Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #457

Here WE are! All of today’s photos…Courtesy of Mathea Kelley and Team Zenyatta

Dear Beloved Friends,

Wouldn’t you know those EARS anywhere? I love looking at THEM and every single part of MY adorable colt! This entire experience is very precious to ME and to my entire TEAM!

On this day, I wanted to share a few more of my favorite photos with YOU. After all, I think this fortunate foal is blessed to have the most GODPARENTS of anyone in history. I truly can’t THANK YOU enough for the way you have embraced both of US….ME for so many years….and now my ‘Dumpling’.

Many of you have asked about HIS NAME. At this time, my colt does not have an official name. Per the standard practice in our industry, he is referred to as “12 Zenyatta”. His halter tag reads this way indicating year born…and Mom’s name. I know Ann and Jerry so well and can only imagine how many countless hours they will spend discussing this to make sure he has the perfect name. I trust their judgment completely!

The most fun he and I’ve shared so far is when he ‘takes off’ to run in the paddock. Just like in MY RACING CAREER, I give him a head start (on purpose)…and then I catch him in a FLASH! This is one FUN GAME we play…and I’m loving every single stride.


I must say, having been a MOM now for a few days, I’m already applying some of the basics of MOM 101. (A HIGH HOOF to my Lane’s End pals for tutoring ME with some special GREAT MOM TIPS.) I’m really doing very well at ‘my new career’ and am rather proud of myself. (Blush, Blush)

My baby is by my side every moment….and I am loving it! We walk together, eat together, cuddle together, and learn together. I’m getting a daily education on all of the right things to do for him…and I’m hoping in return he is learning to be ONE FINE COLT from ME!


In life, things go FULL CIRCLE. I have gone from being a foal…to now having one of my very own to care for each day. In between these 2 stages of life, I have been incredibly blessed to achieve countless amazing accomplishments, a great deal of success in my profession, and to meet and share MY LIFE with some of the finest people one could ever hope to call her FRIENDS!

I do feel at this time, it is extremely important for ME to take some time off from my daily DIARY writing and allow myself the opportunity to BOND EVEN MORE to MY NEW FOAL and FOCUS on being his MOM. (I think in human terms, this is called a child-rearing leave!)

From the bottom of MY HEART, I want to THANK YOU for the joy, support, and love you have brought to ME over these past years. As I’m putting my “writing hooves on the shelf for a bit,” I also want to thank the countless people who have submitted photos (Sarah, you have been so kind) and written so many treasured responses in relation to the Diary entries.

Dottie and I wrote the very first Diary entry on November 1, 2010. We have cherished every single moment of sharing all of these experiences and memories with you….OUR DEAR and TREASURED FRIENDS!

Again, THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! I will think of you often during my time off…and I hope you will do the same of ME….especially when you see the letter “Z” or hear any of my favorite sayings as ….”Too cute…Blush, Blush…It’s ME…Wink, Wink, BARN 55, High Hoof and I’m a MOM.”

WHAT A RIDE WE’VE ALL SHARED!

Until next time…

With Love,
Hugs to All~ (I so mean this from the bottom of MY HEART!)
Z

I’d respectfully like to add a SPECIAL NOTE OF THANKS and a HUGE GROUP HUG to all of the people who have done so much to orchestrate and guide my racing career…and now my life as a broodmare. It is such a large and loving group which would include but not be limited to: all of my dear pals at BARN 55, LANE’S END, MY ANN and JERRY, MY JOHN, MY MIKIE, MARIO, FRANK, CHEVA, MICHELLE, DAWN, STEVE, and so many others!

Then, of course, I’d like to send a very special HIGH HOOF and one very BIG HUG to my writing partner, DOTTIE!

Reader Interactions

1,307 Comments

  1. Ms Zenyatta, My Queen….My Prince, Good night, sleep sweetly with cuddles and kisses. I love you both so very much. I am afraid to leave this site right now, I hope I am able to sign on and give you a “Top of The Morning to You” the beautiful lass and cute lad. My heart hurts, I feel lost, but I know you are okay and happy….Good night, sweet dreams of Guiness, peppermints, carrots and flowers to much on, I hope I do to. I love you both so very much…..Lisag

  2. Dear Zenny & Foal 12-Zenyatta & Team-Z (all you wonderful people),
    I thank-you, from the bottom of my heart, for giving me so much insight into the
    LIFE of a champion race horse and magnificent Thoroughbred Mare. What a
    great pleasure it has been to read your Diary entries, and even befor, to see you
    at the racetrack and on TV. You will be remembered and loved !!
    Wishing you all the very best !! Hugs to all, (esp. Dottie). Fondly, OraJean

  3. Sorry to hear you are not going to be posting any more diary entries….I hope someone can find the time to post photos of your baby, it would be great to see him in his different stages of growth/life.

  4. Okay now I am feeling a little guilty but I am a little mad about this. I mean I can understand that Z needs time off to become a mom for the well being of prince Z but I guess I am just mad at how all of a sudden this just came. I mean I also understand if Dottie just doesn’t have the time anymore but I think maybe we just need more clarification. Because this could be a personal issue I am not asking for an explanation because I think that if anything Dottie should not have to give us that. She has already done so much for us. But I wish that we could just get some clarification. Is this just for a couple months or is it possibly for a year? Is there another way that fans can keep updated? Is the site still going to be up? Is this really the end as DRF said or is it really just a break? I guess I am just a little confused and upset about this. But again I am thankful for what we have had and for all that Dottie is done but I just think we need a little more than this just to help us understand. I am in no way trying to be rude to Dottie or Z’s team again they have given us so much. I would just like to give a suggestion of this so that the fans don’t feel so left out in the dark.

  5. Dottie, we all owe you and all of Zenyatta’s connections a heart felt Thank-you for giving us the wonderful opportunity to share this past year in the Queen’s life. There was a time, deep down I think we all knew this, that the daily posts would end. The new chapter in Zenyatta’s life has just started. As sad as it is, we need to let her be the broodmare she was destined to be. This site has been filled with many wonderful people and not reading their comments here will be missed very much. I read the diary entries everyday, did not always post daily. I am sure we will hear something periodically. It was truly a blessing that we were presented with this diary. So many of the great racehorses we come to love, all enter new phases in their lives that we will never hear about again. It has been an honor to be a part of this. Best Wishes to all.

  6. Thank you for the diary. I just love Zenyatta, the Mosses, the baby, Lane’s End, and especially the Barn 55 personnel. I didn’t see the end of the diary coming. I will admit that I will definitely be having withdrawal symptoms and am very sad about the end. It has just meant the world to me. I have never posted before, but I just wanted to express my appreciation and let you know how much this has meant to me. Thanks again for the ride!

  7. If folks want a place to keep in contact, I am have set up a FORUM on my (somewhat defunct) Zenyatta website at http://zenny.weebly.com/forums.html#/

    You should be able to “log in” with FB, Twitter, etc. according to the info on Weebly’s help page. I am “fionacat”, the first (and so far only) member of the forum. Play around with it and let me know how it is working!

    I set up five boards: Introductions (so we can have everyone’s info in one place), Zenyatta (for Zenny related topics), Horse Racing (for racing topics), Horses (for horse related topics that are not covered under racing or Zenny), and Everything Else (for tangents and anything that isn’t covered under the other categories).

      • I’m sure Zenny’s website will stay up … I think Dottie is just taking a break from the daily posts because, really, there isn’t a need for them anymore now that the foal is here. I would bet that she will give us updates as things happen … like when Zen and colt move into a paddock with other mares/foals, when her next “beau” is announced, when she is pronounced safely in foal, etc.

        I am happy to act as a “temporary” home for the Dumplings who want to keep in touch … I’m always open to playing with new technology! My work website is hosted on Weebly, so trying out the forum will be a trial run in case I want to do a forum for the library. :)

        • Julie,

          Thank you. I just gave your site a quick perusal and it looks wonderful. There are two other members besides yourself already. I will definitely go back to it before long. I think it will be very sucessful for you.

    • Bookmarked it from one of your earlier responses but I am still trying to read through the rest of the comments here and then compose myself enough to respond to Zenyatta’s diary entry. Thanks for setting up an alternate place for us now homeless ones to go to!

  8. Such beautiful photos Z! It’s hard to believe you are taking a writing break. These updates bring such joy and light into so many lives. Thanks so much to you and Dottie. I hope your Facebook updates do continue though! Keeping in touch is our greatest hope. You’re a love, enjoy your baby! Please, please, please keep us posted! Miss you already!

  9. @ALL, a friend of mine offered me a Belated Birthday Gift, my BD is in September, but the BC is in November…to fly me to CA to the BC and see the unveiling of Our Queen, Ms Zenyatta. If I am able, fellow Dumplin’s, Lisag will be looking for you…I will be wearing my Dumplin Badge with Pride….Lisag

      • I do love Santa Anita. I am “IN” Texas, I am not “FROM” Texas, I was raised in CA, and now I am “IN:” Texas. It will be a dream come true if I can make there in November for the BC and the unvieling of Our Queen. It will be a dream come true to meet you guys…or to meet all ya’ll. So glad we are not going to lose each other, we will always be here…Lisag

    • You already know, from your days in California, that Santa Anita is the great race place. I have been to about 50 tracks across the country and I can tell you that the title is well deserved. This sounds like a wonderful gift, especially at this time.

      • Terry, lucky you for haivng visited so many racetracks across the country. I have not had that delightful pleasure however I did work at Santa Anita Race Track years ago and loved every minute of it.

        Lisa, you also are a lucky girl to be heading there for the Breeders Cup this year. It’s a beautiful place. Rub it in your hair!!!!

        • Some of the tracks I visited no longer exist. I hope that never happens to Santa Anita.

  10. Thankyou Zenyatta and Dottie for dedicating your time to Zenyatta’s fans and letting us know what our sweet girl has been up to since retiring. I will miss the daily posts and updates but feel very blessed to have been part of Zenyatta’s career and now motherhood. Your a special, special Equine Zenyattta and I wish you tons of fun playing with your” 12 Zenyatta! ” I cannot wait to hear what his name will be ! Hugs and love to you and those who are dedicated to you and I look forward to hearing more after a long deserved private time with your beautiful baby…

  11. Thank you Vickie B for the encouragement about caring for mom.. I will try to follow your advice. Glad you talk to your Zenyatta plushie too!
    Like I said earlier I will miss reading all the posts, but I know we will not be abandoned and Zenyatta will come back to us some way or another. Not much for Facebook, but I guess I’ll have to try it and keep up with Z and everyone there.
    peaceandlove, Rose Cola

  12. I will greatly miss your posts, and I thank you for allowing us to share the wonderful journey with you. Little Prince is just perfect. I will love you forever.

  13. Thank you Dottie for taking all us devoted Zenyatta lovers on this very special trip.
    We dont know what were going to do now without our daily update of our Queen and her precious Prince.
    So sad,

  14. Dear Zenny – your little boy certainly does look like you. I was so happy last Friday morning when I read the post that the little prince had been born. I am very sad that your diary is taking a hiatus for a while. I hope with all my heart that nothing is wrong with you or the little prince or your family. In thinking about this for a few hours, I am of the opinion that your family is going to find a new way of communicating with all of us. God bless you beautiful girl!!!

  15. CYNTHIA H-As usual, you bring tears to my eyes and smiles to my face when you write.
    There are so many wonderful entries on Z’s site, but yours, Kari’s, Karen Gogue’s and Dawn’s always spoke, and will continue to speak, volumes. Each of you always wrote from the heart with eloquence and love.
    I look forward to future entries from all of you. I am sure Kari’s spirit will inspire many
    more moving and powerful statements.
    Just wanted to thank you for all you have shared throughout our times at Z.com.
    I am hopeful we can continue to share here or at some other blog that is focused on
    the best in humankind and horsedom.
    Thank you for being you. Mary

    • Mary, I, too, will not lose you as a dear friend. It has always been my greatest pleasure to have met and had contact with you!

  16. I have so loved coming to this diary every day. There are some very remarkable people here who have so generously shared their knowledge of the world of Thoroughbreds and Thoroughbred Racing. We’ve shared so many highs together and also some heart wrenching lows. This has been a true community in every way.

    All of this happened because of a horse…the most magnificent one I’ve ever known about in a real sense. Gosh, I even got to take a ride on Zenyatta with Mike Smith. Web cam ride, that is.

    I am so appreciative of everything Mr. and Mrs. Moss have done to make Zenyatta accessible to us. As was wrttten not long ago that to keep up with a race horse after it retires is a privilege, not a right. We have been extremely privileged.

    Zenyatta has some innate kindness qualities to be sure, but without all the kindness she has been shown her entire life, it could have gone a different direction. From Mr. Robinson at Winterquarter Farms where she was foaled, to the Mayberry ladies in Florida who taught her her first lessons to John Shirreffs and all of Barn 55, Zenyatta is a product of her raisin’.

    Then there is Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs who has gone way above and beyond any line of duty to keep this diary going and sharing Zenyatta’s racing life and daily life with us for all this time. I think she deserves to put this hat on the shelf, too.

    The horse has always come first. I think the quick cessation of the diary has to do with the greater good of Zenyatta, herself. I don’t think she’s sick or anything like that. We’ve been on an incredible ride with her. She has indeed gone full circle and now it’s her time to be a Momma horse. And, maybe Lane’s End needs to get back to some normalcy, too. They have a nice Facebook Page and a website, so we can still keep up with life on the farm from those places.

    Now comes the hard part to say so long to the wonderful people who make up Zenyatta Nation. God Bless you all and God Bless Zenyatta and her little “Bubba”.
    I know that’s not as aristocratic a nickname as Prince, but what can you expect from a “girl” called Marty? Love to all.

  17. Dear zenny I hope I can see you someday will miss yourdaily posts will forward to pictures hope tasty foals ok hugs to you And your foal love ya

  18. Dearest Z family and Queen Z!

    How I will miss you all in between posts! I am excited to see the Young Prince grow, but I will miss the Queen, and her thoughts, and all of you! I wish there was a way we could stay in touch in between posts. I would hate to lose touch with my big, joyous, extended Z family! If anyone does set up something in the near future, would anyone mind mailing me at bakablonde@aol.com and tell me the site?

    I will continue to finish my stories about the Queen and now the Prince, and I will do my best to post them!

    Best wishes to you Great Queen. Until we chat again, and you may grace us with yet another dance, and this time, with your young partner. ;-) <3

  19. Sweet Zenny, Baby Z and Dottie,

    Will miss you so much, thanks so much for your faithful and wonderful correspondence and sharing so much with us – love you!!! Send love to Tasty and her little baby to be –
    We all love you so very much, hugs and kisses –

    Love you always, Maryyette

  21. Zenny & Dottie, thank you so so so much for all the time you have given to us, Z’s loving fans. You didn’t have to do it, but you have brought so much love and joy to us. I totally respect your desire and need to take time to focus on your adorable, beautiful colt. I so look forward to the path he has ahead, and to your life ahead, Zenny. Be a horse, be a mom, and be happy. I love you forever. XXXOOO <3 <3 <3 love, anita.

  22. Laura Hillenbrand – author of Seabisuit quoted this and I think the feeling is the same for Zenyatta.

    ‘Seabiscuit would have been a superstar in any era. He came along in a time when America was desperate for inspiring heroes. Heroes that looked like America’.

    Removing her blog is very sad and in the end we, as race horse fans need a hero that looks and feels as we do. We need inspiration during these difficult times and a hero to make us feel better.

    Please don’t remove the blog.

  23. Just finished reading the DRF article and I must say that todays Diary was a total shock. The abrupt end to the Diary seems so UNDottielike. Most of us were on Cloud Nine five days ago and now we are in dispair. Sierra I agree with you that we need more time to digest all of this. Maybe Dottie was talking about the shower, but it seemed like Dottie was saying that they were making plans for us to participate and now this sudden ending. This is not the way that this wonderful Diary should end. It just doesn’t feel right.

    • Molly you just got exactly what I mean’t but was maybe a little too angry at the time to convey. We all need some time to digest this and maybe something a little more gradual. I understand if Z does not want photos right now that is fine I don’t really need photos. I just think we need a little better transition into this. Some more time to fully understand this too.

    • I just read the article as well. This is so shocking because IMO it’s so unlike Team Zenyatta. They have been so open and sharing of Zenyatta and to just abruptly cut her off from her thousands of fans never seemed like something they would do. I understand the full circle thing but to just cut it all off out of left field right after she has a foal? All of a sudden she’s gone? They didn’t even ease us into the idea! While I never expected the diary to go on forever, I certainly never imagined it would end like this. Don’t know if there is more to this but based on the way her team was speaking when the foal was born I never would have imagined at this time we would be cut off. And they did it before deciding how they were going to get info out to fans. In fact, Lane’s End was talking up the blog today on Talking Horses so they obviously are unaware. They should be prepared to be inundated with calls from her fans checking on her. I think Dottie has done a fabulous job and I can’t thank her and Team Z enough for sharing Z with us. But what this is doing to the fans just seems very “un-Zenyatta” like. I’m one of Zenyatta and Team Z’s biggest fans but I have to say I’m disappointed how this was done. Take the blog down to once a month or something, don’t take it away altogether.

      • I wholeheartedly agree. A beautiful baby boy and now he is gone along with his wonderful monther. I can’t believe it, I feel dumbfounded and I can’t stop grieving like I have really lost a part of my family. The tears won’t stop. I’m not adjusting very well to this abrupt ending of what I have lived for each and every day.

  24. I am feeling a bit distressed – how will we know you are both okay??? I am already worried, couldnt you maybe do a weekly update?? I am really not going to be able to stop worrying.

  25. Michelle, I couldn’t have said it any better. We need a hero and right now there is no one to take Zenyatta’s place. Please do not remove the blog. Dottie, help us out here. I understand you needing a break, but surely there is someone that could fill in for you. I did not realize how much this sancturay meant to so many until now. This blog was more than just a stop on the Internet. This website, this wonderful Diary, has become a haven for many of us. Please reconsider this plan to drop the blog.

  28. Zenyatta, I will miss your updates very much. You have become a huge inspiration to me. During the most difficult time of my life, when the future seemed bleak, you were there, showing the world just how truly amazing and talented you are. Your Heart and courage, gave me hope that if a horse, could do all of this, why couldn’t I follow my dreams. . So when I say, you helped to save my life and get me motivated and back on track. I mean it, all of it. the way you kicked the boys buts, and showed the world what females are made of. So a huge High hoof to you, And many hugs. My goal some day is to meet you. Thanks for everything Z. Your my hero. I love you. I truly hope this isnt forever, but if it is, thank you from the bottum of my heart.

  29. Wow… this seems a terrible time not to write! We just get a tiny glimpse of baby Z and then zzzzzzzzzzz black out…. Wow… that’s totally depressing…
    I agree… this has been a haven… a breath of fresh air… To end so suddenly… just as the new guy is born and we are all so hungry for his sweetness, his innocence, his playfulness with Z… Wow… I really want to see videos of this charming little guy and Z frolicking in the paddock…. I think we have all been waiting for this for many, many months and then caboom! Nothing! Is does seem unlike you…

  30. Left my puter on even tho it is time to sleep, I tried to sleep but can’t. I lay there rubbing Lucy’s belly and telling her what is going on, I was almost drifting when the feeling came over me, Zenyatta’s World as we know it will remain…Dottie/Zenyatta will be back, we will see Zenyatta, our Little Prince, Tasty and her filly run and play in the paddock. My feeling said, all the love that Ann, Dottie, Jerry and Zenyatta’s John has shown us….do I really think they would just abandon us like this? NO and NO, it is a break..a vacation if you will. I will turn off my computer and I will enter Zenyatta’s World tomorrow morning…we all will.

    I meant everything I said to you, Dottie. You are beautiful and I love you..I imagine that your break, is really extra work you have taken upon yourself.

    Terry Crow, see you all the tomorrows, you are so loved.

    See all of you tomorrow, and Sierra another poem if you will.

    Good night….Peppermints, Carrots, and a bunch of flowers to munch on…..Lisag