on HRTV. You may also view them on DRF.COM, RTN.TV, and HRTV.COM from the reports we are receiving. The horses nominated in ALL categories are very deserving of this honor…and it will be so exciting to see who wins this year’s HORSE OF THE YEAR! Hmmm….could it be a FILLY or MARE again?

Enjoy all of these great activites! Have a wonderful weekend…and on Monday…may we all take a moment to reflect upon the reason we are having this special holiday to observe the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.

With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z

Reader Interactions

531 Comments

  1. / Reply

    It is so fun to watch your Apple Blossom race repeated on TVG.
    I miss seeing you race.
    I was so stressed watching the Eclipse Awards last year, my heart pounding, as I waited for the announcement of Horse Of The Year!
    Question; I’ve watched the Eclipse Awards on TVG before, do you know if it will be on TVG Monday night? I have missed hearing it, if they have said.
    Hugs and Prayers

  2. / Reply

    Sweet Zenny, It is so hard to believe that a year ago you had in tears of joy for your HOY Award!!! Thank you for continuing to delight us and help us all believe that despit all the political, social, and personal challenges we may have – life is a beautiful thing with you being a part of our world every day!!!!

    So many things to do this weekend; let’s not forget about Sunday Brunch! :)

    We love you, Linda and George

  3. / Reply

    Good Morning Zen,
    It was so good to watch that race again! Thanks, Ann Maree, for posting the link!
    It is sunny and warm and very unseasonably dry here in Northern California. Snow in the Sierra is measured in inches, where there is snow!
    Yes, an exciting weekend for football as well as racing. I have been a 49ers fan for more years than I care to admit….and it was a fantastic year for them. I will be cheering them on (loudly!) from my car as I have to be on the road during the game to an awards ceremony to accept awards for 2 of my doggies! 2 pups from my last vizsla litter won their Junior Hunter titles at just 9 months old and our breed club will present their owners (and ME as co-owner and breeder!) with awards.
    Keep warm!
    Lynn

    • / Reply

      Congratulations Lynn, I loved going to shows with my friend and her golden retriever. Seeing him get his Ch. was a thrill.

    • / Reply

      Lynn –
      How very exciting; mine boy (Vizshla) is 3 and still working on his titiles;
      lots of work and so glad he got it so young; much have a great hunt drive;
      went to an AKC Hunt Test yesterday and watched some taking Junior hunter;
      very fun and very nice people

    • / Reply

      Lynn–I have Vs also. Both AKC show champions and my female has her JH. My male prefers to flush,ha. Congrats on those titles at such a young age. What a great breed!

  4. / Reply

    Hey Zenny and Tasty, wanted to let you know your good neighbor down the road, Michael Blowen, is celebrating HIS Birthday today!! Happy Birthday Michael!! Thank you for all you do at Old Friends and for your devoted love to our retired Thoroughbreds. You are truly one of a kind!!

      • / Reply

        Happy Birthday Michael Blowen!! I had the pleasure to meet you this past Nov while visiting Old Friends. You had your Zenyatta hat on and so did I!! In fact you mentioned it to me. You made the visit so ENJOYABLE! Many more Happy Birthdays.

  5. / Reply

    Congratulations to Rapid Redux on the Vox Populi Award! He is so deserving. Good luck to all the Eclipse Award winners Monday night. I will be watching. Tim Tebow, win or lose Saturday night, GOD sees your love for him. I wil be rooting for you and this is from someone who was raised in Massachusetts. Looking forward to the racing on Saturday! Safe trip to all te horses. Susan, keep those posters up! You picked two great role models in Zenyatta and Tim Tebow.

  6. / Reply

    TGIF even if it is Friday the 13th!
    Might be a little superstitious (aren’t most horse people)
    but I don’t have friggatriskaidekaphobia (fear or Fri. 13th
    or even triskaidekaphobia.(fear of number 13)
    Busy award weekend
    Hope yours is great!

  7. / Reply

    Good Afternoon, Momma Z :) How’s the weather in Lexington ?? It is VERY cold in South Carolina today. High Hooves to Rapid Redux !! I’m saying a prayer that Havre de Grace wins HOY, which in my opinion, she deserves :) Wow, that would mean fillies/mares have won HOY 3 years in a row. YOU GO GIRLS !!

  8. / Reply

    Hi Zenny! Happy opening day at Oaklawn Park!!! The Eclipse Awards should be very exciting!

    Can we have an update on Eblouissante, Zenny? And maybe some of the other horses at Barn 55? :) Have a great day sweat heart!
    Love, Katie(future jockey)

    P.S. Tuesday the 17th is my 15th birthday!!

  9. / Reply

    Good afternoon, dear Z, TT, and Dumplings! TGIF. Ever since the holidays, I can’t keep my days straight.
    I have WONDERFUL memories, of YOU, dear Z at the 2010 Apple Blossom. I have hotel reservations this year, but it’s looking iffy on the schedule.
    I’m enjoying all the back-and-forth about football as everybody mentions his/her favorite team. I don’t have a horse in that race–too busy with basketball now that football is over for the year. Maybe next year when our RG3 has a team.
    Congrats to RR. Wish I could get the Eclipse Awards, but I don’t get any of those stations. Wish I could trade for some that I OD get that I don’t want!

      • / Reply

        Sorry. I wasn’t on yesterday so missed your Post.
        I know you are a long time Z follower
        & do a great job of keeping folks informed.
        Saw Claire’s comment on Twitter today & shared
        Have a great weekend!

        • Great Keta; it is great to repost; for the reason you mentioned; some don’t read every day. Thanks for all of your great contributions to this site.
          They are always infomative; besides I don’t twitter; so you can keep us up with that.

    • / Reply

      So glad Garrett’s surgery went well. Here’s wishing him a speedy recovery and that he gets back to his winning ways soon!

  11. / Reply

    My dear Zenyatta, you always give us all this great information, I thank you for it, love you Ingrid.

  12. / Reply

    Zenny-certainly hope you and Tasty are inside the barn today. It is certainly too cold for a queen to be outside. Thinking back to the excitement at last year’s HOY announcement. Zenny, there will never be another one like you!

    Love You, Big Mare

    Kim

    • / Reply

      What would horses in the wild do ????? Huddle together to keep each other warm with
      the pregnant mares in the middle of her herd. !!!!!

  13. / Reply

    hi Z! Happy Friday to YOU and Tasty! I remember well YOUR last Apple Blossom win at Oaklawn, such great memories!!! YOU and Tasty have a wonderful weekend! Love YOU gorgeous mama xoxoxo and Congratulations to Rapid Redux!!!

  14. / Reply

    Zenny, you were and always be the Queen of the Apple Blossom race. How I loved seeing you do your thing…I was always on the edge of my chair watching you race around that track. I also like Tim Tebow …he seems like a really good man. The world could use more people like him.
    You, my dear, are always setting new standards. I love your intelligence, wit and huge heart. I cannot thank your Ann, Jerry, John and Dottie for keeping us as part of your life. I am so anxious for little Z/B to get here…you will be an awesome mom.

  15. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    Hope you are having a great day; waiting out the days for your foals birth; I bet you
    don’t even know what is coming up !!!! The joy of a first time “mom”.
    XXXXOOOOO

  16. / Reply

    I’ll be rooting for the Patriots tomorrow. I’ve been following them for the past 40 years, but if they should lose, I’ll be cheering on the Broncos to make it to the Super Bowl and win. Tim Tebow is such a great story.
    Congratulations again to Rapid Redux. I only get TVG where I live – does anyone know if the ceremony will be on Santa Anita’s website simulcast? I looked on their website and didn’t find any info other than that Rapid Redux won the Vox Populi award. I guess I’ll be watching the Eclipse Awards on DRF.com or HRTV.com. I’ve tried to get my cable company to carry HRTV to no avail.
    Zenny – have a great weekend along with Tasty. Did you get any snow yesterday? I was watching the weather last night and on the radar it showed that both rain and snow showers passed through Kentucky.
    Good luck and safe trips for all this weekend.
    Z fans everywhere, enjoy your weekend too.

  17. / Reply

    Hi Zenny, exciting racing coming up, wonder if Ebby will run at all at Santa Anita? She has 10 BEAUTIFUL pictures on her facebook page which I spent drooling over. She’s definitely got your and mom’s ears, and looks somewhat like you, but I do see a lot of Bernie in her too. She reminds me of a black swan with that long, long neck, and looks so sleek and shiny……..stunning!
    I remenber my visit too Oaklawn, was the first chance I got to see you up close and personal. My BFF and I snuck thru securtity and found you in the back happily munching away with John and Mario. I was absolutely awed by your size and beauty, and the fact that I got to see such a famous horse no more than 4 feet away. Never will forget that…….treasured memory.
    @Michael Blowen, Happy, Happy Birthday and hope you have many, many, many more. What you have done for retired thoroughbreds is nothing short of amazing. I have visited you twice and taken the tour, love your humorous stories they are great.
    @Maryp, Bobby Graser, Sally B , I’m with you guys PACKERS RULE!!!!! Aaron is the best quarter back in the league right now (do like Tebow and what he stands for) but our guy should win MVP. Packers hopefully will repeat we just have to get rid of those pesky Giants, LOL.
    Zenny get your cheesehead on, love you and kisses on your nose.

    • / Reply

      Sue – What a great forever memory!! And that you shared the adventure with your BFF makes it all the more special!

  18. / Reply

    Dear Z, TT, Dottie and Z Fans:
    Happy Friday to you. Today’s photo, Z, brings back exciting memories of your racing days. Good luck to all the horses up for Eclipse Awards and I do hope another female wins Horse of the Year (HDG???) Good luck and safe trips to all the horses and jocks running races this weekend. Lovely, Dottie, to remember Martin Luther King. Love you and love to all of you, Judy and Russ

    • / Reply

      Signofthetimes; Thankyou so much for the link. Yes, this is it!! Zenyatta won this race right before my eyes while I stood at the rail. Remember, Rachael Alexandria was to be in this race too? I knew that Zenyatta would be the reining Queen!! My best memories are at Oaklawn.

  23. / Reply

    Dear Terry Crow:

    Just read the jokes you posted on Diary #417. Some of the funniest yet. Still laughing. Thank you. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Glad you enjoyed them. I do this for you and the other members of the club. We are always looking for new members. Judy-You were one of the first people to welcome me to this site. I will never forget that.

      • / Reply

        Dear Terry C.:
        You are the poster that brightens everyone’s day with your jokes and humor. Not to mention educating us with your knowledge of horses and racing. Thank you so much. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      It’s good to see Mucho Macho Man’s name back in print. I always liked that colt alot. Hope he does well this year.

  26. / Reply

    Dear Signofthetimes:
    Thanks for the links to Z’s Apple Blossom wins. Love to watch her races over and over again. Hugs, JB

  28. / Reply

    Dear Michael Blowen:
    Wishing you the happiest birthday and thanks so much for all you do with all
    the retired racing “guys”. They are all very very special.

    • / Reply

      Abigail – This is way too much fun!! There is no way you can sit still and watch this video of Zenny that our wonderful, beautiful, talented KARI made!!

    • / Reply

      Watch the section when Z is right across from the person doing the video. She raises her right leg, then half paws the air, and then sets the leg down. But it wasn’t a fluke cause she did at least once on this video. And there lots of other videos out there showing her dancing mainly off her right leg.

      I remember when I first saw her in the barn with Steve, Z let out a nicker and then started with her right fore. It was “give me carrots! I want my carrots NOW!” the horse to her right in the next stall had learned to do the paw trick.

    • / Reply

      That was great. Made me wonder if were lead pony was a male beacues she seemed to say come on and be my dance parnther. Plus I’m going to win this today so lets dance.

    • / Reply

      Dearest Sister Abigail,
      Thank you for such high praise. It means so very much coming from you. I have mentioned to you before, I look up to you. I very much remember how we met. This video is my sentimental favorite for a number of reasons, it is all my own footage of one of the happiest days of my life is one reson… My husband laughed at it (not in a cruel way) . He did not “get it.” I feared I was making a fool of myself or worse my belove Zenyatta so I took it down. I had not yet joined FB or I would have known that at least one person out there enjoyed it. I deleted it . My daughter called to tell me my grandson Nicco ( at “that ” stage) was throwing a complete fit to see ” Nana’s horsey movie.”…I uploaded it again. Not more than a few hours later my Hero left a very kind comment underneath it..(Zen- magic)..It was not just what he said but how he said it.”.I just found this…”.implied he had noticed….when they announced she would run again in 2010 and was pointed towards the Apple Blossom…I was so excited. I had left a daily countdown on his channel I was so excited ……I was getting to see Zenyatta and my hero in person…..I lost all shyness and still can’t believe how much I poured my heart out about my passion for her….Just like Dottie does with this diary…With that simple gesture, this amazing, very busy , gentle man made my world & gave me renewed hope.He made little, no-body important me feel that I was seen and appreciated by her (The Queen) human connections….and he (Mr. Shirreffs) is my HERO..I took a zillion pictures of his comment and printed it about 80 times to make sure I always had a copy. I framed one and it hangs on my wall next to very special photos of him and Dottie…….It was through this video that I met so many more of you. …so thank you Abigail…. Your sharing this, yours & others kind words made my day(night)….”What a joy.”……I pray daily that all people connected to Zenyatta & this diary know the joy they have given me…I watch your wonderful video all the time too…..
      “Your” Kari
      LOL!- You guys make me laugh with the “Our” Kari thing…..
      For anyone thinking of attending this year’s Apple Blossom, Hot Springs is a very charming place. Oaklawn is a wonderful track with a very rich and colorful history.

    • / Reply

      Abilgail; That video of Kari’s is absolutely awesome! Zenyatta ROCKS! Anytime I can watch Z do her dance makes we want to dance right with her too!!
      She is such a Queen. There was someone who had placed a video on U tube, quite a while ago that had Michael Jackson’s “Rock with You” playing as Zenyatta danced along. I thought that was my favorite until I saw Kari’s.
      @Kari; this was meant for you too. You make life grand.

    • / Reply

      @Abigail, thanks for Z’s Dance video, I had never seen it. She just has so much energy to burn, like a fidgety kid in class — something’s about to happen!

  30. / Reply

    Christine Crocker at the Santa Anita Gift Shop has place the commemorative poster for the 2011 Secretariat Vox Populi Award at santaanita.com. It is available for purchase through the Santa Anita gift shop. The portrait of Rapid Redux was created by Jamie Corum and is quite beautiful–the expressive image of a champion racehorse. A small image of a running Secretariat appears below the large portrait. This poster is different from the one that commemorates your receipt of the first Secretariat Vox Populi Award where you are depicted alongside Secretariat as “Racing Royalty.” That framed poster hangs on my living room wall and I will add Rapid Redux’s poster and as many of the subsequent award recipients as I may live to see to create a Secretariat Vox Populi Award Wall in my home. I enjoy your likeness every day. You and Secretariat are the first ones I see in the morning and the last before I turn in for the night. You are a beauty and inspirational. Rapid Redux contributes his “blue-collar” achievements to this developing wall of champions. He will add a different kind of inspiration to my wall of race horse honor.

    • / Reply

      Thanks for the info Marian. I’m going to get on the Santa Anita website as soon as I finish the diary now!

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