Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Zenyatta News

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

    Record Smart Strike Colt Brings $1.8M at OBS
    By Michael Compton The Blood-Horse Updated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 6:42 PM
    A hush fell over the jam-packed pavilion at Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company March 13 when Hip No. 333 entered the auction ring late in the OBS March select 2-year-old sale.
    Following an opening bid of $400,000, auctioneer Ryan Mahan quipped, “Nice tee shot.” As it turned out, the opening bid landed far from the green.
    Following several minutes of spirited bidding, the hammer finally fell at $1.8 million on the Smart Strike colt out of the graded stakes-winning Pulpit mare Mini Sermon. Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet Stables outlasted underbidder Nat Rea, a relative newcomer to the Thoroughbred industry who made headlines earlier this year buying a short yearling by Street Sense for $1.45 million at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.
    Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/76853/record-smart-strike-colt-brings-18m-at-obs#ixzz2NSkoQWOQ

  3. / Reply

    Just saw on Bloodhorse.com that the trainer of Vyjack has been suspended for 20 days and fined because of drugs in his horses. No surprise, he was a former assistant to Rick Dutrow.

    • / Reply

      Vyjack Trainer Rodriguez Suspended 20 Days
      By Tom Precious The Blood-HorseUpdated: Wednesday, March 13, 2013 6:17 PM
      New York state regulators have imposed a 20-day suspension and $7,500 fine on top of Aqueduct Racetrack trainer Rudy Rodriguez after Flunixin was found in horses at two separate races last year.
      Rodriguez came into the limelight recently when he won the March 2 Gotham Stakes (gr. III) with Vyjack. That was the horse’s fourth victory in as many starts and puts him on track to start in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I).
      The New York State Gaming Commission had originally imposed a 40-day suspension on Rodriguez. He will not be slapped with the other 20 days if there are no other drug positives in horses he trains in the next year.
      Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/76851/vyjack-trainer-rodriguez-suspended-20-days#ixzz2NSmq0S00

      • / Reply

        So true but, I don’t know much about him. But, if he was an ast to Ricky, I’m sure he picked up some bad habits. Too bad.

      • / Reply

        Keta, Shirley, Heidi,

        This really saddens me. Why, why, why, do these trainers do these things? They should know it is not good for the horses, not good for the sport, not good for the fans, and certainly they will get caught? Why? I thought the story behind Vyjack was/is so neat, now a black eye. I am just disheartened.

    • / Reply

      These people need to be suspended permanently, licenses revoked, and lose their ability to train in any state. Racing will die if they don’t patrol their own and clean up this mess. Oh, that all horses could be guided by “our” John!!
      If they cannot win honestly, they endanger their horses and they need to find another line of work.

  6. / Reply

    Updates:

    Joy (sis) is doing much much better. No more complications from the surgery.

    Scottie: He might be going home by the end of the week. I guess two weeks in the hospital has made him pissy. Which is a great sign. LOL

    Freddie: It seems that no one knows where he is or what hospital. Not sure what to make of this news.

    Dustin: wrote me a letter and he’ll be out of Solano County Jail soon but, will be transported to Yellow county to serve time there and then, I think he has to go somewhere else to serve time after that. Not sure. He did say that he wanted to tell me about his charges but, his Lawyer told him not to talk about it to anyone while he’s in jail.

    I’m sure that we’ll get more updates tonight or soon. Fingers crossed!

  7. / Reply

    Dear Kathy R.:

    This team’s having their share of bad luck. Hope things work out. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Oops. Was referring to situation with Hay List’s jockey in your post on Page 11. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Dear Judy: John McNair is a real character – likes taking on slightly older horses and giving them his special touch. He doesn’t really bother with the niceties, like having them present beautifully groomed, but they are happy, contented and loved athletes. I’m hoping all goes well this weekend, we need champions like Hay List and John on the racing scene. And Glyn is a nice fellow as well (his son rides for David Hayes in Victoria, and is having a few issues with the stewards at present!). Hugs, KathyR.

        • Dear Kathy R:

          Well, Mr. McNair cares about all the important things; that’s all that matters. Rooting for him and Hay List. Hugs, JB

  9. / Reply

    To everyone who commented on Magna Fortuna…I join you all in a High Five. I just read the news and I am in tears. What a wonderful, wonderful storybook ending.

      • / Reply

        Dear Especially Horses:

        Really is. This could be the start of something for more foals born in rescue situations. Wishing Magna Fortuna a safe and sound career and happy days when he’s through racing. What a special boy he is. Hugs, JB

        • His win was impressive. He galloped out well, and looked good. He’s a gelding, so we have many years to enjoy of him, all ones well!

        • Thanks to Pati ….for posting the video of MF race….
          I liked the explanation that the yellow/black checked silks were because his barn name is Taxi…
          He looked really good as he kicked for home

        • Cute that Magna Fortuna’s call name is Taxi because he was born on tax day, and the silks make a visual pun! Love it.

    • / Reply

      Regarding Magna Fortuna-Wish we could find out the name of his dam’s prior owner. But guess it is best we don’t. I think burning at the stake is illegal.

  10. / Reply

    Oh my, I just read about Joy Scott—so sorry! Thinking of you, Joy!
    Hope those who were ill or having problems–some serious–are feeling better. I know this is generic, but I don’t want to miss any names. We all know how being on this site can be therapeutic, so I hope this has been helpful/valuable to you all. :-)

    Dumplings, I need you to go back not too far in time to Big ‘Cap Day. Did anyone hear/see Chantal’s commentary for the Big Race on TVG? Because we were out of town, we did not and I did not read anything about it, later. I’m sure they replayed it, but I missed that, too. Just curious –would be interested in feedback., thanks.

    Very interesting reading about Dubai. I have a soft spot for Animal Kingdom–crossed hooves for him and everyone else of course!

    Zenyatta, our one and only Queen, we are waiting (kind of) patiently…. How about YOU?

    • / Reply

      Carol,

      I am joining you in the pacing. I am starting to get that antsy, nervous, unsettled feeling, like I felt around March 01 through March 08, when you know who, our prince was born.

      Dearest Zenyatta, I and many of your forever fans are with you in heart, mind, and spirit. Have a safe and healthy delivery my love. Love you forever my angel.

  12. / Reply

    Dear Joy, sending up healing prayers for your recovery, same to all the Z nation fans who are under the weather and need the healing grace of our Lord, may your healing come sooner than you think. It is well.

    Queen Z , Prince and little princess, may you all have sweet dreams, keep warm and be safe.

    To all Z nation fans, good night, and God’s Blessings. It is well.

  13. / Reply

    Got the latest on Scottie’s condition and it is Not good! I didn’t realize that he’s partially paralyzed etc. He’s determined to go home against Doctors orders and plus, he has no insurance. He’s going to need 24/7 care and help walking and feeding himself. He’s going to have to move in with his Mother and her Dementia partner; John. Thank goodness they got a house! I haven’t seen any of them since all of this started but, I don’t think I could look at Denise without weeping like a baby. This is just so sad! I knew things with Scottie were bad but, I didn’t realize How Bad!

  14. / Reply

    Good morning to all Z nation fans, Praying that today will be the best day yet with Blessings, good health, joy and peace to all.

    Dear Queen Zenyatta, good morning, hope your sleep was restful, here’s wishing you a Blessed peaceful day. Any movement from our little angel? , You know, all the aunties are starting to pace and glued to their computers in anticipation, any help from you will help us out. As we wait, continue the carrot eating and be happy.

    Dear Scottie, offering up prayers for your continued healing, our God is an Awesome God and a great healer so we trust in him, Let us not be carried away by what we see physically but trust in his promise to heal our bodies. It is well.

    A Blessed day to all.

  15. / Reply

    Benefficient upsets Dynaste in Jewson
    By James Burn Racing Post 1:36PM 14 MAR 2013
    Jewson Novices’ Chase (Grade 2) 2m4f, 5yo+
    BENEFFICIENT produced a strong staying display to upset Jewson favourite Dynaste in the opening race on day three of the Cheltenham Festival.
    Sporting a hood for the first time, the 20-1 winner raced handily under Bryan Cooper but looked beaten turning in when Dynaste – who was sent off at 11-8 – swept by him.
    Captain Conan, bidding to give trainer Nicky Henderson his 50th winner at jump racing’s greatest meeting, also left Benefficient when giving chase, but the seven-year-old rallied gamely to win by three and a quarter lengths.
    http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/cheltenham-festival-benefficient-upsets-dynaste-in-jewson/1220942/top/#newsArchiveTabs=last7DaysNews

  16. / Reply

    Tattersalls Ireland ‏tweets with PHOTO
    Tony Martin purchased BENEFFICIENT at 2011 P2P Sale from Debbie Hartnett & Tim Linehan for €52k – winner of Gr2 Jewson
    Jewson Novices’ Chase winner BENEFFICIENT going through the ring at the 2011 Tatts Ireland Point to Point & HIT Sale.
    https://twitter.com/tatts_ireland/status/312199730962763776/photo/1

    Irish Bloodstock‏ tweet Irish-trained Benefficient (IRE) wins GR2 Jewson Chase to make it NINE Irish-bred winners from just 14 races!
    Keta Note: Benefficient is magnificent!!

  17. / Reply

    Tom Hall‏ tweet In Aus, DESTROY, 5yo son of Natural Blitz (Dehere)
    o/o Old Spice (Kaoru Star) mare Old Model, won listed Bunbury Cup

    • / Reply

      Kathy R
      What a medical journey Hay List has been on!
      Caring people-but, I don’t know if I could have the faith they have on a return to racing.
      Hugs, Keta

      • / Reply

        Dear Keta: Know what you mean – I certainly would have retired him by now – would be just too terrifying to send him out to race. My heart will be in my mouth until he returns safely tomorrow. Hugs, KathyR.

  20. / Reply

    JOY SCOTT UPDATE Zoe Cadman‏ tweet
    Just spoke to Jockey Joy Scott- who suffered a compound fracture of
    her Knee and Femur on Tues- one surgery already
    awaiting another!

  21. / Reply

    Zoe Cadman‏ tweet
    Race 8 @Gulfstreampark tomorrow – G1 winner/Horse of the year Harve de Grace
    little bro by Bernadini debuts for McLaughlin cost $1.2mil

  22. / Reply

    Bullet Train‏ tweet
    Check out the video that Horse Racing Nation did about Bullet

    The HRN crew went on the road to Midway, Kentucky to visit the 3/4 brother to Frankel, Bullet Train. Standing at stud for just $7,500, Bullet Train beat 11 group 1 winners and won a group 3 in his own right.
    Bullet Train was better known as being the pacemaker for Frankel.
    For more information about how you can breed to Bullet Train,
    contact Sean Feld at bullettrainstud.com or (859) 519-9665.
    http://www.horseracingnation.com/news/Bullet_Train_A_Visit_to_Wintergreen_Stallion_Station_123

    • / Reply

      Keta, thanks for the video on Bullet Train. With the controversy over medication going on, I would think that his being Lasix free would be a draw for some quality mares.

      As a Midway College alum, I can tell you he could not have landed in a more beautiful place than Woodford County Kentucky.

  23. / Reply

    Left a post on Ask the Experts, about my trip. Wanted to share. Didn’t know where most were posting.

  24. / Reply

    Dear Peggy,
    So glad that you had such a great trip! I know how excited you must have been to visit with Leroi and to see the A.P. Indy offspring, as well as the other wonderful horses that you mentioned. Good to have you back with us! Hugs

  28. / Reply

    Have you had the experience of looking for a car only to end up feeling frustrated and overwhelmed by the
    process? It may be just be the case that you need some solid advice beforehand.
    The information included here can simplify the entire process of
    purchasing a car.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.