Diary Post #418
Happy Friday, Everyone! This is the beginning of a very busy and exciting weekend in sports! Today, OAKLAWN PARK will open for its’ 108th SEASON of racing. This track offers a very competitive stakes program which will conclude in April with the “Racing Festival of the South”. The “Festival” runs from April 11-14th. This is the week when the Apple Blossom G1…one of my very favorite races…will take place. Also, the Arkansas Derby G1 will run at this time. For years, the horses running contentiously in these events have consistently performed at a high level in stakes programs throughout country. I’d also like to wish their new announcer, Frank Mirahmadi, all the best. Frank has called races in California and worked in television for the last several years. Frank is replacing their long-time race caller and the voice of Oaklawn for decades, Terry Wallace. Mr. Wallace called over 20,000 Oaklawn… Continue Reading
Diary Post #417
Good Morning, It is amazing how quickly the time flies by. Over a year ago, the ZENYATTA LOUNGE was created at Santa Anita to provide the women who work on the “backside” (meaning barn area with the horses) a special place to relax, visit, and have some time to themselves. My dear owners helped to make this possible. Santa Anita graciously provided the space. Ms. Headley and Ms. Vienna worked with Dottie and the Moss’ to get all of the final details organized so the furniture, video / tech equipment, etc. could be delivered, and installed for the women to use and enjoy. Over one year later, this LOUNGE has been a huge success! When Dottie stopped by on Christmas to drop off some See’s Candy for the ladies, everything was beautifully taken care of, the Christmas tree was lit up in one corner of the room, and the warmth… Continue Reading
Diary Post #416
Good Morning, Dear Friends! Last night, Dottie and MY JOHN’S copy of THE BLOODHORSE’S magazine…..The 25 MOST INTRIGUING Horses and People of 2011 arrived. When they opened the package…and saw ME…as the #1 HORSE of 2011…they were so, so proud. WOW…ME….#1. I truly believe, as do they, that ALL OF YOU helped to make this possible. I can’t THANK YOU enough. Then…to see that MY JOHN was #5 on the list of INTRIGUING PEOPLE for the year…was also very special. AGAIN…THANK YOU! We so appreciate all of your support, love, and kindness on so many levels! The photos, the various highlights illustrated for 2011, and the stories about Rachael Alexandra and I now that we are MOMS-to-BE are all beautifully done and written. I must say, both Rachel Alexandra and I look quite fabulous enjoying our ‘new looks’ for our current careers. ‘BEING IN FOAL’ rather becomes US! (Blush, Blush)… Continue Reading
Diary Post #415
Hello Everyone, Wow…yesterday was certainly a great day at the Keeneland Sales for some families of my dear BARN 55 friends. The sales topper—this is the horse who sells for the most money on a particular day—was TOPLINER. She resided at Barn 55 during her time at the race track and then retired to become a broodmare. Her first foal is STAR BILLING! STAR BILLING has been at BARN 55 since she first began her racing career. She is trained by MY JOHN and has a wonderful, caring groom, Jose Luis. As an inside note of interest, Topliner is currently in foal to Medaglia D’Oro. Jose was Medaglia’s groom throughout his racing career. STAR BILLING has a very distinguished pedigree. She is by Dynaformer out of the mare TOPLINER (yesterday’s sales topper). Last year, as a 3 year old, she went from breaking her maiden (first win) to becoming a… Continue Reading
Diary Post #414
Good Morning Everyone, I hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was perfect! I’m still elated over the fabulous JANUARY weather we are enjoying here in Kentucky. I understand from many of your comments that it is unseasonably warm in the rest of the country as well. Cheers to enjoying these “warm” moments! Today marks the beginning of the “JANUARY HORSES OF ALL AGES SALE” at Keeneland. It is the first thoroughbred ‘auction’ of 2012 and it will take place for the next 4 days. It offers horses of ALL AGES…not just specifically YEARLINGS as the September Sale or 2 YEAR OLDS IN TRAINING as the April Sale does. This sale is much more open in its’ offerings. Upon completion, the industry will analyze the data and results to help them forecast the ‘climate’ of future sales for our new year. It is a very interesting concept to follow. If… Continue Reading
Announcing the Zenyatta Plushie
This is it… the Zenyatta collectible everyone has been awaiting. Introducing the official first edition Zenyatta Plushie. This heartwarming rendition pays tribute to Zenyatta’s present maternity and the anticipation of the impending heralded birth of the “Queen’s” first born. The tandem plushie, the first of its kind, captures Momma Z in an affectionate and nurturing nuzzle with Baby Z. Since the world has yet to see the future foal and the actual color and markings of this highly anticipated next generation of racing royalty, the first edition plushie offers the larger version of Zenyatta identically duplicated in foal form. We expect subsequent versions of the duo will feature the markings of the actual foal once he or she arrives, but for now Zenyatta fans can enjoy the two-for one bonus of this collectible first edition. The endearing keepsake features a super-soft mahogany plush, detailed construction, and superb stitching that separates… Continue Reading
Diary Post #413
Happy Friday! I sincerely hope the first week of 2012 has been a very good one for you, your friends and families! The NEW YEAR here at Lane’s End is off to a wonderful beginning. The weather in Lexington has really been rather pleasant. So far, it has been a much more mild winter than I experienced last year when arriving at my new home. Dottie was teasing David this morning and asking…”What happened to the 7 degrees we were in last December?” It has not been anything like that to date. I must say TASTY and I are enjoying all of our time outdoors. It has rained a bit and that is terrific! The rain has provided ME with several fun opportunities to ‘roll and play in the mud’. Fortunately, Matt takes such great care of ME that I was ‘bathed and polished’ afterwards! He is such a GREAT… Continue Reading
Diary Post #412
Good Morning, You are ALL TOO CUTE! I love your comments wanting to assist as NANNIES and the requests to help ‘foal sit’ on a voluntary basis. One never knows…..this MOM-to BE thing is very new to ME. I’ll keep you posted, for sure! Yesterday afternoon when David called Dottie, it was about 50ish degrees here. In our quest to be healthy and fit….TASTY and I do get our proper amount of exercise each day. Weather permitting, we take laps around the paddock. I don’t go 40 miles an hour like a did when I was racing…but I still get all 4 feet off the ground and get ready to stride right out….ears forward….and mane blowing! I must say, this is all part of my background and heritage of being a thoroughbred. The DESIRE and LOVE TO RUN is definitely a part of my being! Hmm…they say when MOMS are… Continue Reading
Diary Post #411
Good Morning, I think it is so special that ALL of you wanted to wish US a HAPPY BIRTHDAY on January 1st! TASTY and I were so busy…..we literally forgot to send wishes to each other! So, we took some time this morning to do that. As many of you already know, thoroughbred race horses have two birthdays… the actual one stating the day he or she was born that is recorded on his/her Jockey Club Papers….and then the ‘technical’ one which has ALL thoroughbreds celebrating a birthday and becoming one year older on January 1st of each year. Thus, I am ‘technically’ 8 for industry purposes…..but I am still 7 per my real birthdate of April 1st. I must say, I do feel I look terrific, have maintained my glowing coat no matter what the weather conditions, and my body is still quite ‘fit’ and handling this ‘baby weight’… Continue Reading
Diary Post #410
Dear Friends, HAPPY NEW YEAR! I sincerely hope each of you had a wonderful, healthy, happy, and SAFE New Year’s Eve and Day! I thought about ALL of you a great deal! Sarah and I ushered in our New Year by talking a lovely stroll in the paddock and having a wonderful CHAT sharing our 2012 New Year’s Resolutions. It was very special and such a joy to have this quiet 1 to 1 time with Sarah! TASTY was resting and enjoying the sunshine while we were having our visit! What a special time! Thank you for all of the comments about the new web-page design. We will share all of them with TYLER and KYLE. Tyler and she have worked together for several years now…and they will help us through this transitional stage and consider all of your suggestions. Thank you so much for your candor and kindness. We… Continue Reading
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