Good Morning Everyone!
I’M BACK!
It is a wonderful Wednesday morning in Kentucky! All is terrific…but a bit wet. We have had a substantial amount of rain lately in Lexington and I understand Louisville has had their share as well. With all of the Kentucky Derby and Oaks preparations going on in that city now, the rain has even caused some changes in the training schedules for several of the horses. It is supposed to lighten up soon….so HOOVES CROSSED. Dottie did tease me and say that it is sunny and pretty in California right now.
I truly want to thank ALL OF YOU who participated in the contest by either mailing in an entry and / or voting for one of the four contestants. All of the cards were beautifully done and very sweet and emotional to read. As stated in an earlier Diary, right before leaving for the barn this morning, John was going to check his computer at 5 a.m. CA TIME and finalize the WINNER. He did just that!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR ZENYATTA BRONZE WINNER…..DAWN CONRAD!
Wow, Dawn! You really recapped so much of my life. Thank you for all of your thoughtfulness and kind words. I AM SO HAPPY for you! I can’t wait to hear where you place ‘ME’…once I’m settled in at your home in Cedaredge, Colorado.
This contest has been so MUCH FUN! What has been especially meaningful to me is how much I have meant to so many of you. I did realize people really enjoyed watching me DANCE, RACE and TRAIN, however, I did not get the full impact of what my efforts and achievements symbolized to so many of my friends until this contest. I am deeply, deeply touched.
May all of you have a very special day! I know you have really made mine a day to remember.
Again…YEAH, DAWN!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
bailey
<3
Terri B.
I hope you are well, Zen. :) Love ya. Miss ya
Terri
ARPfan
Congratulations, Dawn! I’m SO happy for you!
Lynn
Did Zen have another date with Bernadini? Is that going to happen? Hope she is ok? Haven’t heard a word about it.
Markay
Congratulations Dawn!!!
Shari Voltz
Dawn YOU DID IT! ALL 20 of my children are around the computer and clapped for you. WE ARE ALL SO HAPPY FOR YOU!!!!!! GOD BLESS. SHARI AND HOMEROOM 215
Andrea from Germany
So good to have another post from you. Yes, you really had an deep impact on my life. So much fun watching your races. Love you Zenny. Congrats to Dawn.
Cathy Marshall
Congratulations, Dawn! Let us know where you place the “Queen”!!
Tatia
Congrats to Dawn!
Yes – I’d love to hear what’s up on the Bernardini front. Is it too late to start now? Gonna try or wait until next year? Inquiring minds are dying to know!
Lorri
Congratulations Dawn! So happy for you!
Love you Zenny!
xoxoxo,
Lorri
Jan
Zenyatta,
Good to hear you are safe and sound. Congratulations Dawn :) :)
georgia
So good to have you back really have missed your posts. CONGRATS TO DAWN, what a very fun contest and I am sure there were cards that were beautiful tributs to you that we did not see. Hope the rain stops soon for the Derby but here in Seattle it has done nothing but rain all spring.
Christy
Congratulations, Dawn!
And hey Zenny, did I miss something, or aren’t you due for another date with Bernie??
Nadia
Z, are you and Bernadini getting a second date?? I think we all would REALLY like to know.. Hope you are still doing well in retirement. Luv ya!
Kate Tait
Just missing you Zenny. I look at the contenders for the Kentucky Derby this year and so wish you were part of it. It is really up for grabs, last yr we all knew where our hearts where.Hope all is well and congrats to Dawn. My greatest wish someday would to meet you, I think of you all the time. No horse today can compare to the thrill and excitment you gave us all. xoxo
Lisa g
Congratulations, Dawn.
SuZanne
Congrats to fellow Coloradoan, Dawn Conrad! Loved what you wrote.
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, so good to hear from you, it seems like forever and ever. Glad you are well. I miss you so much, I love ya Big Girl..Lisa g
Cathleen
Congratulations Dawn! I know you’ll treasure your Zenyatta bronze forever! And thanks Zenny for sharing another hot pic of your MIKEY! XOXO
Pam Zacek,
wow I guess i picked the winner reaading all those, great , stories of what Zenytta means to you all, and I say , yeah Dawn, also, put her in great place she belongs in the history books, soon, or way long time from now, anyway, glad all is well in kentucky besides all the rain, soon, I hope they don’t cancel the Derby, Im so waiting for that, just to watch a race again, thanks, to all the Z, teams, efforts, of taking care of one great horse, and all horses, good going again Dawn and My Best to Colorado, take care Queen zen and good luck, for the future, for that baby.
Maria McLeese
good choice and congrats Dawn, we need new pictures of you Z grazing or frolicking <3
sandra gomez
Congratulations, Dawn! I have to say, when I read what you wrote, I cried SO hard! You put down into words, what we all feel about Zenyatta! I couldn’t have said it any better than you did! You deserve that bronze.. And I missed you so much, Zenyatta!! I am glad your back!
Vicki B.
Glad you’re back, we missed ya!
Suzanne G
Dear Zenyatta,
Glad you’re back and all is well. How clever of you to get John thinking of you at 5:00 a.m. when you’re not even in California! Love and hugs to you, beautiful girl, your families and your BFF’s. Suzanne G
@Dawn–Special Congratulations to you on bronze #19!
Dylan
Sooo good to hear from you again Zenny!! It is beautiful over here jk :p I hope Kentucky’s weather clears up in time for the Derby and Oaks. It’d be nice to see a sunny derby, hasn’t been in three years! You really do mean so much to all of us fans. You just made the game come alive! I personally never had the drive to travel to see a horse race, but I went to Del Mar to see you, and was there at Churchill. I’m so glad you realize how important you are to us all. Congratulations to Ms. Conrad! It was a beautifully written statement and it spoke on behalf of many of us. Hope you and your team have a great day.
Much love, XOXOXOXOXO
DJ
Wow! So glad I was able to see this great “Photo Finish!” Sending an e-hug to you “Z”, Dawn and all of the contestants!
Dawn Conrad
Dearest, Zenyatta. THIS IS UN-BE-LIV-ALE, SOMETHING I WILL NEVER FORGET!! Zenny, I missed you terribly. The tears are truly flowing with more happiness than I can hold. I cannot begin to express how much this means to me. I LOVE YOU ZENNY AND ALL OF TEAM Z!!!!!!! I tried to capture how much you mean to me and how remarkable our life experience with you has been. Thank you to everyone who voted for me, you have made a dream come true and isn’t it wonderful to know they can. I was wishing very hard. Congratulations to Vicki, Valerie and Georgia for being an amazing part of the Final Four. Your words for Zenny were beautiful! How special to see Mike’s smiling face, I have stated before how much he reminds me of my beloved brother Duane, whom I miss and think of everyday. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU. TO EVERYONE FOR EVERYTHING!! I am back to work now, I will post again later. Sweet dreams, Zenny. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
LouAnn Cingel of Union, Missouri
I never saw or got to touch you in person and likely never will
But you always dazzled, thrilled and amazed me
And you do so still!
Thankyou Zenyatta for giving me such wonderful memories in which to draw upon each and every day warming my heart and bringing a smile to my face.
Love & Blessings my sweet Zenyatta-the star that shines brighter than any star up in the sky! A special thanks to Dottie for all the time she puts into this diary to make it a wonderful, informative and interesting place to come.
Paula McCaleb
Welcome Back Zenyatta! Congrats to Dawn!
I sure did enjoy watching you Dance and Race, actually it’s been hard not seeing you on the tracks. It was always something to look forward to when I knew you were going to race. But, now it’s your time to relax and be a good momma. Speaking of that, have you had another date with your special guy? Hope we hear about it soon. Hugs to you Sweet Girl. :)
Dawn Deems
Congrats Dawn! (what a great name, LOL)
Glad you are well Zenny. I bet you’ve been in a lot with all this rain.
This contest was fun. Thanks to all the connections for making it happen!