Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Zellda

It’s a Colt!

Photo of Zellda and foal. Photo by Mathea Kelley

Dear Friends,

I’m so excited and could not wait to share the news with you! MY DEAR ZELLDA had a beautiful colt by JUSTIFY on April 19th at 6:10 pm. Per Todd, “he is chestnut in color, leggy and weighed in at 107 pounds.”

Photo of Zellda and foal. Photo by Mathea Kelley

I’m delighted to let you know both Mom and Foal are doing very well. From all reports, Zellda is an excellent Mother!

Photo of Zellda and foal. Photo by Mathea Kelley

I must say, I adore watching newborn foals running and playing outside with their Moms! They are TOO CUTE as they learn to romp about, stretch their bodies and discover the ‘exciting’ places their legs can take them. After a few hours of playtime, it seems like a light bulb goes on and they suddenly realize how ‘quickly’ they can travel to all parts of the paddock. Oh Zellda, have fun! Looks like he loves to run and play!

Photo of Zellda and foal. Photo by Mathea Kelley
Photo of Zellda’s 2024 foal. Photo by Mathea Kelley
Photo of Zellda’s 2024 foal (right). Photo by Mathea Kelley
Photo of Zellda and foal. Photo by Todd Claunch
Video by Alys Emson

Reader Interactions

206 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM and DC:

    Have a pleasant night and Happy Dreams. Love all of you so much. Hugs, JB

  2. / Reply

    Dear Z, Z-Family and Z-Fans,
    Hope you are all doing well and staying cool on this the last day of June.
    The grass here looks like it is August — dry and brown, but at least I don’t need to mow! We are due to get some serious thunderstorm activity this afternoon and again during the night. I sincerely hope there will not be much thunder and no damage. Thunder upsets my little terrier-mix, Fenn.
    🤞 🙏 🐾 🙏 🤞
    So tomorrow is the 1st of July — please stay safe and cool, Dear Z. You are still an inspiration!
    Hugs and Love 💖

  3. / Reply

    Happy and safe Independence Day to all! 🇺🇸
    Here’s hoping we stay that way. 🙏
    Hugs and Love 🐎 ❤️ 🤍 💙 🐎

  5. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM and DC:

    Hope you’re all staying comfy and cool. Love and Hugs, JB❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

  6. / Reply

    Dear Z and Z-family,
    Beautiful girl, I hope you are staying well, cool and comfortable in these extremely hot humid days of summer. We could use some much needed rain here. May your pastures remain lush and green always!
    Hugs and Love 💕

  7. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM, DC, Marshall and Z Fans:

    Marshall, echoing your thoughts for everyone in this heatwave.

    Stay well and cool everybody. Love and Hugs to all of you, JB

  8. / Reply

    Dear Judy, Z, Z-Family and Z-Fans,

    ❤️ 🐎 ❤️ 🐎 ❤️ 🐎 ❤️

    Hugs and L♡ve 🥰

  9. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM and DC:

    Thinking of all of you and hoping you’re staying comfy in this heat. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Dear Rebecca,
      Thanks for posting this link. Nymue looks gorgeous — so much like Z and yet, uniquely herself. Hoping she has an exciting future: successful and healthy and happy! I wonderful how tall she is now?
      Hugs and Love ❤️

    • / Reply

      Dear Rebecca:

      Thank you so very much. I have been trying to find a recent photo of Nymue for some time with no success. She’s just gorgeous. Seems she does have War Front’s coat color or just might be that particular photo and sun exposure.

      Guess she won’t leave for training until the Autumn. Thanks again. Love and Hugs, JB

  12. / Reply

    You’re welcome for the photo; saw it while scrolling Facebook, it’s very recent.

    In other news, the colt in this post, Justify x Zellda, is named JUST SAYIN as of Wednesday, July 17. The 2023 Twirling Candy colt is still unnamed, but he was bred by Ann Holbrook Moss & Jerome S. Moss Trust, while Just Sayin is bred by Ann Holbrook Moss alone.

    ’23 Zellda is still at Lane’s End; would not be surprised if he ships out the same time as his aunt Nymue.

  13. / Reply

    For the Rags to Riches fans:
    Her granddaughter, out of the 2014 Galileo mare Rather Special, won the fifth at Monmouth today. Gilded Edge, a 2021 Justify filly, was unplaced in her first two outings and thus went off at 20-1 before winning today’s race in a blanket finish by a nose. She is owned and bred by Coolmore and trained by Todd Pletcher.
    https://twitter.com/3coltshandicap/status/1815099410856206632

    She has a 2022 full sister, Rather Distinct, who has been working at Keeneland. She was a $200,000 yearling.

    • / Reply

      Dear Rebecca:

      Thank you for the news on Just Sayin (love it) and ZEL’s Twirling Candy boy. Yes, I bet they go into training at the same time. Looking forward to following all of them.

      Thanks too on Gilded Edge and Rather Distinct. Congrats to Gilded Edge and Godspeed to both of them.

      Love and Hugs, JB

      Love and Hugs, JB

  15. / Reply

    Beholder offspring update:
    Both of her retired daughters, Karin With an I (Curlin) and Teena Ella (War Front), were bred to Authentic for 2025 foals; Karin With an I produced an Authentic colt in January. Teena Ella was never officially reported retired but was never seen again in the afternoon after winning the G3 Senorita in May 2023; her last work was Aug 7, 2023, a 3f work that took place more than six weeks after her previous (also 3f) work.

    Tamara is probably also retired or about to be after having not worked since May 25, although she is still assigned to Santa Anita.

    Beholder’s 2yo Curlin colt that made $4mil at Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Sale last year is still unnamed and is assigned to Bob Baffert’s stable. He has not recorded any workouts.

    The latest Beholder offspring is a 2024 Jackie’s Warrior filly (she did not have a 2023 foal), and she is in foal to Gun Runner.

    • / Reply

      Dear Rebecca,
      Thanks so much for these updates! Hope all goes well with Beholder’s offspring (and their offspring) and of course, for the marvelous Beholder as well. Always!
      Wow, $4million!!! That is some price-tag!

      Hugs and Love

  16. / Reply

    Since the updates are a hit, I figured I’d do Songbird now. I am planning a Rachel’s Valentina and Rags to Riches breeding update once more breedings are published (Lane’s End and Ashford have yet to post theirs and I have reason to believe they and their daughters in America are bred to stallions from those barns)….
    Zellda’s 2025 breeding has not been posted yet either; I wonder if she was bred back to Twirling Candy or Justify (or changed over to Flightline maybe).
    —
    Songbird’s first foal, the 2019 Arrogate mare Song Gate, was bred to Good Magic for 2025. She has a yearling Tapit filly (assigned to Keeneland, so look at KeeSept) and a weanling Flightline colt.
    Her second foal, the 2020 Tapit filly Magical Song, made her 4yo debut with a second-place finish in a Gulfstream Maiden Special on July 5, and worked TODAY, July 26, 4f in 49.27. Heather Smullen is her trainer. She is 0-for-5, with one second and one third.
    Her third foal is the 2021 Tapit filly Rumours Have It. She is assigned to Todd Pletcher but has not worked since February and only has four lifetime works.
    Her fourth foal is a 2022 Curlin colt, who sold for $1 million to Grandview Equine at Keeneland September last year; he is assigned to them and still unnamed. He has worked at Winstar Training Center, but not since May.
    Her fifth foal is a 2023 Curlin filly, who is assigned to Keeneland; look for her in the Keeneland September catalog when that is released.
    Her sixth foal is a 2024 Gun Runner colt, born May 2.
    She is back in foal to Gun Runner for 2025.

    • / Reply

      Dear Rebecca:

      Thanks for all the breeding news. My goodness, some Royal babies there. Will be looking forward to their progress.

      Love and Hugs, JB

  17. / Reply

    Hope everyone got to watch the interview with Mike today, was on Fox day at the races. Of course he had to tell of his Love for Zenyatta. Hope everyone is well and having a great day.

    • / Reply

      Was that the Cart-Talk segment at Saratoga with Jonathon Kincher?
      I saw that interview, and it was so good and lots of fun, too. Love those Cart-Talk interviews. Hope Mike Smith has lots of rides yet to come —
      he is such an A+++++ individual!! After all, any friend of Zenyatta’s is a
      friend of mine, too. Mike is the Best!

      Have a great week!
      Hugs and Love

        • Dear Allen, Marshall and Z Fans:

          Marshall, agree, our Mikey is a great rider and a classy guy. I’ll never forget his interview after the 2010 BCC race. He was in tears critical of himself for Z’s second place finish. That race will always be my favorite; the most magnificent effort by him and Z (or any horse and rider) that I’ve ever seen.

          Love and Hugs, JB

  19. / Reply

    Dear Zenyatta, so happy to hear about Zellda’s beautiful colt. How about you? Saw latest pictures of you in FB with your visitors. You are looking good and enjoying the summer. Take good care of yourself. Love and hugs always! Marilu

  20. / Reply

    Dear Z Fans;

    Oh, the memories; Zenyatta and Mikey. Dancing Queen.

    Love You Kari B. (For those of you who may not know, Kari B was a sweet Z’ster who made many glorious videos of Z. Sadly she passed away some years ago, but is not forgotten).

    https://youtu.be/LM1Q5rflpnA

    Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy,

      Ahhh, poetry in motion!! Thanks so much for this chance to stroll down Memory Lane — Hail Zenyatta, the BEST of the best ever! She was/is such a gift, a miraculous gift! And Kari B., such a sweet, talented and beautiful soul, an angel who left us too soon.
      ❤️ 🐎 ❤️ 🐎 ❤️
      Hugs and Love

  22. / Reply

    Rags to Riches:
    Her 2009 Giant’s Causeway daughter Opulence and 2016 Australia daughter Stratification are in Japan, where both have produced starters. (Opulence made headlines in 2014 & 2015 for producing the first foals for Stay Thirsty – a short-lived colt – and Shanghai Bobby – now a retired gelding named The Bobby).
    Opulence produced a Verrazano colt in 2016 who was sold to Japanese interests; a winner, Fort Wadsworth is now retired. Her 2017 offspring is a gelded son of American Pharoah, Formal Attire, now also retired. She had no 2018 foal. Her 2019 American Pharoah son, Strike Rich, is actively racing in Japan. Her 2020 foal is a black daughter of Duramente, a winner, named Tiffany Donna. She has not raced since last year. She did not produce live foals in 2021 or 2022 after being bred to Suave Richard and Kizuna, respectively, but produced a Suave Richard filly in 2023. She had no foal in 2024 after being bred to Kitasan Black. Japan does not report matings until late in the year so we won’t know who she or Stratification have been bred to for a couple months.
    –
    Her 2010 Henrythenavigator colt, Admirer, is deceased.
    Her 2011 Galileo colt, Rhett Butler, initially was named Auguste Rodin (which is now the name of a Deep Impact colt we all know); that name was changed before he raced. He was a champion in Serbia and Hungary and now stands stud in that part of the world.
    Her 2012 Galileo gelding, Rich and Righteous, won on DIRT in Dubai and was shortly retired thereafter; he made a total of 18 starts.
    Her 2013 Galileo son, Never So Few, raced in America but never won and is now at stud in South America.
    –
    Her 2014 Galileo daughter, Rather Special, never raced and is her only daughter still owned by Coolmore; she has produced six foals – her latest one in 2023. Her first foal, an American Pharoah gelding, won on the flat in Ireland before switching to hurdles, where he didn’t fare well before retiring after 17 lifetime outings. Her 2019 Uncle Mo daughter is deceased. Her 2020 American Pharoah daughter is unnamed. Her 2021 Justify daughter, Gilded Edge, is in training and is a winner for Coolmore. Her 2022 Justify daughter, Rather Distinct, is in training and was a KeeSept graduate last year. Her 2023 daughter is an unnamed Munnings filly. Rather Special was bred back to Munnings for 2025.
    –
    Rags’ 2016 Australia daughter, Stratification, was placed on the track and is now in Japan. Her oldest is an active Justify colt from 2021, Danon Strada, who has placed. Her 2022 Lord Kanaloa filly is unnamed. She produced no foal after being bred to Contrail in 2023, and produced a Kitasan Black colt on April 28 this year.
    —
    After Stratification, Rags to Riches has a series of unnamed sons (Coolmore is annoying…) by Uncle Mo (2017), Tapit (2018, did enter training but never raced), Curlin (2019), American Pharoah (2020), and Justify (2021 – has trained with Todd Pletcher this year; was a June foal). She was not bred for 2022 and produced a Munnings filly in 2023. She had an Uncle Mo colt on March 10 of this year and was bred back to Tiz the Law for 2025.

  23. / Reply

    Dear Rebecca:

    Thanks for the news on ZELLDA and RTR. God Bless them both; safe pregnancies and foalings. Love and Hugs, JB

  25. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM and DC:

    Stay cool and comfy. Love You. Hugs, JB❤️🌺❤️🌺❤️🌺❤️🌺❤️

  26. / Reply

    Dear Zenyatta and Z-family,

    It’s summertime, and I hope you are living easy! It is hot and humid with lots of rain here so I’m hoping you have lots of shade and cool breezes in your pastures. Can’t wait for the crisp air of fall — hope it doesn’t take until November to get here!
    Best wishes to ’23 Zellda and Nymue whenever their training experiences start. Z, you will have an empty nest, but you have lots of friends around. Also, you might be able to keep an eye on Just Sayin over the fence perhaps?
    —-
    Hope all Z-Friends are well, safe and staying cool with all the crazy weather!
    Hugs and Love 💕 🐎 💕

  27. / Reply

    Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL, NYM, 23 ZEL, Just Sayin and DC:

    Love all of you sooo much. Big Hugs, JB❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy,
      Thanks for posting these links for us. Such a tragic end to a wondrous mare who gave so much happiness and so many thrills.
      Hail and farewell, Black Caviar. 💔 RIP beautiful one, running again on your 18th birthday, among the angels.
      Wishing good health to your newborn colt, your last accomplishment here.
      Condolences to all who loved and cared for this extraordinary mare.
      Hugs and Love 😔

  29. / Reply

    It’s still sinking in. I remember setting alarms for crazy hours to watch her. She was something else. Thankfully she has left several daughters to carry her bloodline, and that her colt managed to be born and was not lost with her. RIP Black Caviar.

  30. / Reply

    Dear Marshall and Rebecca:

    It’s just so sad. Made me think of another beautiful mare we lost last year couple of days after foaling, Havre de Grace. She was 15 years old. 😓 Devastating loses.

    Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      Dear Judy,
      Yes it is very sad — losing Black Caviar and Havre de Grace, as well as others who leave us much too soon.
      Today we learn that Black Caviar’s newborn colt did not survive. Poor baby is with his mother now. RIP little angel.
      So many tears — condolences to all who cared for Nelly and loved her. 💔
      RIP beautiful girl. I pray medical science can find an effective cure for laminitis soon.
      Hugs and Love

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