Happy LET’S ENJOY GREAT RACING SATURDAY!
Today is such a fabulous racing day around the country. My MIKIE is riding at Calder in their SUMMIT OF SPEED races this afternoon. This is a program filled with all sprint stakes. The ‘quick action’ going on there today will be such fun to watch. I truly want to wish Mike and all of the horses competing in these events the very best!
My dear pal, GIO PONTI, is entered in NY in the MAN O’ WAR-G1. He is trying to win this stake for the 3rd time in a row. I know a bit about this as well. I’ve done it a few times with a couple different grade 1 races. It is an accomplishment of note!
I know they have had quite a bit of rain lately in NY…so, from what I’ve heard, they will look at how ‘soft’ the turf is at race time. If too soft, GP may not run. So, please keep up on the updates concerning Belmont’s turf condition. If all looks good with the turf, his connections are stating he will run. I truly want to wish GIO PONTI the very best today. I have such an ‘endearing spot’ in my heart for this wonderful and accomplished horse! GO GET ‘EM, GP!
At my racing home base, Hollywood Park, in addition to the Swaps Stakes for 3 year olds, they are running the G1 Gold Cup this afternoon. This is one of the hallmark races of the entire meet. I want to wish all of the horses competing on the card today great racing luck…but I do have a special connection with TWIRLING CANDY. He is racing for people I know very well. The Craigs bred TC and also raced Candy Ride, his sire, who stands here at Lane’s End Farm where I now reside. Then the 2 other partners in TC, Farish and Wygod, are also involved with Candy Ride. They all know ME very well and have spent quite a bit of time with ME! Additionally, The Wygod’s bred and own my dear, dear friends LIFE IS SWEET, AFTER MARKET, and HARMONIOUS….who as you know…I spent so much time with at BARN 55.
I know David is in California to see this race. (This is TOO CUTE! He was at Barn 55 yesterday with MY JOHN enjoying all of my friends there.) He mentioned that TWIRLING CANDY will join the stallion roster here at Lane’s End when he is ready for that stage of his career. So, I do have a number of home ties to TC….and want to wish him the very best in this prestigious race. Needless to say, I’m sending him a HIGH HOOF for good luck!
I know that ‘oval’ at HP very well. I trained there all during my athletic career, raced on it for several important races, and schooled in the paddock often. My final racing retirement celebration was also held there…and the road by BARN 55 is named ZENYATTA WAY for ME! It is a wonderful racing venue that holds so many outstanding memories not just for ME…but for so many other amazing horses who have graced our sport for so many years!
How much FUN is all of this! I know the Gold Cup is on ESPN today as is the segment they are doing updating the fans about ME. Additionally, the PINCAY AWARD is being given to my beloved owners, Ann and Jerry! All of the other races will be broadcast on the various racing channels throughout the entire afternoon. It is truly one busy and exciting racing day!
I better get back to HANDICAPPING! It truly amazes ME how there is so much to learn and review when you are ‘studying the FORM’. It is so intriguing!
Here’s to great racing luck and handicapping to ALL!
Have one terrific day…and a lovely weekend!
With Love,
Hugs to ALL~
Z
From my serious side, I’ve heard Barry is doing OK. My John spoke with one of his assistants yesterday. He came home from the hospital and will need some treatments…but he is home, on the phone, thinking about his horses, and on the mend. Blessings to HIM!
Rosie…the DRF said she is out indefinitely and the TTimes said that ALL WENT WELL with her surgery. Wishing her a healthy and speedy recovery, for sure!
IN MEMORY OF…today, July 9th, would have been Bobby Frankel’s birthday. It is so sweet to follow the 3 year old colt, FRANKEL, who was named for him! I think Bobby would have very proud of the horse’s achievements to date and very honored by the thoughtfulness of Juddmonte Farms naming this colt for him!
Bridge
Hi Z!!!
I was in the grocery store, and a cute guy asked me out because I was wearing a purple Zenyatta baseball cap!!!!!! Isn’t that too cute!!!! I will date him!!!!!
judy berube
To DJ:
Beautiful prayers. Hugs, J.B.
Kathryn Cogswell
Canada`s Boreal forest, North America`s greatest songbird nursery [160 million songbird nests] and toxic tar sands oil over a 2,000-mile transport mix poorly; there were already 12 ruptures of a similar pipeline in its first year of operation. [The oil spill in the Yellowstone River is a different sort of mess]. Particulars at biogemsdefenders@savebiogems.org ( a National Resources Defense Council address) details a slope Secretary of State H. Clinton seems ready to slip on to favor an eco-fiasco, although she is on record promising a full review, as yet unpublished. Once again, ‘only citizens can stop’ this rush to judgment, which menaces the 4 of 10 ‘backyard birds’ in America which migrate to the Boreal to nest and rear their young. Thanks all.
signofthetimes
Not sure if this has been posted. I don’t remember seeing this longer video of Uncle Mo at Winstar
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/watch/02775D92-1BBE-4199-9270-ACE484F613D5
signofthetimes
@Kathryn Cogswell
Thanks for the update on Canada’s Boreal forest.
Kathryn Cogswell
^ ‘Charity Navigator’ gives NRDC 4 Stars; the e`mail above is for mail to them, but their beautiful website starts at http://www.savebiogems.org/ and the Boreal forest is yet to show among a myriad other endangered places. Will note a better address once found. Thank you.
judy berube
To Signofthetimes:
Thank you for the link on SS. Hugs, J.B.
To the Kennedy’s:
Thank you for the link on the Del. Hdcp. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Susan in Tn:
Hope you can get a copy of “Let It Ride”. If you can’t, I have my copy and as Terry Crow has offered to do, I will send it to you so that you can watch it. I also enjoyed the “Secretariat” movie. It’s fun to look into the pedigrees. I will try to find articles about other famous sires and dams and post them. Hugs to all the Sweeties, Lou and Beth. Hugs, J.B.
judy berube
Dear Signofthetimes:
Thanks for the video of Mo. Don’t you just love him! Hope he can continuing racing. Hugs, J.B.
Terry Crow
@Diana S-It is I who felt a little faint. I just didn’t let on.@Charlotte Farmer–Ms. Scott is a regular Indiana Jones. I know how she felt. Sometimes when I am at the morning workouts at Santa Anita my mind wanders and I swear I see Seabiscuit crossing the finish line. @Anne from Paramount-I listen to Roger Stein’s radio show every weekend and did hear Barry Abrams. Roger gave him his start in the business when he used to train harness horses. His show is not for everyone as quite a bit is devoted to the condition of horse racing in general. As for the crowds, when I tell people that 40,000 used to attend regularly on the weekends they look at me like I’m from another planet. Of course, many have that opinion already.@Marshall-Horses and dogs ARE the best. @Judy Maass Gadwood–I dropped the card in the mail this morning. Thank you and Karen Gogue for all that you did to arrange the trip to Barn 55. Brought back a lot of memories. Today’s joke–Junior–“Daddy, there’s a man at the circus who jumps on a horse’s back,slips underneath his belly, grabs hold of his tail and finishes hanging onto the horse’s mane.” Dad–“That’s nothing. I did all that the first time I rode a horse.”
Terry Crow
@Judy Berube–Like Forrest Gump said to his Jenny, you were there.
Maryyette
DJ, what lovely prayers – thank you so much for sharing them. Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts, concerns, love, efforts, and prayers for all good things, and for the wonderful creatures God has gifted us with, and the people who care for them- love you all!
And Zenny, love always and forever –
DJ
Pray-ers: Thank you!
Charlotte Farmer
@LauraJ – I am not going to get into the dynamics of what is going on only suffice to say Noor will not be stashed anywhere. If we roll in around the time I believe we will, the ground will be ready or Noor stays on the pickup. Due to time constraints, 10-day rental of the pickup which Old Friends is paying thanks to the donations, I have only 24-hours there in Kentucky before I have to get back on the road. I will not turn over Noor until I see that he has been properly buried.
I know Michael has planned for a granite marker, which is wonderful. But once he is out of my hands I no longer have say in what happens to him, THE grave will be ready!
None of what Kathy said showed any disrespect for Michael or
Old Friends so let’s not be going down that road. When people donate money to a 501(c)3 they have every right to ask questions with answers coming in a timely fashion. I have just gone through the past 3+ years fighting to protect Noor, where there was never a deed restriction on site, and I can offer up Samuel Riddle and Faraway Farm where Man o’ War was buried as an example, no deed protecting that grave, and so on and so on. Again, there is nothing wrong with asking the questions. Once Noor is turned over HE BELONGS to Old Friends that is how it works, example, Penny Chenery has no say on Secretariat, Claiborne Farm owns him since he is buried there. I hope that settles this issue.
ENSIGN
@ Signofthetimes,
.
You may care to note that Deep Impact’s 1st foals were born in 2008 and are now 3yr olds, that link is several years old…
DJ
To Khc: Thank you…I chirped my part!
Paul
Zenyatta, I agree with you that Saturday, July 9 is a great day for horseracing. I hope that all of your buddies who raced that day did well. You must really be loving the attention given to you by ESPN and whoever else might have been covering the Gold Cup. I’m really glad to hear that your friend Barry is doing all right and that he is out of the hospital. I wish him a speedy recovery. I wish Mike Smith luck in his races. I think the rain in New York State let up just enough or stopped just in time to hold the races at Belmont Park.
Robyn Mullhausen
Hi Z, I missed the TV broadcast with the update on you. Any chance of you posting a link that would show it?
J Smith
@Heidi & Signofthetimes, AZ Warrior is Bernardini’s first stakes winning filly. She has been missing in action of late. I think she was in Bob Bafferts barn. She is on fb, but no news there either.