Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #1

Q:

Hello! I know everyone will have horse related questions, so my question will be about the barn cats at Lane’s End. Does Zenny have a favorite cat friend?

Kelly Mullin

Allentown, PA

Mr. Scraggles. Photo by Kyle Acebo

A:

Zenny does have a cat friend! This is Mr. Scraggles, who has been her buddy since she moved to the new barn with 12 Zenyatta. He’s pictured here cuddling up with Alys right outside of Z’s paddock.

Fun facts about Mr. Scraggles:

  • He’s the best mouser on the farm, but he doesn’t like to get his feet wet.
  • He’s very social kitty and comes when he’s called.
  • He is partial to a good tummy scratch.
  • On cold days you will find him in the tack room snoozing on the barn laundry.

Our Expert

Alys Emson

Client Management, Lane’s End

Alys has been at Lane’s End for fourteen years. She has worked in every division of the farm and is now in charge of client management, keeping owners up to speed about the lives of their horses.

Reader Interactions

174 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Great Question! Great Answer! Great Photo! Thanks to ALL in the Land of Zen for being
    the caring peeps that you are! HAPPY SUMMER!
    Peace, Love & Blessings,
    Kathy from SoCal xoxo :)

    • / Reply

      Thanks so much Alys for sharing this beautiful photo of Zenny’s cat friend.

      So glad he is well cared for as all animals are a Lanes End, envy you with
      such a wonderful job, people, animals, including the great horses at Lanes
      End.

      Thanks so much for sharing with us.

    • / Reply

      Hi, Kathy! You have a birthday coming up on Saturday! Are you rooting for Black Caviar? I hope so and hope she’ll give you an early morning birthday present with win 22!

  2. / Reply

    That is a great story. What a lucky kitty to be Z’ buddy. Mr. Scraggles is very cute with his pink nose and pink toes. I love kitties. Thanks LE

  5. / Reply

    Love his name! I can see him snoozing in the barn laundry! Glad that Queen Z is in the good company of a champion mouser!

  6. / Reply

    I really don’t know if I should post here or go back to the last blog. At any rate, I hope that all who are interested, including Marshall and Ann, see this. Pati-It is indeed my pleasure to welcome you as the newest member of the Redneck Club. You are a charter member from North Carolina and you friend Gus is hereby appointed a honorary North Carolina rep. Welcome aboard! Here are today’s redneck jokes. You might be a redneck if your savings account is in the ashtray of your truck. You might be a redneck if your pick-up truck used to be a car. You might be a redneck if your yard has more than 10 ceramic figurines. You might be a redneck if you dust your furniture with your underwear. You might be a redneck if you have ever used your toaster to light a cigarette. You might be a redneck if your outdoor light used to be in a mall parking lot.

    • / Reply

      I’ll make sure to tell Gus he is now a member! However, I know two Guses. The hunter/jumper big, tall Holsteiner Gus or the rescued Gus? I think it’s the rescued Gus that everyone is talking about right? I have a picture if you would like to see him! I’ll tweet it and post the link since FB has decided to not open correctly.

    • / Reply

      @Max

      Well rescue Gus came to us thinner, but he’s been getting better since then. He enjoys his nightly walks around our pond. He’s so sweet. He has edema in his back legs and under his belly, but he has never even flicked back an ear. He’s quite the trooper for a 20+ year old senior horse. :-)

      • / Reply

        Pati. Your tender loving care has brought him this far and will do him even more good. I think that it is a great thing that Rescue Gus is improving and gaining weight. Horses are quite stoic, especially when they know that they are being helped. He must be so happy to have been rescued. I am really glad for him.

        • Thank you for the compliment! I will re-post updates and pictures as he gets better.

        • Pati. I am certain that lots of other Z fans would love to see photos and hear about this horse getting better. There are just too many sad stories of suffering and neglect of horses. Please tell Rescue Gus to keep eating. Jumping Gus, you can stick to your training.

    • / Reply

      hahahahahaha! all is well in z-land now; the grandpoobah has returned. honestly, terry, no one cracks me up like you do with these observations of my family…er…ah…i mean these redneck jokes!!! thanks!

  7. / Reply

    He looks like my cat, Bebe, except mine was black and white! Sounds like him too with the same personality. I’ll just imagine Bebe has been reincarnated and is now living with Zenyatta! He would like that a lot!

  8. / Reply

    What a lucky cat is Mr. Scraggles, wouldn’t we all love to be Zenny’s favorite friend. Thank you Alys for posing with this now famous feline. I wonder if 12Z likes Mr. Scraggles.

    • / Reply

      Trisha-I caught up with your post from the last blog. It is apparent that you qualify as a member of the redneck club. We do not have, as of yet, a member from Virginia and, therefore, you would be president of the Virginia chapter if you agree to join. Nobody is inducted in to the redneck club unless that person agrees to it.

  12. / Reply

    Sweet, Sweet photo we all know Mama Z loves cats,she is such a good judge of people, places and things.

  13. / Reply

    Dear Alys, LE Team and Z Fans:

    Thanks for the great photo and info on Mr. Scraggles and Z. He’s a very beautiful cat. Hugs, JB

  14. / Reply

    Mr Scraggles looks to be a very pretty boy. A very lucky boy to be Zenny’s friend. Thanks for the nice photo.

  17. / Reply

    That is a great question……and of course Sweet Z….. loves the kitty. Still miss the daily blog with Dottie. But thanks for all your help at Lane’s End. I know things change and we have to accept them. I am 65 and a lady I know that is 88 told me….”if you do not accept change, you get old.” So I am trying to take the changes in life in stride….but it is hard sometimes. But Z is a great example to us….. she just goes right in…..takes the changes in stride…….and is having a happy life.

  18. / Reply

    @ Mr. Scraggles. Keep your eye on your back. There is a lot of competition out there for your job. LOL.

    Glad to see that the best mouser is with the Queen, the best with the best.

  19. / Reply

    Thank you Alys!!

    Love this new section. Mr. Scraggles is so cute.

    Boy is he lucky to be around Zenny and other great horses! Marilu

  20. / Reply

    Good question Kelly. Mr. Scraggles must be a Maine Coon. He is so fluffy and adorable looking.

  21. / Reply

    He looks like a Norwegian Forest Cat! Mine loves to be up high, indulging her inner leopard, and has quite a sense of Who She Is. Very loving, and very playful. I’m sure she’d love to have a horse friend like Zenny!

  22. / Reply

    Mr. Scraggles is one beautiful kitty!! And a good mouser to boot – wonderful. I’m glad that Zenny has so many friends to keep her company at Lane’s End. Such a beautiful place. Thank you so much for sharing all these little details that bring Zenyatta closer to us – y’all are definitely the best!! Thank you!!

  23. / Reply

    We love how LE keeps in touch with us. This was a great question and we enjoyed reading the answer.

  24. / Reply

    Thanks LE for the Q & A opportunity. My first thought about this one was…I wish I was this kitty. Imagine hanging out with Zenny and 12Z every day!

  25. / Reply

    Hello LE and Alys.
    Thank you, all you wonderful people there for taking the time to keep all of us Zenny-nuts from cracking! Cute picture of Mr Scraggles and Alys, he’s got a very important job there keeping the vermin from invading Zen’s palace.

    Terry, ah, life is almost back to normal with you posting redneck jokes. I find myself identifying with so many of these, ha, ha, nice to know there are other nuts out there.

    Pati so nice of you to post the pics of your horses, especially hope rescue Gus has put some meat on those bones……he’s really cute.

    Well Zen Mama and Earnie I send nose kisses and am thankful for every glimpse of your life I get. Hugs Auntie Sue

  26. / Reply

    Pretty, pretty kitty. My Mulder ( a large 15 pound 12 year old Siamese mix) caught and brought a mouse into my house (I’m a poet, right?) for fun and games from the Serengeti (my garage). I finally picked it (Mousie) up with paper towels and put it outside to find another home, I hope. My Scully (7 pound 16 year old Burmese) and my Mulder would love to meet Z and baby Z, but probably not Mr. Scraggles. They don’t even love each other very much!

    • / Reply

      Well it’s good that he’s humble. It looks like he’s in the confession box during the Royal Ascot interview. At least he has learned from his mistakes and is man enough to admit it.

      • / Reply

        Great analogy; confession box, but honesty is the best policy. And I do
        admire him for that. Adian is a very talented trainer.

        Wonder why he did not listen to his previous trainer ???

        One good thing is that Besilu stables kept Royal Delta with Bill Mott.
        The So You Think situation is a great example of changing trainers
        changes racing records.

  28. / Reply

    Carlton House, The Queen of England’s horse by Street Cry,
    has been nominated to the Breeders Cup.

    That may really be fun to see him run, a son of Street Cry,
    at Santa Anita.

    • / Reply

      How cool is that. Thanks for the info, sign of the times.
      I wonder if the Queen will come to visit our Queen at Lane’s End and then go to the Breeders Cup.
      That is my fantasy: Queen Elizabeth visiting Zenyatta at Lane’s End.
      My other fantasy was Black Caviar racing at Royal Ascot. Sometimes dreams come true.
      XOXOXO Great to see you again.

      • / Reply

        Love the idea of Queen Elizabeth coming to Lanes End and meeting Zenyatta,
        I am sure she would be very impress.

        Zenny may even steal her hat and give her a new hairdo, wouldn’t that be
        something.

        Royal Coffiers by Zenyatta.

        • You do know that, when Queen Elizabeth is in Kentucky, she stays at Lane’s End. I wonder if she’s met Zenny and the Prince yet? That would be interesting to hear what she thinks. Too bad for Carlton House. He seems to be a bridesmaid. LOL

  29. / Reply

    My two kitties have also been bringing their “catches” in…Boots and Smokey are both rescues ….in that they were abandoned in our garden as infants by their mother..my hubby &Scooter (English Springer) found them…we thought they were only a few days old at the time….Boots was full of fight but my Hubby thought Smokey was dead…I considered this a challenge….so found an eye dropper and some similac…hourly feedings for 8hr…then every 2hr for 3 days…they will be 4 in october…litter mates…do not like each other one little bit..fight ..snarl …hiss ….constant entertainment

  30. / Reply

    Dear Peggy N,

    We are comparing apples to oranges (US to British racing).
    The only comparisons that can be made with Frankel are
    a US born sprinter/miler on the turf with him. Horses like a certain surface and distance, when they are raced outside of these two things they are no longer
    happy and may no longer win.

    The champion that comes to mind in John Henry, he won the Arlington
    Million twice and was also a dirt horse. There are probably more talented
    US turf horses in the US chamipion lineages perhaps one of our historians
    can name some more.

    The British will never run on the dirt, it is a US thing. Frankel done have
    US blood, but is racing under the British flag. He is definately a talent
    very much so. His owners and trainers are only interested in money and prestige,
    which Royal Ascot brings. The Breeders Cup would do nothing for Frankel’s resume,
    which is focused on worth in the breeding shed as so many US owner’s/trainers find worth in our horses.

    A perfect example is Shackelford, he was run too long all of his 3 year old year, won valiently in the Metropolitan Mile to pad his breeding shed price
    with his Preakness win. Again they are trying to go long, which is really a mistake,
    aiming for the BCC instead of the Dirt Mile, which is less prestigious.

    So sad that these talented horses get stuck in this money, prestige cycle.

    • / Reply

      In response to Shackleford situation, I’m disappointed that he will be retired next year. And Romans conceded that he made a mistake in training Shackleford. He requires a lot more hard training than he gave him. He’s a lot like his great- great-great grandsire that way: Big Red.
      And he realized, as he acts more like a son than great grandson of Terlingua, he doesn’t like to go far.
      I just am nuts about Shack and Mucho Macho Man, they are fighters and give it their all. And I have been lucky to see both handsome boys on the track at Gulfstream.
      Incidentally, Mucho Macho Man will be racing this year. And I received that bit of info from the horses’ mouth–rather his racing team–LOL.
      Best wishes, Terri

      • / Reply

        Great Info Terry Z and pedigree points.

        So glad to hear MMM will be racing next year.

        I guess it is so hard to figure out these “babies” for the trainers, none of them seem to be straight forward and they change daily and they are growing,
        mind and body.

        Shack is one of my favorites, so very determined to win and one tough guy.
        Training hard seems to be like a good move for a horse like him.

    • / Reply

      Sign. Although one can generally agree with some of this, it is still not certain if the decision has finally been made to keep Frankel in England. Money is not the real factor with his owner who is Saudi royalty. He is in racing for the love of horses. Prince Abdullah often sends his horses to the Breeder’s Cup. Twice Over for example whom Cecil has said he likes most of all his horses in training ran third to the Queen in 2009. Where Frankel ends his racing career may not be finally decided for some time. Apparently, Frankel will tell them what to do, so that I guess that he is one of Terry’s talking horses. The Prince will do what is best for the horse who is named after a person who was dearly loved. He gave the name Frankel to the horse whom he thought would pay the best tribute to Bobby Frankel. If the Breeder’s Cup could be part of that and good for the horse and racing, Frankel will come to Santa Anita. It would be fantastic. By the way, I recently saw a video of Frankel and his brother Bullet Train training on what appears to be dirt, but it could be poly. Time will reveal all.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max,
        Frankel’s trainer did quote in a recent article before Royal Ascot opened that Frankel will not be coming to the Breeders Cup.

        Also, Saudi royalty is after prestige and quality stallions with good racing records to build their breeding operation. And they run in the money circles obviously because they have it.

        That is how Darley has been built. And they spend the money to do it.
        Their stallions all have prestigous racing records.

        King Kalid of Saudi Arabia came to the US for heart surgery a number of years ago and I happened to be chosen to take care of him. He had 7 ICU beds to himself, all his meals were served on fine china and he had chip and dale furniture in the ICU to sit on. He also brought an entorage of chefs to make his meals along with an entourage to care for him. Money is money and they have it, spend it and demand the quality that goes with it.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max,
        I don’t think there are any dirt tracks in Europe, their training tracks are sometimes poly.

        I will post the link from the article in which Frankel’s trainer said he will not be coming to the Breeders Cup.

    • / Reply

      Sign,
      Wow you must be A number one Ace at your job to be selected to take care of the Prince. Quite a feather in your nurses cap I must say. I have great respect for nurses, my mom was an RN and my daughter is in the field too. Kudos to You!! Hugs

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