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Foaling Prep at Lane’s End

12Z playing with a paddock mate at Lane's End. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
12Z playing with a paddock mate at Lane’s End. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Happy Thursday!

We have an exciting post for you today. Dr. Ernie Martinez has written a piece detailing the steps taken at Lane’s End in preparation for foaling. It’s a great example of how Lane’s End leaves nothing to chance. You can follow Dr. Martinez on twitter at @emartinezdvm.

Alys also sent us some great photos of Zenyatta’s first colt playing in the snow.

Enjoy!
-Team Z

12Z playing with a paddock mate at Lane's End. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
12Z playing with a paddock mate at Lane’s End. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End


12Z playing in the snow. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
12Z playing in the snow. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Enjoying Late Pregnancy & Preparing for Foaling
By Ernie Martinez II. DVM from Hagyard Equine Medical Institute

As Zenyatta approaches the end of her second pregnancy, we begin to prepare for the arrival of Little 13Z. Very little will change from her daily routine. She will continue to be fed and checked by farm staff twice a day. They will begin to closely monitor her for any signs of premature labor. These might include early udder development or an abnormal vaginal discharge. Thankfully, Queen Z has strided through this pregnancy like a champ and everything has been very routine.

In the last trimester we vaccinate her with a three shot series of vaccinations for Rotaviral diarrhea. This can be a very life threatening diarrhea when acquired in the neonatal stage, and we do all we can try to prevent this disease or at best minimize the severity of any clinical signs. All farm mares receive this series of vaccinations, and we have had very healthy newborn foal crops for some time.

When Queen Z has one month to go we will give her annual series of booster vaccinations. This serves two purposes. First, we provide Queen Z with her annual booster of vaccinations for protection against Equine Herpes Virus 4&1, Eastern-Western Encephalitides, West Nile, Influenza, Rabies & Botulism. Second, and most importantly, by vaccinating her one month before to foaling we will booster the volume and quality of antibodies in her colostrum. Newborn foals are born immunologically naive and must consume and absorb the antibodies from colostrum for their initial immune protection. When 13Z is born we will test her colostrum to insure it is of high quality. If it were to be low, we will give the new foal a pint of colostrum from our colostrum bank. When 13Z is between ten to twelve hours old we will test a blood sample to determine the IgG, or antibody, level. We want all our foals to be above 800 mg/dL. Greater than 1200 mg/dL would be off the charts and even better!

As the foaling date draws nearer, Zenyatta will be brought up to the foaling barn where she will stay until she foals. In the foaling barn she will be under 24 hour surveillance as we patiently wait for her to foal. As she gets closer to foaling, or parturition, her udder will start to develop and the teats will fill. The classic sign that foaling is near is the production of wax or “waxing up.” This is a sebaceous-like pre-colostral secretion that in most cases means foaling is imminent.

Two weeks before Queen Z’s due date we will sample and test her blood for neonatal isoerythrolysis, or NI. We call it an NI Screen. NI occurs when the foal ingests colostrum from the mare with antibodies that react with the foals red blood cells (RBCs). The antibodies are produced by the mare due to transplacental hemorrhage in late gestation. The mare’s immune system identifies the RBCs as foreign because they contain stallion DNA. If the foal were to consume NI antibodies in the colostrum the foal’s RBCs would be coated in the maternal antibodies and cleared by the foal’s immune system, causing a hemolytic anemia. The foal would crash in respiratory distress as it would have no RBCs to carry oxygen. Thankfully, the NI screen allows us to detect NI positive mares. In a positive case we would muzzle the foal and supplement it with tested negative colostrum until the antibodies were cleared from the mares milk. This normally takes 10–12 hours.

So when she draws close to foaling time we will have done all we can do to insure that her colostrum will be top quality, we will have screened her colostrum for NI and we’ve made an easier pathway for the birth of 13Z. Now all we can do is wait.

See you at the Foaling Barn!

12Z in the snow. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End
12Z playing in the snow. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Reader Interactions

798 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Andrew Bensley‏ tweet
    Kiwi trainer Stephen Marsh confirms connections will pay late entry
    for RUUD AWAKENING in Golden Slipper.
    Craig Williams in the mix to ride.

  3. / Reply

    Jay Privman‏ DRF tweet:MY MISS AURELIA will make her 2013 debut on Saturday
    in the Azeri at OAKLAWN .
    Asmussen: “It is the right spot to start her year.”

  4. / Reply

    Marcus Hersh‏ DRF tweet:
    Joel Rosario booked to ride ANIMAL KINGDOM back in Dubai World Cup,
    trainer Graham Motion said

  5. / Reply

    Santa Anita: Jockey Joy Scott breaks leg in training accident
    By Jay Privman Daily Racing Form 03/12/2013 4:05PM
    Jockey Joy Scott suffered a compound fracture to her right femur during a training accident on Tuesday morning at Santa Anita, according to her son, Jesse Sanchez.
    Sanchez, 25, lives in New York City. He said he was going to fly to California Tuesday night in order to be with his mother by Wednesday.
    http://www.drf.com/news/santa-anita-jockey-joy-scott-breaks-leg-training-accident
    Keta Note; Horse reared and fell on her. Second time Joy broke this leg. First in 2001.
    Joy is 53, Sending prayers for healing & recovery!

    • / Reply

      Oh my goodness! Prayers for Joy Scott to mend well and quickly! Thanks for letting us know, Keta.

    • / Reply

      I can only imagine the sinking feeling that came with hearing that terrible snapping sound. I would have been hysterical, but that’s the cry baby in me. She probably handled it with class, and poise.

    • / Reply

      Dear Keta and Z Fans:

      All the best wishes to Jockey Joy Scott for a full recovery. Hugs, JB

  6. / Reply

    Keta’s mate Bensley news:

    – Hay List in gate 2 for Challenge Stakes Saturday

    – Has talked with Peter Moody off air- Moody says he’ll get through the William Reid before worrying about possible $3m races in Sydney. Andrew gave no indication that Moody is still in hospital, but assume that all is well with the big man (the trainer, not Andrew, that is).

    this information from Skysportsradio.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max: No mention of Peter M. in the papers, or on the racing talk programmes – so assume all is well, and that he’s out of hospital. I’ll try to get onto the Sport programme on Skysportsradio tomorrow and ask the guys if they have any information, and report back (it’s sometimes hard to get onto the programme, because it’s basically about football, but one of the hosts, Terry Kennedy, co-chairs the Punters Postmortem programme on Monday mornings. I’m very surprised that Bensley hasn’t mentioned how his health is progressing).

        • Kathy R. I sure hope that no news is good news. I like Peter Moody. I also like Nelly’s groom. He did some great interviews with her at Ascot, especially his tell alls about Ms Nelly and Saloon. How is the other boyfriend, Voila Ici, doing these days?

  8. / Reply

    dear keta yes it was lovely to see the king Charles win the toy group didn’t know you have one had a friend with one called lady the cold weather has come over from the continent (no Eurostar today) hope the covers will help tonight we’re all looking forward to seeing sprinter sacre tomorrow 1st day was great for ruby and willie mullins hugs sheena

  9. / Reply

    Z Familia,

    As promised, here is a picture of Red’s new girlfriend, Cindy.

    https://twitter.com/QueenOfSuites/status/310571270330798081/photo/1

    She’s alert, and her ears are always pricked. She has yet to pin her ears at anything, and she is remarkably quick adjusting. She is too thin for anyone to ride, but we had a little girl who is all of 4’1″ (if not shorter) sit on her back and get led around in a circle at a walk. Cindy took it all in stride. She figured out what candy was pretty quickly, and she likes that butterscotch candy a lot! She never had grain before either (she was stuck in a half acre lot with four other horses since the owners didn’t have money to feed them, so an acre is enough to feed five big animals apparently), but my trainer gave her a scoop of grain, and she about ate my arm to get to the scoop. Another check for adjusting quickly. She has the biggest stall in the barn; only the best for the new lady. When she puts on her first fifty pounds (that is our goal for the month) safely, of course, we are going to start doing some walk-trot lessons with the lighter children. I’m a bit too plump to attempt riding her yet, but I’m patient. I’ll be happy to just lunge and get some transitions with voice commands down pat until she is strong enough to hold this big girl. ;-)

    Katy is about to go on retirement, and will live out her years at a huge farm with lots of one-on-one time. She’ll be the center of attention, so she will go from one loving home to another loving home. She’s 25ish, and she was with my trainer for 16+ years. It is time for her to just lounge about and be a mare. Roll in the dirt, and sleep all day because she wants to do so. Her and Cindy, aside from the age difference, coat color and the mentality difference attributed to age (Cindy is much more vocal, while Katy is quietly sophisticated) Katy could have cloned herself. They are so alike, it is scary. We are lucky to have gotten Cindy as a replacement for Katy. She’s going to be a fun children’s mare to develop.

    • / Reply

      What a pretty girl she is.
      I simply cannot understand how some people think they are taking such good care of their animals and they are not even close.
      So very glad she has found a loving and caring home.

    • / Reply

      Pati,
      Cindy is quite beautiful — love that alert look! So glad that she has come to a loving place where she will be cared for and treasured.
      Thanks for the photo and update.
      Take care!

    • / Reply

      Pati. Cindy is adorable. Let us know how she gets along with gaining some weight. Glad Katy is going to a good home. Love happy horse stories.

      • / Reply

        Oh I will. She likes everything, so she might get ahead of schedule, but we won’t diverge from the training plan. She’ll just be a bit heavier than we planned when I start riding her (cantering, trotting work, etc.) just so I know that I won’t hurt her when I start riding her.

    • / Reply

      I just realized that my computer and my phone have saved two different name titles for me. Well, thanks a lot Windows 8. Way to confuse everyone.

    • / Reply

      Dear Pati:

      Love your happy stories about Cindy and Katy. Cindy is a Doll and you can really see in the photo how thin she is. With all the love and care she’ll be getting, she’ll soon gain weight. Love her beautiful Chestnut color. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Pati,
      Cindy is a sweetheart. She has girly girl written all over her! So happy she has a loving home now. Thanks for sharing her photo w/ us. Give her a big kiss!

  10. / Reply

    Dear Z fans,
    Thank you for the info and great links.
    Hugs Ingrid.

    PACE…PACE….PACE…. Big kiss to you my dear Zenny.

    • / Reply

      Dear Z Fans:

      I join Ingrid in thanking you all for the great posts and links and in pacing as well. Love and Hugs, JB

  12. / Reply

    Santa Anita: Paynter among top runners readying for comeback races
    By Jay Privman Daily Racing Form 03/12/2013 3:16PM
    Several top-class runners had workouts Monday at Santa Anita as they neared a return from lengthy layoffs, chief among them PAYNTER, who went a half-mile in 48.40 seconds in his third timed drill since his return to training for Bob Baffert.
    Paynter has not raced since winning the Haskell last summer at Monmouth. Soon thereafter, he became seriously ill and spent time in three different equine hospitals before recovering.

    AMAZOMBIE, the Eclipse Award-winning sprinter of 2011, worked five furlongs in 1:01 for trainer Bill Spawr as he nears his first start of the year. Amazombie has not raced since finishing eighth in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint at Santa Anita. He is expected to return to action next month, either at Santa Anita in the Potrero Grande on April 6 or at Oaklawn Park in the Count Fleet on April 13.

    OBVIOUSLY, who turned into one of the circuit’s elite turf milers last year, had his first work of the year, traveling three furlongs in 37 seconds for trainer Mike Mitchell. The winner of the Arroyo Seco Mile last fall at Santa Anita and the Del Mar Mile, Obviously has been on vacation since a terrific third-place finish behind Wise Dan and Animal Kingdom in the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

    ◗ The promising 3-year-old filly MIDNIGHT LUCKY, a dazzling debut winner Feb. 16 for Baffert, worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Tuesday at Santa Anita. Her next start has yet to be determined.
    http://www.drf.com/news/santa-anita-paynter-among-top-runners-readying-comeback-races

      • / Reply

        Dear Shirlee:

        You’re so welcome. Glad he will have a happy retirement, but it is sad to see yet another three year old retired. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Kathy R. Thank you. This guy is a prince. He really loves his horses and looks after them. He’s doing the right right by cutting back on media stuff. Here’s hoping that his health improves.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max: Have done some sniffing around, but unable to find anything about Voila Ici: am assuming that he’s still in preparation for the Spring Carnival, rather than the Autumn races that are approaching. But will let you know as soon as I find out anything. Agree with you on Peter – he’s not seemed happy to be the public face of the Nelly campaign, other than to discuss the racing, so I’m pleased he’s pulling back – he does have a huge stable after all, and should be allowed to get on with doing what he does best – training good equine athletes. Cheers! KathyR.

    • / Reply

      Dear Kathy, Max and Z Fans:

      Thanks for the article Kathy. PM seems like a genuinely nice guy who really loves his horses. Hope he recovers soon. Hugs, JB

  15. / Reply

    Speedy recovery to Joy Scott. Her injury is proof positive that a jockey’s job is a dangerous one.
    Big blessings to Zenny as she prepares for motherhood again!

    • / Reply

      Dear Helen:

      So true. I admire and respect jockeys. Not an easy job; takes courage and strength. Hugs, JB

  16. / Reply

    Good morning, all! The pacing is happening in earnest now. Zenny was so “considerate” not to foal in the middle of the night last time. Wonder if that will happen again. Godspeed, dear girl and 13Z.

    @Pati –thank you for the picture of Red.

    • / Reply

      The picture is of Red’s girlfriend, Cindy. They look a lot alike though. Maybe that’s why they groom each other everyday, and stand together.

        • Maybe…maybe. Last I checked, Red has some fancy pedigree. He is by a stallion named “Oils Invested”. His previous owner was a girl who went to college but they had no stable for her horse; so she sold him to my trainer.

          We don’t know anything about Cindy’s background other than what my trainer observed and what she was told (which I have a feeling wasn’t completely everything). I wish I knew, maybe she is super famous. She is a very refined horse to just be a random mix of horses. She is very araby in her profile and movements. Maybe she is part Arab somewhere.

        • Pati,
          Cindy will prove to be an excellent horse having the mix Arab in her.
          I love her.

  17. / Reply

    Do the Mosses have their bags packed yet? I am sure Ann and Jerry will want to be there for the big event. Hoping for a filly.

  18. / Reply

    Good Morning Zenny…..have a lovely day
    PACE….PACE….PACE…
    …
    BigManZ….run and play with friends….school soon..
    ……
    kisses to all soft noses…
    carrots and peppermints around

  19. / Reply

    Peggy gets to visit,Leroi today!!!
    Have fun,Peggy.
    Can’t wait to hear about her visit w/ this handsome guy!

      • / Reply

        Max
        I just watched this “precious” mare come from behind and win.
        What a horse! What a team!
        Thank you so much for posting this.
        Hugs, Keta

      • / Reply

        Dear Max:

        Thanks for this link of the interview with Quevega’s trainer. She does sound like she has a temperament like Z’s. Her trainer also sounded like JS in that he said “she let’s us know” if she is overworked and “she has her own way of doing things”. Beautiful girl. Hugs, JB

        • JudyB. Yes! I also thought of John Shirreffs. Both of these trainers have such great caring attitudes to these champion mares. I especially thought that Willie Mullins comments about entering Q in a race that she could win was very sensible too, just like JS.

      • / Reply

        Wow! I’ve never seen anything like this before! What endurance these horses must have. Thanks so much Max!

    • / Reply

      Dear Max:

      Thanks for the article and video on Quevega. She does remind me of Z with the cotton balls in her ears. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        JudyB. You may have heard the commentator mention the name of another mare in the race, Kauto Shiny. She is a daughter of Kauto Relstar, who is Kauto Star’s half sister. I think that she is only 4 or 5, which is still young for a jumper. All of the girls (19) ran well in that race. Lots of talent on display.

        • Dear Max:

          Thanks for this info. Wow, a field of 19. I guess that’s normal in these races. Yes, lots of talent. Hugs, JB

          PS: Max, if you have a Facebook account, Angela posted a photo of Charlie today (Jocks Horse Farm Facebook) taken by a pro photographer. He looks so beautiful and serene. Thought you might want to see it.

        • Dear Max:

          Angela just told me the photo of Charlie is on her Facebook Page: Angela Caparco Baxter. She has two pages, one for the farm and this one. Hugs, JB

        • Judy, that’s a great picture of Papa Charlie on Angela’s page — always nice to put an image to someone I’ve been hearing about for awhile. Thanks.

          p.s. I like her zebra too! even though I know they are not horses, and can be a dangerous handful, it’s hard not to like all those stripes!

    • / Reply

      Thanks, Max. I had hunted down Quevega’s run yesterday, but this was a better link. I also liked in the article, when it said the Ruby Walsh treble was so popular, “we’re getting absolutely cleaned. …It’s a bloodbath, we’re chasing our tails.”

      • / Reply

        Dear Vicki B.:

        Angela was heartbroken when she had to send Jerry (the zebra) to Florida. The Rhode Island law states Zebras are not equines so Jerry was not allowed to stay on the farm with the horses. Angela rescued him when he was a baby and she misses him a lot.

        Glad you got to see Papa Charlie. He looks so good. I think all those carrots and mints are starting to show a little. He’ll be building muscle soon; with warmer weather coming Angela will be riding him more. Hugs, JB

  21. / Reply

    Lane’s End Farm tweet
    According to the chart, the San Felipe, won by Lane’s End bred & sold Hear the Ghost, went off at 6:42pm on Sat and,
    his dam, Rehear, gave birth to a big War Front colt at 6:48pm.
    Early Derby odds?

    • / Reply

      His name should be Fear The Ghost!
      His display in the paddock before the San Filipe puts him on the TOP! That was very special and an enjoyable sight. Thanks Karen!

      Congrats to Rehear. Hope Mom and foal are doing well. War Front…whoo!

  22. / Reply

    Justin Zayat‏ tweets Filly Foal Announcement
    New member of the @zayatstables family 12:07 am
    Enchanted Woods had a bay filly by Pioneerof the Nile.
    Half to Mordi’s Miracle @jazz3162

  23. / Reply

    Business Brisk During First OBS Session
    By Michael Compton The Blood-Horse Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 9:27 AM
    The confidence expressed by auction officials and consignors heading into the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co.’s March select sale of 2-year-olds in training in Ocala, Fla., translated to an opening session March 12 that featured brisk bidding and, at the end of the day, across-the-board increases in all key economic indicators.
    All told, 97 horses sold during the first of two sessions for a gross of $13,544,000 compared to 94 head changing hands during the corresponding session last year for $12,019,500. The average was $139,629, up 9.2% from last year’s first day average of $127,867. The median price came in at $120,000, an increase of 23.1% compared to $97,500 a year ago. The buy-back rate was 20.2% as 25 head were listed as “not sold”; it was 24.2% a year ago.
    A total of 61 horses sold for $100,000 or more compared to 47 through the first session last year. Fifty juveniles were listed as “outs” at the session
    Topping the opening session at $480,000 was Hip No. 143, a Flatter colt out of the Well Decorated mare Well, consigned by Niall Brennan Stables, agent. Bloodstock agent David Ingordo signed the ticket for the half brother to graded stakes winner Well Spelled, by Spellbinder. The gray/roan colt, bred in Kentucky by Joanne Mummert, sold to Sitak Stable for $60,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton October sale from Susan M. Forrester’s consignment. He worked an eighth of a mile in :10 1/5 during last week’s under tack preview.
    “The colt has so much poise and presence,” said Brennan moments after the hammer fell. “He has the presence of a good horse. All the parts fit. He performed beautifully at the under tack show and he did it without pressure. He is impressive on the track and in the barn. I wish the owners all the best with him. I expect he will be on our stakes board next year.”
    Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/76826/business-brisk-during-first-obs-session#ixzz2NQmGNvLS

  24. / Reply

    SPRINTER SACRE WINS BIG
    Alex Brown‏ tweet awesome! RT @TimeformRadio
    Sprinter Sacre wins the Champion Chase by nineteen (19) lengths,
    eased up, smoking a cigar.

  25. / Reply

    Magna Fortuna is entered today at Hawthorne in race2 ….wish him and all his connections the best of luck

      • / Reply

        carolinarkansas. Thank you for this news. Bravo to him. This horse has a wonderful background story. So happy to see this win.

        • Hail, Taxi! Rescue horse Magna Fortuna wins by 9 3/4 lengths
          March 13, 2013 by Jennie Rees · Courier-Journal
          It was the second race at Hawthorne Race Course on a frigid afternoon in Chicago, with seven Illinois-bred maidens going to the post. But it could have been the Kentucky Derby for the partners in Rescue Me Racing, as their 3-year-old gelding Magna Fortuna led all the way for a 9 3/4-length victory Wednesday.
          “I can’t even describe it right now or I’ll start crying again if I try,” Laura Donohoe, the Bellarmine graduate turned Chicagoan who is co-founder of Rescue Me Racing, said by phone shortly after the race. “We’re just so proud of him.”
          Magna Fortuna, the subject of a blog at courier-journal.com/magnafortuna, is the foal that the mare Silver Option was carrying when rescued for $300 from a slaughter auction by Gail Vacca, founder of the Illinois Equine Humane Center. With Silver Option’s identity unknown at the time, it took considerable detective work to figure out who the mare was in order to make her new son a registered thoroughbred.
          http://blogs.courier-journal.com/magnafortuna/2013/03/13/hail-taxi-rescue-horse-magna-fortuna-wins-by-9-34-lengths/

  27. / Reply

    dear max thanks very much for the quevega video surprising she only runs once or twice a season .hope Abigail was able to see sprinter sacre today he has emerged as our new superstar with our kauto ,denman,and frankel now retired from the racecourse we had to have another to worship.he was spectacular his coat gleaming in the sunshine (yes the sun does come out over here sometimes) now to see kauto parade on Friday there’ll be a few tears from me that day! he tweeted he’s not going to be the new pope now but has Friday to look forward to!! neigh sheena

    • / Reply

      Sheena. Sprinter Sacre was very impressive. It looked like it was no effort at all for him. Ruby Walsh is reported to have said that Quevega had shoe issues during the race, which slowed her down a little, but she sure came through at the end. Kauto is so naughty. Looking forward to seeing him parade on Friday. Neigh!

      • / Reply

        Max & Sheena
        One of the things I noticed in the Sacre Sprinter race was
        Sizing Europe’s stumble before the last hurdle.
        He did not take off on his approach as he had on previous jumps.
        Also, slowed down considerably before the finish line
        Have been looking but haven’t seen any injury reports on him.
        Hugs, Keta

  28. / Reply

    JOCKEY UPDATES
    Marc Doche‏ tweet
    Corey Nakatani, Garrett Gomez, Mike Smith, Rafael Bejarano and @JoeTalamo
    will be riding at @OaklawnRacing on Saturday. #whoa

    Bill McCarrick‏@downthestretchs
    Castellano on Normandy Invasion in Wood

    Scott Hazelton‏@Scott_Hazelton
    Gary Stevens To Ride Dullahan In Dubai World Cup

    Bill McCarrick‏@downthestretchs tweets
    Rosario to Ride Animal Kingdom in Dubai

    • / Reply

      Kathy R
      Excellent and with connections
      “She is apprenticed to her father Brett and is the granddaughter of former top jockey Mick Mallyon”
      Another jockey who has had terrible injuries. It’s a tough game.
      Hugs, Keta

    • / Reply

      Kathy R
      Quite a decision for the trainer:
      Leave him on and risk another back spasm Or, get someone to replace him.
      Pain and pain meds can dull the senses.
      Hugs, Keta

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