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Zenyatta News

Happy Derby Weekend!

Morning at Lane's End. Photo by Tyler Matson

Happy Friday!

Are you excited about the Kentucky Derby? We are, and we want to wish the best of luck to all of the horses and their connections!

Zenyatta and Baby Z have been in the Kentucky news recently. Be sure to check out both of these video segments:

Born To Run—WDRB 41 Louisville and Zenyatta’s First Foal A Handful—wave3.com

We will be returning next week with the second installment of our Lane’s End interview series, this time with assistant broodmare manager Donna Vowles. In the meantime, here’s a short video that was taken in early April by Ann Moss. She really captured Z’s excitement about peppermint treats!

Enjoy your weekend!
-Team Z

Reader Interactions

1,099 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Thank you again Lane’s End for keeping us informed!!

    Zenyatta looks so very healthy and happy. What fun to have the sun on your withers and run with your precious son!

    Ms. Moss certainly did capture Zenyatta’s love for and excitement about peppermints.

    From his squeals of joy to his boyish antics, Baby Z12 is precious. My godson is happy and healthy and continues to thrive with the love that surrounds him.

    Thank you for making this a special Derby weekend. May all those magnificent athletes run a splendid and safe race!!!

  2. / Reply

    So thoroughly enjoyed the video taken in early April when Baby Z is sticking close to the side of his mom. It even has that feeling of anticipation as we wait for Zeny and Baby Z to emerge from along the fence line.

    She’ll be coming ‘round the fence when she comes
    She’ll be coming ‘round the fence when she comes

    She’ll be brinin’ Baby Z when she comes
    She’ll be brinin’ Baby Z when she comes

    Oh we’ll all go out to meet her when she comes
    Oh we’ll all go out to meet her when she comes

    We will all be shoutin “Hallelujah” when she comes
    We will all be shoutin “Hallelujah” when she comes

    We will all have peppermint treats when she comes
    We will all have peppermint treats when she comes

    She’ll be followed by her fan club when she comes
    She’ll be followed by her fan club when she comes

    We will all love her forever; yes we will all love her forever
    We will all love her forever when she comes

  3. / Reply

    @Max from last blog. I watched the Whirlaway video. The tombstone at Calumet must be there just for the benefits of the fans. He is definitely buried near the American graveyard in Normandy. Short horse joke for today-A man goes into a stable and sees a a groom and a horse playing chess. “This is amazing,” said the man. “Imagine! a horse that knows how to play chess.” “It isn’t so great,” said the groom. “I’ve beaten him three out of five games.”

    • / Reply

      Terry. I will take your word for it. Your explanation sounds reasonable. I also agree with you that Whirlaway should come home to the US, where people can visit his grave and show respect to him. He was a great champion.

      Your horse jokes continue to be first class. I really enjoy them. Very good laughs and so true to life as it ought to be with horses in charge.

      • / Reply

        @Karen Gogue and Terry. The mystery about the whereabouts of Whirlaway deepens. One thing is clear from the link from Karen and the photo. Whirlaway was a very handsome horse with an intelligent eye. I hope that he is already home.

        • added note – he was called long tail – his tail did seem longer than norm on You Tube videos. Too cute!

        • Max-Agree. He sure had a turn of foot. He was scheduled to run at Santa Anita during the 1942 racing season but the war got in the way.

      • / Reply

        Karen-Thanks for the link. Every book I had read about Whirlaway stated that he was buried in France with no mention of him being brought back to Calumet. I hope it is true. I think I will send an email to Calumet to try to determine the truth.

        • Great idea Terry – Duh! I should have thought of that! LOL!

        • There is no email address listed but there is a fax number. I will send one.

      • / Reply

        Sounds like you had a great day. I will be drinking water for the next two weeks. I haven’t picked a Derby winner since the Bush administration (Bush the elder).

  4. / Reply

    Happy Friday!! Oaks day! Won’t make my picks until post parade. Same with the Derby tomorrow. I just want everyone to come home safe and sound!

    Anne Moss, love the short video of you and Zenny and 12Z!! Love them all and can’t watch him running and squealing enough! How precious!

  5. / Reply

    OK, since we have a new blog, it is now time for the chapter presidents to cast their votes as to whether the club will adopt The Dead Skunk Song as our anthem. This of course means that it will be sung every January 27. The Chapter presidents are, in alphabetical order by state: Brenda S-Canada; Marty R-Colorado; Sue in Florida-Florida; Darlene Daniels-Indiana; Debbie G-Kentucky; Judy Berube-New England; Marshall-North Carolina; Sandy in Northeast Ohio-Ohio; Susan in Tennessee-Tennessee; signofthetimes-Texas; Sally B and Sue F-Wisconsin; and carol in Utah-Utah. Voting will be open until next Friday (May 11). If you have not voted by then, i will vote for you. Results will be posted and anyone who disputes the vote can file an appeal. Charter members-I urge you to contact your chapter president and make your wishes known.

    • / Reply

      When will we be receiving the secret ballots? Surely you don’t expect us to vote in public, right? Right? :-)

      • / Reply

        You have my email address if you prefer to cast your vote in secret. I recently sent you a message, so you can use that to reply.

        • Hi Terry I am good to go with the Skunk song.
          I did not see an email from you. Did you send the email to all of us or just Sandy?
          Being that you are the Grand Pooba of the club will you be the first to sing next January? A video would be nice so that we presidents can share it with the state wide rednecks that we oversee.
          Thank you oh great One
          Sue

        • Sending my vote to the “Grand Pooba” (love it, Sue) – yeah, that would be REALLY secret! I may be a little slow on some of the jokes, but I see the “handwriting on the wall” here. And why isn’t there a California chapter? If you can never be too far north, can you be too far west? I guess not if the GP lives there :-)

        • The email was sent to Sandy only as she is working on a project which needed some input. I will think of singing the Dead Skunk Song on January 27. There is a California chapter of the club. I am a member along with Stephanie in San Diego and Vicki B. There is no president at the present time. I didn’t think It was right to appoint myself and neither Stephanie nor Vicki lobbied for the position. So, we are all charter members. My email address is turkey67@charter.net if any chapter president prefers to vote in that manner. Good to see Sue showing the proper respect.

        • Sue Fl CPRC – You’ve got me LoL! “Grand Pooba, indeed”, and I like the idea of the video, too. for “the state wide rednecks” that you “oversee”. “Thank you oh great One”. Love it!

        • For all of you that suggested I formulate a new handle, I have done so.

    • / Reply

      Terry,
      Put me down as “Aye” for The Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road song!
      Love it!

    • / Reply

      TERRY,

      WHAT HAS OUR CHAPTER SONG BEEN, DIDN’T HAVE TO DO SOMETHING
      WITH “CRAPPER DAY” ?????

    • / Reply

      Terry Crow; Although I have not heard the song, I have not gone back to find it, which is my fault, with our shared sense of humor, I can not think of a better song entitled “The Skunk Song”!! (Besides Sue F. told me it was funny!) I, a shared President of the Wisconsin Chapter, home of the Packers, brats, beer and porta pottys, I cast my vote for the song!! I will attempt to find it on the past post.

  6. / Reply

    Today’s redneck jokes–You might be a redneck if your momma has more tattoos than you do. You might be a redneck if you don’t change your socks until the previous pair rots off. You might be a redneck if there are more than five McDonald’s bags scattered on the floorboards of your car. You might be a redneck if you have a Hefty bag on the passenger side window of your car. You might be a redneck if you have a color coordinated rope that ties down your car hood. You might be a redneck if you dated your mother’s current husband in high school.

  8. / Reply

    Can’t wait for the Oaks today and tomorrow the Derby! Who’s excited?!?!?!?!

    • / Reply

      JAG,
      Thanks for the link about Michael Matz. He really is a very nice guy!
      I am in Union Rags’ corner, too. I just want all horses and riders to have a safe run and return to the finish-line unharmed.
      All the Best!

      • / Reply

        I AM SO DISSAPOINTED IN UNION RAGS, BAD BREAK AND MESSED EVERYTHING UP !!!!!!

        HOW DOES A TRAINER FIX THIS, IT SEEMS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM

        MAYBE HE NEEDS TO BE A GRAND PRIX JUMPER, SHE HAS THE LOOKS AND CONFORMATION AND HE WOULD NOT HAVE TO WORK AT GETTING A CLEAN BREAK.

        • This is the same sort of thing that happened to Looking At Lucky a few years ago. Baffert dumped Gomez as a result and the horse went on to win the Preakness.

        • Sign, I was actually was somewhat disappointed in the race this year. The anticipation of so many really good horses and then not quite the competition I thought there would be. Union Rags, Take Charge Indy, Gemologist were my biggest disappointment as I truly wanted them to win or place.

        • Sally-Your comments mirror my thoughts. It would have been so much better to have the top horses bunched at the wire rather than the fluke winner we had.

        • Yes, I agree. Julian needs the dump.
          Somebody has to be able to read this gorgeous
          Animal on the track. When he got boxed in twice,
          That calls for the hacket man.

          Who rode Lookin at Lucky on the Preakness?
          It is definately a rider issue.

    • / Reply

      IMO – too many freaking gates!!! Not a clean fair race with 20 gates!

  12. / Reply

    It’s PInk Oaks Day! The best to ALL our horses racing today and Derby Day! XOXOXO

    God bless them and keep them safe ♥

    I love the videos soooo much that I watch them over and over because it gives me a S-M-I-L-E so big peeps wonder what am I grinning about LOL

    Love you, Auntie Judy :o)

  13. / Reply

    Can hardly wait for the weekend to begin and read all the comments, on the Oaks and the Derby, from my favorite horsey people…Zeny’s Fans.

  14. / Reply

    Oh! What a delightful update!! Thank you so very much for sharing the new photo and the adorable video of Zenyatta going after her peppermints. I love these and you are so generous to share so much with us. Can’t wait to see part 11 of the interviews at Lane’s End. Thank you!!

  15. / Reply

    Those videos were amazing! Baby Z is so beautiful… and so are you, Zenyatta!

    Love, Agnes in Sweden

  16. / Reply

    We have been so spoiled by Team Z! A wealth of information…pictures and videos are offered to us and we gobble them up like those peppermints Zenny loves.
    How can we thank everyone enough? Just know in our hearts we appreciate everything you do for us. Zenny and little Z are the light that shines in our lives and makes us SMILE!

  18. / Reply

    Congratulatons to Rosie on winning the KY Oaks!
    First female jockey to win it.
    Yes, I “Believe You Can”, Rosie!
    Attendance figure today was great–112.000 plus.

  19. / Reply

    Well, well, well, I lost everything in Oaks, I bet on On Fire Baby, and Grace Hall, also to Amie’s Dini, maybe better luck tomorrow, Ingrid.

    • / Reply

      I’m sorry for your losses, Ingrid, though I have to admit I am happy for Rosie. She got her first Grade 1 stakes win, was the first female jockey to win the Oaks, and won the next race on top of that! I’m sure you’re at least a little happy for her too.–the silver lining, huh?
      I wish you good luck tomorrow, Ingrid, and may all the horses and jockeys come home safe and sound.

  20. / Reply

    Hi All, just a reminder to all in So Cal, if you haven’t got Derby watching plans, come party for a cause at Santa Anita with Trott. Food, Fun, Hat Contest, Betting Windows open, Live Music with Liza G Fly, Live Auction with the one and only Jack Van Berg (who was spotted in line getting his own Z & foal poster signed, too cute). Lots of items in the silent auction too. Talking of too cute, Marcy Leonard will be there, how cute are her drawings, and a set of her cards will be in the silent auction. Laffit Pincay will be there too, showing his support of retired TB’s. If you can’t make it but would like to bid in the live auction, buy a ticket, email trott with your phn #. and we will call you when the auction starts. Remember, to consult your tax pro next April, as part of bid could be a tax deduction, Trott is a 501 charity. List of auction items on Trott website & fb. Includes halters from Blind Luck, Giacomo, Einstein, & more. Saddle cloth from Animal Kingdom…… http://www.trottusa.org Thank You for your support. Trott is only limited by the number of horses it retrains, by the funds it has available to care for them.

  21. / Reply

    Thank you Lane’s End and Mrs. Moss for the much too short video of Zenny and Baby Z responding to a well loved voice and the rustle of the wrapping on a peppermint. I hope that Zenny and Baby Z will celebrate Derby Day with pears tomorrow.
    Terry, I’m with you – my pick is Union Rags but, as I posted earlier, I’m boxing Union, Bode and Hansen with a small side bet on Alpha. Vic’s choice is Gemologist. You already have Canada’s vote, Dead Skunk it is
    Vic has just told me that Rosie and Believe You Can won the Oak’s. Congratulations Rosie, way to go.

  22. / Reply

    I look forward to the future stars of racing. Zennies foal I know will be champions. Safe trip on Derby day to all. I so much enjoy the Triple Crown races…SHERRY

  23. / Reply

    What an adorable video! Little Z12 is just too precious for words. And congratulations to Rosie Napravnik! How fitting that a woman finally won the Run for the Lillies. I sent my Derby bets out yesterday, but I’ve never had such a hard time trying to pick a winner. There are just so many good horses this year. I managed to narrow it down to 4, but I’m wishing now that I had added Union Rags to my list. I went with Bodemeister, Dullahan and Gemologist and Alpha is my upset pick. I just went with Alpha because I went to school with Kieran McLaughlin’s sister, but I figure that’s as good a reason as any! I’ll just be happy if it’s a safe, clean race with no injuries.

    • / Reply

      The way that the Derby results have happened in recent memory, your reason is among the best.

        • He’ll be fine. I was there when he came forth on the under card of the Vanity when BL won. I took A LOT of pictures, and based on the reaction of the lovely ladies that sat next to me, he’s quite popular. I think many good people will jump at the chance to claim the horse who worked out with the Great Queen Zenyatta. Have faith. It’ll be ok. :-)

        • You are right Pati – too many would love to own him with the history and our girl Zenny!

    • / Reply

      Hope he does well this race – I don’t want him to have a bad performance again, you never know where he could end up. I know he is in a claimer, but still, that is how horses fall through cracks in this game. BUT WE ALL ARE WATCHING HIM – WE WON’T LET THAT HAPPEN TO HIM, NOR WOULD THE MOSSES, I’M SURE.

  27. / Reply

    Thanks for sharing that adorable video clip !! The photo gallery is also very
    appreciated !! Love everything Z & ’12Z. Happy Derby Weekend to all. Con-
    grates to Rosie N. and Larry Jones on their WIN in the Oaks and the next race
    too.
    Hugs. Fondly, OraJean

  30. / Reply

    Thanks Karen, I’d love to meet Mike one of these days. Perhaps at Santa Anita in November if I’m really lucky.

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