Happy Friday to ALL!
I so hope all of you are well…and our friends who needed some of our ‘special thoughts’ earlier this week are doing better!
Recently, I have spent some time outdoors with Matt contemplating so many different things. On Saturday, BLACK CAVIAR is competing in the G2–Schweppes Stakes at Moonee Valley Racecourse. She is going for her 15th victory in a row…with the hope of becoming 15 for 15. Here’s wishing her a safe and successful trip! This is quite an accomplishment to achieve the first 14 victories…so all the best to her!
Then in America, we have some wonderful races taking place over the next few days. New York has their Showcase Day on Saturday. The Breeders’ Cup prep events are concluded and we are now gearing up for the Pre-Entries to be taken on Monday morning. It is getting quite exciting!
The majority of horses preparing to run in the World Championship races will probably have 2 more workouts before their BIG DAY! So much needs to be organized and planned in advance so each horse is RIGHT ON TARGET to do his/her best when competing in these events!
As for my dear pal, ZAZU, she will not be participating in the Ladies’ Classic this year. After she breezed the other morning, she had an inflammation in her right shoulder area. The proper tests were performed. It was discovered very quickly and she will be 100% soon. She simply needs some RNR at this time. Zazu will be out of her regular training routine for about 90 days. During that time, she will be hand-walked a couple times each day and enjoy a well-deserved and relaxing vacation.
We thoroughbred horses are athletes…no different than humans. Sometimes, we are not quite ourselves, for one reason or another. Fortunately, we have wonderful people around us who pick up on this very quickly…and the proper measures are taken to be sure we will be fine.
The technology today is also at such a high level. The veterinarians and vet hospitals have machines that can evaluate the different parts of a horse’s body to see exactly what is going on with specific bones and muscles. The level of sensitivity that these machines can analyze and detail is quite amazing. The constant growth and progress in this aspect of the industry truly amazes ME!
Relax and have a fun weekend! As for ME, I’m resting up for MY PARTY. It takes place exactly 2 weeks from today!
With Love,
Hugs to All,
Z
Susan in TN
Zenny- am I first?!
Marilu V.
Hello Zeny:
Wow, am I second? Love you, Marilu
Alex Bowdoin - MA
Hello our Beautiful Zenyatta…I am very excited about Black Caviar tomorrow!! Go Girl!! I have to say you are looking quite lovely in front of the barn. Have a great weekend everyone. Hugs to all….
Christine B in Nor Cal - Placerville
Have a terrific weekend, Zenny! Best wishes and hugs to all that need them.
Cheryl Smith
Happy Friday! Please give my best to Zazu and tell her to rest and do what the doctors tell her to do.
You my friend, take care as well. You make so many of us happy,when I am having a bad day I look at one of your videos on you tube or picture and it makes me smile!
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
Dear Zenyatta. Happy Friday!! I see you are spending some more time out in the sunshine with Matt. Too Fun!! Black Caviar is amazing, I will certainly be joining you in wishing her great success and a safe journey. I am so glad that Zazu is going to be alright. I am sure she will enjoy her RNR. She is so special to all of us. Jerry, Ann and Dottie are wonderful for making sure that she is taken care of. I too am amazed at many of the treatments and tests that can be done today. Let’s keep praying for an end to lamanitis! Hope you and Team Z as well as everyone at Lane’s End have a wonderful weekend. Safe journeys for all. Love you beautiful. Sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
I am entering my post from yesterday again as it continued to have problems loading. I am posting the two links I included separately.
Dear Zenyatta. How fun that you had two such special visitors. Don Robinson and Eric Kronfeld must be so proud of their beautiful girl. They both had the joy of seeing you grow and develop and know that they played such a pivotal role in your amazing life. And now they have the sweet Ebby, just starting on her own journey. As the proverb says, “To have faith even as small as a mustard seed . . . nothing is impossible.” We never know at the beginning how far our dream, ideas, plans, wishes or goals will take us and each turn in the road opens up a new vista. It is part of the blessings of life, fear and joy may be fleeting in the moment; the path of the journey often crosses the valley to arrive at the mountain top. We must remain open to the possibilities, giving too and accepting back from those around us, ever growing, ever changing. As you and Dottie put so well, Zenny, life is interesting and decisions made can open up wondrous opportunities. The course of a life can be altered. Just look what you have done for each of us!! All my love to you! Sweet dreams. Hugs and kisses. XXXOOO
@Debbie G – Thank you for sharing information about the ceremony for Skip Away. His owner loved him so much, it had to be hard. How I wish I could be at Zenyatta’s party. I have not totally ruled it out yet, I would love to meet you!
@Shari – I have been visiting the Peppermint Pal and Ice Racing website. The videos are so great to watch, what wonderful fun for the kid in all of us! As always, thinking about you and hoping everything is well with you!
@Kimberly Potter – Congratulations on the birth of your granddaughter. What a lovely name she has. I am so happy that you have all been blessed with so much joy!
@Mary Copelin – Thank you so much for your kind words and for the great book recommendation. I will start looking for it.
@Kathy Kimber – Hope you feel better soon!!
@Germaine – Thank you for sharing the wonderful post of Priscilla Clark’s amazing piece. Whether our actions are large or small, everyone can make a difference!
@Karen G – Absolutely loved your beautiful post! Hugs to you!!
@Kari Bussell – Sweet Kari, you remain in my thoughts, prayers and heart every day. Love to you!!!
@signofthetimes – Yes, I count myself very lucky to have seen so many great thoroughbreds. One of my greatest joys in life is spending time around these amazing horses. Thanks again for letting me know how best to post links!
@Susan In TN – Thank you for the update on Rusty. I am so happy all of the sweeties are doing so well.
@Lou Ann Cingel – Great post! Hope things are well with you. You are in my thoughts.
Katie
Ahh I hope you have a wonderful weekend Zenny! :) I love that Black Caviar is on such a wonderful streak! Filly power! You are looking stunning these days! Love you!
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@ Hello everybody. For all of you who wanted to see pictures of Silver Charm in Japan, here is the link. http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.498813631049.271484.62777301049&type=3
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@All – I also wanted to share the latest update from Three Chimneys. It outlines their plans for visiting the farm during Breeder’s Cup and demonstrates some of the really good things that many of those in the horse industry are involved in. Enjoy!
Good afternoon, Club Three Chimneys! Hope you had a good week! The weather is starting to get a bit nippy here in Kentucky. The leaves are changing, the wind is blowing and the ponies are feeling fresh! This week on Wednesday Three Chimneys once again co-sponsored Make A Wish Day at Keeneland. Once again this year, nine farms came together to grant the wishes of 9 chronically or terminally ill children. Before going to the races, many of the kids and their families came out to the farm to see the horses. As you can imagine, we have to be careful of which horses we bring out to let the kids interact with, as some of these kids have severe disabilities that require them to be bound to wheel chairs or cause them to behave erratically. Needless to say Dynaformer (a.k.a. the Hannibal Lector of Horses) was not on the list of horses for them to play with. Point Given, however, is perfect for these situations due to his calm, kind demeanor. He stood for more than 20 minutes while the kids took turns getting photos with him and petting him. Shorty, his groom, even showed them a trick Point Given had learned (when Shorty holds his hand up to Point Given’s face, he’ll rub his forehead up and down – like self-service petting!). We also took the kiddos and their families over to one of our mare and foal divisions. Broodmare Manager Tony Burton had a few babies that are uncommonly calm and well-mannered (one was by Yes It’s True, who is another horse that we often use for Make A Wish visits and photos due to his polite, calm temperament). Tony took the kids one-by-one and let them pet and interact with the foals. It was the chance of a lifetime for some of these horse-crazy kids, according to their parents. For those of you coming to Kentucky for the Breeders’ Cup, we will be holding a fan open house on Wednesday, November 2 from 10:00am – 1:00pm. No need to make reservations. Just stop by anytime during those hours to see the stallions and the facility. We’ve received many questions about whether people can pay their respects to Rahy during that time too – yes, you will have access to our stallion cemetery and are welcome to leave flowers, notes or any other mementos on Rahy’s grave.
Here is another link to some of the beautiful pictures from Three Chimneys.
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.75265196049.87303.62777301049&type=3
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@Bookmark # 5 – Well today, here is one of my most favorite books. I love the lending man and the author is also pretty amazing. The book is Secretariat: The Making of a Champion by William Nack. It is a biography of the immortal, incomparable Secretariat. Secretariat was the flame that began my passion for thoroughbred race horses. I was a sophomore in high school when he won the Triple Crown and he was magnificent in my eyes. I will hold him in my heart forever. I so admired Penny Chenery and everything she was doing also. William Nack is a foremost expert on “Big Red”. Along with Steve Haskins, I think he is one of the best historians of the sport of horse racing. The book was originally released in 1975. It was re-printed again in 2010 after the movie Secretariat with Diane Lane was released. The movie was based on the book. Mr. Nack actually makes a cameo appearance in the movie as an interviewer at a press conference, as does Penny Chenery in the grandstands just behind Ms. Lane during the climatic Belmont. This is a wonderful movie! I am also including a link to what I think is one of the best short documentaries about Secretariat. You will see his Team S interviewed as well as many of the people who reported on him or watched him run. It is the ESPN Sports Century 50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century. It runs about 40 minutes.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtuEoiYiqZw
Marilu V.
Hi Zeny! Thrilled to be NO 2. I am sorry to hear Zazu is not a 100%. But it’s good. As you have said – our body tells us we need to rest. I am sure she will enjoy her much needed vacation. We all need it! Take care and hugs, Marilu
Dawn Conrad / Colorado
@For any of you who have not seem it, the Blog for Old Friends is wonderful. Val, the author is amazing. I wanted to share a recent entry talking about the Secretariat Festival. You will need to scan down to the entry for Sunday, September 25th. But, if you love great stories about the farm and its Old Friends, you will want to read some of the other posts, they are great.
http://oldfriendsblog.wordpress.com/
harold moore
BIG Z, YOUR DOING JUST FINE AND IT’S GREAT YOU HAVE WONDERFUL OWNERS PLUS THE BEST TEAM.
signofthetimes
Hey Zenny,
You look great in your fall sweater, with Matt, hope you had a great day.
XXXXOOOO
Jan S. in Houston
Zenyatta,
You are looking chic as ever. Hoping for a speedy recovery for Zazu. I’ll be cheering for that other georgous gal Black Caviar. 15/15, Sweet…… stay healthy and happy Big Mama….
Nancy C from California
Queen Z, What a beautiful diary you have provided for us this week. It must be a beautiful feeling to know that you and TEAM Z are truly loved and we get a lot of love in return. We racing fans are truly blessed to have an inspiration like you and TEAM Z. I really look forward to reading your diary every day and as usual it makes my day. Have a wonderful weekend and get plenty of rest for all of you upcoming social events.
signofthetimes
Dear Zenny,
So glad Zazu is being take care of so well, guess that great stretch drive in the Lady’s Secret took a more out of her
than expected. Just like Winter Memories, great explosive kick and a 4th in the next race. The female thoroughbreds seem to be stronger, but still more delicate.
Great to hear about all the new equipment. Detecting early is the key. She can rest well and be ready for next years BC 2012 in SA. She is such a beautiful filly, expecially with her mask off.
Trisha
Hi Z, yes luck to Black Caviar. Sorry to hear we will not get a chance to see Zazu during BC weekend. I hope she takes time to fully recover.
Love to you and all your family in CA and KY
Love hugs and kisses
JAG / CA The Land of Zenyatta & John Henry :-)
TGIF Zenny! ;-)
I was just reading about BLACK CAVIAR:
http://www.racingpost.com/news/horse-racing/peter-g-moody-scenic-blast-moonee-valley-australia-black-caviar-could-start-as-short-as-1-25/934697/international/
Judy G
Susan in TN
Zenny- my apologies for my slightly pathetic rush to be first today, but it is something of which I have dreamed :)
That is a great photo of you and Matt, contemplating in the sunshine. Best wishes to Black Caviar! I am so sorry about the timing of Zazu’s shoulder inflammation. You are so right- the technology and treatment options available today are really excellent. I’m sure she will come back better than ever!
I hope you and Tasty T have a wonderful weekend, sweet girl. Love you<3
Mary
Yes Z…it is wonderful the technology today that help take great care of you wonderful horses. Just look at the care of Uncle Mo….amazing how well he is doing and he was pretty sick. He is a funny horse…great personality like you…but no one can come close to your excellence Z. You enjoy the beautiful weather in KY…it is beautiful here in Central Virginia. Hugs to you Z….. like you..I cannot wait for the Breeder’s Cup…a fun and exciting time.
Susan in TN
@Dawn C: Thanks for the links and book recommendation. I enjoy the Old Friends blog. OF is definitely on my bucket list. They really know and love their horses. I will email you shortly- sorry for the delay! Thanks for your comments about sweet Rusty<3
JAG / CA The Land of Zenyatta & John Henry :-)
Zenny about ZAZU ~
I’m happy she is in “good hands” and that her connetions, aka family, have put her health FIRST! I look forward to seeing her race again here in sunny Cal! :-)
~~~~~~~~
Kisses & a BIG hug to you, Mamma Z, and baby B/Z XOXOXO
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I still would love to see you wearing an animal print blanket (wink wink) ~ you could do the “cat walk” for us LOL
Judy G
JAG / CA The Land of Zenyatta & John Henry :-)
p.s. If the Mosses or the Shirreffs’ have room in their carry on luggage, I’d be more than happy to squeeze my big tush into it LOL :-) I so wish I could PARTY with you, Zenny! My heart and soul will be there!!
signofthetimes
@Sharon Call from post #361
Zenny has perfect conformation, although a long back. Her size and streght in hind end really helped her be sucessful, HER JOHN also commented on her shoulders and their stregth as well. However, a turn of foot is started with the hind end. If you watch Winter Memories explosive move in
the Garden City, you will see her use her hind end.
signofthetimes
Oops!!! strength not stregth
signofthetimes
@Dawn Conrad
So is it possible Three Chimney’s allows vistors during breeding season???
signofthetimes
Flashpoint retired, suspensory ligament injury
http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/65689/grade-ii-winning-sprinter-flashpoint-retired
Stud plans not announced yet.
Brenda S..Ontario, Canada
TGIF Zenny, You look wonderful, as usual, out for a gentle stroll and a snack on the blue grass with Matt. Your sweater is a beautiful color and I’m sure that you need it now that Fall is really here. The weekend racing is getting very exciting, Black Caviar going for 15 out of 15, you would know all about that wouldn’t you? I just hope that all horses and jockeys have a safe trip and that Zazu enjoys her RNR watching the races. I know that you and Tasty will be enjoying the weekend together, following you friend’s races.
@ signofthetimes – I noticed that you asked Dawn about visits to farms during breeding season. Two years ago Vic and I were visiting Three Chimneys in July. As the tour was ending our guide announced that we had the opportunity to watch a covering if we wished. We did wish and were fortunate to see Clever But Costly arrive for her date with Flower Alley. The date was over quite quickly and CBC departed for home in her limo. Vic believes that a filly was the result. I really believe that we were so lucky to be in the right place at exactly the right time, past the end of the “Season” and to be allowed to view the proceedings.