Good Morning,
I am still ‘BASKING IN THE GLOW’ of my GOLDEN TROPHY! What a complete honor! LUCKY, LUCKY ME!
I did want to tell you how GREAT it was when my family came to visit last Sunday. Here are a few photos. I had lots of treats…which I shared with my friends…and hugs and kisses. Those I kept for myself!
Ann and Jerry spent a great deal of time with me both inside the barn and outside while I was in the paddock. They watched me play with my friends and do some very ‘spirited’ gallops around the field with my 3 buddies. We are really getting along beautifully. P.Q., Sea Gull, Alyse and I are great friends. This ‘bonding thing’ is very special and I think I’m getting the hang of it now.
Then John and Dottie each spent ONE-to-ONE time with me. John really wanted to just visit with me…he and I all by ourselves. Dottie did the same. Over the last 4 1/2 years, I have spent so much time with these 2 people…especially my dear John. All of the quiet time visits…1 to 1…really mean a great deal to me. During our time together, John shot several photos of ME…and I’ll share some of them with you tomorrow. (He is just so cute…carrying his cameras around. I’ve seen him do this for years now.)
As you can see in today’s photos, my ‘winter coat’ is growing. This is what keeps me nice and warm while I’m outside. It is all part of nature’s way of helping me to adjust to a colder climate…as it does all horses. I do feel like I am adapting beautifully to my new life at the farm. I also KNOW ALL OF YOU are still in touch…and that makes me feel so, so, so special!
Many of you are asking about my FIRST DATE! I know the options…my family did discuss them with me. Between you and I, I know MY FAMILY is going to LUNCH next week to finalize the details. They promised they’d tell me FIRST…and then all of YOU! This is really too cute! I’m getting so excited.
Breeding sheds open in MID-FEBRUARY around Kentucky! So, it is getting close.
As many of you know, I just LOVE SPORTS…guess it is because I am an athlete. It is a fun FOOTBALL WEEKEND. MY N.Y. Times Buddies, THE JETS, are playing. Gotta’ love Jason Taylor! Not only is he a terrific Jets football player…a few seasons ago, he was also one of the FINALISTS on DANCING WITH THE STARS. He and I have the DANCING THING IN COMMON!
This is also a big secret……a friend of mine tried out for that show! I’ll keep you posted. If it all works out, in my free time, I could offer some of my ‘unique dance steps’ for the program! THEY COULD ALL LEARN TO DO ‘THE ZENYATTA’ !!
Have a lovely Saturday!
With Love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Laurie Berglie
Hey Z – I got your Breyer horse today at the Maryland Horse Expo – you’re looking good!! :)
AJ from CA
I read that one of Curlin’s foals born January 12 this year was euthanized due to a “paddock accident.” This is very sad indeed and not sure what could have happened but I noticed that you never get much details on these things (eg.War Pass).
NancyJS
@Paula Turner Seattle Slew first trainer
Thanks so much for sharing your special
moments with the Great Seattle Slew.
Cynthia Ann H.
This was such a great diary entry, Zenyatta! It was wonderful to see a few photographs of your California family reunon! You all looked so happy to see each other, although I think Mr. Moss might have been wishing he might grow a winter coat, too. We Californians are very thin-blooded!
I don’t know which intrigues me more: the dilemma of your FIRST DATE, or one of your close friends vying for a place on “Dancing with the Stars!” Mike Smith is my best guess for the latter. He has already had marvelous past experience “dancing” with the most charismatic partner of all time!
Love to you all!
NancyJS
Dear Zenny
So loved your post today. Thanks Dottie for
sharing and speaking for the Queen. I wonder if
your friend who tried out for Dancing With The
Stars is Mike Smith? I don’t think he would have the
time, but having a jockey on that show would be great.
Look forward to seeing The Zenyatta.
Sweet dreams and enjoy your flirtations with
Capone. He sounds like a very slick stallion.
Maybe we could see his picture some time. He
must have a way with the girls. !!!!!!
Diana a.
thank you z and your team for sharing and been able to see you beautiful face! i love you Z you are adorable would like to see u in dancing with the stars. sweet dreams girl
audreyc
You are all still in a state of euphoria! It really has been a fairy tale come true. Thank you so much for having the savvy, intelligence,skill, & heart, in recognizing, and bringing Zenyatta to her full potential, in the time and manner that worked for her..and also in taking us along for the amazing ride. Zenyatta is now getting the best of both worlds – she is still an icon, with lots of love from her human connections, but she is also now experiencing being a horse, and she will have the experience of having a foal/s and teaching them. I heard that, in actuality, the mare contributes almost 70% to the foal – from the combination of genetics, raising, and teaching. An alpha mare will pass on the alpha status to her filly. Best of all, the education you are passing on, Dottie, along with the absolutely wonderful example set by team Z, is invaluable. I hope this brings about positive changes in racing, and people’s perceptions (as they certainly are not race cars – they are living, sentient, individual beings) and a true appreciation, and recognition of all horses, for the special talents in which each one is predisposed. I know Zenyatta, after this period in her life, will go on to be pensioned at a terrific retirement facility – or maybe Ann & Jerry will bring her back to their home…. perhaps a pretty ranch, with a lovely pasture. (along, of course, with buddies) Anyway, Z’s fans will be following her throughout her life…a very special gift for all.
Dolores Pshsnychniak
What a beautiful visit you had with your family Zenyatta, they all love you so much! I see it and they were so emotional at the Eclipse Awards…awesome.
Barbaro's Forever Friend in CA
Hi Queen *Z*!!:) I just discovered your Diary and I’m so excited I can hardly STAND it! Wheee! I’ll become a regular reader now! *Z*, I must tell you…after Barbaro got hurt I became very afraid to watch you and your brothers and sisters race! I tried really hard not to see you running, *Z*….but a friend of mine didn’t get the right channel on her TV that day and called to ask me if I’d please turn my set on, that I didn’t have to watch..but could she please listen…Well, I DID watch…held my breath pretty much the whole time! I saw you drop back like everyone always said you do…and then watched as your GREAT/GRAND/WONDERFUL Jockey, Mike said, ‘alright, let’s go now!’ And I nearly lost my mind watching you, *Z*…OMGOSH:) You *ROCK*!! You are so, so, SO amazing! You got into my heart that afternoon, *Z*..and you’re still there:) You have a forever place in my heart, Beatuiful Girl! I love you and wish you nothing but the BEST OF THE BEST life has to offer you. I’m glad you’re excited about your first ‘date’…and the ‘studly man’ lucky enough to be your chosen one…well, he’s just downright LUCKY as he can be!! xxoo
NancyJS
@AJ from CA
Just read the brief report about Curlin’s first
foal. Having foals around is very high maintenance
We had two foals at one of the barns I rode at. One
morning the filly put both of her legs through a
widened area between two fences. The foal
panicked and we were lucky we got her out of
the situation without harm. She had the habit of
pawing like Zenyatta but at anything including the
ground. Lanes end is being very careful about Z’s paddock
rounded corners, grooming the paddock to grass level
when she was released for the first time.
lizzy
LE, thank you for the video!!!!
It was great to see Z out in paddock with her lady friends.
Pamela J Hebert
Thanks for the pictures Z. How nice to see your family & the one on one with John & Dottie is wonderful for you all. Sorry I’m from Pittsburgh & am a Steeler fan. Looking forwards to tomorrow’s pictures. Reading your posts everyday has become part of my day- Thanks again for them!!!
Jennifer Adelman
Dear Zenyatta, I just love the posts here especially the Seattle Slew trainer Paula who describes the making of a champion. Just lovely to read. I love thoroughbreds and everything about them,the grace and beauty along with the lineage of centuries is facinating.
The Mosses love her and have to credit them for caring for all their horses if they are HOY or not!! They set an example of how horse ownership should be responsible!
Hugs to Z and great owners!!
Robbie Pfeufer Kahn
To Karey: Thank you for your kind words. I haven’t seen the video you mentioned and would love to if it isn’t too much work to find the link. RPK
Lauren
Dear Z – What beautiful pictures of you and your family. Your winter coat is beautiful. I can’t wait to find out who your first date will be with. Whoever it is, I hope he treats you with kindness and love. By the way, Go Jets, and who would it be that tried out for Dancing with the Stars – could it be TO? I know you had pics with him taken. Love you Z.
Hugs and Kisses and GO JETS!!!!!!
Linda Henderson
Dear Zenyatta, you look amazing. I am so happy to read the Diary and view the great pictures. I enjoy the entries so much.
AJ from CA
NancyJS – thanks for sharing…guess foals are like toddlers who have to be constantly watched so they don’t get themselves into trouble. Nonetheless my heart goes out to the owners of Curlins’s first little foal.
carrie
thanks for the updates but i would have taken Z for a Packer fan.
Gary Moulton
@Paula Turner – Billy is long overdue for the hall and you should get most of the credit for starting him on his way. Just to be involved with a Triple Crown Winner must be so rewarding, thanks for your post.
.
@Robbie Pfeufer Kahn – thanks for the dog link. To me and most horse lovers I know, dogs and horses go hand in hand, like bread and butter.
.
@To all the folks about the Movie list – The list I posted wasn’t my list, I just copied and pasted it from another site. We were all just waiting for a new post from the Queen and I thought it would kill some time and get some feedback and it did. A movie about Zen is the next step. I don’t think any horse has stared in their own movie, it’s possible Zen could have another first.
.
I don’t know this for sure but I think Mike just can’t win on deep closers anymore now that The Great Zenyatta is gone. He always thinks he has more then he does. He can only win on stalkers and front runners now like “Euroears” today. I think Mike is still a little rail-a-phobic. He always kept you out in the middle of the track except twice I think. Once in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap where Mike got hung up daydreaming following Chantal and got caught inside, but it didn’t matter in that case because of the competition and of course in the BC. Mike blames himself for the loss but I think she wasn’t warmed up properly. Doing dance steps doesn’t warm a horse up. Also I think being under the lights might have had something to do with it. I think she should have been exposed to some dusk workouts over the track. But anyway hindsight is 20/20 and what is done is done. Please don’t drill me for these comments, I don’t mean anything bad about anybody or any horse. These are just my opinions how I see it and I’m wrong more times then I’m right.
Dru Deahl
Thank you Z for all the updates…I love to check in and see what’s going on with you, your family and friends. I’m excited about getting news of your next adventure and who will be your partner!
Laurie Nunnally
“Queen Z” for bringing back to so many of us who have loved horses and the spirit of racing, there are no words except “thank you”, it’s said that “horse racing is the sport of Kings”..so you must be the Queen..
and to who ever edits your diary posts, thank you so very much, you do a stellar job..
Rita Boucher
How special is this… the pictures, your family, your first date!!! Thankyou for keeping us in contact!!!xxox!!
Bonnie MacRaith
I know that Curlin first foal, a filly, died last year from a paddock accident but I couldn’t find any article about a recent death of a Curlin foal. Think that was the only one, at least according to wikipedia.
Rhonda Clements
As a photographer myself I really love seeing the pictures of you and the family. I am still so happy about your win and am really anxious to find out who will be the lucky guy in your life! I have a couple ideas wonder if one of them will be the pick, All of you who take care and are a part of Zenny’s life are such special people, thanks for still taking the time to keep us informed we all really do love her, and wow will be strange not seeing her on the track so who does John have for us to follow this year? Some new comer? Maybe in a few years a little Zenyatta, wouldnt that be wonderful. Is her date at Lanes End? assume so, anyway several great guys there, A.P., or L.D.K., I was just looking at Curlin, never noticed he is marked almost identical to the Queen only in Chestnut, interesting, Well I really anxious to hear. Are any of her girl friends having babies as well? Ok bye for now and big love for the big girl
Megan S
Oh Zenyatta, Zenyatta! We love you!
Peggy
Zenyatta wanted to tell you how Beautiful the pictures are today. Your winter coat is so pretty. You seem to be just getting prettier. To Dotty, Ann, John and Jerry Thank you again for doing these posts for us and sharing Zenyatta with us. We know you don’t have to do this, Your just the Best and I hope God will bless and keep you all. You seem to get it I mean the Wonderful gift that she is, I liked what Dr.Dean Richardson once said about what Barbaro’s fans felt for him and all that was going on with him. He said that “They Just Get It”. Dotty you all are such wonderful servants and I mean that in the best possible way, you all seem to “Just Get It” The love for Zenyatta. There have been so many wonderful horses that have passed through our lives. I hope we will all get to see them again in heaven one day. Zen, I sure wish I could be at that luncheon next week, you be sure and tell us just as soon as you get any news. I so hope to that TVG will air the presentation of the Secretarial Award being given to you. We are so proud of you. Some little notes…..Too Dawn C. Thank you for telling me about Secretariats Meadow, I will get it and read it. And,to You, Catherine, Cindy hope your all doing well. I have followups next month, as I think you said you did too. Oh,and Dawn your post are just wonderful I think you put into such nice words whats in our hearts. And, to Dani, just loved your post today, the part about Zens Date…Just over the Moon. Will say Good night now Zen, you be so careful running on that snow and ice, so excited about next week. Love Ya, Peggy
Paula Higgins
Zenyatta looks beautiful. Thanks so much for the pictures. She knows who Mom and Dad are for sure. I am so glad that you all visited her again. I know it makes her happy to see her family. Dottie, thank you for keeping us updated. It takes some effort and work on your part to do this, and it is very much appreciated.
Jackie
Queen “Z” nice photo’s of you and our family. I am sure whoever is selected as your first beau they will be honored!
Stay warm I hear it is terribly cold!
Hugs and Kisses
Mary McQuire
All is right with world when there is a post from “Z”!
Tamyatta
Hey Z girl…it’s fun to be on the same side! G O J E T S!
Hope they win
Just like Zen:)