Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #449

HELLO ZENNIE! It's your pals from BARN 55! Photos by Michelle Jensen and John Shirreffs

Happy Friday!

The weather in Lexington has been quite ‘active’ lately and we’ve had several storm warnings. This part of my life is so different than anything I ever experienced in California. Lane’s End is exceptionally careful with us when this happens and our time outdoors is very structured and limited….if at all. Everything depends on the weather conditions and our safety.

Fortunately, TASTY and I love our stalls and are very comfy and cozy indoors. We do hope it clears up soon. This way we can get back into our ‘spending time outdoors routine’ …and things will be safer for everyone.

My days of ‘traveling alone…without a foal by my side’ are becoming more and more monitored. As of this morning, per the farm, my ‘bag’ is getting a bit larger. It is making all of the gradual changes necessary to increase in size…and I am ‘waxing a bit’. This all pertains to my udder and milk production levels which are consistently and carefully recorded all of the time now.

I must say, I never thought the words ‘bagging’ and ‘waxing’ would take on such great importance in my life! However, I have now learned when a mare is getting ready to foal…these terms become extremely significant!

From today’s report, it appears I am still on target to foal ‘sometime next week’…but nature is nature. I’ll keep you posted! As I’ve said so many times before, this is all so NEW TO ME! Thank you for your support!

This morning, my pals at BARN 55 wanted to send ME some fun….THINKING OF YOU…photos. They are wearing my NEW T-SHIRT and sending ME lots of hugs, warm greetings, and positive thoughts. They always do…but as it is getting closer and closer to my foaling experience….they really wanted to reinforce these thoughts and tell ME how much they care, think of ME, and MISS ME!

Michelle... dancing and sending ME a HIGH HOOF and hug!

I miss you guys too….all of you….more than I can say!

MY MARIO and CHEVA above... and now FRANK is also sending his regards!

So many stakes races are running the next few days…it is very busy! As always, I wish all of the horses running and their connections a wonderful time and lots of success! I’ll be really tuning into the Grade 1 races running at Santa Anita on Saturday and the Gotham for 3 year olds at Aqueduct. Focussing on racing over the weekend will not only be fun, but it will help to keep my mind busy!

With Love,
Hugs to All~(Thank you, everyone, for thinking of ME!)
Z

On a very serious note….. A special hug and prayer is needed for one of my other BARN 55 pals, Dr. Leslie… who checked in on ME often when I was in California. She had a skiing accident yesterday and all of our prayers are with her at this time!

Reader Interactions

915 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Dear Momma Z,
    I am a fellow pregnant mare. My owner is typing this for me obviously. My name is April Fools Day or just plain April. I’m not anywhere near as grand as a champion race horse like you. I’m an old broodmare who was bought by my girl at an auction. I have a heart of gold even though I’m a little barn sour. It’s only because I was not treated any where near as good as I am now. I wish you the best of luck with your foal. Maybe if my owner is lucky she could see you in a race. I hope your foaling goes well.
    Your true friend,
    April
    P.S. Love you Tasty!

  3. / Reply

    Oohhh, little girl found in the field yesterday has passed on. I know her grieving parents in God’s glorious presense asked of Him to bring their little angel home to them in heaven … she would have been so lonely …. Rest her precious little soul …….

  4. / Reply

    Dear Zenny, Best wishes to all of you down there in windy Kentucky. Just wondering if there are any undergound storm shelters for the horses in times of Torando warnings?

  5. / Reply

    Dearest Kari,

    Your great heart must be bursting with JOY, to know that your beloved Lady Vols have won the SEC Tournament Championship (with your help)!

    12th ♥

  9. / Reply

    @Rest in Peace little Angel. It wouldn’t have been fair for you to wake up on this mortal plain and be alone with your mama, papa, sister and brother all passed on. You are now all together as a family again, free of fear and pain. And you can be a real angel for people left behind dealing with such loss.
    diastu in tempe

  10. / Reply

    ALL: Here it is in the middle of the night and I came back to check on Zenyatta and am overwhelmed by all the replies to my post about my Buddy dying. You can’t imagine how touched I am. Thank you all so very much. Some people don’t get grief over an animal. Thank you for validating my feelings. Just hearing other stories helps a lot. Buddy’s mother was a black lab and his father a golden retriever. He looked just like a golden retriever but was solid black and was the sweetest dog ever. Bonnie, you mentioned that he sounded like a real braveheart of a dog which made my heart skip a beat because I called him Buddy Braveheart. Thank you for all your beautiful words and stories. I feel like I can breathe a little better.

    • / Reply

      Louise,
      I’m glad you came back. As you’ve seen by now, you are not alone. There are many of us here who know EXACTLY how you feel. Even though cats aren’t quite as wildly enthusiastic about greeting you as dogs, my first little cat Tibby would always be right by the door to greet me, and I still miss her so much. She was with me for 17 years and bravely weathered more than most pets have to put up with. I have a friend who has a “black golden” so I can envision just what your Buddy looked like. Take care and take time to heal.
      Sandy

  11. / Reply

    Dearest Louise, My heart aches for you at the news of your crushing loss. Here is the story of the Rainbow Bridge, which Susan Carothers referred to above. Even if one knows the story already, I feel it brings some comfort to read it again:
    Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
    When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
    All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
    They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.
    You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.
    Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together….
    (Author unknown)
    From the site: http://rainbowbridge.com/Poem.htm

    Prayers and special hugs to you, Louise. You are among friends here.

    • / Reply

      Trina, Thank you my friend for sharing this again. It is a pleasure to read even when you know the story as you said. It leaves one with a warm and comforting feeling. Have a wonderful day.

  13. / Reply

    Good Morning Zenny & Tasty! Waking up to snow this morning. Tornados on Friday & Snow on Monday. What a wild few days. Hope you girls stay inside today, safe & warm. Anxiously awaiting your little ones!!!

    Love You, Big Mare

    Kim

  14. / Reply

    Dearest Zenny. I have been anxious, antsy, scattered brained and having “imaginary labor pains” all weekend. Is something happening? You have been on my mind all weekend. Also I have been thinking of Kari all weekend. Hope all is well with you and Tasty, my angels. Love Darlene

  15. / Reply

    Good morning, Zenny and Tasty! We’re one day closer.
    @Gary Moulton–thanks for the Choctaw legend.
    @Trina–thanks for the Rainbow Bridge. It wasn’t so long ago that our Susan lost her Tiny.
    GO LADY VOLS! I know Kari is thrilled, and they are so deserving after weathering a tough year. All the best to them.

  17. / Reply

    Dear Zenny – I am hoping today is the day. I have been thinking about you and Tasty all weekend and checking to see if there are any new developments. Actually I broke my wrist 7 years ago today so……….maybe we will have this date in common.

    Love and kisses beautiful girl!!!!!!!

  19. / Reply

    Well Lane’s End just updated the 2012 Foals list and Zenny is not on it so looks like she still hasn’t foaled unless they are leaving the big news to her diary. I can’t stand it any longer! :)

  21. / Reply

    WAXING!!!! WHOO HOOOOOO! Today is my first post! I have followed yall’s commentary for sometime. I was glad to see I was not alone in my crazed desire to admire the beauty of Zenyatta. I have seen one foal born and it is truly exciting and amazing. Good Luck Zenny! I would like to thank Jerry and Ann Moss for allowing us into Zenyatta’s world and a special HIGH HOOF to Dottie. I hope Dottie and John get a live Video feed for the birth. Dottie, this will someday be a film. Please write down little details for Zenyatta’s movie career. Secretariat was a great movie with interesting unknown facts about the great stallion . I hope Zen’s story will be full of little truths and actual events that we don’t know. I can not wait to hear all the details of the birth, how long it took the foal to stand, color, blaze, star, socks, …. ect. Peace and Love to all.

  22. / Reply

    Welcome Dee! We love new voices at this site; hope to see your moniker more than a few times.

  25. / Reply

    Morning Z, TT and Z Fans:

    Hope both of you are comfortable and that your weather there is sunny and mild so you can spend some time in your paddock. Looking forward to big news this week. Love you and love to all of you, Judy and Russ

      • / Reply

        Dear Susan:

        You were so right. It did snow at Lane’s End. Guess Z is used to it now. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        There is snow on the ground here. We got about 3 inches last night. The weather here is so unpredictable! It was 70 degrees Saturday and now we have snow!

  27. / Reply

    Precious Z
    I hope you are safe and healthy. This has been a horrible weekend for people and animals in Kentucky and all of the surrounding areas hit by tornado’s, Please let us know your safe I am almost ready to phone.

  28. / Reply

    Dottie, Dottie, Dottie……………..where are you this morning???????

    (just kidding)

    I didn’t cancel that doctor’s appointment and I have LEAVE in an hour! Hope there are no radar traps anywhere when I am done!

    Good morning all……………..hope there is news when I get back!

  29. / Reply

    Dear Zenny & Team-Z,
    Maybe the third time will be successful !!! I’ve written here twice before, and when
    I push “SUBMIT”, my computor freezes-up…non-responsive ?!!
    Hope you had a safe and happy weekend, and those big storms didn’t effect your
    home farm, too much.
    I’m hoping you and your MIKIE celebrate your “Big Events” on the same day !! That
    would be TOO CUTE !!
    Take care. HUGS to all. Fondly, OraJean

  30. / Reply

    Sorry, I forgot to include my BEST WISHES for a SPEEDY & SMOOTH RECOVERY
    for Dr. Leslie … I’ve been thinking about her and you, Zenny, all weekend.
    Take care. Fondly, OraJean

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