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
jeanie langford
Yipee. You go girl. Not everyone knows Linsey, but everyone knows the QUEEN. You are the people’s horse and that is better than HOY. Keep warm and be safe. Just remember how much you are loved.
Kathleen Marsh
Well, of course you are number 1 as far as I am concerned. But, what an honor to be recognized even outside of racing. I think you are becoming even more popular now that you have retired!
Nancy
I can guaran-dam-tee you that no other female athlete made our hearts pound as fast as you did. Or fascinated us like you did. :)
Jan Doyle
Congratulations!! We already knew this Zenyatta. You are #1 in everything. I am sending you a big old Texas kiss. Love Ya
NancyP
Hi Beautiful Girl,
Congratulations! First, Second, Third – YOU ARE ALWAYS NUMBER ONE WITH US! C
NancyP
Hi Beautiful Girl,
Congratulations! First, Second, Third – YOU ARE ALWAYS NUMBER ONE WITH US! Congrats to Lindsay, Maya and Serena too!
Thank you Dottie for keeping us updated on all things Zenyatta.
Happy Holidays and a Healthy Happy New Year to you and John, The Mosses, Mike, Mario and his wife, and all of Zenyatta’s crew at Hollywood and at Lane’s End, but most importantly to Zenyatta.
Quarterhossgal
The excitement you have given all of your fans during your racing career makes you # 1 in any poll. Just read an article in DRF by Kenny Peck who gives his reasons why you should win HOY plus that is the way he is voting! My scrapbook about you is huge. I can only imagine how big John and Dottie’s is. Can you do another video, I love to see how you are moving and enjoying yourself. Have a wonderful holiday know all of your fans wish you all the best plus a bigger mantel to put your HOY award.
Jenna
Congratulations to Z, the Mosses, John & Dottie, and everyone at B-55!!!
Next up, Horse of the Year.
Finger’s crossed. :>
Linda from Vermont
Zen, I think you are number One!! You Go Girl!!!
NorCalFan#1
It’s absolutely wonderful that you were again recognized by AP for your extraordinary athleticism! Pardon my bias, but I disagree with the order of the top 2 because NO ONE else provided the kind of thrilling, heart-stopping excitement that we experienced in watching you. But still, I can’t argue with the company you’re in. What an honor for “them.” Congratulations again to you and Team Zenyatta! Miss you still!
Robin
Good Morning Z!! You ARE #1 in my book, and ALWAYS will be! STAY WARM pretty girl!! Love you!! MUAH!!! XOXO
Sharon
in my opinion, you are #1 in so many more ways than even an outstanding Olympian! Also HOTY/Decade/Century accolades can’t be far behind!! You deserve that and more. Both years 09 and 10 you competed against males and. . .simply fabulous! Everyone is in awe of you Zenny!
Janet Cutting
Zenyatta, Team Z, Z’s family — WOW!!!!!
All of you are #1 winners– Take Horse of the Year Queen Z. YEAH, Janet
Pam Zacek,
Iam with most of the above, they should have voted you number one. Your the best, and worked hard for what you did, You go girl, women Power, we rock,
Nancy Love
Yhooooooooooooo Whooooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!
xxoo your gal pal, Nancy
Deneen
Congratulations Zenny on a very well deserved honor!!! I am so proud of you!!! Wishing you and your family members in CA and KY a blessed Christmas and wonderful New Year!!!!
Barb France
Congratulations Team Zenyatta and the Z herself…what an honor, especially 2 years in a row! But in MY heart your ALL #1.
Linda Shull
Zenyatta you are truly a great horse. You have brought to horse racing a lot of good will.
Alene
Hi ZENNY, First off, Love you beautiful girl!! Zenny, you deserve that honor bestowed on you.. You worked and trained consistantley. Just as you WON consistantley.Zenny, YOU ARE A TOP NOTCH ATHLETE!!! Doesn`t get much better then you. Your up there with the great “Secretariat” as I`ve told many times before. That`s quite a complement. As far as the Breeders Cup you need not tell us you did your best and RAN YOUR HEART OUT. We know you`re THE BEST!!! Enough said. I love you Zenny…Many BIG hugs and Kisses, Alene…THANKS DOTTIE
Margaret
Hay Z
The good news is I’m sorta back online. It hasn’t been easy to resolve the computer crash I suffered yesterday. So we both have something to cheer about today.
Congrats on being selected the second best female athlete for the second year running. Although to me you’ll always be no 1.
I’m staying warm and dry although it isn’t easy here in rainy northern CA. I hope your able to watch some basketball today. Women’s basketball rules except when your around!
Jackie
Good Afternoon Queen “Z”, that is awesome news. I would expect you to be at the very top of all the sporting polls for 2010. Not only for your performance, but for the impact you had on your sport. No one has had a bigger impact in all the years I can remember. You and you alone brougt the interest back to a dying sport. I only hope with you now in retirement the fans continue to come out and support racing.
It is pretty miserable here in California. They are expecting rain for days. Yuk! I continue to watch John’s horses race. He had two yesterday and I belive one today running. There will never be another Zenyatta!
Dottie, thanks for all you do to keep us updated. You should write a book!
Stay warm and dry.
Hugs and kisses.
victoria
But of all the non-human creatures in the world — you are #1. this is what the AP Poll means. so in a way — you ARE #1.
And even up against the humans, you beat them all by many lengths! You are and always will be much more than a great athlete for all time. We all are lucky to just share in the the gifts of joy and wonder you bring.
S
Well deserved honor for you and your team!!HOTY next
Ingrid in MA
I DEMAND A RECOUNT!! YOU,dear Zenny, should be #1!! Well, you are anyway,to all your fans! There’s one thing YOU have,Queen Z,that none of those other athletes have – take a look at all the pictures here of your races – you’re racing with a SMILE! That’s one of the things I loved most about watching you race – knowing that you were well and truly ENJOYING what you were doing,huge grin on your face,and totally confident in Mike so you could just enjoy the ride. That’s what makes you so special, Sweet Zenyatta. That’s what I’ll miss most on race days, that equine smile of joy.
nancy
So way cool Z last year just behind Serena, this year behind Lindsey, what an honor once agin for AP to vote for you, but you know your number one in all of our books, and in are hearts you beat Blame, it should that you did past the wire, boy you were coming, that darn wire got there 8 inches too soon, but that is ok Z we know who the real winner is. Now whta better way to cap things the with HOTY honors, you have all your fan support on that as well. Stay warm sweet girl, and yes it is very rainy here today, in fact Hollywood Park had to cancle there last day of the meet today just to much of a risk for the horses and everyone else, Not sure what all your friends at barn 55 ened up doing today? C-you on your next post.
Linda Clausen
Congratulations Zenyatta! You are so deserving of this honor. I’m so glad they recognized that you worked just as hard for your accomplishments in your sport as humans do in theirs. Love you!
Vicki B.
No horse, male or female, has ever won #1 in the AP Athlete of the Year Poll, so Zenyatta did very well. No human will ever win HOY, but Zenyatta easily could, and should. She has already won “Horse of a Lifetime” to most of us.
Tracey - Ottawa, ON Canada
I hope you had a two Guinness for that fantastic honor!!! So by that I should see no reason for you making HORSE OF THE YEAR!!!!!! Kisses to you Queenie!
Dawn Conrad
Dear, Zenyatta. Congratulations on the AP vote!!! How wonderful to have your name right up there with such accomplished female athletes. Congrats also to the Mosses, Dottie, John, Mike, Mario, Carmen, Steve and everyone else who supported you throughout your career and always did what was right for you. Now all of our wishes are with you for HOY. The HOY voters have a chance to truly do something uplifting in recognizing all that you have done. I hope they live up to momemt presented them. Everyone is right Zenny, the effort you put into the BCC will live in history as one of the greatest displays of pure heart and breathtaking ability ever. Bar none! Thank you to Barbara Wood for giving the backside55.com info. I enjoyed the pictures of Zenyatta with John and the great “when you remember” video, of course it brought tears again. I enjoy reading all of the posts so much, thank you again Dottie for everything you give to us on behalf of our beautiful girl. Zenyatta I know there is plenty of love to keep you warm and I hope everyone continues to enjoy the magic of the season.
Bridget
I can see you smiling now, Z. Congratulations! What, no horses voted? I see Rachel Alexandria got in there on the list too…good for her!