Zenyatta

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Lane’s End Video Interviews: Part 2

Happy Friday!

We’re back today with the second installment of our video interview series. This time we’re featuring Donna Vowles, Assistant Broodmare Manager at Lane’s End. She spent some time with us talking about her responsibilities and experience at Lane’s End, including the night Zenyatta foaled.

Donna Vowles: Assistant Broodmare Manager
“I was born in Birmingham, England and spent the majority of my childhood between Birmingham and the neighboring countryside of Worcestershire. My obsession with horses developed around the age of six or seven when I hounded my Dad for riding lessons. From the very first time I got to muck a stall and groom a horse I was hooked for life!

My career began at a young age working and instructing at a riding school, before moving onto managing a Three-day Event yard. I started working with Thoroughbreds professionally in 2002 after a training season in Newmarket.

Kentucky became my home in January 2004 when I first joined the Lane’s End Team. My job title now is Assistant Broodmare Manager and a large part of that role consists of ensuring the health and happiness of all the broodmares and their foals here at Lane’s End, including Zenyatta and her colt.”

Z and Baby Z both love a good scratch! Photo by Alys Emson/Lane's End.

Have a great weekend!
-Team Z

Reader Interactions

335 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Team Z, please send a message to Zenyatta for me. “Z, you are with me every day in my heart and soul. I hug my plushie and think of you!! I Love you as much as way beyond the stars. Kisses on your soft nose, one for baby z. Auntie Sally”.

    Thank you

  4. / Reply

    Wow, did Black Cavier win that race with ease or what?!!! Way to go Black Cavier!!! Girl Power!!!!!
    Happy Mother’s Day, Zenyatta!!! I know I’m a day early but, who knows what we’ll be doing tomorrow.

  8. / Reply

    HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY TO ALL OF THE ZENNY FANS, WHO ARE MOM’S AND OF COURSE OUR QUEEN ZENNY WITH A FOAL AT HER SIDE AND ONE IN THE OVEN.

    HOPE EVERY ONE HAS A GREAT DAY TOMORROW !!!!! GREAT FOOD, FAMILY AND FUN.

    • / Reply

      Great videos. 12Z appears to be quite precocious for his age. He is going to be a big horse like his mother or so it seems. Z looks like she is in full command of a good runner.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max:

        I so agree with you. He looks like he’s going to be a big boy and speedy. Seems to love to run. Love how he whinnies while he running. So cute. Hugs, JB

        • Judy B. His vocals seem to say that he loves to run. He looks like he is a very happy foal. Z is doing such a good job as a mom. This shows how important the dam is in the life of the foal, something that is overlooked because Z is one of the first mares to be seen playing the role of mother. Same for RA.

    • / Reply

      Oops! Sorry, I didn’t know you posted! I read from the bottom up!
      karen-upside down person-in lala-land!

      • / Reply

        Judy B. Try this link. I do not want you to miss this video because it is not usual to see such extended coverage of Frankel. He looks very good in this as does Bullet Train. They look like twins although Bullet Train looks a little taller and not as muscular as Frankel.

        http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-iy10awBDc

        • OH MY MAX,

          NO WONDER HE INJURED HIMSELF ON THAT GALLOP A FEW WEEKS AGO, THE LEG ACTION AND POWER THAT HE HAS IS AMAZING;

          HIS STRIDES ARE HUGE, FLUID AND PURPOSEFUL.

          NO LEISURELY GALLOPING ON THIS BOY !!!!!!!

        • Sign. Frankel is amazing. I hope that he does really well as a 4 year old. It will be great for horse racing to have such a super star. There is something about Frankel that is different from his rivals, which sets him apart from the rest. It is almost as if he is living up to the legacy of his name each time that he races. Go Frankel.

  12. / Reply

    Great videos !
    Zee & Wee seem a rather high spirited team, look at the little guy move.
    RA & “R’s A” are a more quieter team, but may be because the colt is a bit older.
    Thanks for the videos.

  13. / Reply

    Nice video. Thanks for sharing this beautiful picture of our Queen Z and her little prince. Happy Mother’s Day Zenyatta. Luv you!

    • / Reply

      Dear Karen G.:

      Wonderful videos. Thank you so much. I love watching Z and Little Z running together. They’re two gorgeous Boys. Hugs,JB

    • / Reply

      LOVE THIS ONE TOO, KAREN G.

      GUESS 12 RA IS A LITTLE OLDER BY ABOUT 6 WEEKS; I GUESS THESE FOALS DO
      CALM DOWN; JUST LIKE PUPPY’S; WHEN PUPPIES ARE YOUNG THEY GET WHAT
      IS CALLED THE “PUPPY CRAZIES” (RUN AROUND IN CIRCLES LIKE CRAZY ANIMALS)
      AND THEN IT STOPS ONCE THEY GET OLD ENOUGH.

    • / Reply

      Dear Karen G.:

      Thank you so much for the wonderful links to Z, RA and their Boys. So beautiful. My gosh, Little RA’s coat is looking so Chestnut. His mane does appear to still be very dark though, so I guess he will stay classified a Bay unless it lightens in time. How wonderful all of them look. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      MEGA thanks Karen for the links to the videos and the photo album!!!! Absolutely stunning pictures. What a treat :-) How you find these things is beyond me, but we are very grateful!
      Sandy

    • / Reply

      DEAR KAREN G,

      THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE NEW PHOTOS; RA SEEMS TO REALLY BE ENJOYING HER
      COLT NOW; AFTER A LITTLE ROCKY START; AND OF COURSE ZENNY IS IN BROODMARE MODE TEACHING, TEACHING, TEACHING, HER LITTLE ONE HOW TO BE A WELL MANNERED? COLT.

      XXXOOOO

  16. / Reply

    HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY to all!
    Whether you are mothers of human babies, feathered babies, or of four legged babies, hope you all have a wonderful day filled with love! This includes any baby species that I might have omitted, too.
    Goodnight and sleep tight!

  17. / Reply

    Terry, your joke about waking up “with chocolate in your ears”, got me thinking about another good Redneck Relatives story to tell:

    You might be a redneck relative, if you start to wake up in the middle of the night, feeling “a tickle” in your ear, but there’s no one in bed with you. You might be a redneck relative, if while drowsily trying to scratch that “itch”, you groggily half-jam your knuckle in your ear, and hear a faint “crunch”. You might be a redneck relative, if you come fully awake in rising horror, realizing you just killed “something” inside your ear, as you frantically scramble to remove what prove to be cockroach parts. You might be a redneck relative, if after shuddering, and washing and pouring alcohol in your ear, you find you must stuff cotton in them each night, for the next two months, in order to be able to get to sleep.

    • / Reply

      WOW! That is the CUTEST thing, and so great for Mother’s Day! High hoof on finding this, Judy!

    • / Reply

      ??? Tried to watch the video and got a message that it was “private” (Do you and Trina have the secret code?)
      Sandy

      • / Reply

        No, but you’re right–when I tried to view it again this morning, I was very disappointed to get the “private” response too.  I hope that’s just temporary because this a very charming video of photos of Z and little 12 Z set to the golden oldie “My Guy.”

        “Nothing you could say
        Can tear me away from my guy.
        Nothing you could do
        ‘Cause I’m stuck like glue to my guy…”

        When it says “Nothing you could do…” it shows pictures of carrots, peppermints, and Guinness! And when the lyrics get to the part where it says

        “No muscle bound man
        Could take my hand from my guy.
        No handsome face
        Could ever take the place of my guy…”

        It shows photos of the very handsome Bernardini (no disrespect intended!). It’s TOO CUTE! I hope it becomes available again.

      • / Reply

        Dear Sandy, Marshall, Sign and Trina:

        Don’t know why it’s show up as no available. I’m going to try to find it again and post it again. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Sandy, Nancy, Trina, Marshall, Sign and Z Fans:

          So sorry I cannot come up with the video of Z and Little Z to the song, MY GUY. Will keep trying to find it and post it again. It’s really one of the best ones I’ve seen and I know you will all enjoy it. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      UNABLE TO WATCH THIS ONE NOW; SOMEONE TOOK IT OFF THE PUBLIC LIST.

    • / Reply

      DEAR JUDY,

      SO VERY MUCH LOVE THESE VIDEOS; THANKS FOR POSTING.
      OUR KARI WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE SO MUCH AND EXPRESS SO
      MUCH WITH HER VIDEOS.

      XXXXXOOOO

  21. / Reply

    A Poem for Zenyatta on Her First Mother’s Day

    As soon as the birthing was done
    There on your bed
    Of deep straw,
    You turned your head
    To see your son.
    When you first laid eyes
    On the dear foal
    That had come,
    Your soul
    Filled with awe.
    He instantly meant to you much more
    Than any prize
    You had won
    Before.
    You discovered
    Here was the one
    Who inside you had kicked—
    And you covered
    Him with welcoming licks.
    Your heart for him emoted
    With a love most tender,
    And you at once yourself devoted
    To the little pretender
    To your royal throne.
    Your soft eyes shone
    With that special love known
    Only by a mother,
    The most powerful connection.
    You haven’t ceased your prince to smother
    With gestures of affection
    As together you graze and run
    ’Neath the warm Kentucky sun.
    Dearest Z,
    As a broodmare mom, you continue to be
    The epitome
    Of horsedom.
    It does appear you find motherhood
    Marvelously good
    And not a whit daunting
    Though your feisty young son
    ‘Cross the green grass does race
    As if he’s already wanting
    To take his place
    In the Thoroughbred pantheon!
    When he kicks up his heels
    Midst the springtime splendor
    And emits excited squeals,
    He reminds us too of the glee
    We all in you did see
    And always with joy remember
    When first you there ran free
    In the cold of that November.
    Dearest Z,
    When you from racing departed,
    Many were left broken-hearted
    To know the Queen
    No more on the track would be seen.
    But who on this beautiful May morn
    Could be so coldhearted
    As not to be
    Totally delighted you to see
    With darling 12 Z by your side,
    Your much loved firstborn,
    In whom you so rightly take pride!
    Happy Mother’s Day, Zenyatta, and many, many more!

      • / Reply

        Thank you so much, Linda! And are you mother to a new pet these days?
        Love on Mother’s Day, Trina

    • / Reply

      DEAREST TRINA,
      LOVELY LOVELY LOVELY POEM FOR OUR QUEEN “MOTHER” ZENYATTA.

      XXXXOOOO

    • / Reply

      Trina, this poem is just fabulous the only one I like better is the personal one you did for me. You are truly our poet Emeritus!! Hugs

    • / Reply

      Dear Trina:

      I love Z’s Mother’s Day poem. Sooo perfect. Love and Hugs, JB

  23. / Reply

    On your first Mother’s Day Zenny – HAPPY 1st MOTHER’S DAY SWEETIE GIRL!! AND MANY MORE!

  24. / Reply

    Dear Zenny,
    I haven’t written to YOU for a long time, but I think that because today is such a special one for you, some of your LE friends will be reading these posts (and Trina’s AMAZING poem) to you and little Z. HAPPY FIRST MOTHER’S DAY dear Z! We love the videos and thank Team Z and LE for providing these glimpses into your new life, but I think maybe they should interview YOU so we could hear things from YOUR perspective. By all accounts, you are doing a GREAT job as a Mom (no surprise of course), and we can see that your little guy is adorable and growing up so quickly! We all miss you so much! Have a wonderful day together (hope you get some treats too!).
    Love from your Ohio friend, Sandy

    HAPPY MOTHERS DAY to ALL (including the celestial Moms – thanks for the term, Terry :-). Whether you’re caring for humans or animals, our hats are off to you for your tireless devotion, love, and support!

    • / Reply

      Thanks, Sandy, for the well wishes to all, and right back atcha! Thanks too for your kind compliment about the poem.

  25. / Reply

    Hi Zenny: Happy First Mother’s Day to you! I hope you really enjoy your day with little 12 Z who is getting bigger every day.

    Also, wishing all Z’sters a very Happy Mother’s Day!!!

  26. / Reply

    Dearest Z.–good morning to you, and HAPPY FIRST MOTHER”S DAY! You are the epitome of equine motherhood, and I love every picture shared with us.

    @Trina–You have truly outdone yourself (I keep saying that) this time! Lovely words and sentiments.

    @All Dumplings: best wishes for a lovely day and prayers for those who might be grieving. BIG HUGS to all. What a huge “group hug” we could make!

    • / Reply

      Let me join in that group hug for all who are grieving. And thank you, Barbara, too, for your praise for the poem–you know it’s always music to my ears and my heart.
      Love for all in Dumplinghood,
      Trina

  28. / Reply

    ♥ Happy first Mothers’ Day to the Queen Mother! ♥

    ♥ Happy Mothers’ Day, Dottie! Miss you! ♥

  29. / Reply

    happy mother’s day to all my cyber friends in z land, including dottie (you are greatly missed).
    of course, a special happy first mother’s day to the big mare. you are also missed and hold a prominent place in many hearts.

    @trina – you have outdone yourself on the poem today! beautiful! thank you so much for sharing your wonderful talent with us. also, thank you for the technology hints. every bit helps!

    @judy – i also could not access the video of z, little z and bernie from the link you posted. it seems a secret password is needed. i’m sure it was an enjoyable video, though…it has three of my favorites in it!

    @grand poobah – did you see my acceptance of your kind offer of the presidency? it was posted in the last blog – silly me – i did not realize that this blog would happen so quickly, and you probably wouldn’t see the old posting.

    as always, team z, thank you for keeping us connected.

  30. / Reply

    Happy Mothers Day Zenyatta! Thanks for the hug Barbara I needed it today. Hope all the Z mothers have a great day.

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