Good Morning,
Last night, the 2011 Eclipse Award Winners were honored and recognized for their “Achievements in Racing” during an awards ceremony in Beverly Hills, California. Jeannine Edwards, who covers various sporting events for ESPN, hosted the ceremony. A HIGH HOOF to Jeannine on a job well done!
At this time, I would personally like to extend my sincere CONGRATULATIONS to each of the winners!
Numerous humans and horses performed at such a high level during the 2011 Racing Season. I’m sure it was a very difficult choice on so many levels in the various categories. At this time, I’d like to compliment each of the winners, nominees, and all others on a year of hard work, dedication, and achievement!
It is now 3 years in a row that the HORSE OF THE YEAR is a female. This is a very special and marvelous accomplishment:
2009—RACHEL ALEXANDRA,
2010—ME, ZENYATTA,
and in
2011 HAVRE de GRACE.
It is also the 6th time overall that a filly / mare has received this honor with the others being ALL ALONG, AZERI, and LADIES SECRET! What an impressive list this is! I am so proud to be a part of this elite group of honored athletes!
It is interesting to note that HAVRE de GRACE’S sire, Saint Liam, won the HOTY Award in 2005. He had just one crop of foals…and she is one of them. Another time a sire and one of his foals won this honor was A.P. INDY in 1992 and his ‘son’ MINESHAFT in 2003. Again, my deepest congratulations to everyone connected with HAVRE de GRACE. They must be SO VERY PROUD of her!
In reading over the list of winners, it seems this year having a name beginning with the letter “A” also seemed to be very lucky: ACCLAMATION, AMAZOMBIE, ANIMAL KINGDOM, My Miss “AURELIA”, and ADENA SPRINGS.
Again, a big HIGH HOOF to these humans / horses and all of the other winners of a 2011 ECLIPSE AWARD: HANSEN, ROYAL DELTA, MUSICAL ROMANCE, CAPE BLANCO, STACELITA, BLACK JACK BLUES, KEN AND SARAH RAMSEY, BILL MOTT, RAMON DOMINGUEZ, AND KYLE FREY.
This is truly an honor and achievement to take great PRIDE IN for a LIFETIME!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
Sharyn - Vermont
Definitely, congratulations to all the winners last night – amazing the girls did it again – three years in a row is surely a feat!! Congrats to Havre de Grace!!
Terry McNamee
Sharon, there are only two known roans in Thoroughbreds, both in Australia and both by Catch A Bird.
The Jockey Club is erroneous in its use of “roan”. A roan horse is born roan. To simplify the description, a roan will have a dark head, dark legs, dark mane and tail and light body. Any scars will grow in dark. The colour can lighten or darken with the seasons, but the basic pattern stays pretty much the same throughout the horse’s life. The colour is described by the base colour: red (bay) roan, blue roan (black or brown base), strawberry (chestnut) roan.
In contrast, a grey is born darker and always gets lighter every year. The process can take a long time or a short time, but eventually the horse will go dappled and finally white. Often the white gradually becomes covered with red speckles (fleabit grey). Some grey foals actually start turning light in the womb, while others stay dark for years and lighten very slowly. The JC term “grey or roan” is completely wrong.
A grey may also have one or more patches of colour that never change. These are called blood markings, but can be brown or black. Go here http://www.ultimatehorsesite.com/colors/bloodmarks.html for some examples.
There are other kinds of roaning too, including rabicano and sabino (a kind of pinto). Just Google “these terms and you will find lots of photos.
A born-white horse can be an extreme form of pinto (in Thoroughbreds, most commonly sabino or possibly overo), or a cremello (both parents must carry the cream gene plus chestnut). A cremello always has blue eyes, no exceptions.
The Thoroughbred also has a colour recently identified as “dominant white” that is accompanied by pink skin and very, very dark eyes. Examples include Patchen Beauty and her white descendants. These horses can have some bits of colour, usually on the ears, but are otherwise purest white. The extremely dark, almost black, eyes are one identifying clue.
As for Hansen, he is not a roan, but you need more information to know what he is! What colour was he when he was born? Was he born with white patches? What colour are his eyes? These are all clues. Of course, if someone did a DNA test for colour, we would know for sure.
Suzanne G (IL)
Very interesting info. Thanks for taking the time to share, Terry.
carol in utah
@terry mcnamee….thank you…that is the clearest explaination of “roan” i have come across….cleared some fog from my mind
LauraJ (Cincinnati OH)
Hansen is a grey. He gets the grey from his sire Tapit, who got it from his dam Tap Your Heels. I’d guess that his base color is bay or dark bay, although his sire Tapit does carry chestnut. His dam is bay. There’s chestnut on her side also, but there’s no way to tell whether Hansen carries it without testing. None of the horses in his pedigree carries any pinto markings. He’s not white, either. I’ve seen a white TB up close. They definitely look different from even a very light grey like Hansen.
Flashy colored TBs are very rare in the racing population. There are people who breed for color and pattern, but they mostly breed for the sport horse and halter markets.
Margaret
Now while the Pryor Mustangs are not obviously Thoroughbred it’s quite normal for them to come in one color, she’d out, grow their winter coat and be something entirely different!
Take a look at Bolder as an example!
I have to go back but I think Ginger’s Trace was a roan as a yearling when we saw him in the first Cloud movie.
At Fallon a couple of years ago I saw a blue roan colt. That blue silvery roan coat with a black head. Those hairs on his cheek got darker and darker til you had the black head. There was no clear delineation. I was mesmerized. I know I won’t ever see Trace in person but I had saw his twin brother!
Patricia/Far northern CA
Terry!!! Thank you for your more detailed comments and info re: coat colors. I cringe every time I see “gray or roan'” on a TB…. that’s actually about like saying “chestnut or bay”!! Which is it?? “Dark bay or brown” makes sense, as it’s just a matter of the degree of blackness (ratio of black hairs) in the coat of a base bay.
Zenny, you are a wonderful example of a dark bay, and in your photo galleries we can see how even that can change a bit with the season, with age, and how you live. Nowadays, living outdoors much of the day, you get a bit lighter… your coat bleaches a bit toward the end of summer. The one thing we can be pretty sure of is that your beautiful Bernie foal will be a deep dark rich color like both you and Bernie are.
To me a good horse is a good color… oh, but do I ever have a soft spot for bright chestnuts with blazed faces, a la Shackelford…. OH MY!!!
Patricia
PS, Zenny, sometime would you ask Steve Willard what he remembers of Sandpit? I loved that horse and was so saddened when he passed away at a young age.
Tracy
I am so thrilled for Havre de Grace and her connections.Loving the girl power!But Zenyatta you earned an award in my book as Horse of a Lifetime…so lucky to have been able to enjoy your racing career and your retirement and upcoming Mommyhood! Have a good day with Tasty!
Jan S. / Houston
What a enjoyable award show last night. I think all the nominees were winners. A special congratulations to those who took home their Oscar. ;) How much do you weigh now Big Mama, and how big is your baby. Hope you and Tasty have a fun
day.
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Bookmark #8 – ODE TO BARBARO
Just recently an article appeared in the Blood Horse about Michael Matz and his pursuit of the Kentucky Derby again this year with Union Rags. It is so fantastic to see him again enjoying such success. Of course seeing Michael always makes me think of Barbaro. Under the shadows of the twin spires at Churchill Downs and just at the entrance to the Kentucky Derby Museum you will find a life size bronze statue of a racehorse. This horse is in full racing stride with all four feet off of the ground, flying. It captures the finest moment on the track in the life of the horse portrayed, winning the Kentucky Derby. It is a piece of art that quite literally takes the breath away. There are often red roses placed upon the base for it is also the marker of the final resting place of Barbaro. It has been over 5 years since the passing of this amazing racehorse on January 29, 2007, yet I remember him as if it were yesterday. For you see I like so many others, loved Barbaro. He touched our souls with his beauty, gained our admiration with his brilliance and stole our hearts with his bravery. His was a unique story, written on the pages of time only once. After decidedly winning the Kentucky Derby with ease, he became our hope for a successful Triple Crown, but one wrong step in the Preakness shattered those dreams. Survival now became the thing we prayed for. It was a time like no other, a demonstration of the depths of feelings we could have for a horse. What was it that made the cards and letters flow; the flowers, peppermints and carrots arrive. What brought us to the website every day to check on Barbaro’s progress, to celebrate every success and mourn every setback along with his team of owner’s the Jackson’s, his trainer Michael Matz, his jockey Edgar Prado and his surgeon Dr. Richardson. They were our family too. Can pure love be explained or does it even need to be? He lived within our hearts for those remarkable months years ago and still does. His legacy is partly defined by his enormous racing talent, but more so by his enormous heart and will to live. We honor his memory in many ways. We wear T-shirts with his name, collect pictures of his image, follow news of his sire, dam and full brothers, support charities fighting laminitis and some keep his memory alive writing books about him. I wanted to recommend three in particular. The first was written while he was still at New Bolton, it is “Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured America’s Heart” by Sean Clancy. It followed the story as it took place. The author even had to change the ending of the book from the optimism of release to the finality of loss. The second is “My Guy Barbaro” by Edgar Prado. Here is a personal story of a jockey’s relationship with the horse of a lifetime. The final is “Greatness and Goodness: Barbaro and His Legacy” by Alex Brown. This book brings together the story with the perspective of time. All three are amazing books with some stunning photos. Whether you are familiar with Barbaro’s story or not, these books are a wonderful remembrance and treasured representation of how love can forever bond human and horse. The story of Barbaro shares some similarities with Zenyatta’s own. A fabulous, talented racehorse coupled with a remarkable team that has captured us heart and soul. How blessed are we that in Zenyatta’s case the celebration of life continues!
Note: On January 29, 2007 I was in the Cardiac ICU Unit at a local hospital after suffering an angina attack the previous evening. I was set for further tests the next morning. My mother had seen the announcement about Barbaro and was worried that I would be upset if I heard the news. I did hear the news and I did cry, but I also thought about the remarkable positive spirit Barbaro had displayed during his illness. As fate would have it, my heart turned out to be fine and the memory of Barbaro’s spirit, well that will be with me always.
Here is a link to a beautiful documentary about Barbaro. Be aware that in Part III there is short footage of his actual breakdown.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYkF046ERtU&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list=PL08B65828343BD236
Susan Carothers (in TN)
I’ve seen that documentary and it was quite good. Very hard to see the breakdown, for sure. One of the things I enjoyed about going to Churchill Downs was seeing that gorgeous bronze of Barbaro. There was a single red rose laid at his feet. My daughter’s friend has a beautiful, sweet Clydesdale he named Barbaro, in his honor.
Sue Fredrick - Wisconsin
Dawn, saw the beautiful statue of our dear Barbaro at CD and I believe it was or still is the only statue made with a horse in full gallop not touching the ground at any point. For those that haven’t seen it he is attached to the railing behind him. It is truly magnificent. Thanks for sharing.
Margaret
Oh Dawn do you remember the call “Barbaro in a Sublime Performance!” what utter ease he had winning the Derby. He just ran away from all the other horses without even tring! And the marvelous statue that you speak of is of a very famous picture I believe taken by Barbara Livingston of him just happily racing down the stretch. There is a picture of him with all four feet off the ground.
I was there for the grand unveiling. Such sheer and utter magnificence. Dr. R was there as we’re the Jackson’s. Grand absolutely wonderful folks. They are so incredibly kind and gracious. When you meet Mom Jackson (my name for her speaking as tho I was Barbaro) you know what being a REAL lady is all about. Not formal stiff manners. But just kindness and graciousness. It isn’t fake or make believe. Those lovely feelings that you have are real.
For instance at the first Barbaro Celebration celebrating what would have been his fourth birthday Mom Jackson came to the party. Over 700 of us had gathered. She knelt down in front of all of us.
That day is filled with happy and sad memories. Happy because together we made some 20,000 dollars for Laminitis. Sad because Barbaro wasn’t there.
And most importantly it should be noted that no matter your opinion of Mine That Bird’s connections, the day after MTB won the Derby his trainers gave out that beautiful wreath of Roses the rose had won the day before. They got a picture with the Barbaro Statue and then started handing them out.
MTB I think may have been the first race horse to have his own video camera set up and be on the Internet. If he was standing in the front of his stall you could watch him for hours!
Thanks for helping me remember good things!
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Susan, Sue and Margaret. I love all of your stories about seeing the bronze of Barbaro. It is truly very special! Margaret, how amazing that you were there at the unveiling. I missed it by just a couple of days, but could not extend my trip. I called to see if I could come by early, but of course they told me it had already been covered for the event. Just listening to Gretchen Jackson you can imagine what a remarkable lady she is, I’m glad she is the same as I imagined from your description.
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
Dear Dawn, We went to CD the day after our meeting at Lane’s End and so I have a couple of very nice photos of Barbaro’s magnificent statue. I wish that I had thought to take him a rose but next time.
Pati
I have a picture with the Barbaro statue, and I remember how I begged my mother to buy the biggest bundle of roses, and we payed $45 dollars for it, but I covered the base of that statue with them all. All 100 of them, one for every 1000 times I thought of him when I heard Kentucky Derby. Best money I have ever spent. I cry everytime I see the Inside Information episode on him. I DVRed it. My mom came home one day, the front door wide open, and to me sobbing like crazy, and I must say, she was very worried for a bit. lol
“Barbaro, he runs away from them ALL and he has something saved for the Preakness!!!”
Trina Nagele in So Cal
Thank you all for the beautiful Barbaro posts.
Kari Bussell/Tn.
Dawn- I will always cry for Barbaro. I remember is all so well. His statue is worth a trip to Kentucky before you get to Churchill Downs itself or how beautiful it is there. The day after the 2010BCC, my husband wanted to head back home when I insisted on going back to Churchill Downs to place a rose and pay my respects to Barbaro before we left. I had not had a chance to see it yet the traffic was so bad and it was far away from the gate entrance for our box.He was cranky that day and we were having an old (as the hills), married for 31 years kind of spippyy-snap ……He made a wrong turn and told me to hush-up look to my right and my I would see my hearts desire…..and yes, standing there by the fence was Zenyatta and Mario…..then out came her entire team! It was one of the happiest days of my life…yet another Zen-magic moment!..My husband of course now claims he knew what he was doing.LOL!
Susan Carothers (in TN)
Zenny- what a beautiful picture of you today (as ever!). Thank you, Sarah! Z, you are so gracious in your selfless recognition of others’ successes. I was very glad to see Havre de Grace win HOY and am so happy for Larry Jones and her other people! You will always be “HOH”- Horse of our hearts <3
I'll bet you can really feel little z moving around in there now! Hope you and Tasty have a good day and don't get any bad weather. We had a tornado warning but all's clear now. Love you, beautiful girl <3
P.S. I wore my Zenyatta bracelet to the doctor's office today and felt VERY special indeed!
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Dear Zenny,
As always, you are SO gracious with your acknowledgment of the award winners from last night. The big news from here is “IT CAME!” The special BloodHorse issue with all of the wonderful pictures of you (and Tasty). I love the one where you are looking over the fence – obviously intent on some “happening” there on the farm. The story about you, and how well you have adjusted to new surroundings and a new life, was very interesting, but what is this about you and Tasty staying “out” all night?? REALLY?? Here I pictured you all warm and cozy in your stall! (I supposed this is just another indication of how “clueless” I am about equine matters). And what a nice picture of YOUR John with that lovely smile!
The story about Rachel Alexandra was also interesting, and I can see why people have been thinking that we should get to have “See Zenyatta” days so it was very helpful when someone (a while back – I think maybe it was Debbie G) explained the differences in your situations.
The picture that really made me gasp was the one of Lotta Kim and her foal. It was like “OMG – that’s going to be YOU in the very near future!” I can see that I’d had better start laying in a good supply of tissues :-)
Love from your Ohio friend, Sandy
Alene
Hello my beautiful “Zenny”….I watched the awards last night. They were so exciting. Yes, your right. The talent was over whelming. Both horses and humans. I must commend the owner of Stacelita. He spoke mostly about her and all of her acomplishments. Thats the way it should be done. The horses must have the recognition they solely deserve. I`m happy for the humanes but if I had my choice it would be the “horses”…I`m quoting your John. He was asked, out of the last three HOY awards who was the best? Well, his answer was quite CLEAR. It was you,ZENYATTA…My love. I also love Rachel and Harve de Grace but you are VERY,VERY special! Anyway, I loved the show and was clapping for all the winners. Watch “HANSEN” he`s awesome….Love and kisses to you, Alene :-))
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
Happy Birthday Katie, may your dreams come true. Once more Trina, our very own Poet Laureate, has produced a beautiful tribute to you. I may have mentioned previously (at least once or twice!!) that my grand daughter, Victoria, has dreams of becoming a trainer and so I shall look forward to Katie riding a winner trained by Victoria.
Zenny, I hope that you and Tasty have been able to get out into the pasture. We have had quite a bit of rain here and I have had visions of the two of you rolling around in the mud before getting spa treatments. Many hugs and much love to you and Tasty, you’ll always be my Horse of every Year.
Sally B. (cherish Z- Wi.)
How is my lovely horse of my lifetime today!! This was really such exciting news. I congradulate all these fine horses/humans with their awards. Havre de Grace winning HOTY is very deserving. So proud of her. She is a beautiful specimen as well. We females, horse/human rock!! Look at all of us on the post, and Dottie and Ann, Sarah to name a few. Most of all, look at our Queen Zenyatta!!! Just being a little light hearted. I have high regard for some fabulous male horses/humans present and past.
Terry Crow with his entertainment rocks on this post too!! (did not forget!)
We received more snow today. How is it down there? Make sure you and Tasty huddle together staying warm and be careful with any slippery sleet/snow. Looking at your picture makes me want to give you a smooch! You take my breath away.
Love you, 2 kisses on your soft nose, one for baby z
Sally B. (cherish Z- Wi.)
I knew I misspelled congratulate. It was too late.
JAG ~ Queen Zen's Auntie Judy ~ So. California
Amazombie to get 2012 campaign under way in Palos Verdes:
Quote: “The nameplate on his halter has read AMAZOMBEI for months and not AMAZOMBIE. When the error was noticed, Spawr and his team were offered a revised halter. It was not allowed under the shedrow. Blame superstition, but Amazombie has had too much success with the misspelled halter.”
http://www.drf.com/news/santa-anita-amazombie-get-2012-campaign-under-way-palos-verdes
TOO CUTE!
Diane from Solana Beach
Congratulations to Havre de Grace!!!! So exciting to
have 3 great females as HOTY in a row! Last year when you
won, Zenyatta, I wrote in my journal that it was the happiest
day and I was so proud of your well-deserved honor. It was
such a great year in 2010 when the Mosses brought you back
to run another year; that was also my happiest moment and a wonderful
surprise as after you won the Breeders Classic in 2009, I didn’t
know how I was going to survive without seeing you run again
and then YEAAAA! We had you for another incredible year. Now we
are so blessed to keep in touch with you via this incredible diary. Thank you
a million times over Dottie for doing this for all the Queen’s fans around the
world. Peppermint kisses to you, sweet Zenny! XOXO
Ann Maree / Tennessee
I think I may have posted this before, but since we are discussing the unprecedented awarding of the HOY to a female for the third straight year and the rise to power of the ladies of the turf, Steve Haskin did a wonderful piece called “Girls Gone Wild” back in October. If you missed it, here it is again: http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2011/10/22/girls-gone-wild.aspx
BTW, I received my copy of The Blood-Horse’s “12 Horse Racing Divas” and read it cover to cover. While it’s true there have been only 6 female HOY since the recent Eclipse awards were inaugurated in I think 1971, there were 12 that have been designated by various horse racing groups over the last 150 years or so, and these are the ones whose stories are told in this wonderful volume. Tears flowed when I read Imp’s story, and Abigail maybe will tell her tale in more detail and with pictures sometime in one of her wonderful columns on her blog. She was truly a remarkable horse. All were remarkable in their own way, many of whom I knew little about.
@Terry McNamee, loved the info about “color” in the Thoroughbred. Thank you!
Happy Tuesday, all! Big hugs, Z
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Ann Maree – I thought this article by Steve was great. He is such a marvelous writer!
Kelly J. /ND
Congrats to all the winners, especially to Havre de Grace! Girls rule Horse of the Year for 3 years now, GIRL POWER!
Ann Maree / Tennessee
P.S. BTW, I love the Permalink feature to the comments!!! Each comment actually has a link and a number! Makes it easy to “bookmark” comments we want to keep track of. Cool!!
Eveline / Maryland.
Ann, could you please explain exactly how to do that? I have a mac- book and I’m quite computer illiterate.
Past the Grandstand
They are all very deserving horses! There definitely wasn’t as much tension at this year’s Eclipse Awards as there has been in the past few years :) And it is so cool that the past three HOTYs have been females. Girl power!
Jeanie
Dear Great One
I too want to share your HIGH HOOF to all the Eclipse Award Winners, and especially to Havre de Grace. What a filly! Wow. It is so amazing that for three years running, a great filly or mare has dominated the industry. This is a form of GIRL POWER that I think no one anticipated. I LOVE IT! And would SOMEBODY please tell the Eclipse Awards to pay their light bill! That show was do dimly lit last night it distracted greatly from the entertainment factor.
@All Z’isters — on a completely different note:
MARLENE DODGE AT VALLEY VIEW RANCH NEEDS HELP STOCKING UP HAY CUBES FOR THE WINTER. SHE NEEDS THEM TO FEED THE DEAR HORSES WE HAVE HELPED HER RESCUE. PLEASE GO TO http://www.valleyviewranchequinerescue.webs.com AND DO WHAT YOU CAN TO HELP HER FEED THESE DEAR HORSES OVER THE WINTER. THANK YOU ONE AND ALL!
Your humble J
Ingrid Arnone. South Beach.
Dear Z fans, do you remember I tried to paste a video about a bullfighting bull, that a wonderful man saved him from the bullring, then he adopted him. If i can paste the video, you will see what a little love can do to an animal, hugs Ingrid.
http://youtu.be/L51BxWBnQQQ
Eveline / Maryland.
Beautiful!
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Ingrid – The video was amazing and so very touching. It brought a tear when you think of how awful bullfighting is and what they go through in the ring. How wonderful that this special man saved this one and they have found such an extraordinary connection. Very beautiful!
Marty R / Colorado
Ingrid- Thank you for keeping on trying to share that video. Amazing!!
Trina Nagele in So Cal
Thank you, Ingrid, for not giving up! This is a wonderfully moving video that I’ll never forget! Well done with the link!
Terry Crow
If anyone would like to see a feel good movie about bull fighting, check out “The Brave One” starring a young actor by the name of Michael Ray. I’m not quite sure of the year, but I believe it came out in 1951 or 1952. Won an Academy Award and well worth seeing. You will love the end.
Margie from SoCal
Hi Zenny, at long last I have been catching up with you and your Z-posters. So much news I’ll have to go back and double catch up!
@Trina – in a personal email to you I said your poem for me gave me goose bumps and tears at the same time. I had no idea you would create such a tale from the questions you asked and our chatting back and forth. I’m completely blown away. I can never adequately thank you for such a personal and precious gift you gave to me. It is something I will always cherish and have forever to read over and over again. You are one awesome, talented lady. And the poems that followed later in the post were incredible, as well. You have an amazing gift. Thank you for sharing it with your fellow Dumplings. Love, M –
@All who sent me B-day greetings – thank you so much! I think I should have stayed home with Zenny’s diary instead of hitting the casino – no jackpot for me! LOL
@Kari B – loved your video. I could watch our Z all day long with such loving videos to view such as yours.
@Terry C – you know I love those Elvis stories! :-)
To Zenny – horse of my heart, always.
Trina Nagele in So Cal
Thank you, Margie. I’m so glad you liked it!
Margie from SoCal
P.S.
To All who have loved and lost a beloved pet – you have my love and deepest sympathy. Broken hearts understand one another…
Carole #42 Eagle, Wisconsin
Happy Birthday Katie and many, many more.
Carole #42 Eagle, Wisconsin
Congratulations to Havre de Grace and all the winners. Well deserved.
Happy day to you Z. and TT, have a wonderful time together today and have lots of carrots and peppermint treats.
@Dawn, Barbaro was one of my first loves. Followed his story so close but such a sad outcome. I have read a lot of his books and he was very special, so very, very, sad.
Gloria Jeanne in the "O.C." SO CAL
Hey Everyone –
If any of you have photo’s of Zenyatta that you have taken of her at races or at Hollywood Park – please share them of Zenyatt’a Facebook page. I have uploaded some in the past – just for “Old Times Sake”. It’s fun to see pictures that people have taken of her. The crowds that attended her races – It’s the WOW effect – they make me smile, they make me cry – but mostly they bring back good memories and give me chills. So anyway if you would like to share that would be great.
Thanks
Paula Higgins
@Sue Frederick, I felt exactly like you about Blind Luck. I wish they had given her Older Female. She was most deserving. Congratulations to HDG, Rapid Redux and all the winners. Saw the telecast via the internet and it looked like a lovely event. Thank you Ingrid for the wonderful video. A big hug to Zenny and Tasty, and warm greetings to my fellow Zenyattaphiles and Dottie.
Abigail from Montreal
Happy Birthday, Katie! I hope that you’re having an AMAZING day!
@ ALL: Our fellow dumpling, Ann Maree, sent this to me on Sunday but I just picked it up a few minutes ago. It’s about an amazing dog and his equally impressive owner. I know that DOTTIE & JOHN will love it and suspect many of my Zenster family will too! ENJOY:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=P2BfzUIBy9A#!
Rosemary McCauley - So. Cal.
Abigail – thank you for posting the video about Skid Boot. A few years ago there was a television program called Pet Stars, hosted by Mario Lopez. They featured all kinds of pets, birds, reptiles, cats, dogs, horses, you name it. It came on once a week and the audience voted for their favorite once a week. Then the next week, a new rounds of pets and talents were voted on and this continued for several weeks until they had several first place finishers, and a grand prize winner was voted on by the audience and the winner received $10,000. Skid Boot was the grand prize winner either the first year or the second year. He is the most amazing dog.
Trina Nagele in So Cal
I watched that show too, and was BLOWN AWAY by Skidboot! Thanks for the video, Ann Marie and Abigail!
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Abigail – Loved seeing Skidboot again. What a remarkable dog!! But what I find even more amazing is the pure beauty of the story of love between a man and his dog. Brings a lump to the throat just hear that soft spoken, hardworking cowboy talk about his relationship with Skidboot and what it means to him!
Marty R / Colorado
Oh, I loved this video and the story behind it. Thank you Ann Maree for finding it and thank you Abigail for sharing it.
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
What an amazing dog. You can see the love between Skidboot and David, there wouldn’t be a story without the love.
Kate Wheeler
Abigail and Ann Maree,
Thanks so very much for reminding us of Skidboot. What a brillliant and whimsical love of a dog! David Hartwig’s relationship with Skidboot was complete, the kind of uncanny love and communication to which we all aspire. What a treat.
sharon in seattle
congrats to all the award winners – I too would have loved some recognition for Blind Luck and Caleb’s Posse.
Jeannine Edwards did such a great job as emcee! Saved the whole evening.
Trina Nagele in So Cal
According to an article by Bill Dwyre written on Christmas Day about coming events at Santa Anita, today John Shear is turning 91. I have written a poem in his honor.
A Birthday Poem for John Shear
(January 17, 2012)
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Let us today recollect
The heroics of John Shear
Who in March of last year
A little girl did protect
From a grave danger none did expect:
That day
A horse
Suddenly broke away
Before entering the course
And came blindly charging her way.
Without fear
John Shear
Moved in front
Her to shield,
And when the horse didn’t yield,
John took the full brunt
And was hurled
To the ground.
That brave paddock guard
Was hit so hard
Many bones were broken to shards,
And internal bleeding was found
That threatened his life.
Blessedly since that date
John has been able to fully recuperate.
Though his wife
Wished he would retire,
It was his desire
At Santa Anita to be
When the horses again
Would race for the wire.
And then
On opening day
For this winter’s meet,
He was in fact
On duty once more
At the paddock gate,
And I among many had the great honor
Him there to greet!
We’ll not forget his selfless act!
To our hero John Shear
We want to say happy birthday,
And we pray
You’ll have a marvelous year!
And now let’s all cheer
The brave John Shear!
Hear! Hear!
signofthetimes
Wonderful Trina; what a tribute to a great, heroic man.
Rosemary McCauley - So. Cal.
Wonderful poem for a wonderful man. I was at the track when he was honored as a hero for saving that little girl from being injured. The grandstand responded with a standing ovation. He’s a hero, for sure.
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Trina – What a beautiful poem for such an amazing man. I watched a special about him at HRTV and I loved when he talked about never even hesitating to do what he did, because he had lived 90 wonderful years and the little girls life was just beginning. Remarkable! He is a link to a news report about him, where he uses the same words.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IuDXemxTuhQ&feature=related
Trina Nagele in So Cal
Thank you for your kind words, all, and thank you, Dawn, too, for that video link–I hadn’t seen it before.
Kari Bussell/Tn.
Beautiful Trina!
What a man!
Kate Wheeler
Trina, what an amazing poem for such an amazing and selfless hero. You said it so well.
Lisag in Texas
Beautiful, Trina!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, A TRUE AND REAL HERO, MR. JOHN SHEAR!
Susie Cartwright
We, your loyal subjects, have really been missing you lately Z! It could be because it was time for the Eclipse Awards. But I think because this is the longest we have ever had to go without seeing you!! I can’t wait to see you and your little baby.
JJ from MN
I also would like to state my conglations to all the big winners last night. I was so glad that hanson got the two year old honors he derseved it and HDG horse of the year . Lets keep it up ladys.
Zenyatta you look lovely lik always. My baby wish for you that you have a safe dilvery and the foal is born healty.
The only eclpise award i disagree with was 3-year-old colt. I know animal kingdom got sidlined but like caleb posse had a nice body of work in defeating the overated uncle mo. And stay thristy didn’t even get considered.
I also have a question somewhere i read that the top three finishers for horse of the year was HDG then Acclamation. Ten Game on Dude came in thrid with 10 and Cape Blanco with 9. So the why did cape Blaco get anccouced as the thrid choice over Game On Dude?
Love you Zenyatt
P.s I can’t wait for march.