Today is Zilkha’s “official” birthday and she is beginning her new year in John Shirreffs’s barn as she moves from the Mayberry’s farm into the next phase of her life. Welcomed and already adored by John, Mario and Carmen who were also her Mama’s trainer, groom and hot walker. In John’s words “She is a perfect height, well proportioned and extremely athletic” May all the stars align for her and that she enjoys many celebrations!!!
Lori Stein
So glad she has the A Team ❤️ Good luck to her on the track. We will certainly be following her!
Gina Danna
She looks awesome!!! Best of luck sweet girl! Huge fan here already & will be following!!
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Happy Birthday to Zilkah and thanks to John for these great photos and the video!! Wishing her many wonderful racing adventures ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Leslie
She’s a looker for sure!
Pamela Ann Minnis
Happy Neigh-day Zilkha
Kathy
Happy Birthday, beautiful girl! WE LOVE YOU!!!
Hugs, Kathy
Cynthia H.
💙🎂💙 HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Princess ZILKHA! You have brought the gift of JOY into our lives! Have a wonder-filled day enjoying the treats and love which we know will be lavished on you by your new human family! It is so great to see John back in the photographer’s saddle again. Please keep the pictures and videos coming! 💙🎂💙
Jane W
Happy Birthday Zilkha! 🥕🎂♥️
Ann NC
Happy Happy Birthday gorgeous girl!
Wow. Thanks for the photos and updates.
What a look she is giving in the top photo. Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!!! That’s a boss look. Study hard Zilkha.
Love to all.
Deb
Zilkha is a stunning young lady! Just as statuesque as her mom Zenyatta whose career I followed while racing, and all the updates and adored photo’s of her while enjoying her retirement. Wishing all the very best to Zilkha as she progresses into the racing arena to be totally loved and enjoyed by all as was her mom throughout her racing career. With Ann, John, and all the stable connections taking good care of her every need, can’t wait to hear when she will proceed into the starting gate to run her first race! ❣️😇🤞🍀👍🐎
judy berube
Dear Team Z:
Oh thank you so much for this update on beautiful Zilkha. She is stunning. May John’s and all our hopes for her come true.
Happy Birthday Sweet Zilkha. Love you. Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Have a lovely evening and Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
shirlee c cook
Happy Birthday Zilkha or Zilkie as I call you. Your are beautiful. Good luck and stay safe. I know John, Mario and Carmen will take wonderful care of you. Can’t wait to see your first start!
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Team Z,
Thanks so much for this update with photos and the video. What a beauty you are, Zilkha! All our best wishes are sent to you on your birthday and on every day. Happy Birthday, Zilkha!!
Hugs and Love 🥰
Auntie Judy
Thank you, John, for sharing Zilkha.
Lindal
Happy Birthday Zilkha! Short video, circulating the web of John feeding her a carrot. She is well built and was touring the grounds of Santa Anita.
Ebby has had another foal and it resembles her, gorgeous.
Trainer Brad Cox got caught giving one of his horses bute(anti-inflam.) Story on Bloodhorse.
Auntie Judy
Stunning 😍 !! Wishing you the best in your training, Zilkha, and Happy Belated Birthday 🎂
Hugz XO
Gloria
Happy belated birthday, Zilkha! Best of luck in your racing career. You’re in the best of hands!
deana dameron
Wow, just Wow. Zilkha is a lovely version of Zenyatta! She looks so much like her and it is wonderful to see John Shirreff’s with her. I am sure that had a great birthday celebrated with all of the Team. I hear she is the Queen of the barn. Thanks for keeping fans updated about her. I wish her only the best of luck on and off the racetrack. She is beautiful!
Auntie Judy
Thank you, John, for sharing Zilkha.
Allen
Happy Birthday “ZILKHA”
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Goodnight and Happy Dreams. Love and Hugs, JB
Donna Heim
Zillka, you are beautiful and special like your mom. May your experience with racing be exciting and successful. We love you and rejoice over you already.
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Happy Friday everyone! As will be clear from the title, Hovey may have . . . ummm . . . caused a bit of a problem, but who was wounded?🤔. Always an adventure on that front😊
https://www.horseandhound.co.uk/blog/hovis-friday-diary-i-came-down-with-all-718kg-of-muscled-equine-perfection-on-her-foot-789186
Lots of racing in Maryland today and tomorrow. Hope some miracle will result in a readjustment of the scorching weather forecast🤞🤞🤞. Good luck and safe trips to all of the runners
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Sandy,
Thanks a million for this week’s Hovis report! He does manage to get himself in the “doghouse”, doesn’t he? Poor Aunty Em — hope her injury isn’t too painful and heals quickly. Ninja Hovis to the rescue, but please stand clear!
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Sandy:
Thanks for our Friday Hovis update. OMG, ouch; but it could have been so much worse for Aunty Em if Hovie hadn’t “saved her”.
Godspeed to all horses and riders tomorrow. Safe and sound. Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Thanks, Sandy.
Ouch, ouch and ouch.
Happy Preakness Day!
shirlee c cook
Thanks Sandy for Hovis. He seems to be always in trouble since his Mother and Aunty do not understand him. How brave of him to save Aunty from serious injury. A little broken toe can’t be that bad!
Marshall (NC Broad)
Congratulations to Pizza Bianco and all connections (owner Bobby Flay) on winning the Hilltop Stakes at Pimlico today, Race 9. Well done!!
Bobby Flay had a great afternoon today at Pimlico. Congrats to First Captain and all connections, including Bobby Flay, on winning the Pimlico Special!
Congrats to InterstateDream and all connections on winning the Black-eyed Susan Stakes at Pimlico today. Flurry Racing (Staton Flurry) is the owner, and they have a great logo on their silks — a large snowflake!! Hurray for snow!
Cheers and Hugs
Marshall (NC Broad)
Correction on Black-eyed Susan Stakes: Interstatedaydream
I left out the “day” in the name.
Hugs and Love
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Shirlee,
First Captain is a son of your boy Curlin. He did a fine job today!
Cheers❣️
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
Congrats to Pizza Bianco, First Captain, Interstatedaydream and all connections on their wins today. Well done. Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Congrats to all!
Stay cool….
Thanks, Marshall!
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Stay comfy and cool and Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Marshall, Kathy, Ann, Sandy and Z Fans:
Sheena must be smiling. Aren’t Frankel’s babies just gorgeous.
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/258952/two-frankel-colts-sell-at-magic-millions-weanling-sale
Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Gorgeous.
Giving the side-eye! hahaha.
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
Yes they certainly are gorgeous!
Thanks so much for sharing this link with us❣️
Hugs and Love ❤️
Kathy
Dear Judy,
Frankel’s babies are gorgeous, indeed! Sheena certainly is smiling…a magnificent Angel…
Hugs,
Kathy
judy berube
Dear Ann, Marshall and Kathy:
Love and Hugs, JB
shirlee c cook
Happy Preakness Day to everyone. I am pulling for Secret Oath and Fenwick as a long shot. As ever, a fool for the Curlins.
Hope all of you are doing well and staying cool.
Ann NC
Happy Day to you.
Loving Fenwick.
Safe and sound for all. Hot….
shirlee c cook
Ann,
Fenwick did not do so well. Wonder if he is injured or has some type of problem. I was hoping for Secret Oath but can’t be too unhappy with Early Voting. Jose is my fav of the Ortiz brothers and he was so sweet at the end. Cannot be too unhappy with the results of the Oaks, Derby and Preakness. All good people and no scandal.
judy berube
Dear Shirlee and Ann:
I included Fenwick in a Superfecta Box as my long shot with EPI, SO and EV. I hope he’s OK. Like him too.
Equibase notes say “Fenwick broke outward and into Secret Oath and then was bumped while in close between runners and failed to go on after a half mile….”.
Secret Oath had a rough trip too; bumping again. This time with Happy Jack while in tight and ending up going five wide.
Hoping they all get a good rest and hopefully we’ll see them at Saratoga.
Love and Hugs, JB
Sandy (Northeast Ohio)
Wonder if Fenwick will be taking more money than might be expected given the Derby results??😊🤔
Marshall (NC Broad)
Wow, a day with some surprises at Pimlico!
Congrats to Early Voting, Jose Ortiz, Chad Brown and the connections on winning the Preakness! Glad everyone crossed the finish line intact.
Congrats to Joe, Victor Carrasco, Michael Trombetta and all connections on winning the James W. Murphy, 1 mile Turf (Race 10) at Pimlico! Go Joe!!
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/race/usa/pim/2022/5/21/10/james-w-murphy-s-bt
Congrats to Ethereal Road, Luis Saez, D. Wayne Lukas and all connections on the Sir Barton Stakes win (Race 11) at Pimlico!
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/258971/ky-derby-scratch-ethereal-road-rolls-in-sir-barton
Hope these links work! 🏇 ❤️ 🏇
Hugs and Love
Ann NC
Congrats to the winners.
Nice story about Early’s owner, a Baltimore native. Grew up near the track and would get home from school, throw books down and run over to the track. Free admission after R#8, hahah. Fun times!
Great win for Jose. Oh, the emotion. Nice TV coverage. Finally more about life on the track!
Thanks, Marshall.
judy berube
Dear Ann:
Jose was so genuinely sweet in his emotional comments after the race.
We used to do the same at our local racetrack back in the day and catch the last couple of races. Good memories. ❤️
Love and Hugs, JB
judy berube
Dear Marshall and Z Fans:
Marshall, thanks for the links. Congrats to Early Voting and connections on his win and to Epicenter, Creative Minister and Secret Oath on their valiant efforts. Hope everyone came back sound.
Loved watching the replay if Joe winning the very first time on the turf. Read in an article that he’s named for President Biden. Congrats to him and connections and to Ethereal Road on his win as well.
Trevor M. was off mounts today as his horse stumbled at the start of a race yesterday at Belmont propelling Trevor forward and landing on his back. Thank God xrays were negative, but he has a very sore back. The horse thankfully ran the whole race without his rider and is OK too. Phew! Scary.
Love and Hugs, JB
Ann NC
Oh no! Scary and don’t know how the families can bear it. Prayers always for our brave riders.
PHEW is right, JB.
judy berube
Dear Ann:
Trevor didn’t ride today and I noted Jackie was off her mounts as well. Hope he is OK. Sending healing 🙏🙏🙏
Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Oops!
Sorry Judy — apologies for being redundant! Didn’t see your reply post about Trevor not riding today.
Hugs and Love 💕
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
That was a very scary race! The riderless horse ran as though he had a rider, passed everyone and got to the front, but I can’t imagine how much extra stress that would add to the jockeys in the race. Glad Trevor is doing okay — he was scheduled to ride at Belmont today but needed extra recovery time for his sore body. Big kudos to the outrider who hurried over and snatched the runaway horse after the finish!
Hugs and Love
judy berube
Dear Marshall:
We’re always on the same wavelength😊
Yes, great job by the outrider. Love and Hugs, JB
Marshall (NC Broad)
Dear Judy,
Yes, like minds for sure. I imagine the pilotless horse was relieved to be grabbed by the outrider — it had to be confusing to the horse, too. So glad there were no incidents or injuries.
Hugs and Love 🥰
judy berube
Dear Z, COZ, ZI, ZEL, ZIL and DC:
Hope you all had a wonderful day today. Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB