Zenyatta

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Zenyatta News

Snow Day at Lane’s End

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

Happy Wednesday!

Alys took these great photos of Zenyatta playing in her paddock. We think she looks especially beautiful set against the snowy Lane’s End landscape.

Team Z and the staff at Lane’s End are getting ready for the arrival of this year’s foals. Accordingly, we’d like to invite the next round of questions for our “Ask The Experts” column. Questions related to the foaling process will be considered first, but all questions are welcome.

We look forward to hearing from you!

Edit: We have receieved so many great questions from all of you! Submissions are now closed for the time being. If you didn’t get a chance to ask your question, don’t worry, there will be more opportunities in the future.

Some of you have recently asked about the Zenyatta Shop. Our apologies, the Shop is closed at this time. If you have any outstanding orders or inquiries, please contact us by emailing info@zenyatta.com.

-Team Z

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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


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


z242

Reader Interactions

1,885 Comments

  1. / Reply

    SOFT FALLING RAIN WIN Racing Post‏ tweet
    Soft Falling Rain wins the UAE 2,000 Guineas for Mike de Kock under Paul Hanagan.

    Pat Cummings‏ tweet Soft Falling Rain UAE 2K Guineas win was 2.29s faster than last week’s UAE 1k Gns & 0.54s faster than BBQ Eddie’s Maktoum Challenge R1 win.

    Tom Hall‏ tweet SAF-bred Soft Falling Rain by National Assembly (Danzig) is from U.S. female family of G1 Ky Oaks winner Gal in a Ruckus

  2. / Reply

    Marcus Hersh‏ DRF tweet TRADE STORM WIN
    Trade Storm ran HUGE 2nd start of Carnival.
    Broke poorly, lagged in last, mowed them down with tremendous R2 rally. #dubaicarnival

  3. / Reply

    From Syria to Frankel – 308 years to perfection
    ARJAN STULEN’S Racing Post Bloodstock POSTED AT 2:54pm 14 FEB 2013
    In the year 1700 a horse is born in Syria. Four years later Thomas Darley buys the Arabian horse. He is shipped to Yorkshire and the unraced horse starts covering mares in 1705. In time he will be known as the Darley Arabian. Together with the Goldolphin Arabian and Byerley Turk they are to be called the ‘foundation sires’ of the thoroughbred.
    Sixty-four years later a horse is born (1764). He is a great-great-grandson of the Darley Arabian and his dam is a granddaughter of the Godolphin Arabian. He will be named Eclipse and walks 1,400 miles to race meetings across England to win all of his 18 races. He becomes a very influential sire because 250 years later 95 per cent of all living thoroughbreds can be traced back to Eclipse.
    http://bloodstock.racingpost.com/blog/bloodstock/arjan-stulen/from-syria-to-frankel-308-years-to-perfection/1203907/

  4. / Reply

    Such gorgeous pictures of Queen Z. And what an athlete she still appears even nine months pregnant!

    Please let us see her often–the sight of her makes my day!!

  6. / Reply

    Injured Tidal Bay out of Grand National
    ESPN staff February 14, 2013
    Champion trainer Paul Nicholls has been dealt a huge blow with the news Grand National top weight Tidal Bay has been ruled out of the race on account of injury.
    Tidal Bay has been transformed since being switched to the Nicholls yard and raised hope of a Cheltenham Festival and Grand National tilt when taking the Lexus Chase at Christmas.
    A minor setback ruled him out of the Argento Chase recently and it has now been confirmed that a stress fracture has ruled Tidal Bay out for the season.
    Read more at http://www.espn.co.uk/horseracing/sport/story/193121.html#JOEGR2vZP1hb4vOz.99

  7. / Reply

    Just want to say GET WELL SOON to Rachel Alexandra following her surgery last night. Thoughts and prayers are with you for your complete recovery.

  8. / Reply

    I’ve have my candle lit for Rachel and her filly. Keep the prayers going. May all the mares have safe deliveries.

  9. / Reply

    Hi Everyone: I am so happy that I was able to finally get to a computer to see what’s been going on. I doubt I will get to a race track although I would have loved to. Wouldn’t that have been something.

    I am absolutely shocked to hear the news on Rachel Alexander. I hope she will be okay. This is such sad, very sad news. I am going to try to read some of the news that you folks included.

    Take care. Love and hugs.

    – Linda

  11. / Reply

    HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!! Thanks to Alys/Lane’s End for the most wonderful photos
    of Zenny. She looks so healthy, happy and frisky. Too cute! :) Wishing everyone in the
    Zenyatta Nation all best wishes, now and always!
    Peace, Love & Blessings,
    Kathy from SoCal xoxo

    Yes…healing prayers for Rachel Alexandra! :)

  12. / Reply

    Dear Zenyatta family: Feeling cautiously positive about Rachael: mustering all the power of St Francis for this one. Hugs, KathyR.

  13. / Reply

    Simply just a beautiful, breath-taking girl! I don’t think my love for Zenyatta does anything but grows more profound :) Such an amazing presence & lovely spirit about her.
    These pictures are wonderful & she looks like she is having such a good time frolicking around in the snow. She has such a striking gaze…full of curiosity! Thank you SO much for sharing these moments of her with us, LE & Alys. It is a real treat to be able to see her enjoying her day out in the paddock before her new baby arrives!
    Prayers for an easy delivery & a healthy little foal <3

  14. / Reply

    Dear Max and Z Fans:

    Praying for RA’s complete recovery and reunion with her new filly.

    On a happier note; don’t know if you all remember me mentioning that we were supposed to get a mare called Hudson Township the same day that we got Papa Charlie. The day before I was to pick them both up from Suffolk Downs, the trainer called and told me he had sold HT to someone else. Well, she was for sale again and our EAN group came through once more and I was able to purchase HT this morning. She’s on Angela’s farm with Papa Charlie and Gigi. So happy we were able to get her.

    Now, if only we can get some good news about RA, that will really make my day. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      JudyB. On a stressful day, it is good to see some positive news. Very glad for HT, and for the other horses to have the company of a new friend. Happy Valentine’s Day to all.

    • / Reply

      Bless you, Judy B.!
      So glad that you and EAN were able to rescue Hudson Township. Now she has the chance to be loved and cared for in a safe haven.
      Thanks for giving us this positive news.
      All the best and hugs to HT AND to all her new friends.

      • / Reply

        Dear Marshall:

        Thank you from me and all the EAN Aunties. HT is such a beauty. She has a gorgeous dish face with huge kind eyes. She has some rain rot in her coat, needs to put on some weight and to be checked by the farrier, but otherwise seems to be just fine. We had never seen her outside of a stall and both Angela and I were surprised at how tall she is.

        Glad to provide some good news on this day, which has all of us worried and concerned for RA. Praying she gets through this. Hugs, JB

  15. / Reply

    What a beautiful Valentines present…turning on the computer and finding lovely pictures of Zenny!!!! She just radiates “AWESOME” :-) As with all fans of these great mares – my heart goes out to the connections of Rachel Alexandra and prayers that all goes well and she has a speedy recovery!

  17. / Reply

    Thank you to all who posted pic’s video’s and places to read about my beloved girl “Rachel”, also my sister’s name!

    I hope no one will be mad at me for saying this, but Rachel holds a very ultra special place in my heart, because if it wasn’t for my love and admiration for her and Calvin, I would have never learned about Zenyatta, and followed her amazing career. I saw Rachel’s last race in Saratoga on Sept 5, 2009, it was simply amazing, she was like a freight train coming down the stretch!

    My heart is truly broken this morning to hear of her very serious condition, and her little lady being taken to another mare for nursing, how fitting to have a broken heart on Valentine’s Day. All of tonight’s prayers will be sent to her and her filly and the whole Stonestreet team. I have the most gorgeous framed and signed by Calvin picture of her, it was the best money I spent on Sept 5, 2009!

    I do have a question: Will Rachel’s filly be returned to her WHEN she recovers? or is she gone forever? Did she nurse Taco? I know she had some problems after he was born too? I pray that WHEN she recovers her connections see fit to give her a year off from foaling, and just let her rest. relax, and be free!

    A Very Broken Hearted
    GirlSaratoga

    • / Reply

      Dear Girl Saratoga:

      Praying for RA’s complete recovery. Although she did have a few days of care at Rood and Riddle after Taco’s birth, she did nurse him herself.

      I don’t know what will happen in this case scenario once RA hopefully is well enough to return to Stonestreet. Maybe Zenyen and some of the other knowledgeable Z’sters and Dumplings would know. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Judy:

        Thanks for the infor about Taco, I thought she nursed him, but then started to doubt myself after reading some place about nurse mares, and Rachel’s treatment of Taco! It wasn’t here, should know NOT to go any where else but HERE for the best information!

        Congrats on HT another playmate for Charlie and Gigi! (You sure are filling Angela’s barn up for her!) She sounds like an absolute wonderful person after last weekend she deserves a spa day or weekend, and I don’t mean mud!

        I was so happy to hear you did not loose power and you were warm and fed! But it must of been quiet? Getting ready for possibly another storm on Sat into Sun, spring can’t come soon enough now!

        Happy your safe
        Heavy Heart GirlSaratoga

        • Dear Girl Sratoga:

          Angela filled the last stall in her barn with the arrival of HT. She is an amazing person and a great friend. She will be leaving in a little while for a well deserved week in Florida.

          We were very lucky here in our building not losing electricity or heat. Hope you fared as well. Would be great if the temps stay mild and this weekend’s storm is rain instead of snow. Here’s hoping.

          I share your love and worry for RA. Praying for her to stay strong and keep fighting. Encouraging that she was able to enjoy a mint. Sweet girl.

          Good to have you back posting. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Hi GS, on the forum side, under Rachel, some of the experts have commented on the foal situation and why she will most likely not go back to Rachel.

      • / Reply

        Hi Louise:

        Thanks for the info about Rachel’s filly, and where I can go to read and educate myself on these situations. I am sure it is well written and very informative.

        Continued Prayers for My Girl
        GirlSaratoga

    • / Reply

      GirlSaratoga,

      As Judy has rightly explained, Rachel was able to nurse Taco and he never had to be separated from her.

      This case, unfortunately, is a great deal more severe and required extensive surgery and will require a much longer recovery period with a lot more drugs involved, drugs that would pass into Rachel’s milk supply to her filly, were the filly kept on her.

      While it is heartbreaking from a human sentiment standpoint, the best thing for Rachel and for her filly was for the filly to be placed on a nurse mare. This way Rachel can be given the top quality of care (medications) without worry of what will pass to the filly and Rachel can have time to recuperate from her surgery without having the stress of a rambunctious foal at her side, demanding to nurse and banging into her.

      Unfortunately you can’t explain to a young, healthy foal that ‘Momma needs to rest’.

      Rachel’s recovery is going to be of a length that her milk is going to dry up long before she would be cleared to nurse/have a foal at her side. Also it would be psychologically confusing for the filly to bond to the nurse mare, then be taken from her and placed back on Rachel. It would also be chancy if, after a prolonged separation, Rachel would accept the filly as ‘her’s’. Nurse mares are prized for their dispositions and their willingness to accept a foal not their own.

      I have to be direct in my language here so please do not take offense but they are horses. For the filly, she most likely had not had time to bond to Rachel. She had less than 24 hours on her dam before this happened and so for her the nurse mare will quickly become “Mom”. For Rachel this would be as if the filly had died and she will be heavily medicated (by necessity from her surgery) through the ‘worst’ of her grief period.

      Horses live in the ‘now’ and after about 72 hours or so, Rachel will move on as will the filly with her new ‘dam’.

      • / Reply

        Dear Zenyen:

        Thank you for, once again, a very detailed explanation of what happens in a situation like this one.

        I feel sad because RA herself was rejected by her Dam, Lot A Kim and was raised by a nurse mare. She had an aggressive racing career and proved time and again that she is a fighter and has spunk. Now, she is battling this infection. I just hope and pray that RA can get through this pain, fight this infection and be well again. She’s a beautiful, special girl. Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        Thank you so much for your valuable and sensible info. We all need to keep
        our feelings in check. It is hard not to get too emotionally involved. I am glad
        good humans are caring for Rachel and her little one. I pray they both
        do well and come out of this sound and happy.Just have to trust they will do the
        right things for them both.

      • / Reply

        Zenyen:

        Thanks you so much for explaining what will happen with Rachel’s filly, I can handle me being sad but am very happy to know she will not be sad, and it will be a thing of past for her in 2-3 days. Her full recovery is all that matters to me now, but I am happy her little girl is being cared for another wonderful step mommy!

        I was not offended by your choice of words, I could just tell that you were not trying to be mean or hurtful or offensive in any way because I didn’t know, you wanted to give me the facts of this delicate situation. And for that I am grateful and very appreciative. I guess I sometimes forget they are horses and have their own way of doing things and their own basic instincts. I forget animals don’t feel the way we humans do, if I accidentally bump one of my animals I say “I’m sorry” to them! I think it’s just a force of habit saying your sorry!

        Thank you again for all the great information, I am glad her filly will be well cared for and Rachel will have the best care and the best chance at a full recovery, this is what’s most important, not my crazy feelings and human emotions.

        My Sweet Rachel Stay Strong and Believe
        GirlSaratoga

        • Dear Zenyen and Judy: Thanks for the explanation. Now let’s just join with St Francis in sorting this situation out as quickly as possible. Hugs, KathyR.

        • Dear Girl Saratoga:

          I do the same thing with Lola Mae. If she sneezes, I say God Bless You. I talk to her all the time. It’s become a habit and I do love all five lbs. of her so much. Hugs, JB

        • Dear Kathy R.:

          Yes, I pray to St. Francis for Rachel and the little one. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Girl, I, like you, became a Zenyatta fan because of Rachel and Rags To Riches. These 3 mares have rewritten the racing history with their record breaking careers. I vowed to quit following racing after Barbaro but was drawn back in by Rachel and Zenny.

      Zenyatta is the once and only Queen but Rachel is also special. Here’s hoping Zenny has an easy and safe delivery.

      Hopefully the news on Rachel tomorrow will be nothing but positive.

    • / Reply

      Dear GirlSaratoga, I’m certain no one here would blame you in the slightest for holding Rachel in that ultra special place in your heart. Like you, and Shirleeinindy, and Debbie G, I too came to know Zenyatta in part because of Rachel, so we are doubly bound to love Rachel–first for heroic herself, and second for the world she opened our eyes to. Power Up Rachel!

  18. / Reply

    Casey has posted detailed report from press conference on the forum side under notes from press conference. Very good and detailed info! Power Up Rachel!

  21. / Reply

    Dear Zenyatta and 12Z, Lanes End, Team Z, Mr and Mrs Moss and Z-sters.

    Happy Valentines Day! Zenyatta you have brought a lot of love into the world and between us all just by being your beautiful , lovely self. Thank you Zenny! I love you forever my angel.

    I know our hearts are heavy for Rachel Alexandra and her beautiful Valentine filly, but lets remember how our prayers healed Paynter. Saint Anthony we need you again for our dear Rachel Alexandra and her filly. Power up Rachel. Lots of love and good thoughts coming to you.

    Love and hugs to you all.

  23. / Reply

    dear judy wonderful news aboutHT a very lucky girl to have you in her life praying hard for dear rachel hugs sheena
    dear keta so sad to hear about tidal bay paul is not having much luck this season at least it promises drier weather in the run up to cheltenham hugs sheena

  25. / Reply

    My dear Rachel A and RA team, my heart is broken and I cannot stop my tears, my prayers are for you. This is the reason that I hate when the mares are bred so soon.

    I only hope this doesn’t happen to Zenyatta. Ingrid.

    • / Reply

      Ingrid,

      This truly had nothing to do with Rachel being bred two years in a row. It was the size of the foal that was part of the complication, 140lbs foal is big and could have happened at any time in her breeding career.

      • / Reply

        Dear Ingrid: Please try not to cry – just go back and look at the pictures of Zenyatta in the snow, and she’ll help you get through this – and join with us all in prayers for Rachael and those caring for her. Hugs, KathyR.

  26. / Reply

    Despite the sadness today I hope you all had a lovely valentines day trina’s poems were so beautiful I was recalling all the animals in my life gone now but never ever forgotten they remain in my heart foreverlove and hugs sheena

  28. / Reply

    I am just heartsick about the news of Rachel’s injury. I read about it this morning and I cried like a baby. I love her so much. She’s the one that got my obsession with horses started. I pray that she has a speedy recovery and that she can eventually get to re-bond with her foal. She looked at her with such loving eyes, this just breaks my heart. Power up Rachel! You can do this!

    Trina, thank you so much for the beautiful poems. The one dedicated to people that had lost a beloved fur-baby really struck a chord with me. My best friend Jim lost his Buster last week and my good friend Vivian lost her Shelby two weeks before that. I’m sure that most of us on the blog have gone through this and know the immeasurable pain that goes along with it. Thank you for dedicating your beautiful poem to everyone that’s gone through this.

    • / Reply

      The filly has been successfully transfer to a nurse mare and is doing well with her new ‘Mom’.

      Now all Rachel has to do is focus on beating this and getting healthy.

        • Kathy,

          Just to be clear I am going off what has been reported through other outlets. If you look on page 19 Max has posted a link to a TVG interview with the spokesman for Rood and Riddle and he explains what happened, what steps have been taken and talks about the filly and her status. He mentioned that she is a feisty young lady but that she and her nurse mare have bonded very well, faster than most and they sound pleased for this.

          One thing that can be off their minds while they focus on Rachel.

    • / Reply

      My Dearest Debbie,
      I too cried this morning when I read the news about Rachel. I saw her race at Churchill Downs and when she walked past me in the paddock I was struck by her amazing beauty. I loved her before, but after that she held a special place in my heart ever since. I have been thinking about you today. I know how much she means to you, especially after you were blessed to spend some time with her on a Rachel Day. What special memories she has given us! I am sending love to you both and praying that God give her strength and healing. Hugs, Dawn

      • / Reply

        Dearest Dawn, thank you so much for your kind words. I remember us talking about Rachel and how special she is. I know she means a lot to you too. There are a lot of people out there praying for her and I know what a fighter she is. I really believe she can beat this, she just has to. Hugs, Debbie

  29. / Reply

    A bit of good news. Sean Avery a 7 year old gelding is being retired to Old Friends. Many thanks to his owners who are making a generous contribution to Old Friends for his care. May this move more owners to provide for their older horses, especially the geldings.

    • / Reply

      Dear Shirlee:

      I remember this fine fellow. He won the Vanderbilt Handicap (Grade 1) at Saratoga in 2011. Wonderful to know he has found a forever home with Old Friends. Caring owners. Hugs, JB

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