Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Zenyatta News

Spring Holidays and Celebrations

Mother's Day cake with Zenyatta and her filly. Photo by Ann Moss.
Mother’s Day cake with Zenyatta and her filly. Photo by Ann Moss.

Happy Monday!

We thought we’d share some photos of spring’s special moments. The Mosses celebrated Mother’s Day with an incredibly sweet cake representing Zenyatta and her filly. The Easter filly, who now has a special foal tag inscribed with her nickname “Z Princess,” was recently reacquainted with her Easter Bunny and other birthday spoils. Alys sent us these photos.

Enjoy!
-Team Z

Photo by Alys Emson.
Photo by Alys Emson.


Photo by Alys Emson.
Photo by Alys Emson.


Photo by Alys Emson.
Photo by Alys Emson.


The new "Z Princess" foal tag.
The new “Z Princess” foal tag.

Reader Interactions

728 Comments

  1. / Reply

    @ Auntie Trina–Sometimes my mother is a BIG DUMMY!! I can’t believe that she let me forget your birthday!! She has promised me that she will write it in the family birthday book ,so that we will never do that again!! We both hope that you had a wonderful day–mom said that you got a lot of really nice messages

    You should have seen what I was doing on your birthday–Mom and Auntie Sue put up a couple of little X jumps in the big outdoor arena. For the second time,I walked over them (they are very low,just to start us out) and also walked over some poles that were set out in a line. Auntie Sue kept telling Mom to trot me over them,but she thought I wasn’t ready (maybe,it was she who was not ready)–every time she would point me toward the poles,trotting,I would slow down,when we got there and then trot again,after I was over them. Mom kept saying “he doesn’t WANT to trot over them” and she kept telling Mom “you have to quit worrying about what HE wants to do and tell him what YOU want him to do. Finally, she got off of Traveller and got up on me. When she was trying to mount,I tried to play my “mounting block challenge” game with her by just starting to step back about a half a step,to see what she would do. When I did it the second time,she slapped me in the tummy and I jumped and said to myself,”oops-Auntie means business” and let her get right on. Mom always says that,when Auntie Sue rides me,we look like we’re going into a horse show,and that I look very proud and like I’m showing off! When she rode me,we trotted over both the poles and the two little jumps!@! Mom was very proud of me and said that I looked just gorgeous doing it. Of course,I think she is just a little bit predjudiced–she tells me I amm beautiful about 50 or 100 times every time she comes to see me!!

    We are supposed to go in something called an Obstacle Clinic,which has now been postponed til May 31. It seems that they have already put up a lot of the ostacles in one of the large outdoor arena. Mom and Auntie Sue decided to lead us around the things in there after we finished in the big arena. Wow-there were some reallt strange things in there. Mom lead me up and over a box-like platform and through some metal arches. Then,they took us over some big tractor tires that were on their sides and filled up with dirt. In one place they were lined up ina row of three,placed next to each other. Mom led me over the center one,but I was really stepping very slowly and carefully. I was kind of stepping on the part of the tire too and was a bit clumsy about the whole thing,but I DID do it. Traveller started over it and got scared and jumped over the whole thing!! The scariest thing was a big thing Mom called a “teeter-totter”–I walked up on it (it looked kind of like a bridge,or something) and,when I got to the middle,it slanted the other way and I walked down to the ground. It was very strange. I heard Mom say that I am supposed to go over these things when she is up on me!! I am going to have to think about that!! She says we will look at these things again next weekend,so maybe they won’t be so scary by the 31st. We’ll see!!

    We DID have fun together this weekend,and we got lots of treats and they took us out into the big field by the arena and let us eat lots of grass!! We LOVE that!! They said they are getting us used to the grass so that,when we go back to East Fork,we’ll be used to having green grass,which is all over our big fields. All in all,it was aggod time–and,on Sunday,Mom told me all about California Chrome winning the Preakness–she just loves him,mostly,I think,because she says that he looks a lot like ME!!

    Auntie Trina,I hope you liked hearing how I am doing–Mom and I talk about you a lot and one of these days,she wants you to come and visit so that you can meet me!! Have sweet dreams (maybe about meeting ME) and have a happy day tomorrow!!! I love you!!

    Barnaby John

    • / Reply

      Dear Sue Noel:

      A big thank you to Barnaby for such a great word picture of the day’s activities. Big smile on my face as I read your post. Hugs, KathyR.

    • / Reply

      Barnaby John – you are a delightful addition to the gaggle of horse-scribes that we have come to know and love here. I’m sure that your Auntie Trina will be thrilled to hear from you (tell your mom to look at the . . . well . . . you know . . . thing with numbers and pictures :-)

  2. / Reply

    Oh, Mr. & Mrs. Moss, Team Zenyatta, Alys, and Team Lane’e End, what GREAT photos these are!!! What a dear Mother’s Day cake…lovely photo of Z Princess with the Easter Bunny…love the girls with the Easter loot. Am I the only one who absolutely adores the fact each of Our Queen’s babies inherited her ears…..and what lovely ears Z Princess has.

    Thank you, Mr. & Mrs. Moss for keeping us in the loop. You have 3 fine babies!!!!!

    Love to All,
    Mary in Boone

    PS OUTSTANDING photos Alys!!! So happy you are so very talented!!!!!!!!!!

  3. / Reply

    Great pictures! Love the Mother’s Day cake — it is perfect. Thanks so much for these wonderful photos of Zenny and “Z’s Lily”. Of course, these beauties are extremely photogenic — like mother, like daughter. None lovelier! Hugs and Kisses

  4. / Reply

    Precious!
    Thank you for sharing these adorable photos.
    With the good news about, Danny Boy and seeing Z and Z Princess, life is good.
    Love that pink bunny, too.
    Sweet dreams.

  5. / Reply

    These Easter pictures are wonderful!! Thank you Alys. Oh Z princess is just so adorable meeting up with the Easter bunny. I LOVE Zenyatta and foal looking out of the stall. It would be very hard to pick one over another as they all are heartwarming.
    God bless you Zenyatta and Z princess!! Sally B

  8. / Reply

    Thank you so much, the photos are so adorable, little Z Princess is so beautiful, and Zenny looks so happy.

    Hugs Ingrid.

  12. / Reply

    Thank=You so much Alys They are just incrediable and Z Princess is Z BOMB. Will be looking for more in days ahead. Thank-You for all you do. May our Girls stay healthy and sound.

  13. / Reply

    Holy mackerel! I’ve been camped out on the “old” blog post and am way behind. These are the best pictures! I love the cake, the Easter egg wreath, and the little chicks! Most of all, I love Baby Z and Mama Z! Thank you, Ann Moss, Alys, Team Z, and LE.
    Hugs to all.

  14. / Reply

    Thanks so much for sharing the pictures of Z and Z Princess with us. They are both so beautiful, little ZP is adorable. A great mix of Dad and Mom! It is like the angels swooped down and spread fairy dust which created Z’s little Princess. She will melt hearts and kick butt on the track with a blink and a smile and all who see her will instantly love her. like her wonderful Mom. Z, you are well represented by all of your foals.
    I have been wondering how LIS and her colt are and would especially like to know if they have been reunited with Z out in the paddock? I was not sure if colts and filly foals are put together or separated by sex to build relationships once they are weaned from their Dams? For those that work with horses as a profession I have a question. Does a Dam know if she has a colt or a filly, does she know the difference? Hmmmmm…………..Would love your replies. Thanks again to the Moss’ and LEF for sharing Zenyattas’ life with us, it means the world to me.

  16. / Reply

    I think z princess would make a fine name :) Just a consideration for whenever the time comes to choose a name for this little one.

  17. / Reply

    She is such a devoted mother. I hope she does not get upset next spring when she has no foal at her side…some mares take that badly.

  19. / Reply

    What beautiful pictures. Thank You Ann, Jerry, Lane’s End.
    How Z Princess is growing. Just love her and she is just gorgeous like Moma.
    Love the cake too.
    Power Up Wise Dan
    Wonderful Way to start off the week seeing these pictures. Love you all.

  21. / Reply

    Love you always, Z. And Princess Z, those ears! What a cutie!

    The Mosses don’t seem to try to include the sire in the names of the foals, and that’s probably good in this case (“war”). How about Queenz Solstice?

  22. / Reply

    Just a thought. .. “Zensational” would be a good name, after all she is a splendid little beauty. Of course she takes after her Mom who is wicked awesome!!! (“impressively excellent” in NASCAR lingo).

  23. / Reply

    Just wonderful photos – thank you for sharing. This filly is truly adorable, and how nice to know Zenyatta will have a wonderful year off from foaling after she does an exceptional job with this filly! Thanks to the Moss’s for understanding and arranging this!

  24. / Reply

    Beautiful pictures, thank you! Curious though, when are the rest of the pictures of the birth that were previously mentioned going to be posted? Would LOVE to see more!

  25. / Reply

    May 20 Cherokee Devotional

    Many of us would gladly take the responsibility of hurt for those we love. We feel we would be more capable of bearing it, more apt to handle it. We want to leave them as unscathed and near perfect as possible. But we cannot take some people’s problems. They must use their own strength and learn what is true and false in living. Not so different from us, they might not take the wisest steps. It may also be hard for them to believe that our experiences have ever been as wretched as their own. It is difficult not to cry with those we love. Our hearts cry, even when frustration makes our faces stern and stoic. But we have to allow other people to put down their feet and take a stand. How can they become strong in their own right if we try to be in their legs?

    Sometimes we prayed in silence; sometimes each one prayed aloud; sometimes an aged person prayed for all of us…and to Usen.
    Geronimo

  26. / Reply

    Good Morning Zenny…..your little Z Princess is growing and she is just lovely…
    thanks to Team Z and all at LE that keep us in the loop….hope your boys are doing
    well too…
    ….
    kisses for all soft noses worldwide

  28. / Reply

    Oh my Goodness!! Thank you, Team Z, for sharing these wonderful photos of Zenyatta and the little princess. It is so heartwarming to see how they are doted on and given so much attention and affection and it is clear they are thriving in all of this. Thank you as always for continuing to share the amazing, beautiful wondermare with those of us who love her from far away. Thank you.

  29. / Reply

    Speaking of names for 14Z, would someone give us a tutorial on the rules concerning that? I thought a name couldn’t be repeated less than 25 years apart, but in looking at the pedigree site, that appears not to be the case. Also, I believe some names are “retired” forever. Is that just within the particular breed? I know many of you have these answers.

    • / Reply

      Here is the complete list of rules.

      http://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/registry.cfm?Page=tjcRuleBook#six

      Names that are retired forever are designated in the names list by a (P) following the name; for example, Zenyatta (P). Criteria for inclusion in the permanent retirement list have varied over the years. Currently, the list includes horses named Horse of the Year (anywhere in the world, as far as I can tell), Hall-of-Fame inductees, Eclipse and Sovereign Award winners, winners of certain races, winners of over $2M, leading sire and broodmare sire by progeny earnings, and internationally protected manes. Kentucky Broodmare of the Year was formerly included but is no longer, and there used to be a rule about protecting the names of historically significant horses. (Z’s mom Vertigineux made the cut, so her name is retired permanently.)

      Names of Grade 1 winners are unavailable for 25 years (after the victory, I assume).

      Names of horses that are actively racing or breeding

      Names of horses over 10 years of age may become available 5 years after the horse was last raced or bred.

      Names of dead horses that were unraced and unbred are available 5 years after reported death.

      The link above also includes the rules pertaining to the format of the name; e.g., length, meaning, etc.

      • / Reply

        I should also note that these rules and exclusions apply to TBs only, so one can register a horse of a different breed as Zenyatta or Secretariat, as long as it’s allowed by that particular breed registry. Also, not all TB registries the world over abide by these rules. Recently, someone tried to register a “Black Caviar” in South Africa (I think). The owner was evidently unaware of the Australian filly, but politely backed off and chose a different name when made aware of her exploits.

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