WELL…HOW SPECIAL IS THIS! I AM SO PROUD!!!
Good Morning Everyone! Dottie and I were just reviewing the morning news and GUESS WHAT WE FOUND! The Associated Press did their review of the TOP FEMALE ATHLETES in the world…and for the 2nd year in a row…I AM #2 !
Now this is amazing…as, in reality, I am a thoroughbred race horse, so to be honored in this way is quite special! People often comment that horse achievements do not translate to other sports…or outside of racing…but LOOK! HERE I AM! I think this also means that people recognize the fact that I had to train and work hard to achieve in my sport just as a human would to succeed in his/her sport!
I SO APPRECIATE THIS POLL!
They had 175 people voting for this honor and ranking. Here are the top 4 per the AP:
1…Lindsey Vonn…she is a TOP OLYMPIAN and had a great year. 3 CHEERS for Lindsey! She received 77 votes.
2…ME…ZENYATTA!!!!! YIPPEE, YIPPEE!!!! (To quote the AP press release…”Zenyatta’s 32 votes placed the racehorse No. 2 in the AP Balloting for the second consecutive year. The 6 year old mare retired with a 19-1 career record and a North American earnings record for female horses. Her only loss was a narrow one in the Breeders’ Cup Classic.” (Yikes…as they said ‘narrow one’…it was just a few inches. In my heart, I know I ran a winning race! I must also add that I truly appreciate the fact that everyone makes me feel so good about how hard I tried in the Classic. All of my friends have repeatedly reinforced the fact…EFFORT APPLIED DOES MATTER!)
3. Maya Moore…she is a wonderful college basketball player. I believe she is playing in a big tournament today…and her team is working on a big streak of their own. Good luck today, Maya! (I will have the guys at the farm check the TV Guide to see when her game is scheduled. This way, I can check on how she is doing.) It is important to be supportive of my fellow athletes. She received…29 votes.
4. Serena Williams…a fabulous tennis star…………14 votes.
****Per the AP article…no one else got more than 5 votes.
This is truly a complete HONOR…and I am totally BLESSED to share this recognition with all of these highly talented women. Again, LUCKY ME!
So, as I am standing here in KENTUCKY…I hope you can all see the HUGE SMILE on my face! I am so proud and grateful to all of these voters, my Barn 55 friends, and my wonderful, wonderful FANS who have always honored my work and made me feel so special and LOVED!
Enjoy your day! It is chilly here…and per all reports from CA…totally ‘pouring’ there!
Stay warm and cozy! With love,
HUGS TO ALL~
Z
Andre McCarter
Congratulations Ms.Zenyatta,
Happy to see you listed again as one of the best female athletes!I played for the great John Wooden and Zenyatta you are an example of how champions put discipline on display!!! Do they have your snacks ready for the basketball game?I know you are going to watch the UCONN Women break our UCLA MENS 88 consecutive streak tonight. PLEASE tell your photographer to take a picture of you watching the UCONN game and post or send it to the press !!!
linda b
Zen,
Just looked at your pics in the snow and joy is in your every move. So happy to hear you had your supporters around you for this big step. God bless you zen. MERRY CHRISTMAS
Zeina
You deserve it Zenny. You’re sooo generous too!! I’ve always simply adored horses but you added extra magic. Looking forward to you being named HORSE OF THE YEAR. Amen. My, mom, sister and me signed the petition for you!! God bless you and thx for the lovely facts!! :) In my opinion, u WON the BC. Take care, Zeina
NDfilly
The name of your baby, “Lucky Me”
games addicting
hi blogger, your webpage’s design is excellent and i like it. Your blog posts are marvelous. Remember to keep it up. Cheers.
sg
NEW VIDEO ON FACEBOOK…NON-FACEBOOK USERS CAN CLICK ON!
BEAUTIFUL PICTURES AND VIDEO.
PLEASE POST MORE VIDEO OF HER RUNNING…SHORT CLIP WAS GORGEOUS!!
AANNNNND HOW HAPPY Z MUST HAVE BEEN TO HAVE MARIO, JOHN AND HER LOVELY OWNERS THERE. I’M SURE SHE MISSES YOU AS MUCH AS YOU MISS HER….MY GUESS IS SHE HUNG AROUND FENCE NEAR YOU BEFORE TAKING OFF.
WHAT A GREAT HOLIDAY TREAT YOU GAVE Z’S FOLLOWERS.
THANK YOU.
Sharon Call
The second or two of her running was beautiful. Hopefully, there will be more video of her running free, I hope, I hope, I hope. The photo of her stretched out running along the fence line is now my desktop wallpaper. I think 1 other photo will be my screen saver. Lord have mercy, I love this horse.
Richard K
The video was wonderful! You cannot post too much of Zenyatta running in unadulterated JOY!
mary bobolis
Whether on the racetrack, online, or in print, Zenyatta and seemingly anything related to the multiple champion was voted on as the “Best of 2010” in Thoroughbred Times’ fourth annual reader poll.
The six-year-old Street Cry (Ire) mare and her connections garnered support in a host of categories, including best horse, best owner (Jerry and Ann Moss), best Facebook page, and best Twitter account.
Zenyatta inspired even in defeat, as readers voted the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1) as the best race of 2010 by an overwhelming margin. Blame defeated Zenyatta by a head following a stirring stretch drive that has set up another rancorous Horse of the Year debate.
Zenyatta was not the only repeat winner, as Goldikova (Ire) repeated as best turf horse and Gio Ponti was voted as North America’s best turf performer in 2010 after capturing best male horse honors last year. On the human side, Calvin Borel again parlayed a Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) victory into a nod for best ride. He won the race and the category last year aboard Mine That Bird and this year aboard Super Saver.
Participation in this year’s poll spread farther and wider, as the 3,491 responses came from a record 46 states and six continents. Despite the geographic variety, many readers regardless of location gravitated toward the Bluegrass, as Kentucky-based Churchill Downs and Keeneland Race Course both boast top websites and racing analysts with the former’s http://www.churchilldowns.com narrowly edging http://www.keeneland.com in the best website category, but the latter’s Mike Battaglia barely defeated last year’s favorite simulcast analyst, Jill Byrne, in that category.
Thanks to all who participated, and we hope you enjoy this year’s “Best of 2010” while looking forward to an exciting 2011.
nancy
Z,you da best, hands down (16 hands up!).
Allen
THANKS for the vedio. I am sure Z was very happy to have Team Z 1 there with her for this very special event.
sg
They moved video from facebook to bloodhorse…here you go…and a better edited video with beautiful shots of her running.
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/watch/7BA0A106-8A93-4BDD-A926-78F30706DDD7
mary bobolis
Wow! I just viewed the video of you being set free in your paddock. All of the Z Team obviously flew in for the big event. Incredibe the amount of love they have for you. As I have said many times, no connections act like this. I loved the shots when you first took off. I know you haven’t been free since you were a foal. Please post more.
Valeria P. Cannon
Wow Lady Z,
Zenyatta unleashed!!!!!! What a great Christmas present! And carrots from your mom (human) too, what a wonderful day! It seems that you have been a very, very, very good girl this year (ho-ho-ho)! You looked so beautiful and happy that the tears of joy couldn’t help but fall! You made my day, beautiful lady! Just watching you run in the snow and visit with your family was something special to see, thank you for allowing us the pleasure of sharing a most memoriable moment in your new life! Run free beautiful one, and live your life on your terms and thanks for coming along in a time when America needed a HEROINE….just as Secretariat did. Can’t thank Team Z enough for being awfully generous with us mere humans, and for allowing us a window into your stratosphere. Give everyone a Zenny kiss and a big hug for us, and special tug on John’s cap! Merry Christmas, Lady Z…. and may all your dreams be beautiful and true! Dance, Pretty Lady, Dance!!!!!!
Valeria
NorCalFan#1
Cry for happy! She’s beautiful–just like in the movie, “The Black Stallion,” only she’s faster!
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/videos/watch/7BA0A106-8A93-4BDD-A926-78F30706DDD7
Kathleen
Wow, I’m in tears after watching you, tail flagged, kicking and bucking, snorting, prancing, and running free. I loved seeing those moments with Mario, especially when you were scratching each other’s ‘withers’. Mario showed you the water, Ann fed you copious amounts of carrots. What a great gift………thank you.
linda b
Zen, Just watched your new video. Friends around you as you showed your joy as only you can. You are a blessed creation thank you all for showing her to us. Merry Christmas to all and to you dear Zen
Richard K
Kathleen, where did see see Mario and Zenyatta scratching each others withers, etc.?
Richard K
Thank you to Blood-Horse Productions for the beautiful, magical video. What a perfect Christmas gift.
Sharon Call
Thanks to sg and Norcalfan#1 for the link. I’m just sitting here with tears running. I wonder how wonderful it was for Mario to be with her again! They both seemed so very happy to see each other again. She looked like a fairy tale running, kicking, bucking and whinneying in the snow. Does my heart good to see this. I hope we get to see more.
Joan
Oh, Zenny, I just saw on the Blood Horse site that you got to run FREE in your paddock today! And all your beloved people were there to be with you! I’m so happy for you and so glad your people love you so much they wanted to be there for you. Brings tears to my eyes that I know I will never have to worry about your welfare. I can’t wait to read what you have to say about your taste of freedom today. I bet you had great fun.
Lisa g
Ms Zenyatta, see what else you have done for your sport. Horseracing is acknowledged by some as a true sport. We know you worked hard, and now deserve your retirement just a the humans do. I just wish ESPN would really get into it. I am so tired of the football stuff. You are the athelete that kids and adults can look up to, I wouldn’t say that for alot of the human sports, I do not know of any ‘heroes’ except YOU. I love you, darlin and am off to your FB to see what all I can see of you, admire, and try to hold back the tears. Love and Hugs, Lisa g
Carole
Thank you to all — Blood-Horse, Daily Racing Form, Barbara Livingstone and others who captured these glorious moments of Zenyatta with her beloved connections. What a gift this otherworldly Zenyatta is!
NorCalFan#1
Thank you very much for sharing these amazing moments! What a gift!! It touched my heart to see those familiar faces and the smiles you bring to everyone, especially seeing Mario with you again, and to hear your “mom” and Dottie’s voices. You’re amazing…
Beatrice Lian
Loved the video with Zenyatta running free at the farm. Thank you for sharing it with us – it is priceless! She looks so serene & relaxed, as it should be. Love the daily posts too.
Elena Erdman
Zenyatta. I am breathless after watching your first run in the paddock video. You look so happy and the whinnies were beautiful and then at the end those yummy carrots. I am so so happy you are so so happy, you made my Christmas. Gorgeous. Yes, here in Cali we are soaked to the bones and still more to come, but we are handling it. Not our weather though. Thank you very much for the gorgeous video on Blood Horse. I love you.
Joan
Oh happy day, running free just like it wsa meant to be, and your whinneys, fantastic.To see the video was worth everything all your friends and fans and family have worried about. You were “SPECTACULAR”. And at the end Mario, what a day for you and your family. Just think ehat fun is coming when you can lie down and roll, your gonna love that.
Now I will have a very merry Christmas and I know yo will also. Ready to read you diary about your fabulous day!!
Luv you Z.
Barbara Wood
Dearest Z–
I loved the pictures of you cavorting in the snow.
There is something heavy on my heart that you can help with, indirectly. On the Bloodhorse website, there is a blog called “In the Spirit of Christmas”. It is a very sad story of a horse that should be happy like you but was found abandoned. To make a long story short, he was found and is at a rescue facility in Tucson. Any of you who love Thoroughbreds and feel so led might want to consider a donation to help him. I sent mine in memory of Barbaro and in honor of you. I am so thankful for your human family who loves you so. I hope your Moneigh makes tons of money! Thank you so much for using your fame to reach out to help other horses. Love you always.
Martha Lydick
I just watched your wonderful Christmas present to your fans. I loved it!!! Now, I can see why you were too busy to write in your diary. You all look fantastic and you were so happy to see Mario. Thank you thank you thank you…
NorCalFan#1
For those of us who can’t get enough, here’s a wonderfully written essay in response to Steve Haskin’s “I Lied” blog at BloodHorse. I think you’re gonna like it…
http://cs.bloodhorse.com/blogs/horse-racing-steve-haskin/archive/2010/12/20/hangin-with-haskin-a-response-to-i-lied.aspx