Zenyatta

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New Winter Photos

Winter landscape from Lane's End. Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Winter landscape from Lane’s End. Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Happy Friday!

Alys recently spent some time with both Zenyatta and her colt. She sent us these photos of Zenyatta getting some attention in her stall and the yearlings enjoying winter weather out in the paddock.

We are also proud that Bloodhorse has named the birth of Zenyatta’s colt the most popular story of 2012. You can see the whole “2012 in Review” newsletter by clicking this link.

Bloodhorse 2012 in Review
Bloodhorse 2012 in Review

Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End


Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane's End
Photo courtesty of Alys Emson/Lane’s End

Reader Interactions

1,573 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Thanks everyone for keeping us up to date with all the new arrivals. The Bloodhorse is publishing a lot of “baby” announcements. Just wish they all had photos of the newborn. Especially when you read a comment like “Pam Robinson described the foal as being “a fantastic filly. She is knockout gorgeous and a well-balanced, strong little athlete. I will be breeding back to Cape Blanco .” I want to see! I want to see! LOL

    Any new babies at Lanes End yet?

    • / Reply

      Ah-ha, here we go:

      2013 Foals
      Here are some of the 2012 foals who were born at Lane’s End, our Oak Tree division, and Lane’s End Texas:

      Jan 15. CANDY RIDE (ARG) – SECRET OF THE SEA

      • / Reply

        Oh wait! I’m confused….I just noticed the website says 2013 Foals but then says “Here are some of the 2012 foals who were born at Lane’s End…..”

        Maybe the Lane’s End webmaster incorrectly typed 2012????

        • Not to drag this out, but last year Secret of the Sea foaled a Lemon Drop Kid filly on Feb. 2. I thought a subsequent foal would come later by a few weeks or a month. This timing has me confused???

        • Marty, wow….either you have a list or a great memory! That is interesting that Secret of the Sea had a foal earlier this year.

          Keta, yes Twirling Candy has his first foal on the ground, but apparently Lane’s End had a Candy Ride foal born on their farm this morning. At least that’s what Marty and I assume.

        • Great find Marty R and Especially horse.
          Does look like a typo as the top has 2013 in it.

          Whoo Hooo !!!

          Candy Ride has a new filly !!!

        • Especially Horses,

          I can’t claim a great memory. I still have last year’s list in my favorites. Thought it would be fun to do some comparing between the two years.

      • / Reply

        Especially Horses / So Cal, Marty R
        Twirling Candy Foal was born at Calumet on Sunday night.
        Could that be the one you are looking for?
        Hugs, Keta

        January 14, 2013 at 3:27 pm
        Lane’s End‏ tweet
        First reported foal by our record-setting G1W Twirling Candy is a bay filly
        born at Calumet last night! Congrats…
        Keta Note: No photos yet

        • Keta,

          I saw that posting also in FB on the Lane’s End page.

          The one Especially Horses found is in the Lane’s End website under Farm News. This is a Candy Ride foal. The list is missing the gender, hope they add that for future entries.

    • / Reply

      So true, have been looking for the first one of the year for a few weeks.

      Guess when you work on a breeding farm, work takes priority over taking
      pictures. Don’t think most of the farms are fortunate enough to have a
      PR person.

      DRAT !!!

    • / Reply

      LOVE LOVE LOVE CAPE BLANCO, so hope he is a successful stallion.
      His grit, determination and talent are so top notch.

  3. / Reply

    Dear Karen G,

    I hope you have a wonderful birthday and a healthy, happy year ahead. And, thanks for all your videos, they are so appreciated. Celebrate. Marty R.

  6. / Reply

    Good Morning from “frosty” Arkansas
    hope everyone is well
    Happiest of Birthdays to Karen G
    safe racing and foaling
    I can not help myself….I am PACING PACING PACING for all of them

      • / Reply

        Dear Eileen and Carol,

        Tried to find that out by e-mailing Lanes End. No response and we all know they are “fan” friendly. So it seems one can assume the Owner’s probably want to keep him unknown.

  8. / Reply

    Horse racing-Unbeaten Frankel rated best in modern racing
    Reuters – 1 hour 15 minutes ago ‎ January ‎15, ‎2013 9:08:02 AM
    LONDON, Jan 15 (Reuters) – British-trained colt Frankel, who retired unbeaten last year after winning 14 races, has officially been named as the highest-rated horse in the modern era by a group of international handicappers.
    Owned and bred by Khalid Abdullah and trained by Henry Cecil, Frankel, who accumulated almost three million pounds ($4.82 million) in prize money, was awarded a final mark of 140 in the World Thoroughbred Rankings.
    “An outstanding racehorse, it is fair to say in the circumstances that he constitutes a new benchmark for equine excellence on the racecourse,” handicappers said in a statement released by the British Horseracing Authority.
    The 140 figure puts Frankel ahead of Dancing Brave, who won eight out of 10 races in 1985 and 1986, including a scintillating Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe win.
    Dancing Brave, also British-trained and owned by Abdullah, had been rated at 141 but this has been adjusted to 138 after a “historical recalibration of ratings” which took place because handicappers believe many horses in the 1970s and 1980s were given elevated figures.
    “The primary purpose of the review was to acknowledge that handicapping methods and practices have evolved during the past 35 years and the resulting recalibration was designed to show how the ratings would look if they were being assessed on current levels,” the statement added.
    The international rankings system began in 1977.
    Frankel, who won five Group One races last year, is about to embark on a lucrative career as a stallion, with his stud fee set at 125,000 pounds. ($1 = 0.6224 British pounds)
    (Writing by Justin Palmer, editing by Clare Fallon)
    http://sports.yahoo.com/news/horse-racing-unbeaten-frankel-rated-best-modern-racing-145125547–rah.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

      • / Reply

        TC. Excellent point. This list appears to be confined to European horses, although Frankel interestingly is called the world champion. How about Cigar and others?

        • If Timeform can “recalibrate” Dancing Brave, why wouldn’t it be able to rate champions of the past and compare them? No knock on Frankel, but it would be interesting.

        • TC. Unlike Frankel, Dancing Brave was US bred. He lost the 1986 Breeders’ Cup Turf to another US bred and raced horse, Manila. As a stud, his progeny were not in his league. We shall see if a similar fate awaits Frankel.

        • Thank you, Max., Good information here. Still, no good explanation of why Dancing Brave was downgraded. Manila was a top horse. He was a US bred? I think that that’s the explanation. Certainly the stud career wasn’t taken into consideration. If so, Seabiscuit would have been a flop. Of course, Timeform did not go back that far. I am curious as to which handicappers thought that horses of the 70s and 80s were overrated and who actually took part in the evaluations. We had a pretty good horse here in the US in the 70s, Secretariat. I guess what I am trying to say is why not evaluate horses as far back as Man O’ War. I am sure there is enough of a paper trail.

        • TC. Have you ever noticed the win rate of European horses in the Kentucky Derby? Zero so far. Secretariat’s win in the Belmont was just awesome. And then there is our own exciting Zenyatta who won 19 times rather than 14. Wise Dan took down Frankel’s major competitor and at the same time set a track record in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. Frankel chose not to attend.

      • / Reply

        Great point/question, TC and Max.

        Are they horses of the year or horses of the ages???

  9. / Reply

    Grade I winner Declan’s Moon free jumps, looks phenomenal! tweet by Claire Novak

    Declan’s Moon Free Jumping Published on Jan 14, 2013
    Declan’s Moon free jumps in the fifth week of the Retired Racehorse Training Project’s
    100 Day Thoroughbred Challenge at Dodon Farm Training Center.
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=By3ttUPSPho

    • / Reply

      Keta, have been reviewing the progress videos for the RRTP horses….Gunport is awesome, so smart and is progressing nicely, as is Declan’s Moon. Watched Moon do “free” jumps. Awesome!

  10. / Reply

    Starlight Racing announces new all-female ownership group
    Published January 15, 2013 Horse Racing News
    Starlight Racing, co-owners of likely juvenile champion Shanghai Bobby, has announced a new partnership opportunity for 2013: StarLadies Racing. As the name suggests, the partnership will be for female racing enthusiasts only and will consist of a small but diverse group of fillies.
    This partnership is the brainchild of Barbara Lucarelli and Laurie Wolf, two of the founding partners in Starlight Racing. Barbara and Laurie thought it would be fun to have a small partnership comprised of a few fillies and a few great women so that they could enjoy their passion for racing with other like-minded women.
    StarLadies Racing will consist of 6-10 partners and approximately 6 fillies. This small group offers an intimate partnership and allows each woman the chance to be involved with the sport at, hopefully, a fairly high level, while minimizing individual risk. Barbara and Laurie will serve as managing partners and Donna Barton Brothers will facilitate communication between partners.
    http://horseracing.bloginky.com/2013/01/15/starlight-racing-announces-new-all-female-ownership-group/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

  11. / Reply

    GARY STEVENS AGENT
    Claire Novak‏ tweet
    For those who were asking, Gary Stevens’ (@HRTVGary) new jock agent is John Perrotta, who served as exec story editor/co-producer on LUCK

  12. / Reply

    BOBBY ZAPPER UPDATE TUES. JAN 15 2013 A.ZAYAT‏ tweet
    Bobby zapper was stable enough today to travel to NewBolton.
    Dr dean Richardson preformed the surgery today

    David Grening‏ Daily Racing Form tweet dated Jan. 9 2013
    Bobby Zapper has sesamoid fractures left foreleg and will continue to be evaluated
    as per NYRA update. See A. Zayat for further updates

    • / Reply

      Dear Keta, Ann and Z Fans:

      Wishing a full recovery for Bobby Zapper. Wish Mr. Zayat’s year had started with better luck. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      All the very Best Wishes for Bobby Zapper and Mr. Zayat! Sure do hope things improve with them. Positive thoughts and prayers sent for successful outcome.

  13. / Reply

    Dear Carol,

    Sorry to hear Oaklawn is closed again today. Darn !!!
    Keep warm, lots of rain on the track per TV.

    Hope racing starts soon.

    • / Reply

      Suppose to re-open Thursday….should be ok by then …but they have lost 2 racing days….no morning works the last couple of days…and rebuilt the part of the track that washed away….so I have hope

  14. / Reply

    Happy Happy Birthday
    Video Queen Dumplling
    Karen G!!
    See you at Santa Anita on Thursday where we all can Celebrate with Ebby!!
    Love YOU!!
    OXOX
    Lisa B

  15. / Reply

    Happy Birthday Karen! I hope you have a wonderful day and year and if you see Ebby Lou on Thursday, give her a kiss from us Zenyatta fans!

    • / Reply

      Thanks for the reminder,Jeanne.
      We can never have too many of those when it comes to the beautiful,Ms. Ebby!
      Very exciting,can’t wait.

    • / Reply

      Sometimes the treads get long and hard to keep up with and can get lost.
      Thanks for the reminder.

  18. / Reply

    dear keta and Z fans as you can imagine i’m thrilled and excited about frankels rating i quite accept it’s difficult to judge horses from different eras but to see that power and explosive speed on the racecourse was something else there have been mutterings over here about the downgrading of some horses i can imagine the debate will go on for a long timehugs sheena

    • / Reply

      Good point, sheena. No one is disputing the greatness of Frankel but I am not sure other horses got their proper due. As a point of information, who makes up Timeform and why is it considered to be THE authority?

      • / Reply

        Terry,
        As much as I hate to admit it, Wikipedia is one of the best sources on Timeform
        If you go to the site, it shows the categories (Flat, Steeplechase etc.), the mathmatical rating system, & lists of horses and their ratings.
        Timeform is owned by Betfair.
        It is worth taking a look.

        Timeform Publications is a publishing company in Halifax, West Yorkshire, England founded in 1948 to provide information to fans, bettors, and others involved in the horse racing industry. The company was purchased by the sports betting exchange Betfair in December 2006.
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeform
        Hugs, Keta

        • Thanks so much for this info, Keta. However, if the basics have been in place since the 1940s, why was the study limited to the past 45 years? Surely there is enough data on hand to go back to at least Citation. I will get off my soapbox now and let others debate the merits of this.

        • TC. Timeform has been described by some as anglocentric. If you go back farther than 1977, up pops the likes of Secretariat, Nijinsky, Citation and Man ‘o War, not English horses.

        • Dear TC and Max

          Wikipedia is like an encyclopedia, a summary of only bacic knowlege of non experts. THERE IS PROBABLY A BETTER SOURCE THAT IS AT A HIGHER
          LEVEL THAT ACTUALLY COMPLIES THE RESEARCH YOU ARE SAYING TC.

          ENCYCLOPEDIA’s ARE USED IN GRADE SCHOOL SO YOU CAN SEE
          THE LEVEL OF INFORMATION !!!

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena,

      Great comment/point. Not sure I have “ever” seen leg action like Frankel’s on
      any horse. Really would have been nice to see him race a few more
      years, though. And we have talked about that.

  21. / Reply

    Hi Zenny
    These photos of you are just great. You look beautiful as always. Thank you Alys for these wonderful photos.

    It was so much fun to reread the article about the birth of Z12. What an exciting time that was for all of us — your many fans. Once again you have given us something to look forward to. It won’t be long now before the birth of your second foal.

    I can’t wait.

    Love you Zenny.

  22. / Reply

    Hi Karen
    Wishing you a very Happy Birthday. Loved Trina’s poem. I wish I could have been there when you gave Dottie the scrap books.

    Wishing you many more wonderful birthdays ahead.

    Love and hugs

    Linda

  23. / Reply

    Santa Anita notes: Jeranimo eyeing Arlington Million
    By Steve Andersen Daily Racing Form 01/15/2013 3:37PM
    Jeranimo’s win in the Grade 2 San Gabriel Stakes on turf Sunday has left trainer Mike Pender and owner B.J. Wright with the long-term goal of starting the 7-year-old in the Arlington Million in August.
    Jeranimo won his sixth stakes in the San Gabriel over 1 1/8 miles and is likely to appear in the $150,000 San Marcos Stakes over 1 1/4 miles on turf Feb. 9, Pender said.
    Jeranimo won the San Gabriel in December 2010 and was second in the race in January 2012.
    http://www.drf.com/news/santa-anita-notes-jeranimo-eyeing-arlington-million

  24. / Reply

    Freezing in Japan too! Track closed! Kate Hunter‏@KeibaKate tweet
    The snow/ice was bad enough yesterday’s that Urawa canceled too.
    Hopefully it thawed enough to resume My neighborhood is still a death trap!

    And, in Phoenix Royal Norman‏ PHX weatherman tweet
    With the PHX low of 29 this morning, we had 4 straight days below freezing.
    Hasn’t happened since Dec. 1978! #35years #thebigchill

  25. / Reply

    FRANKEL Andrew Bensley‏ tweet
    Lord Ted Grimthorpe reports champion @frankel_horse is about a month away
    from starting stud career in UK. Great array of mares going there

    • / Reply

      Dear Keta: In the interview Bensley (and Lord Ted) gave the date for Frankel to start his stud career at 14 February – wonder who is going to provide the roses and chocolates?

  26. / Reply

    Andrew Bensley‏ tweet
    Lee Freedman tells Racing HQ, he doubts he’ll ever train again.
    He’s had enough of that.
    Will pre-train and set up rehab centre at Markdel.

    • / Reply

      Dear Keta: The Freedman brothers have owned Markdel for some years – Lee was a real flop in his return to training in Sydney, and his co-trainer has also given the game a break for a while. His younger brother, Anthony, is moving his training operation from Markdel to Flemington, so it seems a sensible move to let Lee play around at Markdel with the pre-training centre proposed. Hugs, KathyR.

      • / Reply

        Kathy R
        I knew you’d have the rest of the story.

        Think they will decorate Frankel’s stall with a heart?
        Hugs, Keta

        • Dear Keta: It’s the least they can do for the best horse in the world! On another issue, forgot to mention from the Bensley, Lord Ted interview – Andrew raised a rumour he’s heard that some Aussie mares will travel to Frankel – he mentioned John Singleton in particular – maybe that’s where More Joyous will head when she retires?? (Singleton was behind Big Brown standing at Vinery, and owns Strawberry Hill stud in the Hunter). Hugs, KathyR.

      • / Reply

        Funny thing about trainers. They seem to get smarter as they get better horses to train. When Bobby Frankel first came to Santa Anita from New York, he was known strictly as a claiming trainer who knew how to play the game. Then he started getting some good horses, and the rest is history.

  28. / Reply

    Karen G
    Hope this day has been very special and filled with love & laughter.
    You give so much to others. I hope you received lots of lovely gifts.
    Happy Birthday!
    Hugs, Keta

  29. / Reply

    To All

    If any have a spare moment go into Woodfordstallions.com and check out LeRoy’s Boys race video. Would love to know what you all think. Such a pretty young colt.
    Bill Mott did look pleased. Check out too the commercial of Dad Leroidesanimaux. Love him dearly.

    Congratulations to W. S. Farish on the purchase of Sarah’s Secret . What a beauty
    Dear Zenyatta you might have a new girlfriend nearby. What do ya think.

    • / Reply

      On Woodfordstallions home page you click into the picture of Leroidesanimaux and it will give you info on him and his commercial. On below you see news to the right I believe and it give Leroy’s Boy’s race video.

      • / Reply

        Dear Ann NC,

        See above thread, sorry.

        Dear Peggy,

        Thanks for sharing, maybe a Derby hopeful.

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