Zenyatta

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Zenyatta News

Lane’s End Mornings

Early morning at Lane's End. Photo by Alys Emson.
Early morning at Lane’s End. Photo by Alys Emson.

Happy Friday!

Alys snapped these early morning pictures around Zenyatta’s paddock this week. As the weather warms up, we’re counting the days until summer is officially here. The horses at Lane’s End have been enjoying the balmy weather. Z Princess is growing up fast, and Ziconic will soon start his basic training and conditioning at Lane’s End.

For those of you awaiting a restock of our most popular item from the Zenyatta Shop — it’s here! Our new batch of Key Tags has arrived. Order yours here.

Enjoy!
-Team Z

Morning turnout. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.
Morning turnout. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.

Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.
Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.
Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.
Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.

Z Princess. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.
Z Princess. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.

Sunrise. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.
Sunrise. Photo by Alys Emson/Lane’s End.

Reader Interactions

471 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Happy birthday, Sue Colvin, Vampress Queen! Here’s a repeat performance of your poem from a year ago.

    A Birthday Poem for Sue Colvin
    (June 25, 2013)

    You, dear Sue Colvin,
    Faced challenges right from the start,
    Arriving three months too early
    And weighing in
    Under two pounds.
    But, dearest girlie,
    Your spirit did not give in
    And you found
    The strength and the heart
    That battle for life to win.
    CP affected your right side,
    But ’twas effective therapy
    For that CP
    When you as a youngster started to ride.
    Later you worked as a groom backside
    At Philadelphia and Delaware Park,
    And frontside
    Galloping horses on the track,
    Learning the jockey’s art,
    Which, though hard work, was also a lark
    For the horses spoke to your heart.
    You worked in the main
    With horses who competed
    For a four-figure claim,
    And should one come back
    Defeated,
    Feeling dismay,
    You’d look them in the eye
    And consolingly say
    It’s OK,
    For they’d given it their best try.
    And you yourself life do live
    That very same way—
    You your all do give,
    Though obstacles get in the way.
    As a passenger in a car,
    You sadly suffered an accident
    And did injuries sustain
    Which worsened by far
    The CP infirmity
    Which still in your body did lurk.
    Though you, dear Sue Colvin,
    Bravely struggled back to work,
    You could not it long maintain,
    For the pain did not relent.
    Instead there set in
    Daunting CP disability
    And searing migraine pain
    Which with you remain.
    But while these maladies
    On you closed in,
    You did begin
    Your soul yet wider to open
    To God’s freely given grace,
    Which fills you with hope
    As you each new day face.
    Should you have a day when you feel worse,
    A verse
    From the Good Book
    Helps brighten your outlook,
    And we thank you that you care
    Words of inspiration
    With us to share.
    Today we pray, dear Sue Colvin,
    That you’ll have a grand celebration,
    And may all your horses come in
    For the first-place win!

    Happy birthday, Sue, and many, many more!

    • / Reply

      Dear Sue Colvin,
      HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you and very Best Wishes, too!
      Prayers for your improved health are sincerely offered.
      Hope you have enjoyed the day and will have more happy days ahead.
      Cheers and Hugs

      Trina,
      Thanks again for the poem which is, as usual, excellent!
      Lots of Hugs

  3. / Reply

    Dear Judy:

    Just love those pink socks!! And isn’t little Diamond just growing so fast. Thanks so much for keeping us in the loop (now if we can just have the same situation for a grey we all know and love). Hugs, KathyR

    • / Reply

      Dear Kathy R:

      Yes, that would be wonderful to know our Grey Girl is OK. Love and Hugs, JB

  4. / Reply

    Happy birthday, Sue Colvin, Vampress Queen! Here’s a repeat performance of your poem from a year ago.

    A Birthday Poem for Sue Colvin
    (June 25, 2013)

    You, dear Sue Colvin,
    Faced challenges right from the start,
    Arriving three months too early
    And weighing in
    Under two pounds.
    But, dearest girlie,
    Your spirit did not give in
    And you found
    The strength and the heart
    That battle for life to win.
    CP affected your right side,
    But ’twas effective therapy
    For that CP
    When you as a youngster started to ride.
    Later you worked as a groom backside
    At Philadelphia and Delaware Park,
    And frontside
    Galloping horses on the track,
    Learning the jockey’s art,
    Which, though hard work, was also a lark
    For the horses spoke to your heart.
    You worked in the main
    With horses who competed
    For a four-figure claim,
    And should one come back
    Defeated,
    Feeling dismay,
    You’d look them in the eye
    And consolingly say
    It’s OK,
    For they’d given it their best try.
    And you yourself life do live
    That very same way—
    You your all do give,
    Though obstacles get in the way.
    As a passenger in a car,
    You sadly suffered an accident
    And did injuries sustain
    Which worsened by far
    The CP infirmity
    Which still in your body did lurk.
    Though you, dear Sue Colvin,
    Bravely struggled back to work,
    You could not it long maintain,
    For the pain did not relent.
    Instead there set in
    Daunting CP disability
    And searing migraine pain
    Which with you remain.
    But while these maladies
    On you closed in,
    You did begin
    Your soul yet wider to open
    To God’s freely given grace,
    Which fills you with hope
    As you each new day face.
    Should you have a day when you feel worse,
    A verse
    From the Good Book
    Helps brighten your outlook,
    And we thank you that you care
    Words of inspiration
    With us to share.
    Today we pray, dear Sue Colvin,
    That you’ll have a grand celebration,
    And may all your horses come in
    For the first-place win!

    Happy birthday, Sue, and many, many more!

    • / Reply

      Dear Trina:

      What a wonderful poem you’ve written for Sue Colvin. You’re so very creative and talented. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Happy Birthday, Sue Vamp!! Hope your day is wonderful. Thank you, Trina for all the lovely poems and reminders. I’m usually a page or two short to join in on the birthday wishes, but always hope for good days for all Zsters!

    • / Reply

      Sue Colvin,
      Wishing you a very happy birthday and a day filled with joy and no pain. You are truly a brave soul to have endured so much. Sending healing prayers for you. Us Sues have to stick together. hugs

      Trina, outstanding poem!

    • / Reply

      Sue Colvin,
      Wishing you a very happy birthday and a day filled with joy and no pain. You are truly a brave soul to have endured so much. Sending healing prayers for you. Us Sues have to stick together. hugs

      Trina, outstanding poem!

  5. / Reply

    Dear Vamp Sue:

    Wishing you relief from pain and a Very Happy Birthday. Love and Hugs, JB

  10. / Reply

    Today’s Cherokee Devotional

    Just when we think nothing is working there is a glimmer of light. If we could believe in our hearts that what looks impossible can work out, we could bear more easily with hardships. Living is like the weather. It has its surprises, its storms, its dry spells.But if we can hold on, it all changes. The changes come the way we change our minds-unexpectedly and sometimes for no apparent reason. But the reason, the uyelvdhi, real purpose is there. Every word we speak, everything we believe, builds our consciousness and makes us who we are. If we expect nothing good, it will oblige us. We are as unlimited as we say we are, and it is in our power to make the difference.

    Will we let ourselves be destroyed in our turn, without making an effort worthy of our race?
    Tecumseh

  11. / Reply

    @Trina–what a beautiful tribute to Vamp. Thank you so much!

    @Vamp– even with your disabilities, you have done things many of us will never do. We admire and esteem you as a Dumpling First Class, and we salute you. Birthday hugs.

  13. / Reply

    Hi Z and zsters :-)
    Stopping in for a quick hi.
    Still love thw bday poem trina. Its superb. :-)
    Thank u all so much for the bday wishes. :-D
    It really means a lot and makes me smile. :-)
    Hopefully i can get new glasses soon and i can be back on here regularly.
    I cant stand not being able to see. Lol

    Happy bdays to tjose i prob missed in my abscence.
    God bless u all.
    I luv and miss u
    Hugs/prayers,vamp

    Ps. Take care of urself queen z and prinZess. Coz and Zi behave ;-)

    • / Reply

      Vampressqueen Sue
      May your birthday be filled with joy and many blessings!
      You are missed here. Hope you will be back on regular basis-soon.
      Sending a birthday hug, BGG
      P.S. Special birthday poem, Trina. Thank you for all these special insights.

  14. / Reply

    Dear Kathy.What a shame! can you email the team??I miss your devotionals.I was so happy to see that Joey has improved a little and hopes to be back home today,he looked much brighter in his photos.Many prayers for him!
    Zoe has lost another friend poor Molly crossed the rainbow bridge last night bless her she said she heard it was nice there and she’d see her mum again!She was suffering a great deal though.Dolly’s power went off again and temps were 106F!!!I didn’t realize they can’t access Amazon out there.She loves Sheba wet food but they got her the Gourmet Perle she did eat it!!Katie used to love Sheba too.Her favourite was cooked chicken though! Marty looked so cute sleeping with his mouse! he’s giving a lot of adbice about internashunal bizness and eating cookies!Fubu is keeping strong Mama got back before the storm thank goodness and Zoe is already planning for Christmas!!! We still haven’t had the promised rain!Have a Great day.Hugs to you,kisses for Holly,Nikko and Sugar.Sheena.

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena,

      Well, I e-mailed the team. We’ll see what they say. So glad to hear Joey’s a little better. I know he would be so much more comfortable back at his home. Poor little Zoe. So many of her friends are crossing Rainbow Bridge. Poor sweet Molly. I hope she is now comfortable and running and playing and pain-free. Poor Dolly! Their temps would feel like an oven! I hope they can get Sheba again for her. The cat food companies sure make some tempting food combinations. Nothing too good for our pampered kitties! Still have to check on Marty and also Fubu. Zoe’s Merry 1/2 Christmas blew me away! those of us who make a lot of our Christmas gifts had better start cracking! Have a good day. Hugs from me, kisses from Holly, Nikko and Sugar. Kathy.

  16. / Reply

    Dear Sheena,

    The Devotional was identified as span so Kyle in IT approved the post. It’s 7 above!

    Hugs, Kathy

  18. / Reply

    Max, Over on the Forum side someone emailed Woodford Racing about Tasty. They promptly replied that they have not owned her since she retired. Don’t know where to look now. Perhaps someone knows an employee at Lanes End.

    • / Reply

      I was the one who emailed Woodford. They did reply that they did not own TT for her broodmare career but also that they have no details on her death.??!! In my email I asked if they could confirm her death or not.
      For what it’s worth, it doesn’t tell us much.

      • / Reply

        Dear Shirley, Mary and Z Fans:

        I hope there is some official word soon on TT. It will be devastating if it’s true, but at least we will know for sure. Will keep praying hard for her. Mary, I had a similar experience at Gainesway Farm when I called to inquire about a mare that had dropped off the radar. They told me that they no longer owned her and had no info on her. It’s really sad how impossible it is to trace these mares once they stop racing and become broodmares. Love and Hugs, JB

        • Judy, I agree that it’s sad to know that so many mares are lost to those who followed them while racing after their careers are over. Seems strange to me that we can’t find out about a mare who earned over $1mil??!!
          It’s new to me since I never experienced searching for any other, only Zenyatta’s good friend.
          Hugs,
          Maryp

        • Z Peeps. We need to continue to be patient and to stay positive, hard though that is. Tasty will reveal all or some of it in her own good time. Tasty, don’t be a stranger. I’m listening.

        • Dear Judy, Shirley, Mary, Max and family:

          Thought we were the only ones with the big black hole when mares retire: it can be so frustrating to follow where they have gone – trawling through sales details is also very depressing. Also very tricky when they change from one stud farm to another.

        • Dear Shirlee, Mary, Ann, Max, Kathy R and Z Fans:

          All we can do is wait and as Max said, we’ll know eventually. In the meantime, I’m praying for TT. Power Up CC, Dan, CDA, Beholder, ROC and all who are ill or injured. Beast, good work! TT, we love you. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Sheena. This is a very good story. Warrior went to Europe for 4 years and survived that horrible war. I am very glad to read that he had some good times after with the General. Is this Scott the same author who wrote the book on Cecil?
      Kauto will be asking about his statue too.
      Free the Moose! Power up Danny! Power up CDA, Chromie and all others who are sick.
      Reilly, hoping you are barking and eating well. Sir, thinking good thoughts for you.
      Beast, keep training. Tasty, no calls yet?

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena:

      Nice tribute to General Seely, Warrior and all War Horses. Love and Hugs, JB

  21. / Reply

    Just read that Danny has returned to his stall at Keeneland. He’s going back into training before leaving for Saratoga on July 12. Bravo handsome chestnut beast. Dan, you are amazing!

    • / Reply

      Max, Thanks for the good news on Dan.

      Was wondering if the folks at Old Friends or Our Mims could help us get a line on Tasty??

      • / Reply

        shirlee. My thought is that Z or her peeps will eventually tell us. Z introduced us to Tasty and Z will do what is right for her fans. She always does. We just have to wait while she tends to the Princess. That looks like a full time job, although a great one.

  22. / Reply

    Game On Dude Seeks Third Straight Gold Cup
    By Ron Mitchell The Blood-Horse June 25, 2014
    Game On Dude, who topped the first edition of the Longines World’s Best Racehorse Rankings for 2014, heads the seven-horse field for the 75th renewal of the Gold Cup at Santa Anita Handicap (gr. I) June 28 at Santa Anita Park.
    Game On Dude, who has earned $6.4 million, will be seeking his third consecutive victory in the 1 1/4-mile, $500,000 race that was run as the Hollywood Gold Cup at the now-shuttered Hollywood Park when he won in 2012 and 2013. The 7-year-old Awesome Again gelding is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
    The Gold Cup was first run in 1938 and has been won by such legendary horses as: Seabiscuit (1938), Noor (1950), Citation (1951), Swaps (1956), Round Table (1957),
    Gallant Man (1958), Native Diver (1965, ’66, ’67), Ack Ack (1971), Exceller (1978),
    Affirmed (1979), Ferdinand (1987), Best Pal (1993), Cigar (1995), and
    Lava Man (2005, ’06, ’07).
    Read more on BloodHorse.com: http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/85846/game-on-dude-seeks-third-straight-gold-cup#ixzz35h45M1KO
    Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride!!!

  24. / Reply

    Dear Max.Yes,Warrior had some great times after the war,he took part in The Trooping of the Colour when he was 25!There’s a great pic of him and the General riding bareback and meeting Queen Mary who was over in the Isle of Wight for Cowes.Brough Scott was an amateur jockey then became a racing commentator.He did,indeed, write the book about Sir Henry Cecil.Wonderful news about Dan,our prayers were answered.Kauto’s statue will be ready by the boxing day meet at Kempton.Free the Moose.I forgot Nissy isn’t very well a tummy upset.Good wishes to all sick animals everywhere.Don’t forget to call Max TT!Sheena.

    • / Reply

      Sheena. Very interesting details about Warrior.
      Extremely happy that Dan is feeling well enough to train. He’s got Paynter and Pique Sous as role models.
      Nissy went to the hospital! There is trouble everywhere. However, this sideline did not stop Nissy from shaming his peeps by tending to his blog. Nissy is a dedicated writer that even illness cannot stop. Peeps should get him some catnip.
      Free the Moose. Power up Danny! Power up CDA, Chromie and all others who are sick. Shout out to Treve and Reilly to get well. Sir to get a good home.
      Beast. Lights out at Belmont. Be nice to Coz if you see him. Tasty, the crowd of your fans swells waiting for a single neigh. Let’s hear from you. Neigh!

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena:

      Goodnight. Love and Hugs, JB, LM, PC, HT, Cap, Herc and all the Sweeties

  26. / Reply

    Dear Mama Z, COZ, ZI, and Z Princess:

    Stay comfy and cool. Love all of you so much. Hugs, JB

  27. / Reply

    Hi Zsters, I do not remember where I left off on the ongoing story of Sir. The first owner who showed Sir for years and did take him back from us gave us a 24 hour notice to take him back because he was not working out. I think I mentioned the mare Sir was friends with years ago who is at this equestrian center and that has been the major problem. This time she was opening up a gate which Sir was in and he per the owner, nearly ran right over her and ran to find the mare.
    Now, if this is not friendship between gelding and mare!! I am glad she was not injured, but CC considers her the owner now and will not budge or take Sir back!!
    I appealed once again to the CEO of Cedar Community over Cedar Valley Horse Sanctuary, to bring Sir back home here where he has been for almost two years. I told him that several of us volunteers do not understand how “the mission” stated for the program and for the horses can be ignored like they have done with Sir. I poured my heart out stating Sir has been a part of the foursome of horses that should remain together, live out their lives as in the “mission”, and when the time comes for them, die and be buried along side one another on this beautiful farm as it had been stated a while back. (We had been told they were choosing an area for the horses when that time comes). I am beginning to believe it was CC’s plan all along to have some Pastor Dave come and state Sir should be put down. We then would react to save him and one of the head volunteers who I have respect for, would contact his former owner and agree to send Sir off quickly with NO votes on this decision by all volunteers.
    I miss Sir so much. I do care for the other horses a lot, but my heart has a big void with Sir not there. Sir was my big boy. We have been reminded, these are not our horses, they are CC’s.

    It was nice to receive a email from the CEO after my second appeal, (my gosh, I was surprised he did not say, “If you don’t like it quit”, but he stated Sir is now with his owner, she has responsibility for him and his health decisions and care as it should be. CC will not consider ever taking Sir back. Home is no longer here, home is at his first owners. It was so disappointing to hear and he never explained why the broken “mission”.
    Brenda, a great volunteer, has gotten in contact with another horse sanctuary less than two hours away. She is hoping they will be willing to take Sir but has not received a second email from them.
    If we can not have Sir back, I just want him happy, content and eating well! I live and sleep with Sir on my mind. I am so so thankful that our Zenyatta is at Lane’s End who give her such wonderful care and attention as well as Zprincess and have loving responsible owners The Moss’s, otherwise I think I’d be taken to the funny farm!!
    Sir is alive, that is the best news.
    Thank you once again, hugs, Sally B

    • / Reply

      Dear Sally:

      I am so sorry that you and Sir are going through this awful time. I’m praying that the rescue that Brenda has contacted will take Sir. Being less than two hours away, you will be able to visit at least once a week, maybe? I know Sir is your special horse; the horse of your heart and I am praying hard that everything works out for him and you. Love and Hugs, JB

  29. / Reply

    Sally B.,
    Will keep you and Sir in my thoughts and prayers. Hoping that Brenda will get good news from the place that is two hours away — mainly just hoping that Sir will find a caring, loving and sympathetic home for the rest of his days. Surely, love will find a way for him.
    Lots of Hugs

  30. / Reply

    Tragedy in the 8th race at Belmont today. Roses for Romney clipped heels and fell hard. Two other horses fell, but got up and continued without riders; they were caught. Sadly, Roses for Romney didn’t make it. Rider, Irad Ortiz, was checked out at the hospital and is okay. Johnny V. and another jockey were treated at the first aid center and are okay, also.
    I hope the other two horses are okay, too. RIP Roses for Romney, beautiful baby

    I wish these awful accidents didn’t exist — so very sad. Hugs to all who are ill, injured or grieving.

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