Hello everyone!
What a fun day I had yesterday! The morning was playful and I was in my normal routine. Then in early afternoon…LOOK WHO CAME TO VISIT WITH ME! My dear friend and close pal, MIKIE SMITH! He flew in all the way from CA to see ME! This is so exciting.
At first, Mike went out to the paddock area to see me play and interact with my friends. He brought some great goodies for us…carrots and peppermints. I think it was fun for him to see how happy I am in my new environment!
Later in the afternoon, he walked back with me to my barn. He actually led me part of the way. As you can see here, it is just HE and I standing TALL right there in the barn area. So much fun!
I know Sarah took a bit of video of our visit. She will put it up soon on my Facebook page. You can reach this by CLICKING on the FACEBOOK ICON in the upper right hand corner of my web-site. It will take you right there…my FACEBOOK PAGE.
Oh, by the way, this is very exciting as well…as of 7 a.m. CA time this morning, I have 63,848 FRIENDS on my Facebook page. You guys are really amazing! My numbers are growing every single day! Thank you so much!
Have a special day!
With Love,
Hugs to all~
Z
Waiting for Zendini or Bernyatta
YOU BOTH will never forget each other.
Debbie Bassett
The videos are wonderful! It really touched me seeing you and Mike together again. What a happy “Early Valentines Day” surprise! Mike’s love for you is obvious. You have a unique bond…and an Amazing Bond with Mario too. I wish Mario could be with you on February 14th as well! We all miss you so much in California! Love you Z!
Barbara
This is a wonderful suprise! It shows how special you are to Mike! Happy Valentines!!!
otherlyncaps@hotmail.com
Dear Queen Z, It should come as no surprise that Mikey came to see you for Valentines Day…for you are his True Love. There is no denying the affection he has for you. The whole world has felt it…and share it. All Love to you, precious Champion Queen. Please give Mikey a kiss for me, the next time you see him.
Your FOB Fren, O
Jenna
After viewing the video, I read some comments-and some people kept commenting about how she remembered him.
Will she forget? I thought horses had great memories (like us). Will she eventually forget him? Or Mario?
Karen
So glad Mike was able to visit you. What a great team you made together! Best of luck on your upcoming “date” with Bernardini. Looking forward to seeing a new foal next January! Wouldn’t it be great if Mike was able to ride one of your colts or fillies when they come of age!!
Patti
Loved your video…Love Mike Smith, too. Am always touched by how much he loves you Zennie.
Sue Noel
What a glorious picture of you and Mike!! Your love for each other is surely evident! How wonderful of him to come to see you–it obviously made you VERY happy!!
I do so love your postings and the photos-it is marvelous that your team is so generous about enabling those of us who love you so much to be connected in this way–we are blessed!
Hope you are having a wonderful day with your pals and that you are feeling all the love that is coming your way each and every day from all of us!
Stella Bagwell
Dearest Zenyatta,
I can’t imagine you getting a nicer Valentine than having a special visit from ‘your’ Mike. What memories you two must have to talk over! He obviously loves you very much to make such a long trip to visit with you. Seeing the two of you together always puts a smile on my face and a tear in my eye. I hope you gave him lots of kisses! :)
Hugs to you, dear girl,
Stel
Robyn Mullhausen
Oh Zenny, loved the video!! I just had a feeling your “special visitor” would be your Mikie, and he brought you Valentine carrots. ;) When you were in the barn, wasn’t Mike getting those peppermints unwrapped fast enough?
Just think, Zenny, you have lots more than 63,000 Friends ’cause all of ’em aren’t on Facebook! You is one popular gal. :) Love you, Robyn
Henrietta Wolfe
What a special visitor. I know he has to miss you very much. I am sure in the future, as he rides, he will always wish it were you. What wonderful memories you have given him. I love you Zenyatta. Keep us posted. xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
Sarah Powell
Thank you Sarah and Dottie for keeping us happy with diary posts, pictures and videos (especially videos)! So glad Mike got to go to KY to see her – the special bond is clear. I continue to be amazed at how her connections continue to keep her in their lives as do all of us fans. It’s just so comforting to be able to go to her facebook page or diary post and read all of the positive comments and feel the love that we all share for this spectacular horse.
Donna Chasen
What a great surprise! You know that Mike truly loves you and that there will never be another horse to take your place in his heart! You are the Romeo and Juliet of the racing world!
Barbara Wood
Dearest Z–
Well, we’re frozen in again today in central Texas, so I am getting my daily recommended allowance of YOU–Vitamin Z! I love seeing you and Mike together. We will consider that a Valentine present to all of us. Sometimes I try to imagine what it must have felt like to him to be riding you when you accelerated into the next gear. That is absolutely awesome to contemplate. Love you always, sweetie.
Lino
Peppermints and carrots. I like both myself!
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, I had a feeling it would be Mike, you are is girl. What a great Valentine surprise for you. Did you mention u-know-who? Love ya…Lisa g.
sherry drish
I AM SO HAPPY MIKE CAME BY TO VISIT YOU. THE JOCKEY AND HORSE HAVE A SPECIAL BOND, PLUS I KNOW MIKE REALLY HAS A PLACE IN HIS HEART THAT WILL ALWAYS BE YOURS, ZENYATTA. I AM PROUD THAT YOU HAVE ALMOST 40,000 FANS, YOU ARE LOVED JUST LIKE A FAMILY FRIEND. CONGRATS DEAR ONE…SHERRY D.
Sheri
That is so sweet Zenyatta! We all know you love Mike! And We do to! I love you so much Zenyatta!!!! :D
Andrea from Germany
I like Mike so much, he always seems to be so kind and gentle with you. Love you Zenny stay healthy.
Shannon From Cool
See Queen Z, no one can stand to be away from you for very long. Everyone misses you so much they have to sneak away to go visit you.
Pattie
In my opinion, Horses do not forget the ones they love. I have visited ones that I sold, several years later, & they still remember me. I think maybe it is our voice & our smell they recognize, which brings back the happy memories. Animals are much smarter than humans. After all, how does a dog remember it’s way home??
Janie
Oh Zenyatta – you are so cute. So anxious for those peppermints that Mike was trying to open for you. He loves you so much – as do so many of us!
Jenna
Cute photo of Bernardini: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=492743578925&set=at.492743453925.271952.598798925.1081951955&pid=5860293&id=598798925
Linda (Canada)
How nice that Mike came to see you for Valentine’s Day! You will always be his special girl!
I saw a great shot of Bernardini “smiling” on the DRF site – it’s quite cute…the caption alluds to the fact he is smiling ’cause he got picked to be your first “date”. :)
Nancy
Zenyatta, was happy to see Mike came to visit bearing gifts that you love. I also noticed he was kind of slow getting those mints opened for you, at least in your mind, lol…and i see that smile of Bernardini’s with you on his mind…hope he has some gifts for you too
HappyHarriet
Dear Queen Z: Happy Early Valentine’s Day! Many of us thought that Mike might be the special two-legged visitor. I wonder how Mike feels when he sees Z, and I wonder if he wants to jump aboard. It must feel strange to simply walk beside her, although any time in her presence has to be an assurance to him that she’s happy, healthy, and she loves him more and more.
.
THANKS for the video – I did see it on Facebook. Of course, I would have much preferred to HEAR MIKE TALKING. Maybe strip off the music or take it down several decibels, Sarah? Is that possible? We fussy fans are purists, I think. :)
.
To Mrs. Moss: I had a vision of Zenyatta living near you and you visiting her every day. It was one of those “out of nowhere” flashes of intuition (or wishful thinking) the was so REAL that I have faith it will happen. It was about 2-3 years into the future, maybe a bit more, and Z was being homed right where you live, it seemed, or so close by you could walk to her at will. And it seemed she had a baby there, too, who reaped extra monetary rewards when she raced (I believe it was a filly) due to being born in California. I’m not a horse person – I’m just learning through the good will of Dottie and the loving fans here who teach me, so I’m not sure if any of this is even POSSIBLE, but it was SO TRUE TO LIFE I thought you’d find it interesting. :)
.
@Ms. Valada (hope I’m remembering your name properly) – From a prior post you shared your website of excellent pictures. Thank you! I laughed out loud when you said you were a “recovering Attorney”! haha I’m recovering from a similar profession myself! The photos aren’t just beautiful – you have a knack of capturing the soul within the person. Your talents are a joy to behold.
.
Thank you, Divine Dottie, VOZ (Voice of Zenyatta)
Jane in Seattle
How could you help but love a guy that loves Z like that? Remember the spot (on 60 minutes I think) where he points to her blue saddle and says “I bought that for her” – how many jockeys do you think take their horses presents like that? And in the BCC 2010 interview where he is trying not to cry, and says “She’s my everything.” I will always love Mike for that.
What pure joy to see them together again. It’s funny how people will look at the same thing and see something different. One person commented on Mike seeming afraid of her at first. What I thought was “look at her – she’s playing games with him and is going to try and grab his camera!”
Mike never got to spend as much time with her as the whole Barn55 gang, but I think he loves her just as much.
I would like to know what he was saying to her in the video, too.
Tara
Fabulous video Zenny. You know your jockey truly loves you when he flies to Kentucky to see, and not just ride you in race. As you already know, Mike Smith is the best jockey you could have ever had and he really cares for you. You are a very lucky girl.
Leslie Sworsky
It brings me to tears to see the two of them together again. Such a different life for both of them now that Z is retired. I love Mike for loving Zenny so much (her whole team has my admiration!) and it shows when he is near her. I can’t wait to see her when I visit Kentucky. I sure hope she has visiting hours some day…there will be along line!! She is so special…I haven’t felt this way about a horse since Secretariat. So many of us feel that way. Thanks to her team for making this all so accessible and fun for her fans. WE LOVE YOU!!
suew
Zenny, I loved, loved, loved the video! And loved Dottie’s post about your special visit with Mike. What a pair you were…in tandem always racing around that track. He really does love you in a special way. Of course everyone who is close to you comes away in love…it’s the Zenyatta effect.
Sarah…and thank you for uploading this video for us to see. Zenny is our valentine, too.