Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Zenyatta News, Ziconic

Ocala Bound

Ziconic at Lane's End Farm, September 2014. Photo by Kyle Acebo
Ziconic at Lane’s End Farm, September 2014. Photo by Kyle Acebo

Happy New Year!

We’re beginning 2015 with a visit to Ocala, FL to check in with Ziconic. For the past few months he’s been learning the basics at Mayberry Farm, and we can’t wait to see him show off his new skills.

If you have a specific question for the Mayberrys about Ziconic or his training, ask it below. We’ll bring along some of our favorites!

-Team Z

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Reader Interactions

892 Comments

  2. / Reply

    Congratulations to California Chrome and his connections for winning HOY along with his many other awards!!!!!!!

    And congratulations to Judy the Beauty. Yes Judy, I heard you scream all the way from California!!!

    Congratulations to all the winners. What a fun evening it was.

    • / Reply

      ♥ Hi Linda!
      Was that Judy B or me that you heard screaming? I scared Hayley when Judy The Beauty won, and each time “our” beloved Chrome won :-)

      Only one winner was a disappointment to me, personally. But, overall I was happy with the winners!

      Rock Star Chrome see you this year, Sweetie!
      Love, Auntie Judy XO

  3. / Reply

    CC really did deserve his awards tonight and I was so hoping he would win. Coming from humble beginnings with very caring owners and trainer to dazzle the world with his superb talent. Sound like anyone else we know and love? Congratulations to his team as they celebrate tonight.

  4. / Reply

    Dear Z Fans:

    Congrats to all the Eclipse Winners.

    So happy for Chromie; well deserved for both Awards. Thrilled for Judy The Beauty and Day at the Spa. Danny is still my Top Older Male Turf Horse (nothing against Main Sequence). Happy for the Ramseys too. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy,

      Great pics! My favs are the baby holding the leash of the huge dog towering over him and the Christmas tree shot. Many thanks!

      Love, Kathy

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy

      Just adorable. I especially loved the German Shepherd. I had a German Shephard as a youngster. Loved him.

    • / Reply

      Judy B, Thank you for the adorable pictures. I especially loved the child & big dog with the Christmas tree! This made my evening looking at such innocents as our Packers lost in the last 5 minutes or less of the game. We had it for the taking!! Unbelievable; hard loss. No Superbowl for them. love n hugs, Sally B

  6. / Reply

    Full list of 2014 Eclipse Award winners
    Jonathan Lintner, jlintner@courier-journal.com January 17, 2015
    Horse of the Year: California Chrome
    Two-Year-Old Male: American Pharoah
    Two-Year-Old Filly: Take Charge Brandi
    Three-Year-Old Male: California Chrome
    Three-Year-Old Filly: Untapable
    Older Male: Main Sequence
    Older Female: Close Hatches
    Male Sprinter: Work All Week
    Female Sprinter: Judy the Beauty
    Male Turf Horse: Main Sequence
    Female Turf Horse: Dayatthespa
    Steeplechase Horse: Demonstrative
    Owner: Ken and Sarah Ramsey
    Breeder: Ken and Sarah Ramsey
    Trainer: Todd Pletcher
    Jockey: Javier Castellano
    Apprentice Jockey: Drayden Van Dyke
    http://www.courier-journal.com/story/sports/horses/2015/01/17/live-at-8–watch-the-2014-eclipse-awards/21921579/

    • / Reply

      From article
      “Voted on by the NTRA, Daily Racing Form and National Turf Writers
      And Broadcasters, Eclipse Awards winners were announced Saturday night at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla”

    • / Reply

      California Chrome deserved his award but Danny should have been Turf Male! Also, think Texas Red should have won.

      Am absolutely thrilled for the Ramseys. Could not happen to nicer people. Hope they give Kittens Joy some extra mints and an added trip to his spa.

      Untapable was a no brainer as was Judy the Beauty!

  9. / Reply

    January 18 Cherokee Devotional

    Talk to your body, talk to your mind, and give support to your spirit. These are your friends, your lifemates, your agility, your harmony, and your joy. Degrade them and they will fail you-not out of revenge but because it is you who keeps them in working order, who supplies them with the strength and well-being they need. Tell your legs and feet and knees how strong and steady they are, and tenderly clean the mind of trash you may have inadvertently thrown there. When something is out of order, call it back into place-and give thanks for the privilege. These are precious things, never talk negatively to them nor condemn them-because you will be condemning yourself.

    The Indian thinks of places and sends his prayers there to win help and blessing.
    Dakota Wiseman
    1800s

  10. / Reply

    Dear Sheena,

    Just saying hi in case I don’t get the chance later on. We hope you have a blessed Sabbath. So happy for Chromie on his HOY award! Love and hugs from me, kisses from Holly, Nikko and Sugar. Kathy.

  11. / Reply

    Did not get to see the presentation, but I am so very glad for CHROMIE. Everything he gets is so well-deserved. It just shows that “pedigree” isn’t everything. Liking what one does and training will take one very far. The great Seattle Slew was bought for a pittance. Love these stories. Go, Chromie!
    Congratulations to all the others as well.

    • / Reply

      Barbara Wood; I agree with you but wasn’t Chromies daddy Lucky Pulpit who is from Pulpit or am I just getting screwed up here?
      love n hugs, Sally

  13. / Reply

    Dear Kathy.You must be thrilled about CC getting HOY!!Congratulations to all winners!Poor Joey is still losing “friends”!!Finn is visiting again soon for a few days bacation!Poor Marty needed a cake with a file in it.All our furbabies are well Mango’s had some great gifts,her wardrobe must be full to bursting!Cold here today.Have a blessed Sabbath.Love and hugs to you,Kisses for Holly,Nikko and Sugar.Sheena.

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena,

      Yes! I’m ecstatic about CC’s HOY award! Go Chromie! Can’t understand why Joey would lose friends. Still missing him like crazy. Finn couldn’t find a better place for a bacation. I wish a file would bring Marty back to us! Time for Mango’s moms to make another wardrobe! Stay warm and comfy. Love and hugs, Kathy.

  14. / Reply

    Dear Max&Judy.Sprinter has ate up this morning and is his usual perky self.He will have an easy week and the plan is to go straight to Cheltenham.He was scoped last night and there was no mucus although Nicky would have preferred him not to bleed he feels it’s of little significance.If you remember Denman came back after his heart problems to win a Hennessy in 2009 so I live in hope.Don’t worry about Dan he’ll be back bigger and better this season!He is the most interesting horse in the world after all.Hugs Sheena.

    • / Reply

      Glad to get this news of SS. He is a very impressive horse. I see why you love him as a favorite. Anyone who loves horses would want to see this guy healthy so that he can race.
      Not worried about the Danimal. The Eclipse awards are not geared to deal with what Dan did this year. Dan is a kind of phenomenon as a horse. Personally I think that there is a power far bigger than any of us mortals, who makes decisions about Dan and all horses. We can only ask for mercy and hope that are our entreaties are heard. In the meantime, Danny can run free in his paddock. Butt kicking, that’s for another day.

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena and Max:

      Sheena, thanks for this positive update on SS. Hope he continues to thrive.

      Max, what you say is true. We can continue to pray for them and love them. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Glad to hear that Asa’s is doing well. I’m still more than happy to come over and monitor his heart rhythm :-)

  15. / Reply

    So happy for California Chrome and all the other winners. Love Chromie and was rooting for him.Dan,you will always be the man.
    One of my favourites,Lexi Lou ran in the La Canada at Santa Anita yesterday. She came second to CC in his turf race.Hope she did well and came home safely.

  16. / Reply

    Just read Lexi Lou was just getting going mid way through the race.
    She has proven herself on turf, some say she needed a longer race and time will tell if she races on dirt again. What a year she has had regardless!

  17. / Reply

    Dear Max.Vautour back to his winnings ways with shorty aboard!Long Run is out of the Grand National it’s taken much longer for him to recover from the injuries he sustained travelling back from France last may.Sheena.

    • / Reply

      Saw the video. Vautour jumps well. How is Real Steel after his fall? Looked like he lost a step and just tumbled. Not great news for Long Run as that is a long recovery. I don’t really like travel for horses except between The UK and Ireland or over here between the U.S. and Canada. Too much can go wrong.

  18. / Reply

    Daily Racing Form ‏Sunday Jan. 18, 2015 ICYMI: Full recap of last night’s #EclipseAwards ceremony; California Chrome crowned Horse of the Year
    California Chrome captures Horse of the Year title
    By Jay Privman Daily Racing Form 01/17/2015
    HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – California Chrome proved as popular with Eclipse Award voters as he was with the general public, earning titles as both Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male at the 44th annual Eclipse Awards dinner Saturday night at Gulfstream Park
    http://www.drf.com/news/california-chrome-captures-horse-year-title

    • / Reply

      Dear Bluegrass Girl

      Wow our champion Big Brown looks magnificient. A little note to Paul Pompa. Sure hope your new beautiful boy and one that has my heart Night Prowler. Sure hope he stays healthy and can do even close to as good as your Brownie did. Please take good care of our boy.

    • / Reply

      Powerful and so handsome! Loved him then and still love him. So encouraging to see him in spectacular condition like this. Thanks so much for this treat of a photo. with love, Elizabeth

  20. / Reply

    For some that were talking about our wonderful Donkey’s a week or so ago. (Max you come to mind) When I just visited with Ziconic when I was leaving I was going down the long road to go out to the main highway. (It’s beautiful there) Horses everywhere.

    In a field along side that road of a connecting farm. There were a lot of horses in this one pasture I stopped on the road just to gaze at them and talk to them . I am assuming they were all mares as they were all together. They all looked pretty plump too. One real pretty gray. Max I thought about you. Anyway there was this one Donkey laying down in the field with them. I thought how beautiful, Just beautiful. A pretty big Donkey too. He was just lying there majestically. I thought OK is he or she just on Guard Duty??????

    Put me just to wondering about this. Just a beautiful site. Was he there just to protect these mares. I do know there are some predator cats in Florida. We had one to attack a horse up here on the Ga Fla line a year or so ago at a farm here. The mare got better and I don’t believe they have had any more attacks.

    • / Reply

      Donkeys have excellent hearing and eyesight. This one might have been having a bit of a rest while the horses watched over him or her. If the horses were all standing up, this might have been what was going on. If any predator arrives, horses always take flight. Donkeys on the other hand stand their ground and will try to figure out how to get the predator out of the place. They bray loudly too. That sound carries for a long distance. That sound alone can scare off dogs, foxes or coyotes. Don’t mess with Texas or a guard donkey.

    • / Reply

      Dear Peggy and Z Fans:

      Angela told me today that a cute little donkey named Eeyore is coming to live at the farm this week. Unfortunately, the poor little guy is blind. Don’t know the circumstances. Can’t wait to see him. Love and Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Oh how sweet this is for the farm Judy B.!! and named Eeyore to boot, how special. Happy for your excitement and can’t wait for your news.
        love n hugs, Sally B

  21. / Reply

    Congrats to CC and all his connections! Wasn’t sure this was going to happen so glad he received HOY and top 3 year old. Since it wasn’t Wise Dan I’m glad it was CC. Congratulations to all the winners.

    • / Reply

      Abigail! What a treasure – a stunning compendium of racing history! Thank you so much for putting this together and sharing your knowledge. Would love to have a copy of this – perhaps you’ll put this together into a book?? What a great survey. Thank you and many blessings especially in all of your work. with love, Elizabeth

    • / Reply

      Wonderful article Abigail! I am always blown away by the care, effort, and attention to detail in your work. Also finally took the time to read “Anticipation” which was also just super! Bravo!

    • / Reply

      Dear Abigail:

      Thank you so much for this latest from the Vault. What a thrill to see photos of all those great horses. Ferdinand and Ruffian tug at my heart. Love and Hugs, JB

  23. / Reply

    Zayat Racing Stables’ Run for the Roses (Interview with Ahmed Zayat)
    TVG Published on Jan 14, 2015 (Pre-Eclipse Awards)
    To have a Kentucky Derby contender in your barn is the aspiration of most involved in thoroughbred racing. Zayat Stables owns THREE of the top-ten horses on the Kentucky Derby leaderboard. Ahmed Zayat joins TVG to offer unparalleled insight on El Kabeir, who leads the charge in the Derby points race, the ever-developing Mr. Z, and Eclipse Award finalist American Pharoah. He also offers a heads-up on a few under-the-radar horses to watch, and an update on 2012 Vox Populi winner Paynter, whose first foals arrive this year!
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReXYlIHhd1c

  24. / Reply

    Dear Abigail.Wonderful to see all those champions!Loved seeing Arkle and “Rummy”At the time Arkle was stabled at Kempton following his accident there on King George day in 1966.He flew home on Feb 26th1967 and had a very gentle end on may 31st 1970.The greatest steeplechaser that ever lived.Hugs Sheena

  27. / Reply

    Dear Abigail,thank-you so much.The photos are terrific, these older ones are so precious and I am impressed with their quality.So many great shots and moments to treasure with these horses and their people. Last night I was learning about Man O’ War and wanted to learn about his groom. I typed that into my search bar and voila,there you were and your article from the vault. Will and Man O’War were soulmates and I am glad they had over 15 years together.One day I want to buy your book!

    • / Reply

      Barbara Ashby
      The Mosses have used Victor as a jockey many times in the past. I cannot speak for them, or for Shirreffs, but perhaps this is the reason why.

      Judy

  29. / Reply

    Belated congrats to all of the Eclipse Award winners and especially California Chrome! What a thrill to hear his name announced. Am so fortunate to have seen several of the winners at the BC.

  30. / Reply

    Dear Sheena:

    Goodnight. Great video. Love and Hugs, JB, LM, PC, HT, Cap, Herc, Frank, Boo and all the Sweeties

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