Good Morning,
Home Sweet Home! Oh, this is too cute! This morning, my dear John sent me a photo of my Hollywood Park HOME…BARN 55…STALL 85. I wanted to share it with you!
John said when I left for Kentucky that he would not use my stall or put another horse into it for quite some time. It is decorated with so many of my things. This is really the way it looked when I was there…except you would see ‘my adorable head’ poking out of the door. I was always so curious and wanted to be sure I knew everything going on in the barn all of the time! I never wanted to miss a THING!
Now, instead of me looking out the door, there is a painting hanging in the back of the stall of Mario with ME. It was done by a fan, Mrs. Kotulak! Mario and John have also hung up some of my favorite fan photos. My Christmas Stocking is there…my polo bandages, my feed tub and all of my other goodies! They even put a cute fresh bag of carrots by the stall every single day…just because! (OH…I do love my carrots!) This is so sweet!
What WONDERFUL MEMORIES! I have truly been one very FORTUNATE HORSE! BARN 55 REALLY LOVES ME A WHOLE BUNCH!
Cheers to a marvelous day! Here’s wishing you share a special memory with a treasured friend of yours today…like John did with me!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
PS…OH DEAR…my JETS!
They gave it a good, solid try…but coming from WAY OFF THE PACE at the 1/2…then having to finish strong and make up so many points to win…(LENGTHS IN MY SPORT)…is not an easy thing to do! I KNOW THIS FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE!!
It was a great game! GOOD LUCK to THE JETS in the future…and CONGRATULATIONS to THE PACKERS AND THE STEELERS! THEY ARE OFF to the SUPER BOWL!
Lauren
Dear Zenny – I loved the picture of your stall at Barn 55. I don’t think that any horse should ever occupy it again. It would be a great place to keep all of your memorabilia that your Great Z Team has for you in Calfornia. Being from New Jersey, the Jets’ loss is a little sad, but I am still glowing in the fact that you are Horse of the Year and are going to be in foal very soon. By the way, if you could do me a favor and root my LA Lakers on that would be great. I am probably one of the few people from NJ who love the Lakers and I think they could use a shout out every once in a while. You are absolutely the best and I did do a great thing with a friend today, I sent you a post.
Love and Kisses Sweet Girl.
sue w
My goodness! This picture makes me smile and cry at the same time. John’s must miss her so as well as Mario, Carmen and the rest of the gang. She was their horse of a lifetime, too. I continue to be amazed by their willingness to share so much with us. I can NEVER thank the Mosses or the CA team enough for setting the standard in this area. I know Zenny is happy at LE. Everyone must move on.
But…those sweet days at Barn 55 will never be forgotten. Dottie…I am so thankful you continue to keep this diary going. It means so much to know we remain connected to all of team Z and especially Zenyatta.
Lori K
ZENNY, LOVE LOVE LOVED THE PICTURE OF YOUR STALL AT BARN 55. I DONT THINK ANY OTHER HORSE COULD FILL THAT STALL LIKE YOU! HAVE A GREAT DAY Z. I LOVE YOU BEAUTIFUL GIRL. LOVE LORI XOXO…
Astrid
Someone posted this link on the Bloodhorse blog and it is a very touching story about Freddie Wilson and Hootie, Zenyatta’s track pony:
http://www.horseraceinsider.com/lines-in-the-sand/01232011-freddie-hootie-off-into-the-sunset/
Zenny, I bet you remember them well! Just love the article!
Susan
I wanted the Bears and the Jets so Z I know how you feel
Gotta be hard for Barn 55 but somehow I believe that your spirit and energy live on and while I don’t know for sure, I bet Zardana sends you postcards and real good gossip.
Love Ya Z
Marilyn
Zenyatta thank you for letting us into your everyday life…..it is so sweet of you and to share your friends with us….you are going to be such a great mommy…..I wish you the best sweetie…..
Kathryn Cogswell
Such a precious girl. ‘Z,’ I only watch the Super Bowl every year to see the Clydesdale Hitch & their darling commercials for Budweiser. Yesterday, there was a preview, which looked wonderful. One year, a foal was there. They win as everyone`s favorite commercials every year; hope you and your girls get to see them — you are about the same height as a draft horse, you know. Your pictures are so good. Love you & the neighbors. Khc. [To see all the past ones, just ‘google’ “The Budweiser Clydesdales Commercials,” and you can see the past ones — they`re GREAT!]
Leslie R.
Hi Zenny, your John is an amazing man. His tribute to you is very touching. It brought tears to my eyes. Memories are very precious. I will be taking your suggestion and sharing a treasured memory with a friend today.
I’m sorry your Jets lost.
Thanks again, Dottie, for all that you do to keep all of Zen’s fans connected with her. I appreciate your hard work!
Love to all,
Leslie
Robbie Pfeufer Kahn
Dear Zenyatta: Usually a shrine (with flowers rather than carrots) is created in memory of someone who has died. This shrine represents loss of your living presence, as you are very much ALIVE! It is almost painful to think how much John Shirreffs and Mario Espinoza miss you.
The shrine does represent the end (a kind of death) of your racing career. Look how you’ve shape-shifted already into a broodmare to be with a scratch on your perfect hip (I think it was your hip)!
This photo is poignant and doubtless reminds many of those who see it of our own losses. What a lovely directive: “Here’s wishing you share a special memory with a treasured friend of yours today…..like John did with me!”
I hope that John Shirreffs and Mario Espinoza will become grandtrainer and grandgroom of your first offspring b/c s/he will be worthy of Barn 55, Stall 85. (Apologies to John for misspelling your last name up until today.)
Much love–Robbie
Dmama
Thank you for the post……. makes our day! ! ! I too think the perfect horse to fill your stall would be your colt OR filly :-)
Maria
Queen Z, this brought tears to my eyes. I bet everyone at barn 55 miss you so much. Zenny, any update who will be Mr. Right? Love you so much!
Kathryn Cogswell
*Forgot to mention, I KNOW you`re a Guinness girl, but the Clydesdales are adorable.
Joan Walls
Queen Zenny – all that I can say is that you are so LOVED. Dear John and Dottie are keeping your fans all involved in your coming events. We cannot thank them enough. Like you said, the Jets were coming from behind and they just needed a little more time! Love and hugs to you and to all of those close to us. Joan
Linda Deutsch
Queen Z…you left such a huge hole in the hearts of everyone at Barn 55 – how they must miss you. Knowing how well you have adjusted to your new life in KY has to be great consolation for them and for all of us, your adoring fans. Thank you as always to Dottie and crew for these posts – they mean the world to us. Hugs and a huge kiss on the nose…..to you.
judith berube
Dear Z and Dottie:
I can only imagine how much the Team and all the folks at Barn 55 are missing you and you, them. It’s so obvious how much John and everyone loves you. You are a special girl, not just an extraordinary athlete. You have another fan. I have been reading your diary posts to my husband and he has been smitten. Love to all of you. Judy and Russ
Sarah T.
That’s so sweet. I was just thinking today how lucky you have been Zenyatta to be surrounded by love during your career and now, and I love seeing how much you still mean to all of your connections. I can understand because you endeared yourself to me thoroughly on that wonderful November morning after the Breeders’ Cup when we met at Churchill. It is wonderful that we still have all the updates about you and that they still think of you all the time like we do!
Other than Barbaro (and that was for less fortunate reasons), I can’t remember a single horse receiving such an outpouring of love as you have. And I’ll add my voice to the chorus as well of people who love you! I sent you mints to congratulate you on Horse of Year. I know you got so many packages but I hope they found their way to you and you enjoyed them!
Happy Harriet
The planet shifted on it’s axis just a little bit on the day Zenyatta left California. Her absence left a big void in SoCal, and we could all feel it. THANK YOU Dottie and John for this lovely picture! I have a shrine to Zenyatta made of pictures and more. But this glimpse of the big missing piece in your lives, and the way you honor her, tugs at my heartstrings like no other.
J Smith – YES to meeting up at Santa Anita for February 5 Secretariat award. I’m going with other Zenyatta lovers and probably we’ll head to Clockers for breakfast before going to the Clubhouse for the festivities. All plans are up in the air, so suggestions are welcomed. I set up a special email exclusively for this: GoToSeePenny@AOL.com rather than posting personal contact info here. My companions know Santa Anita well, as you may, J Smith, and certainly as others here do, so help us find a good spot to meet! I wish all our friends from every corner of Zenyatta’s world could meet us there, and not just the local folks here in CA.
jo
no one will ever be able to replace that spot for John,Z. He loves you so much. Have you thought about inviting him to spend the spring meet with his string of horses at Keeneland? He can stay and train there at least until they need to get ready for the fall sales. Its a nice polytrack. Harmonious liked it very well. And he can race thru the first of July at Churchill. That way he can come see you every day when he gets done maybe sit and have some carrots and guiniess with you. Many children visit a relative for the summer. Its the same thing, and that way you can still stay in your beautiful pasture. Love you bye
jeanie langford
That is so special. It is waiting for your son or daughter. Perhaps for you if you decide to visit. I know they miss you and wish you could have stayed in California. We love you Z. Hugs and kisses.
Debbie
you’re tooo cute!! love you Z!!!xo
Rosanne Glynn
Ahh…what a cozy home. I like the one Zen has now though. Does anyone know if it’s heated? It has to be right?? I just got my Z tshirt I sent away for from the Zenyatta site. It took a month but it’s so cute. The sizes run small. THANK YOU Z Team for sharing Zens every move with us. I love her more than she will even know. xooxox
Lynette Lucas
I love the picture – really shows how much you are missed in Stall 85!!! I bet that there will ever be another horse in there because there could never be another great horse like you!!!!
Tell your friend that tried out for Dancing with Stars that if they make it they have all my votes!!!!
Like I tell you I look forward to reading your dairy every day!!! Love you big girl!!!
Max
This is a great post. We like to hear about your life and the positive impact which you have on so many others. Love to the Queen.
Ingrid in MA
A new post from YOU every day is MY “Treasured Memory” for the day! You always make me smile,whether it be a chuckle one or a bittersweet one,like today’s – seeing your empty stall. Happy cuz it’s YOURS,sad cuz you’re not in it still. (sigh) That’s why I love hearing from you every day, why we ALL love hearing from you.
America’s Sweetheart – Zenyatta! Love you,big girl!
PS – I work with mentally challenged/autistic teenagers,and I always try to find something to “connect” to each student with. I have a boy this year that LOVES horses – he even rides in a special program for children with disabilities. Well, you know the big debate that went on about HOTY. It was going on in my school,too! I was behind YOU all the way,Zen, but the couple of other teachers in the building that really follow racing were a bunch of Doubting Thomases. So one of them came to visit my class today, and happened to see the horse books on this student’s desk,and so the conversation began! So I told this student (whom I’ve told ALL ABOUT YOU!! Showed him the Commemorative magazine,races on Youtube,etc) “Tell Mr. O. who HOTY is,” and he said happily “Z’Yatta!” “Tell Mr. O. who the smartest racehorse ever is,” “Z’Yatta!” “and who’s the BEST racehorse EVER?” “Z’Yatta!” “Who’s the Horse of a Lifetime?” “Z’Yatta!” This is special,because this boy is hard to understand when he talks due to his disability, but he can say YOUR name loud ‘n’ clear! We practice reading with the horse books, and both his speech and his reading are improving, thanks to his love of horses…. and YOU! So THANK YOU,just for being YOU!
Love ya, Zenny!
Abigail from Montreal
Hi Zenny. I just loved seeing the photo of your “room” in Barn 55 and reading all the details about it. Please tell John & Dottie for me that this is a little like when my only child left home. Not that Dottie & John are thinking of you as their child. It’s just that when someone you really, really love “leaves home” those of us who get “left” in a certain sense (even though we’re thrilled to see that special someone moving ahead in their lives) have a tendency to keep their room pretty much as they left it. It’s a way of saying “I love you so much that you will never really leave me” rather than a state of denial. At least, that’s what it has meant in my life when my son moved out, or when a pet I loved passed on to that other dimension.
Also, although I’m 2 posts too late on this, I wanted to share with everyone (on your behalf) a video I made of you “doing the Zenyatta” that I posted on YouTube many moons ago. Here’s the address: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JSw1bhKuSy8
Enjoy!!!
(Zenny — I expect you to make sure that you always tell Dottie & John & Mario & Steve & Frank & Ann & Jerry that they will never leave that room in your heart you keep for only them….)
I love you, big girl!
Kathryn Cogswell
Zenyatta ~ Your stall #85 at HP Barn #55 should go into the Smithsonian, like Julia Child`s Kitchen from her Cambridge, MASS., house! It really should. It is just as important, a definite inspiration, and educational — so many people have never visited a working barn & stall . .. I am sure they will want to do this, if your Family agrees to it; what do you think?
Mary Stanford
Barn 55 sure does miss you Z….but how could they not…all us fans would be having terrible withdrawals if we did not know about you and see you through pictures and video. You are “Mesmerizing” and it makes us love you so very much. Hugs to you Z….
Carol
Hey Queenie,,,,,,GO STEELERS!!!!!!!
Deborah Lawson
Zen your post today really tugged at my heart about your vacant stall and your Barn 55 family. I can tell they are missing you with all their hearts.
The Jets did try but the Steel Curtain is hard to get through.
Kathryn Cogswell
And. J. Smith: You all, please visit the ‘Zenyatta Lounge’ for the ladies on the backside, if they will let you. Can`t be there, but sending some horse racing books, for their Library. Khc.