Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Zenyatta News

Z and Baby Have New Paddock Mates

Photo courtesy of Lane's End.

Photo courtesy of Lane's End.

Here are today’s new photos of 12 Zenyatta, who weighed in on Friday at 191 lbs. Today he and his mom were turned out with the mare Spooky Minister and her three week old Candy Ride colt. They kept to themselves today, but we think they’ll be best buds in no time!

We’ll have more photos for you soon.
-Team Z

Reader Interactions

844 Comments

  2. / Reply

    HAPPY B-DAY BIG MAMA!!! May all your carrot and peppermint wishes come true and a big nuzzle to your baby boy! XOXOXO

  3. / Reply

    Happy Birthday, dearest Queen! Hope you have a wonderful day with your darling son! And that you get a tasty birthday treat!

    Much love to you both,
    Stel

  4. / Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ZENYATTA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
    Hope you have a great day with your little one and maybe even with “Mom and Dad” (who will hopefully have cameras!). Hope this year will bring everything your big horsey heart desires.
    ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ Love from your Ohio friend, Sandy

  5. / Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR QUEEN!!!! You are the most attentive mama we have ever seen. So thrilled that you have taken to it. As Ann Moss said, with such elegance. As always! Much love to 12Z too.

  7. / Reply

    A Birthday Poem for Zenyatta, Karen Mitchell from Berkeley, CA, and Sue W from VA (aka Crazy4Z)
    (April 1, 2012)

    Since the day
    That Zenyatta burst
    Onto the scene,
    It’s become passé
    And dusty old-school
    That April 1st
    Could be thought
    The day of the fool,
    Subject to ridicule
    Or taunting derision!
    That concept all Z’sters eschew,
    For the Queen
    Has brought
    A vision
    That’s new
    To this date—
    Now April 1 is totally cool!
    Karen and Sue,
    We do congratulate
    You two
    That you your birthdays share
    With the illustrious mare
    For whom we all care.
    Lucky you!
    Hope you’re ready to celebrate!

    Happy birthday, and many, many more, to Zenyatta, Karen and Sue!

  8. / Reply

    Well, my post telling all of you how much I missed you and love you got lost, fancy that, me losing a post. LOL! Since I had to concentrate on clean up, the rest of the house is a mess, but I breathe again (no more smell). Trying to catch up, and what is the Forum? I joined, anything to do with The Birthday Queen, Zenyatta…I sign up. Also, busy at work, we are going to have ‘changes’ (hope it is not bad), and could not even take a peek at Z.C. Had Drs appts, but this is good new, I now have High Tech hearing and can now socialize in person…I have so missed all of you soo much. I am going to scroll and catch up, caught something abou Terry Crow better get off Z.C as he is probably in trouble AGAIN!! Hugs and Kisses…Lisag

    • / Reply

      Dear Lisag:

      Glad you’re back posting. Sorry you have to go through all that clean up. The Forum is listed at the top of this page right after Blog. Click on and go to Forum Page where you can sign up with user name and password of your choice. Then Team Z e-mails you a confirmation and your good to go. There are a bunch of Discussions already listed or you can start your own. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Lisag-Tell Cynthia that I was really complimenting her and got tangled up. As anyone who has met her can attest to, she is a most attractive and gracious person. Good to have you back at any rate. We were somewhat worried.

  10. / Reply

    RIP Fox Hunt and Bronze Cannon. Such a sad race. I must have gotten home only in time for the 2nd running. Glad I didn’t see the 1st.

    Happy birthday Zenyatta! Hope you and 12Z celebrate in good style with lots of carrots and other lovely goodies.

  12. / Reply

    Happy Birthday beautiful mammy, last year you had a big carrots cake, I wonder what you are going to get in this year, maybe a double carrot cake for mammy and son.
    Love you for evereeeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Ingrid.

  13. / Reply

    Happy Birthday My Sweet Lady Zenyatta! What a special birthday for you and 12 Zenyatta to share together.
    Sending lots of hugs & kisses with love from Alabama, Amanda Gilliland

  14. / Reply

    Happy 8th birthday Zennie!! We miss you here in in SoCal! Hope you and the prince have a wonderful day together. Enjoy a Guinness.. I will think of you when I have mine!
    Xoxox

  17. / Reply

    Happy Birthday to you…
    Happy Birthday to you..
    Happy Birthday gorgeous Zenyatta…
    Happy Birthday to youuuuuuuu.

    To the most beautiful horse I know. Many carrots and peppermints for you today.

    xoxoxo

  19. / Reply

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY to you Zenyatta, enjoy your day with 12z…hoping
    you will have some pears that you love and peppermints and carrots..
    Hugs and kisses to you sweet one and have a wonnderful day .
    XOXOXOXOXO

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy,
      What a sweet story! Wow, 33 years old and Flatterer looks quite beautiful! I do love happy endings! Thanks!

      • / Reply

        Dear Marshall:

        Oh, so do I. Yes, he looks really good for thirty-three. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Judy. This is one of the best links that you have ever found. It is a wonderful uplifting story. Those horses look magnificent. All horses should be treated this way. Thank you for sharing this truly inspiring story.

      • / Reply

        Dear Max:

        You’re so welcome. I always check Barbara Livingston’s Blog. She does the best stories and beautiful photos. Multi- talented lady. Really does the heart good to read about happy endings. Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Judy, I enjoyed that link very much, thanks. Pape has done a heck of a lot for the horses that Sheppard has trained so well. Interesting, too, how Pape feels his 2nd career, the dressage has played a part in Flatterer’s longevity, of course along with being pal’d up with a younger gal.

      Deep in the comments, there was a mislink to youtube, but I found the target race, See You Then- The 1987 Champion Hurdle (Cheltenham), showing Flatterer coming up from the left, and fighting to close to 2nd just before the finish. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8R9ACIAljuU

      • / Reply

        Dear Vicki:

        Yes, they probably helped him stay fit with the dressage. Thirty three is a rare age for most horses to attain.

        Checked out the You Tube link. Always watched the Hurdle races with my hands over my eyes ’til it was over. Somebody, unfailingly, falls every time. Flatterer really closed beautifully in that race. So glad he’s having a peaceful, happy life on the farm with his girlfriend. Hugs, JB

        • Judy, I have seen very few of those Steeplechase races, on tv. If someone falls “every time”, then I’m assuming they must usually get up and are ok — if there were a lot of bad injuries, I would think they couldn’t continue holding these races. Do you know if that’s true?

        • Regarding steeplechase dangers, they are real and expected, and statistically much higher than flat racing. It’s an extreme sport, like big-wave surfing, skydiving, auto-racing, etc. With humans, those who want to be at the edge, will be there, one way or another. The horses don’t choose this, but, since they are bred for it, if not for the sport, some of them might not exist at all: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-13034474

          “A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.”

        • Dear Vicki B.:

          I don’t know the statistics of fatalities in Hurdle Races vs. Flats. But as Sara said, it is an extreme sport involving danger and risk. I’ve only seen Hurdle races at Saratoga and I’m peeking through my fingers. The falls and the tragedies, sometimes resulting from them, are unfortunately a sad part of it. Some horses are lucky and they just get up and are OK. Others are injured too severely and can’t be saved (as we have seen with so many that we love). Steeplechase has been going on forever in Europe; not as popular in the States. I think I read there’s about 200 sanctioned Steeplechase races run in the US yearly.

          It really is hard to bear watching a race and seeing a horse go down. Ruins the whole day for me. Hugs, JB

        • Thanks Sara, Judy, and Terry. I didn’t realize the hurdles are so dangerous, although it makes sense. Such an accident was part of a Dick Francis novel I recently read. I have watched Olympic Equestrian jumping, but as those hurdles are not fixed, they come down when struck. The horses also aren’t running full-tilt while jumping, like on an open course.

          Even more amazing then, how well Flatterer did, and has managed to live to the ripe old 33, so far — although injury in his last race was what ended his jumping career. He had a little over 4 full years jumping, and accomplished so much!

      • / Reply

        Vicki-Dick Francis novels are really great. A good example of what a hurdles race is like can be seen in the movie National Velvet.

  21. / Reply

    just celebrated Zenyatta’s birthday by watching the 17:32 minute coverage of the 2009 BC Classic – 3 times!!! it’s spine-tingling and super-thrilling every time!!!

  22. / Reply

    Dear Zenyatta,

    HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!! Hope your day has been absolutely perfect! I hear you had visitors yesterday — I know you were glad to see them as I am sure they were extremely happy to see you and 12Z!
    All the very Best to you on your 8th, but then I guess you already got the Best Gift, and he is there running around with you! Love you Bunches! XOXOXOXOXOXOXO. . .!!!!!!

  23. / Reply

    Happy Birthday, sweetie! we share the same birthday…aren’t we lucky. Kisses on your soft nose and hugs to you and little Prince.

  25. / Reply

    WOW! GIRL!!! It’s your Birthday today!!!!!!!!! L♥ve Happy YOU Day M♥mma!!!!
    I L♥ve you more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and more and MORE each and everyday!!!!!! WHOOP! THERE IT IS!!! 8 Years old today!!!!!!!!! AND A M♥MMA!!!!
    XO♥♥00XX♥O♥♥OXX♥OX For y♥u and B♥by too!!!!!!

  26. / Reply

    Happy birthday Zenny!! I hope you and Z12 are having fun celebrating your special day!
    Love you,
    Leslie

  28. / Reply

    Judy, what a wonderful story, wouldn’t it be great if they all wound up with such compassionate, caring owners! Thanks for sharing.

    Congratulations to Nates Mineshaft on winning the New Orleans Handicap and setting a new track record. Congrats also to LE’s Mineshaft (daddy) and to my A P Indy whose grandsons are winning and carrying on his tradition.

    RIP to Grand Slam and the great Montjeu on their passing.

    Hey birthday girl hope you had a special bday dinner and carrot cake on your special day. Love Auntie Sue

    • / Reply

      Dear Sue:

      You’re so welcome. It would be wonderful if all owners and breeders were like Mr. Pape. Does my heart good to read stories like this one. Hugs, JB

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.