Good Morning All!
I’M BACK! This sale ‘stuff’ is rather complicated and kept Dottie quite busy…so we were not able to get together and write during that time. I hope you are all well, had a wonderful week, and are enjoying the changing weather patterns. It is the beginning of Fall!
During the Yearling Sale, so many of my dear pals came to Lexington…so I had a great deal of company. This day, I shared a wonderful visit with my very special friends from Florida. As you may remember, Ocala is where I began my very first lessons after I was purchased from the sale. Sharing this photo with ME is Jeanne Mayberry (it is her training center where I spent the first several months of my breaking and training process), her 2 daughters, Summer and April, and their cousin, Jackie.
It was great fun to see all of them again. They thought I looked quite well…and enjoyed patting ‘my baby bump’. (Blush, Blush!)
I must say I enjoyed all of my time with these wonderful people in Ocala as a ‘youngster’. Jeanne is the one who told David that she hoped the Moss’ would give ‘this filly’ a terrific name as she looks to be very talented. Then in early December, David was in Ocala to see the ‘babies’ …often yearlings and 2 year olds are referenced by this term. He called Dottie and told her that they thought I could be VERY SPECIAL. To quote David, “this filly is going around the track in ‘gallop mode’ and just cruising by all of the other horses…and they look to be very talented prospects.” So, needless to say, I have a very soft spot in my heart for all of these loving people. I treasure the lessons I learned from them, the great times I shared with them, and all of the extraordinary memories we hold so dear of the last six years!
It is that time of year again when ‘the babies’ will venture to Ocala and begin their lessons…just like I did. The Mayberry Family is returning home now as the vans will be arriving carrying their new group of ‘students’ . Each one of these yearlings will walk off the van with a presence of his/her own and carrying the hope to become the best he or she can be!
I know I did!
Our sport is all about having a DREAM! It is about HOPE! It is about planning for the FUTURE. That is why everything we do each day is SO VERY SPECIAL!
Great to be back visiting with all of you again.
Have a wonderful day!
With Love,
Hugs to All~
Z
signofthetimes
@DJ
Thoughts and prayers for your ‘baby’; hope she is alright.
Marilu Villanueva
Hello Zeny! Happy to hear your wonderful friends from Ocala came to see you. You are looking healthy. They love you so very much. How lucky of them to spend all those months training you. What a great calling! Sorry to hear you did not see Dottie and your team. Hugs and Kisses, Marilu
Molly
Zenyatta, I needed one of your wonderful hugs. Thank you for taking the time to report what is going on in Lexington. Glad that you and baby are doing well. Love Ya so much. Take care.
Sharyn
Yipee, you and Dottie are back – sure did miss the two of you! What a wonderful week you must have had with all the special people who have contributed to all your successes! Now you get to share some of those wonderful pictures with all of us!! Thank you!
Kendra
Zenyatta, sorry that Dottie and John did not have time to spend with you. But it looks like you did enjoy some company. Stay healthy and happy.
Daina Ryan
Dottie/Z – I’ve been pretty busy myself and didn’t read all the post before this (mentioning that you’ll be at the Sales) and kept checking for posts. Got a little nervous there. We really rely on hearing from you….it’s great to be updated on our favorite girl in the world and it’s also very informative. A great education and has to be good for the racing industry. Just want you to know we appreciate the time you take to keep this going……
Linda in PA
So glad you are back. My day isn’t complete without your post.
ZENYATTALOVERAMY!!
awwww! adorable! thanks zeny! from your biggest fan amy.
Kathy Baldwin
WE MISSED YOU ZENNY, DOTTIE AND ALL OF YOUR
SPECIAL CONNECTIONS, BUT KNEW YOU WERE ALL
VERY BUSY. THANKS FOR THE HAPPY PICS AND THE
SCHOOLING ABOUT “THE BABIES”.
HOPE EVERYONE OUT THERE IN THE ZENYATTA
NATION IS DOING WELL!
PEACE, LOVE & BLESSINGS TO YOU ALL!
KATHY from SoCal :) xo
Linda M
Dear Z and Team – the world is a much better place now that you are all back! There should be no doubt – you were terribly missed. We love you and all that you do!
Susan in TN
@DJ: Hoping for the best for your little Shawnee. <3 Sass thanks you!
Lil from Ky
Hi Z, good to see new pictures of you , my Zenny, you are looking so fat, healthy & happy—thanks Dottie for your post, we’ve really missed your posting—BUT, Ifeel very fortunate getting to meet you at the UK seminar! You, John, & the Mosses were great & everyone there enjoyed you immensely!
How about those Keeneland sales, weren’t they exciting, I could hardly pry myself away.
@ Peggy N—Great news for you, I am so glad, I am a survivor of 9 yrs–Yay for us
@Marilu V—Yes, Z’s family did see her, even before they went to the sales.
@Susan in Tn—How are you, dear? I am soo very sorry for your loss, I understand so well, I lost my darling Harry (OES) to leukemia& thought I would never recover, I actually haven’t, I’ll miss him the rest of my life, but we have to console ourselves that they are no longer in pain. You have your other animals there that you can concentrate on& love. I’m glad for you, I don’t have any other animals.
Ginny Wood
Glad you are back Zen. Always worry when we don’t hear from you. Totally understand though – sales are time consuming and very important!! Glad you had a good time with your friends!
Louise Castello
Yeah beautiful Zenyatta! So glad to see you back. Love you so much!
Jeanie
Dear Great One,
I HAVE DIRE NEWS ABOUT SOME OF YOUR DISTANT RELATIVES IN NEED OF URGENT HELP! Marlene Dodge of Valley View Ranch Equine Rescue here in California needs immediate assistance to save the lives of 9 lovely horses in a Nevada feedlot that will be shipped to slaughter in Canada if they are not paid for by Sept. 28. Marlene needs a total of $6,175 just to keep the horses from being sent to the killers. She also is requesting an additional $1,200 for expenses such as paperwork and transport, much of which she does out of the goodness of her own heart if she doesn’t get the donations for that use. Please take a look at the link and give what you can to help save these beauties. http://www.valleyviewranchequinerescue.webs.com/ THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART! I KNOW OUR DEAR ZENNIE WOULD NOT WANT TO SEE THESE POOR SOULS BE SLAUGHTERED. I THANK YOU AND MARLENE THANKS YOU!
Your humble J
Katie Clawson
I have missed you Z!! But I understand that Dottie has been very busy. What did your little half sister sell for? :)
Have a wonderful day and enjoy this great weather!
Love, Katie(future jockey)
Heidi
Yipeeee!!!!! So glad that you’re back! I have missed your posts. How special it is for you and your visitors, Zenny! I saw you’re pictures on BH and yes, you do have a baby bump! How exciting!
Ann Maree
Hi, Zenny,
–
Glad you’re back! Love the new pictures! You look absolutely radiant! Love that ‘baby bump’ and I know your friends all are just loving that too and excited about your ‘first’!
–
Lots of excitement coming up over the next few weeks in racing that no doubt you and Dottie will help us with some inside scoop! Countdown to the Breeders’ Cup includes a couple races this weekend, and then, the huge shootout at Belmont Oct. 1 and 2, then Keeneland’s week of great races which will be televised on NBC/Versus. I am so glad we are getting some national tv coverage! I actually think this time of year beginning with the season at Saratoga is the most exciting…loved the run-up to the TC races, but there are more big, big races for the fall, it seems.
–
Still miss you, Z. Your Facebook page is approaching 91,000 (within a 100 or so), so lots of others miss you, too. So many articles talking about this horse or that horse breaking all kinds of records, and also about the upcoming Breeders’ Cup, and clips of your unbelievable stretch run. Your name comes up quite frequently in the discussion. Steve Haskin and many of the sportswriters bemoan the fact “there are no stars like Zenyatta” to bring excitement to the Breeders Cup this year (this will be the first year in years there will be “no Zenyatta”! You are always mentioned in connection with “greatness”…you are the measure of what is great both about the sport and about the Thoroughbred. All your thousands of fans will never let the “light that is Zenyatta” be dimmed. Always love what Dottie said about you: When she crossed the finish line, she carried all that is good about the sport with her”!
–
Since I’m waxing nostalgic, I just have to recall what Priscilla Clark, of Tranquility Farm, had to say and which YOUR JERRY read at the Eclipse awards:
–
“If you love Thoroughbred horses you go through life hoping that you can see just one more in whose presence the clouds fall away to reveal the mountaintop. It can take a generation or infinitely longer for such a horse to arrive, a horse that is capable of carrying the human heart. For the last one hundred years we know them all by name, but Zenyatta brought to us a beauty that was a tonic for the soul. She allowed us to believe in the impossible, and it was the light of her being as much as the thrill of her races that got us dancing. Zenyatta was transformative.”
–
Love you, sweet girl. I will always remember you. Big hugs. Ann Maree
Pat Beck
Missed you and worried! Now it’s so great to have you back and blogging! I teared up a bit at the true love you show your humans when they come to visit you. I hope the LE caretakers engage your wonderful mind on a daily basis. Love you always, Z!
Annie
I missed hearing from you Z (and Dottie of course)! Good luck to all the new babies! I’ll be sure to keep an eye on them in the future :) BTW I would really appriciate it if all my fellow Zenyatta fans would come check out my website! You get there by clicking on my name.
Denise Carrera
Please post a photo so that we can see Z’s cute baby bump! When is she due? I’ve really enjoyed all your postings! :o)
signofthetimes
@Ann Maree
What a lovely post. An I so love that poem.
signofthetimes
@Trina Nagel
Oh My the pencil drawing of Zenny at 6 months are breathtaking.
So very beautiful. We are so fortunate that he has done this for us. Thanks for sharing.
Ingrid Arnone
My adorable Zenyatta,I’ve missed you,so glad you are back, love you all,hugs.
Mary
Zenyatta and Dottie, really missed your ‘notes’ to us who crave Zenyatta info.
Have a safe and warm Fall.
Hugs and Prayers
quarter
Queen Z…you look so happy with all your old friends. Dottie…welcome back we missed you.
Susan in Tn: Good news for me, my mare(laminitic) walked to me today without any discomfort! I will make a donation in Tiny’s name to our local horse rescue,
Hooves and Paws.
Jan
WELCOME BACK Z AND D. :):)
Allen
Sure have missed your posts, but the two great pictures of you were worth the waite, you look great Z. Hope all the babies do well. Can you let us know how many horses the Mosse’s bought?Have a great day my Queen.
Jan Doyle
So glad everyone made it back safe and you enjoyed your vistors. Wish I was there to give you a big kiss on your nose. Hugs to all
Dawn Conrad
Dear Zenyatta. Hello, beautiful girl! I am very happy that you have been receiving visits from all of your beloved family and friends while they are in town for the Keenland sale. It has to be wonderful for you to be together again!! I am so looking forward to seeing more pictures. What fun!!! Hope everything at the sale has been going great for Team Z. I have loved watching some of the sessions during the last couple of weeks and seeing the process at work. Your life has certainly gone full circle, Zenny. From the time you were born until your own foal arrives, it has been a magical journey for all of us. You hold such a special place in that line of dreams throughout horse racing history. You are magnificent and as all great champions totally unique. The new chapter began when you were breed. The hope will grow when your little one takes that first sweet breath. The possibilities of the future will be seen as that colt or filly grows into a yearling. And finally, if all the plans and hard work come together; if everyone does their very best; if a pinch of luck is mixed with multiple blessings, the stars are aligned and that beautiful youngster has half the heart, soul and talent of you and Bernie, well then perhaps something wonderful will occur. Each year brings the promise and the hope continues. But in the final analysis, the true gift will be the continuation of your bloodline down through history. Whether your offspring are great athletes with honors and accolades or whether they are the beloved partner in some individual’s journey through life where the blue ribbon is simply love, doesn’t really matter. The worth is equal and priceless. Love you, Zenny. Sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
@All Silver Charm Fans – I recently received an update on Silver Charm from Three Chimneys that I thought you might like. Kate Hunter is a photographer in Japan that helps get regular updates for them. Kate wrote: “I saw him on August 25th for most of the afternoon. He was doing great. They moved him to the pasture behind the stallion barn. He galloped up to meet me and he followed me all around his paddock, though he is careful to make sure it didn’t LOOK like he was following me. But he always munched towards my general direction. It was pretty funny, the barn staff on site took in all of the other stallions first to give me more time with him and Charm could tell that his dinner was late. I have never seen a horse so obviously annoyed with the passage of time. He watched the horse next to him get taken in and he hung around the gate. . . he waited. . . he looked at the barn. . . he walked a bit. Came over and looked at me like, “ Are YOU going to feed me? “ Then he’d walk over to the gate again and look at the barn. He paced a bit. Then repeat the whole thing for a while. Finally when the groom came out, I though Charm was going to rear up he looked so excited. He started neighing and grunting and stomping his feet he ran in a little semicircle and charged the gate. Flung his head over like, “Come on fella! I don’t have all day! It’s DINNER TIME!” He basically dragged the groom to the barn. I was laughing so hard I stopped taking pictures. Charm got a good wash down and then his dinner. He is the ONLY stallion at Iburi to throw his dinner bowl around. Well it is more of a giant tin, but he flings the thing around on it’s hook. Making such a racket, all in order to get the last crumb of food. He has done that for the past 3 years. Bago (FR) didn’t do that, Sunningdale (JPN) doesn’t , and neither does David Junior (USA). He is such a vibrant and distinctive character. Visiting him is always heaps of fun.” Three Chimneys indicated again that when he retires, plans are for him to come back to the United States and retire there.
I have some great pictures that came with the e-mail. I tried to post to them to Zenyatta’s Facebook site so that you could all see them. I cannot seem to get it to work, so HELP, if anyone can give me instructions for this I would love to share them.