HAPPY MONDAY, EVERYONE!
I hope all of you had a great weekend. The Preps really put everything into a BIG UNKNOWN for the Kentucky Derby! It will be interesting to see how it all plays out during the next few weeks! This is such a FUN time of the year!
Yesterday was very exciting! EL VINO, my gallant workmate for many of my pre-race workouts, is now having a fun time on the track and winning his own races. He was such a great sport last year and really worked hard to assist me with my racing career. Now he is having his own success. I AM SO PROUD OF HIM!
When a horse is preparing for BIG RACES and competing on a very high level, the workouts need to be challenging and solid to substantiate the preparation. One needs to be extremely fit and ready for competition. In 2010, I ran in all Grade 1 races. As this is the highest level we have in our sport, my pre-race workouts were very important to my success!
EL VINO really helped out with this part of my training program! He was the horse who set the pace for me in many of my works. He was also part of the team drills John would orchestrate to often prepare me for my Grade 1 races. Words truly can’t express how appreciative I am of his efforts. As a matter of fact, John often said he deserved an AWARD of his own for being a fabulous SUPPORTING PLAYER!
EL VINO looks so comfy, cozy and happy back at the barn relaxing after yesterday’s victory. It was his second WIN in a row! Sunday was a rather warm day in Arcadia, so Frank and Ruben very safely set up a nice big fan by his stall to really help him enjoy the moment!
On his stall door, there is also a yellow sign which says SECURE AREA…DETENTION STALL…DO NOT APPROACH! In California, it is absolutely MANDATORY that this sign be posted by the stall of every single horse who is running that day…a minimum of 4 hours before his/her race. This sign is meant to indicate several things to everyone: 1) this horse is ENTERED TO RUN ON THIS DAY 2) the stall is MONITORED and SECURE and 3) this horse is not to be touched or bothered by anyone before the race except the immediate barn staff who will need to put the equipment on the horse and take he/she over to the paddock to run. This is one of the many industry precautions taken to protect the integrity of our SPORT. These rules are essential and extremely important!
I must say, it is deeply touching to see EL VINO again! I am so happy for him! Dottie was telling me that several people stopped her at the races yesterday and commented that ‘he had cotton in his ears’ just like ME…and they bet on him because he was my WORKMATE!
She also mentioned while in the Winners’ Circle, EL VINO literally bowed his head 3 times towards the camera when posing for his picture. It was as if he was sending ME one great big…”YIPPEE, Z, I DID IT!” This is TOO CUTE!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
DJ
Wow!
Lynda Pellitteri
Hey Zenyatta! Have you had your date yet? Enjoy the nice weather today, because its going to rain again!!!
DJ
El Vino was #1 and me too!
jeanie langford
Hello Z. Nice to see your work out buddy getting some attention. How are you doing? You do not talk much about yourself anymore and that worries me. Hugs and Kisses and lots of love.
Kirren
It’s good to hear from you again, Z! I’m going to include a video I made of our visit together last year and some of your races. I hope you and Team Z enjoy it!
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/video/video.php?v=10150216567049083&comments
Lin
Very interesting information – and great for your buddy, El Vino. Thank you Z. Love you lots girl!
Katie Clawson
Too cute Z!!! He is such a lovely looking horse! Have a great day honey!
Love, Katie(future jockey)
P.S. How is Bernie??
Lauren
Dear Zenny – You must be so happy that your work out buddy won his race. I am sure that it was your ability to be such a wonderful role model that turned El Vino into the horse that he is today and you are probably right, he did give you a special bow. Have a blessed day beautiful girl and keep smiling. Oh, one more thing, GO LAKERS!!!! If you could give them a special shout out that would be great. I am a die hard fan from New Jersey. Hugs and Kisses. xoxoxo
Helen
Hi Zenny! Got any tips for the Derby?? jk but would take a hint. How’s the reproduction coming along, haven’t heard alot. It will happen when it’s right so don’t worry your pretty head over it. Miss you big girl!
Ingrid in MA
I’m a sucker for horses with stars and blazes,and this guy is a cutie!! Congratulations El Vino!!
Janie
Zenyatta, I’m so happy for your work mate, El Vino. Sounds like he’s taken alot of cues from you because he knows you’re a winner in every sense of the word. Hope you’re avoiding all that bad weather sweeping through your part of the country. Stay safe and happy, pretty girl.
SS
Wish I knew he was running yesterday and that he was your workmate! What a price!
Heather Culross
It was a beautiful day at the track yesterday! Great races and they also were doing the On Track for a Cure! We got to walk the same track you raced on and even got to go through the gates and hung out in the winners circle! There was even a team for you! I have many pics posted on my FB page to share with everyone! I said hi to John for you and my daughter was ticked pink to get his autograph!!!! You were missed though. Wish you were still racing. Zenyatta forever!
Tatia
Congrats to El Vino. I will keep an eye out for him and wish him the best of luck and, more importantly – safe trips.
Thank you for explaining about the Detention Stall and what it’s all about. Most of us don’t get to see the backside, although I was lucky and got to go backside at last years breeders cup (Yay!)
Did Dottie explain to you that a Detention Stall sounds a lot like what humans call Detention Hall? They are sort of the same, but different. Detention HALL is not a place you want to be – it means you are in trouble. Thank goodness it’s different for horses :-)
Gloria
Hi Big Mama Z! I bet El Vino because he was your workmate! What an exciting race and I’m always happy to root for your John and The Mosses! I saw Dottie on HRTV yesterday after El Vino’s race talking about you and how you’re having a great time in KY. I love the info about the sign on the stall door on race day. I had no idea they did that. Well, hope you’re doing great, girl! You served El Vino well. He’s on his way to win, win, win!
Roxi Cook
Hooray for El Vino! He was my pick for Race 8 too!! Suzanne Thomas put up a bunch of her excellent photos of him that she took at the track yesterday on the Backside 55 Facebook page, and he is really a cutie.
Tatia
El Vino may have been your workmate and should get some good street cred for helping you to be the horse you are, but in turn, you MUST have also helped him develop into the horse he is and is becoming.♥
Laurie Caebe
Love to know how loved they are…good luck.
Marion
congrats to El Vino…what a great name and what a nice horse he is…you are very lucky Z to have great friends like that…
Big hug from Marion
Bridge
Oh Zenyatta isn’t it great about El Vino!!!!!! All of those times he boosted your confidence, and now just look at him!!!!!!!! He’s learned a lot from you!!! So proud of him!!!
Shari Voltz
Zenyatta I am waiting for the meeting to start so I thought I would post. El Vino is beautiful and I am glad he did so well. It made me cry when you wrote he bowed to the camera. I just get so emotional about some things. I hope you had a wonderful day :) Tell Dottie thank you for all the great racing info. I love it. Well I am off. I love you big girl. Hugs and Kisses from Shari XXXOOO
@Hi Dawn thinking of you :)
Trina Nagele
@Kirren–I love your video and how well the music goes with it! Everyone, it’s a MUST SEE!
Dearest Zenny–Congratulations to your friend El Vino and the team you share. I sure do appreciate him for the task he took on as your sparring partner, and I rejoice for him that he now knows what it is like to be the winner. How sweet of him to send you greetings via head bob.
Barbara Grimaldi
Terrifically interesting message, dear Zenny!!! Very informative. I am very happy for El Vino and wish him continued success and health. I learn so much about thoroughbred racing reading your messages that I get a win=win situation every time: I get close to you and I learn more about racing!!! Now I have a question and I hope you and/or Dottie can help me understand this. Can you tell us what happens when a horse is scratched? What’s the process? I guess the horse is either not feeling too well, or it’s the wrong weather for the horse…but I am not sure why scratches happen, how much do the owners pay to get horses into the race, is there a penalty for scratching, do the owners have to pay entry fees again when they re-enter the horse in another race on another day, etc. I would love to have a simple explanation of this, if you can. Meanwhile, much love and smiles to you, dear Zenyatta! Thank you!
Love, Barbara
Lynette Lucas
Zenny – Congrats to El Vino!! Thank you to you Zenny and Dottie for all the info you put up!!! Love you Big girl!! Hugs and kisses from Roswell,NM!!!
Pam Green
As we had to leave the house and not see all of the Santa Anita races we taped them. When we came back saw El Vino race and Dotti was interviewed what a a classy lady she is and you are lucky to have her in your corner Queen Z. And we are all lucky to have you in our lives, granddaughter has the derby marked on her calendar never has before but since she saw your races on tape has become a race fan! Thanks Z for bringing racing into so many lives! Have a great day eating some spring grass.
Bobbi
@Kirren – wow! Terrific video! It brought tears to my eyes. I love how you captured the excitement of the fans when Zenny made her last-minute moves to win! Great job.
Elaine
Let’s all raise a glass of wine to El Vino!
Do you have a date with Bernardini set yet?
Cynthia Holt
Dear lovely precious Zenyatta, My heart over-flowed with joy yesterday as, along with so many others, I witnessed your faithful old friend come storming from behind, so reminiscent of your own thrilling victories! There was a tear or two as I watched the beloved colors flash across the finish line, but they were truly tears of happiness! El Vino was both proud and gracious in the Winners’ Circle, with your dear family all around, and it was heart-warming to hear the cheers and applause from the large crowd all for him. Dottie was applauding, too! You would have been so proud! Your magic lives on, in all of those whose lives you touched, animal as well as human. El VIno is listening still, no doubt, for the ground rumbling and the sight of you in all of your magnificence surging ahead, but now the only rumble he hears is that of his own hooves striking the turf. Still, there was a piece of you within him which won yesterday, too! It was so wonderful to have been there, and a part of it all!
Henrietta Wolfe
I can’t get YOU off my mind. I am worried about YOU! I LOVE YOU ZENYATTA!
Lorri
Way to go El Vino! So happy for you! Thanks for posting about your friends, Zenny! You are so very thoughtful! xoxo