Good Morning,
I am having a great deal of fun! Joe Drape, who writes for the NY TIMES, came to visit and did a wonderful article (Z in NY Times) about me for his paper. The photos are outstanding…if I say so myself. There is one showing my friends and I running in the paddock. (I’m in FRONT! Too cute!) WE are having a blast running in the snow and playing together each day!
Please enjoy the photos and the piece. JOE DID A GREAT JOB! He did an update on some of my recent ‘teasing’ activities. Also, as referenced in the article, I have had all of my proper vet checks…and I am a real ‘girly girl’…with all of my body parts in good-working order. In these photos, I think I look terrific…even though they say I’ve gained a bit of weight! Good thing I’ve got a nice, strong frame to carry it off so well!
Also, this is too cute! A travel agency has called the FARM and wanted to know if they could put me on ‘their tour list…as one of THINGS TO SEE WHILE IN KY’. I guess they think LOTS of people would like to come and see me! (I gotta’ love my fans. This is absolutely adorable and made my day!) I’m not sure how this could happen as the roads at the farm aren’t big enough to handle big tour buses…but I could not be more flattered!
Yesterday, Steve Haskin, his wife, Joan, and Lenny Shulman came to visit. I gather Steve and Joan were here on a business trip from their home base in New Jersey. It was great to see them! I’ve known Steve and Lenny (both write for THE BLOODHORSE Magazine) since I was just starting out on my racing career. They have been dear friends for years now! I am so fortunate to have so many dear FANS and FRIENDS!
Just a few days now until my CA FAMILY comes to visit. They will be so excited to see how well I’m doing with all of my new friends. I can’t wait!!!!!!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL!
Z
Breda
Have fun w/ your CA family. Good luck big girl – you’ll always be my HOY – luv ya Z
Fran
Hi Z So glad to hear from you today. I read the LA times story last night. It was so fun to read it, and the pictures of you were wonderful! I loved the one with your friends. You, of course, were probably running up toward the camera with your friends-you are such a ham! Love you and stay out of the mud so you will look all diva like when your family comes to visit!
Sandra
LONG LIVE THE KING!
I think Zenyatta should be breed to Tiznow!
Dani
Old Friends Facebook page has a nice ‘Thank You’ to Zenyatta and Team Moss for ‘all their support and on-going kindness. :)
Marilu Villanueva
Hello Zenyatta!Oh my gosh, what beautiful pictures of you and your new friends. You look absolutely gorgeous. I’m happy your CA family is visiting soon. You must miss them very much. Hugs, Marilu
Debbie
loved the article and photos, you’re lookin gooood girl!!! have fun with your CA family! love you Z xo
Franci Nelson
Just finished reading the article in NY Times and saw the pics. Thanks for the heads up on the piece. Good luck to all at the Eclipse Awards. Win or lose, you will always be # 1 in our hearts.
Nancy McNaul Applegate
Weight is a good thing sometimes, Zenny! All that nutrition is therapeutic. It creates a constant supply source for you and baby. So enjoy! Nurture your inner equine soul!
Robbie Pfeufer Kahn
Dear L: Your posts are wonderful correctives to Zenyatta’s fans. Your points about transmissible viruses (I remember when those foals died), about the sensitive temperament of a prey animal, about how unkind it would be to keep Zenyatta from her “herd” on display were very important for all of us to consider.
In Post #47, I expressed a similar sentiment although without the thoughtful knowledge you bring as someone who seems to know a lot about care of broodmares and their foals and breeding farms.
Dear Zenyatta: The two boys and you. How regal you look and how loving and trusting the little boy looks who kisses you. Too young to wonder why he should be looking up to a nonhuman animal. There is more literature coming out all the time about the importance of animals to children (a wonderful book is “Why The Wild Things Are: Animals in the Lives of Children”).
I would give a lot to be that little boy giving and receiving a kiss. But, I’ve come to believe that you deserve privacy, now that you are retired, especially because you will be having a foal in the not so distant future. Friends of your CA Team Z and KY Team Z of course would have the privilege of meeting you. As for your fans, it seems appropriate that our time has passed together with the end of your racing career. So many people love you, thousands.
In the video when you first ran free, you “danced” when Charles put you back on the lead line, just as you used to at the racetrack. It seemed that running got you excited the way you had been at the track, and you expressed that excited energy by prancing again. I am concerned that crowds of people, even if carefully numbered and monitored, would similarly remind you of the track.
In my mind, you deserve to be with other horses (as you’ve begun to with P.Q.), and to be allowed to live as a horse, with occasional visits from people connected to your dual family.
Much love and respect–Robbie
Margie
Hello Sweet Zenyatta, just wanted to say I love you and am so grateful I got to meet you in California. What some of these informed folk say about visitation makes complete sense, and in our excitement to see you, many of us threw practicality out the window! I’m guilty of it as I was trying to figure out how to combine a wedding in Chicago with a road trip to Lane’s End! LOL Seriously. Well, we’ll see what Lane’s End is able to come up with for you. As for Monday night, I don’t know which way it will go, but it doesn’t matter, does it? You’re a Champion through and through and your record is in the history books. Your races will continue to be viewed every day and stories of your greatness and glory will be told from one generation to the next. You stand alone, the Mighty and Magnificent Zenyatta. And EVERYONE in the horse world, or not, knows it. Be safe and happy, sweet girl. Zenyatta, Horse of my Heart, always.
Pam
Yes, Zenyatta, I read all about you in the New York Times! What a thrill to see you featured in one of America’s great newspapers — and Joe Drape is such a fine writer too! You are getting to be the “Queen of All Media”! Everyone, me included, loves the photo of you and your “posse” in the field. Those girls could easily be jealous of you and all your fame, but they’re not, because you’re so nice!! I bet you will be the best equine mother ever, and I know we have to wait a while for that, but it’s getting closer every day. Love to you and all your buds at Lane’s End.
lizzy
@ L
Good points you bring up. Never considered all of the variable that you’ve mentioned.
I am quite grateful for the access that LE have given us. I also wonder if that was part of the agreement/deal/contract that Mosses settled up front with LE….a farm willing to accommodate a ‘different kind of request’–access to Z, whether it be in person, through video or pictures.
Either way I’m grateful that we have it. BUT also am coming to reality after your post that visitors may not be doable.
Jenna
I totally get it and understand. It’s hard for those of us on the East coast who didn’t live near her or ever get to see her.
I’m grateful that Dottie provides a glimpse of her life through this fantastic diary and the kindness of LE and the Mosses for continuing updates and videos. Yay.
Robbie Pfeufer Kahn
Dear Zenyatta: I forgot to mention that it is no small privilege to be on the front page of the NYT. I loved the line, “She is also, well, frisky.” The slide show was a delight to view and like others here, my favorite photo was of you and your three friends. At least in the picture, you look like the lead mare!
Much love and respect–Robbie
Diana
Loved the article, and the photo of you and your BFFs in the paddock. The sign “The Queen Reigns Here” is perfect! You will always be our Horse Of a Lifetime! I know your family can’t wait to see you this weekend, and your fans can’t wait until we can come visit as well. Thank you for all that you mean to us Zenyatta, and Team Z and Land’s End for sharing her with all of us!
suew
Mr. Farish mentioned in a Dec. interview that plans WOULD be made for Zenny to receive visitors but not for a “few” months. I expect something will be worked out…perhaps this summer. Keep the faith…
Marilu Villanueva
Hello Zenyatta. Joe Drape took beautiful pictures of you and your friends. You look absolutely gorgeous and content. Hugs, Marilu
Leslie R.
Hi Zenny, that is a wonderful article! The pic of you running out front of your girlfriends is terrific. I’m glad you are having fun. I hope you are just as happy when you have a little one at your side.
I know a lot of your fans would like to come visit you but I understand that logistics makes it difficult. At least we still have you here.
Enjoy your visit with your CA family!
Love you,
Leslie
nDfilly
Looks like you are getting voluptuous and curvy. Look out boys!
Ingrid in MA
Hi Zen and all! LOVED the article,Zenny! Liked the pictures even more!!! You still got it,girl! Hey,I hope while Steve Haskin was there, you told him that you want HIM to write the book about you. He has such a way of describing things…. I believe that HE is the only one who can do you and your family justice. Steve could write a grocery list,and I’d be moved to tears. So PLEASE,put a bug in his ear about writing your biography! It would be an INSTANT SMASH!!!
I will be praying all weekend to the Powers That Be that you and your family win BIG at the Eclipse Awards on Monday!! Best of luck to you all! Love you!
Delores
Hi my beautiful girl Z. I love reading your Diary post. I was very fortunate and happy to be one of the people that got to see you get a bath and Barn 55 when you were there. I also got to get my picture with you and rub your head and tell you how much I love you. I am very honored to be int he presence of greatness. As I mentioned in one of my earlier emails I will be in Kentucky for the Derby and plan to come and visit you. I hope they allow us to visit with you at that time.
Good bye my precious girl and I am waiting
for Monday’s HOY. So we can all celebrate with you.
Have a great week-end and enjoy your new friends and playing with them. Love you lots Zenyatta.
Bye for now. Lots of XOXOXO
Vicki B.
That’s a great article, thanks! Nice timing, when we’re looking forward to the HOY announcement, come what may.
Barbara Wood
It was my understanding that LE said there could be no visits until after breeding season. That has been their policy all along, even for stallions. I believe they indicated that they were trying to work something out.
Also, the many foals who died a few years ago were because of a certain caterpillar in the area, if my memory is correct. Someone may have knowledge of this. I remember reading about it in Bloodhorse magazine.
Jenna
Oh my gosh..a caterpillar.
Whatever is best for Z is good enough for me. She’s such a doll and is just as precious :)
Beatrice Lian
Great write-up & photos of our beloved Queen by Joe Drape! I was truly amazed about Zenyatta’s following on Facebook & on this website. Reading her daily postings is the highlight of my day. Keeping my fingers & toes crossed for you, Zenyatta, for the big award. Team Z -please give her a big hug & kisses from all of her devoted fans when you see her this week-end. Thanks.
judith berube
Dear Z,
Just read the “Z in NYTimes” article. Very nice. So glad your CA team is coming to see you on Sunday. You look beautiful in the photos. Love to you.
Elena Erdman
Oh Zenyatta you look gorgeous in the New York times pictures, absolutely gorgeous, with your friends, how can we get a copy of that picture? I just love it. Well if you gained weight and look so gorgeous that is cool. You can carry it and to me you look even more beautiful. You just have it. I am looking forward to the HOY awards on Monday. Guess what? Three friends actually bought the TVG chanel so they can see the awards and look at horse racing. They all love you now and many others are crazy about you, I cannot stop talking about you and team Z. Dottie, what an absolutely elegant and distinguished way you have when writing writing. You and Z give the audience enough respect to know we know what you are talking about and that makes you an even more exceptional person. Pure class. I need to re-learn some of that finesse, it is beautiful. You are a girly girl too and I am a girly girl too. Tomorrow I go to Santa Anita and will be thinking of you and all the things I have learned about bridles and tongue ties and saddle cloths (in the morning at Clocker’s Corner). I am so excited. I love you all and have a wonderful time with you California family, I know you will.
deana dameron
I was so happy to be able to hear about you from Lane’s End and others and to see you having fun with your friends. You are clearly a born leader. I cannot wait to see videos and pictures from Steve at Bloodhorse and from Team Z that will be vistiting on Sunday. I am sure they will have all kinds of goodies to share with you! I cannot wait to see you as a mother, you will be so kind and caring and your foal will be so lucky to have you as a mum. It will be so sweet and loving just lke you! My fingers and toes are crossed and all my prayers have been sent-my greatest wish is for you to win the much deserved award of HOTY. In all of our hearts you have already won. I just want you to be recognized for your achievements. In 2010 there is no horse more deserving of this honor than you. Hoping our prayers are answered, I love you Queen Z!
CM
You were the talk of the barn the day before the big race. And, might I add, you’re simply gorgeous!
Lakeway
During the 2001 foaling season, many mares aborted their foals (both early fetal loss and late-term), many others had foals that later died, and many mares also died. It was later given the name ‘Mare Reproduction Loss Syndrome or MRLS’.
After much research, it was determined the cause was the Eastern tent caterpillar, which resided in the cherry trees. Many of the farms later removed all of these trees that were anywhere near their pastures.
There are many articles about MRLS at both The Bloodhorse and Thoroughbred Times web sites.
Unfortunately, another result of MRLS was that many mares had problems conceiving/carrying foals after this event.