To all of my DEAR FRIENDS,
HAPPY, HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!
I’M THINKING OF ALL OF YOU…AND WISHING YOU A VERY SPECIAL DAY!
The adorable Sophie Shirreffs is also sending you a big HUG. She even hid one of her favorite CHEW BONES by the flowers to send HER Valentine wishes! Too cute!
WITH LOVE,
HUGS TO ALL~
Z
S
@Rachel….great video!!! Watched it 3 times:)
Pamela J Hebert
Happy Valentines Day to you Zenny!!!! Love the gorgeous roses that Dottie got from John. How so like Sophie to have put the chewy near them. Loved the new videos Z. Hugs to your ENTIRE Team on this special day.
Bridget
@Rachel Loved the video!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gonna watch it again!
Great job!!!!!!!
NIK
@Rachel – Thanks for the video – great gift on V-Day to us all! Good song selection on top of it too! Really enjoyable.
Zenny – I work nights and look forward to this site when I get home to unwind a stressful day…just what the doctor ordered! Hope your day was fun and full of love XOXOXO!!!
Kim Noble
Happy valentines Day to Zenny and Team Zenyatta!
Kristi Catalani
Happy Valentine’s Day Sweet Girl Z!!! Hope you got some special treats today! Love you!
Linda Henderson
Happy Valentines Day to Zenyatta and her team. I saw Zenyatta’s bridle at the Derby Restaurant tonight. Neat! And Dottie, you looked fantastic Saturday at Santa Anita with Zardana. Cha cha shoes!
Sue
Happy Valentine’s Day to you, Zenny, and to Sophie, and all your human connections. All of you have brought much love and wonder to the lives of many people. Knowing you is like celebrating Valentine’s Day every day of the year!
LOVE & HUGS! Please give Sophie and your human friends some big wet licks for me :)
Suzanne
Someone wrote & sent “A Valentine for Rachel” today, Z…on Facebook…it was a lovely tribute to her & a lament of sorts because her connections have dealt with her very differently from the way your peeps treat you…those of us who admire both of you miss you both…but you are kept with us by virtue of this diary, while she is seldom seen or heard from since retiring…& her departure was so abrupt & unseemly, too…ever since last year, I have felt an aura of uncertainty about her…about how she has been treated all along…somehow, these things have a way of coming out in how a horse behaves or performs…last year left one feeling uncomfortable, at best, about what might really be going on there…so I was hoping you would join with me in also wishing Rachel a happy Valentine’s Day, & in hoping that she, too has made a successful adjustment to her new life…& that she has warm friends, both human & equine, who give her the affection & care she so richly deserves…bye for now, Z.
Kathryn Cogswell
.. . or, Stamps.com
J Smith
@ Suzanne, I was just looking for news of Rachel when I accidently came back to this page and saw your post. I think about her often and hope she is happy. I had an uncomfortable feeling about her situation too. But I think she is probably a lot better off now and being well cared for. Meanwhile, this will put a smile on anyone’s face, check out this photo of Hootie on his Facebook page, I love it. He looks like he is really enjoying retirement. Hootie was Zenyatta’s Pony Horse. http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=175882492451497&set=a.175882489118164.35811.175877012452045&theater
Stephanie Lambert
Not a man, not any possession , not any earthly thing, but a horse by the name of Zenny is the only thing that can hold my heart……forever….I love you sweet girl, I was blessed by David to meet you … You will never know how much your strength changed my life …. Xoxoxoxoxo from Maine xo
Bob Rose
Happy Valentines Day to the greatest, most compassionate thoroughbred ever foaled. Also to the Z Team…thank you all for sharing her with us.
Karey
@Suzanne,@JSmith: I read an article on Horse.com that mentions Rachel will be bred to Curlin in 2011. No other details were given about her current situation.
Karey
I guess the breeding to Curlin is old news. I also found this quote from Rachel’s owner (JJ) in an article from September.
“As you know, despite top training and a patient campaign, Rachel Alexandra did not return to her 2009 form,” Jackson said in a statement. “I believe it’s time to retire our champion and reward her with a less stressful life. We are delighted that she will retire healthy and happy to our beautiful farm in Kentucky.”
Kari Bussell
Too precious Sophie! Happy Valentines Day to all of you.
Zenyatta you will always be my number one race horse. Just knowing you are happy and thriving in your new life fills me with more joy than I could ever find a way to express.I will always be yours!! I wish you could be mine…xoxoxoxoxo
Jenna
Dottie, I hope you had a wonderful Valentines Day! To you, John, and Sophie. Thank you for all that you do. You deserve nothing but happiness and all that is good.
Patricia
Happy Valentine’s Day, Sweet Girl! You are dearly loved –
Helen & Guido
Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day Zenny!
Rosanne Glynn
Happy Z Day Zenyatta. If I had one wish, it would be that I wish you were MINE! Love you girl and I hope you received a bouguet of carrots and peppermints with a chaser of Guiniss. You only deserve the BEST!!!! xoxoooxxoxoox
Sunny Boyd
@ The Kennedys of San Diego
I read your posts in yesterday’s diary post with great interest.
I wonder this search for perfection, in breeding, nothing in nature is perfect, natural law makes rules for existance but not perfection. And since horses didn’t start out perfect in accordance with the racing formular, Mr.Shirreffs observation: centuries of planned good breeding, I wonder if a great heart( a strong will), in other words power from within ( nurturing, good schooling, socializing) plus athletic ability isn’t what makes the champion? Thanks for all the info.
Dani
@Karey, Suzanne and J Smith – I read a quote on Barbara Livingston’s blog that Barbara Banke said that Rachel would be bred to Curlin sometime around Valentine’s Day. Or something to that effect.
Dani
@Suzanne – I share your sentiments about Rachel Alexandra. May she know the love and kindness that our Zenyatta has been given.
Suzanne G
@Kathryn Cogswell and @Dani — thanks for info on stamps and backside55. If I find out anything more, I’ll post.
Barbara Wood
@J Smith–the picture of Hootie is great! Thanks for sharing!
@Sunny Boyd–I recall a trainer (it may have been our John) saying that pedigree is about 40% of the equation. The rest is made up of desire, heart, mind, and training, or words to that effect. Then add to that the possibility of injury, and it’s truly amazing that our Z has made it through all the hurdles and rigors of what she’s done to retire safe and sound. She and Team Z (on both coasts) are true gifts.
Jean Moore
Beautiful Zenyatta, Hope you go on Bernardini’s facebook page and see the cute Valentine he sent to you. He is one handsome guy and obviously has excellent taste in girls. Love you Much
Theresa Buck
ohhhhhhhhhhh sweetie you are the most beautiful flower (Rose) ever.. and a precious gem ever found
Helen
Hope you had a great day Zennie! Did anyone get you a Guiness and roses along with pepermints?
Gloria Jeanne
Zenyatta needs a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame :)
LauraJ
@Happy Harriet, congratulations on becoming a TB owner. I did the same thing last year, although I joined a partnership so I don’t have to do any of the work. It’s mostly Zenyatta’s fault, although Uptowncharlybrown gets some of the blame. My boy is a 3-year-old Eddington gelding. He’s back in training after having the winter off, and he should hit the track in 4-6 weeks. Wheeeee!
@Suzanne G and Kathryn Cogswell, Zazzle.com has some Zenyatta stamps already made.
@Suzanne and @J Smith, Rachel Alexandra is at Stonestreet Farms. They post occasional news and pictures of her on their Facebook page. She seems to be happy and she looks just fine. Her buddy is Hot Dixie Chick aka “Dixie”. There is a nice shot of the two of them out in their paddock. She will be going to Curlin. Jess Jackson has been planning that particular mating ever since he bought Rachel.