Zenyatta

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Zenyatta News

Lane’s End Video Interviews: Part 1

Happy Friday!

While we were at Lane’s End at the beginning of the month, we spent time dreaming up ways to share the experience with all of you.

Zenyatta and her colt enjoy life on one of the most beautiful farms in the country, and they are cared for by the extremely knowledgeable and experienced Lane’s End staff.

We thought you would like to meet some of the people who are involved with Z on a daily basis, so we created a series of video interviews.

The first in our three part series is an interview with Alys Emson, who is in charge of Client Management at Lane’s End. Alys takes many of the photos that we use on this website. Thanks Alys!

Alys Emson: Client Management
“I was born and raised in the South of England, and my love affair with horses began at a very early age—I was able to ride almost before I could walk! My career began in Newmarket and continued in France before I settled in America. The early years were spent gaining valuable experience in every division of the farm including a couple of breeding seasons with the stallions and a stint on the racetrack. My duties now mostly involve evaluating the yearlings and foals and keeping our clients current on their progress and development. Zenyatta has been a welcome and special addition to the Lane’s End broodmare band and it has been both rewarding and memorable to watch her fulfill the next chapter in her life.”

Baby Z is enjoying the Spring weather. We hope you are too! Photo by Kyle Acebo

Enjoy!
-Team Z

Reader Interactions

1,012 Comments

  1. / Reply

    handsome baby Z12 look curious and intellegent, he is so cute where is mama Zenny?.am excited to see a beautiful new photo tonight thanks lane ends you made my night.

  3. / Reply

    I’m so thrilled to read this update. Z12 aka Prince is fitting into those legs just fine!

    Thanks for the info. I look forward to the other Parts of this story :-)

    I cannot wait to hear what YOUR MIKEY has to say wink wink

    {{{hugs}} Queen Z and Baby Prince xoxoxo

  4. / Reply

    Thanks to all for showing us the up-date on Zenyatta and baby Z. He is quite a little guy running and prancing around and he is growing fast. The ears are to treasure, just like his Mom’s and he looks so like her. I did see a picture in Face Book that was taken and shows him giving out a bit of a dance along side of his Mom. He is a treasure for sure but we all knew that Zenyatta would deliver us no less because she is the Queen of them all. Thanks all at Lanes End for the chance to see the little Gem grow and also to see our sweet loving Zenyatta whom we all love so much. I wait every day to see if there is anything new about Zenny and baby Z. I really miss Dottie alot and wish her well and also Zenny’s John who took so many wonderful pictures of Zenyatta and shared them with us frequently. We will be waiting for a up-date from Mike after he visits the Queen and Prince on Tuesday. Take alot of pictures Mike and be sure to share with us. Sending love to all of you and thanks for all the special care of Zenyatta and Baby Z. A very special Love and Kisses to Zenny and Baby Z.

  5. / Reply

    @Susan Carothers,
    Where are you? We are missing you here. Hope all goes well!
    Take care and lots of hugs to you and your special equine budds!

    @Terry Crow,
    Loved the salesman-working horse joke — brilliant! Also, thanks for the very funny redneck jokes. You give us the gift of humor every day! Hugs!

    @Lanes End,
    Thank you, Alys, for the wonderful work you do for Zenny and for all the other horses there at LE. The interview was most interesting, and thank you, too, for the photos!
    Take care!

    • / Reply

      Thanks, Marshall. Have you heard the Dead Skunk song? I am thinking about adapting it as our “official” tune but I would have to hold an election with our chapter presidents. I am thinking of checking this guy out on May 30 as he is scheduled to perform? on that date in LA.

  7. / Reply

    Oh where to begin…
    @Andrea…..still crossed….love and prayers for best possible “outcome”
    @Terry Crow….hubby still in residence ….I had missed dead skunk lyrics on last blog…
    Hubby loves to refer to song…go figure …
    ……also “borrowed” one of your horse jokes…it was great hit at dinner party…woof
    CONGRATS TO MIKEY & UTOPIAN ON THEIR WIN…the Mosses and Sherrifs too
    kisses for all soft noses worldwide ….
    And finally……GO BKACK CAVIAR……..GIRL POWER…TVG to show race tonight

    • / Reply

      Carol-Thanks for the update. Glad you enjoyed the joke. Vicki B has posted a few links to the dead skunk song. I would be interested in knowing why your husband efers to this particular tune.

      • / Reply

        He mostly just talks about the fact that there actually is such a song…he spent 7-8 yrs living on family farm in northern Arkansas….must be something in the water zapped him in his formative yrs

        • Very funny. He would be an expert with that background. I would recommend one of Vicki”s links which features the artist singing his song on U Tube. Of course, the tune is sung accompanied by a banjo.

        • Carol, ah, Arkansas! The “Dead Skunk” song only reached #12 nationally, but was #1 for six weeks in Little Rock! So there you go.

        • Carol-The only thing I can think of is that his parents must have sung this song to him instead of lullabyes.

        • Could be ….about using SKUNK as a lullaby….I played it for him this am…he sang the words and remained calm…I will tell him about it being a “preferred” tune in ark..

  8. / Reply

    THANKS, CAROL IN UTAH!
    High hoof, Utopian, Mikie, John Shirreffs, Dottie and the Mosses!
    Go, Black Caviar, go!

  10. / Reply

    I was just lamenting yesterday about not seeing enough of the Queen and her Prince and then this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.Thank you team Z, thank you Alys, and team Lanes End for a want of a better word to refer you by. It was really fabulous seeing all those pics of the Prince and his adoring mama. From the looks of it, the Prince really adores his mama!. I am happy they are having such a wonderful time together bonding so the separation would not be too emotionally tasking for the little fella. God bless his little soul. How he has grown and gets so handsome everyday, if he gets any cuter, we will be in trouble because on the field, the horses would all be unable to race bcos they are all stopping to admiring Pri;nce. Before I go rambling on, thanks everyone that helped to make this happen and LOL to all.

  11. / Reply

    The Australian Queen won! Black Caviar is now 20 for 20, and she didn’t break a sweat!
    Congrats to her team and the people of Australia for an awesome racehorse! Girl Power is alive and strong worldwide! Finally won some money of her, enough to buy a couple of Guinnesses, anyway!

  13. / Reply

    Thanks for sharing with us those that are in close contact with Zenyatta and her striking looking son. Yes, those ears… will help us find him on the track once he is running.
    i can’t wait to hear what Mike Smith has to say when he sees him during Derby week.
    I never heard if Dottie or John have seen him. Certaintly they must have. Does anyone have news of that?

  14. / Reply

    Nice to meet you Alys! I knew in my heart what you found out about Zenyatta living at the top notch Lane’s End!
    Thank you so much for sharing this video and picture of 12Z. I feel connected to my sweet love of my lifetime, Zenyatta and her colt.
    love n kisses on their soft noses, hugs to Ann & Jerry, Dottie & John
    Auntie Sally B

  15. / Reply

    Thank you Lane’s End and Alys Emson for the video. It’s always great to get reassuring news from those at the scene. And the video of Z and Z12 in the paddock – wow! It’s like little Z is racing around, doing an equine version of “can’t catch me”!!!!! It would be so much fun to see video of him with another baby – would they just naturally play chase? I’ve never been around foals before.

    Anyway, have a great weekend, folks!! congrats to Utopian and connections plus a shout out to the Australian wondermare, Black Caviar!!

  16. / Reply

    Has it been confirmed that Zenyatta has been bred to Tapit!
    Have a nice weekend everyone. :):)

    • / Reply

      Well, it’s been confirmed that Tapit is “the guy” and most people think that it must have happened already to keep the next little one an “early spring arrival.” I don’t think it will be announced until she is safely past the “danger period” which is something like 60 days.

    • / Reply

      Video from a couple of days ago said she had been bred and they were counting the days….so figure no announcement til next month

      • / Reply

        That’s what I was thinking. They won’t announce her being in foal until the 60 day mark. I’m sure that they won’t do like they did last year when she didn’t take the first time. I’m hoping all will be fine with this first cover!

    • / Reply

      Read on a TVG thread that she is indeed in foal to Tapit. It came under Zenyatta news. Below was the headline.

      It’s official – Zenyatta in Foal – Horse Racing Forum – TVG

  17. / Reply

    Very much enjoyed the video and meeting Alys Emson there at Lane’s End. It is great to know that there are wonderful people there like her there that are involved with the horses and their connections.
    And Baby Z, he looks to be so handsome and healthy as well as adorable in the pic here. Enjoy seeing him always. Missing Zenyatta though, life isnt the same out here without her. Her and Baby Z are in my thoughts and prayers each and every day.
    Love & Blessings to them both as well as their connections and those at Lane’s End!

  18. / Reply

    Thanks to all of Team Z for this wonderful video update! :) It was so nice to hear Alys speak about her wonderful job at Lane’s End and Zenny. Too cute photo of Zenny’s colt
    by Kyle! :) Sending good thoughts and blessing to all in the Zenyatta Nation!
    Peace & Love,
    Kathy from SoCal xoxo

  20. / Reply

    Happy Saturday fellow Z-sters. I clicked on the Watch Baby Z Grow link just now. In the photo dated just a few days ago it sure looks like he is learning to dance just like Mama! He is such a joy. Thank you team Z for keeping us all so well connected!

  21. / Reply

    I finally got my picks for the Derby!

    “Hansen” he is good and handsome, and I like R Dominguez.
    “Union Rags” he is very good.
    “Dullahan” he is also very good.
    “Gemologist” he is great.
    “Take charge Indy” he is great, and I like C Borel.
    “Bodemeister” he is good, and Mike is on top.
    “Alpha” he has a change, and because our Benardini.
    “I’ll have another” he is good I think he has a change.
    “Went the day well” he is good and I think he has a change.
    “Liaison” well I like him.

    Whom I am going to bet to win, well I will bet $100 to the favorite to win, and then I pick one from my list, and 5 minutes before the race I bet to win $300.
    In addition, I bet the Superfecta Box to four of my favorites from my list, I also do it 5 minutes before the race.

    Ha, Ha will see if I get lucky.
    Good luck to all of you my dear friends.
    Hugs Ingrid.

    • / Reply

      Good luck Ingrid,
      Your picks are very interesting and I wish you the best of luck. Please let us know how you do.

      As of today 4/29. My pick is I’ll Have Another”. No reason, other than gut instinct and sentiment for Lava Man.

      This time a week from now it will all be over and we will know who the 2012 Ky Derby winner was. I, for one, am anxiously awaiting the 2015 Ky Derby and racing campaign. You know who, I hope will be in it.

      • / Reply

        To My dears friends,
        Marty R
        Terry C
        Darlene D,
        Thanks for all of yours nice posts. And yes, one week from today we’ll know who is the big winner, and I hope so will be my wallet, hugs Ingrid.

  23. / Reply

    Kentucky Derby picks:

    Union Rags-win
    Gemologist-place
    Hansen-show
    Bodemeister-fouth
    Take Charge Indy-fifth
    I’ll Have Another-sixth
    Creative Cause- seventh
    Field-Everything else

    • / Reply

      I like your first three, in that order. As i said before, I do not like Bodemeister. All the more reason tom include him in your exotics.

  24. / Reply

    How great was Black Caviar?!? Did anyone hear the announcers discussing “the great American Zenyatta” before the race? I felt so proud of our girl! It was a nice moment. Black Caviar truly is something special and I may be wrong, but I’ve never seen her jockey hit her. She doesn’t need it. What a beauty she is!

        • Thanks for this link, Max. She just makes it look so easy. The announcer was certainly excited. Marty

        • Marty R. That interview at the end of the race was interesting. She’s a miler but she seems to have a very calm demeanor, like the Queen. BC is also a good looking horse who bears a resemblance in profile to one of her ancestors, Nijinsky. Danzig fans will be happy to know that he is also in her pedigree. He was an intense horse. She might get her confidence from him.

        • Max, Off topic…. Have you been watching the tv coverage of the Rollex events at the Kentucky Horse Park? I just came across the cross country event today. Tomorrow it will end up with the show jumping. I don’t know anything about that type riding, but I certainly admire the beauty of it and enjoy watching the events.

        • Marty R. I love show jumping as it is an elegant sport. The horses are so graceful, but they have to be top athletes at the same time. I also love the sometimes unusual names of these horses. My personal favorite is Coriana van Klapscheut, who is a daughter of Darco. She is named after her mother, who is also a van Klapscheut. Coriana is Canadian and rides with Eric Lamaze. We can look forward to watching this event in the Olympics in London this summer.

          http://www.thehorse.com/ViewArticle.aspx?ID=19944

        • MARTY R

          EVENTING IS THE SPORT FOR ALL TO GET INVOLVED IN AT ANY
          LEVEL.

          IT ALLOWS THE HORSE TO BE SUPPLE, BENDABLE, AND STRONG THROUGH THE DRESSAGE PORTION, TO WITHSTAND THE RIGORS
          OF THE CROSS COUNTRY AND THE SCOPE AND TALENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SHOW JUMPING. THE DRESSAGE ALSO ALLOWS THEM TO COLLECT QUICKLY BEFORE THE CROSS COUNTRY AND EVENTING PORTION OF THE CHALLENGE

          ONE OF THE GREATEST HORSE SPORTS AROUND AND SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED AND VERSATILE HORSE TO BEABLE TO DO ALL THREE; DRESSAGE, CROSS COUNTRY AND SHOW JUMPING.

        • I went to the jumping competition for the 1984 Olympics, held at Santa Anita. Very interesting.

        • Terry, I went to the ’84 Olympics dressage event, with a Swiss friend — the Swiss had a good team that year. I was amazed that some of the riders were able to compete in so many Olympics — Reiner Klimke in six! But I like to watch the jumping more, I wish I could have seen it in person.

          A very nice article in L.A. Times, “London Olympics countdown: In praise of equestrian’s Authentic” http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-oly-equestrian-horses-20120501,0,7917362.story

        • Vicki-I thought that the sport lost a few fans when the audience was reprimanded by some official for cheering when an American horse did well in the competition. If officials do not want this to happen, perhaps the designation of country should be stripped from all athletes, both human and otherwise. There was a lot of grumbling among the crowd.

        • Agree, Terry. Although I do feel the “patriotism” gets carried too far, by fans who aren’t bothering to appreciate the performances of those from other countries. I try to leave that “America-first” attitude at the door, when I attend an international event. That’s why so many people like the aspect of the closing ceremonies, where the athletes are not arranged by country. The Olympics are the biggest opportunity the world has, to blur the boundaries of nationalism, every four years, and remind us of a smaller world. (Soapbox done).

    • / Reply

      She is our Australian Zenyatta. She is just amazing. Wins with ease, and Luke Nolan does not use his whip on her.

  25. / Reply

    I might get ahold of some PP’s and look up some bloodlines, and I will try to challenge myself into trying to place the estimated order of finish. Something to keep my mind on so I don’t lose it waiting on that reply from the college.

  26. / Reply

    My derby…had 18 at beginning…5 injured..one filly to Oaks…5 not enough $…so I have 7 to get in the gate…
    1-Hansen
    2-Sabercat
    3-Creative Cause
    4-El Padrino
    5-Union Rags
    6-Bodemeister
    7-Alpha
    Should wait for post positions ….but oh well
    Can not remember how Bode made list… since he did not run at 2
    They are all so good this yr

        • I AM ON BOARD WITH UNION RAGS AFTER HIS SATURDAY WORK.

          SECOND CHOICE TAKE CHARGE INDY !!!!!

      • / Reply

        BODEMEISTER DOES NOT HAVE ENOUGH EXPERIENCE, BUT BAFFERT RAN MIDNIGHT INTERLUDE LAST YEAR!!!!!!!

        IT IS THE HOPES AND DREAMS OF THE TRAINER TO HAVE A HORSE IN THE DERBY EVEN IF IT IS TO CHALLENGE THOSE HORSES WITHOUT EXPERIENCE, TO GO FROM BABY TO MAN IN ONE RACE; OFTEN HAPPENS AND THEY ARE BETTER FOR IT AFTER.

        • Sign-Agree with your sentiments. One of racing’s main problems is that when these “babies” are ready to display their full potential they are no longer racing.

    • / Reply

      Marty R. Thank you for this. I really enjoyed watching it. There appear to be a lot of Brits and Irish working in the TB industry in Kentucky. There is a great tradition and high standards in both countries for TB training and racing.

    • / Reply

      Thanks Marty!

      I enjoyed watching the video. What a job! Must feel wonderful to exercise and work with those beautiful horses. I can only dream…..Marilu

  29. / Reply

    Here is a really corny horse joke. One day a man went to an auction. While there, he bid on a talking horse. He really wanted the horse, so he got caught up in the bidding. He kept on bidding but was always outbid. Finally, after bidding way more than he had intended to, he won. As he paid for the horse, he said to the auctioneer “I sure hope this horse can talk. I would hate to have paid this much only to find out he can’t talk.” “Don’t worry,” said the auctioneer, “he can talk. Who do you think was bidding against you?”

  30. / Reply

    OK, as recommended by Sandy in Northern Ohio, the rednecks are listed separately. @Vicki B-Thanks again for the priceless Dead Skunk Song. We will holding an election next week. You might be a redneck if people are afraid to touch your husband’s bathrobe. You might be a redneck if your idea of new siding for your house is more tar paper. You might be a redneck if your toothbrush is a hand-me-down. You might be a redneck if you keep your teeth and your goldfish in the same glass. You might be a redneck if pigs try to keep upwind of you.

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