Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Z's Diary

Diary Post #414

Keeneland January Sale begins this morning! Photo by John Shirreffs

Good Morning Everyone,

I hope you had a lovely weekend. Mine was perfect! I’m still elated over the fabulous JANUARY weather we are enjoying here in Kentucky. I understand from many of your comments that it is unseasonably warm in the rest of the country as well. Cheers to enjoying these “warm” moments!

Today marks the beginning of the “JANUARY HORSES OF ALL AGES SALE” at Keeneland. It is the first thoroughbred ‘auction’ of 2012 and it will take place for the next 4 days. It offers horses of ALL AGES…not just specifically YEARLINGS as the September Sale or 2 YEAR OLDS IN TRAINING as the April Sale does. This sale is much more open in its’ offerings. Upon completion, the industry will analyze the data and results to help them forecast the ‘climate’ of future sales for our new year. It is a very interesting concept to follow.

If you’d like to view the Keeneland activities, the LIVE feed of the auction may be seen at www.keenelandsales.com. On their web-site, they will also display the various catalog pages for you to review. You will have the opportunity to see the manner in which the family pedigree is presented. As I mentioned to you last week…it is always charted through the female branch of a horse’s family.

As you look through a sales catalog, it is interesting to note that each horse has a CONSIGNOR (a farm or agency acting on behalf of the seller for the sale) and is given a HIP NUMBER. Everything for a particular horse during the sale is referenced by these 2 things.

The way a horse is placed in the catalog and given a particular HIP number for sales purposes is very organized and detailed by the sales company. They want to keep it very specific for all of the sales entrants, their clients, and the consignors. The day a horse sells is firstly determined by which day his/her consignor is selling….for example, Monday or Tuesday etc. Different consignors sell on different days. Once this is determined, the horse is given a HIP NUMBER.

The HIP NUMBER is established by applying a two-fold process: (1) which day the consignor is selling and (2) alphabetically listing each horse selling on that day by name or if unnamed by the first letter of the MARE’S NAME.

The sales company varies the LETTER that is used to start posting the HIPS in the catalog for a particular sale. They do not always begin with the letter “A” and end with “Z”…they vary it. This system of changing the LETTER which starts off each sale seems to work well for everyone.

This is TOO CUTE! The photo for this year’s catalog cover was taken by “Z” (gotta’ love her name)…a terrific woman. You may have seen her work in various industry magazines and periodicals. From one “Z” to another….GREAT JOB!

Enjoy watching the sale!

With Love,
Hugs to All~(Here’s wishing Garrett Gomez all the best following yesterday’s incident leaving the paddock at Santa Anita)
Z

Reader Interactions

225 Comments

    • / Reply

      My Queen,
      I am convinced that I love you so much that I can feel you thinking of us.-LOL!
      Throughout the years there has been so many times that I was away for a day sometimes longer just to turn on my computer moments after Mr. Shirreffs would upload a new video of YOU. You are my heart , pride and most of all my JOY. I hope you & Tasty have a wonderful day.
      Thank you so much for the education. I am so very grateful for all you do for us. You are a wonderful teacher, mentor and we all look up to you.

  4. / Reply

    It has definitely been unseasonably warm here in Minnesota. We’ve had many days in the last two months that it’s been 30-40 degrees out. Normally this time of year it’s much closer to zero degrees, but I’m not complaining, I love the nice weather! Hope everything is going well for you Z! Love you!

  6. / Reply

    Good Morning Zenyatta!.. So glad you are enjoying the warm weather. I have been watching some of your past videos of racing this morning and just missing you so much from racing, but glad on the other hand that you are happy and safe and of course waiting on your baby Z. Love you Zenny

  7. / Reply

    Dear Zenny
    I love you so much and always look forward to your posts. You and Tasty give us many wonderful moments. Giving thanks for all of the joys that you bring to so many admirers. God bless you and little baby Z, and Tasty and her little baby T. Enjoy the beautiful weather and take good care of yourself, sweet, sweet Zenny. Much love to you and those near you!! <3 +++

  8. / Reply

    Hi Zenny, thanks for another detailed explanation of things in your industry. We found this post particularly interesting. Big hugs to you and your BF, TT.

  9. / Reply

    Thank you Dottie for all the great information on how the Keeneland sales are run. Have a fantastic day, everyone. Kisses on your velvet noses, Zenny and Tasty.

  11. / Reply

    Thank you for the insights into the TB race industry. Very interesting! About two more months to our little Zzzzzzzzzzz! Still hoping for a filly to continue the Z mareline. Lots of fillies in fact!

  14. / Reply

    Hi Zenyatta, thanks for the info. on the horse sale. You are so good at keeping us up-dated. Our weather here in S. Cal. has been so perfect and am glad that you are enjoying nice weather also. It is good to have a break from some of the bad winter weather that can happen across the states. Wishing you the best and sending you my love sweet Mama Z.

  15. / Reply

    Thank you Queen Z for the information —-
    It was an exciting afternoon and evening at our house yesterday–what a great football game between the Broncos and Steelers — can’t believe that they won in 11 seconds of Overtime —

  16. / Reply

    Thanks much Z & Dottie re info on the TB sales process. Very interesting! I had commented to Dancinginherdreams re Facebook a while back after finding out that she and 1/2 sis Joyful Victory were going in a January ’12 sale that if I were rich instead of good looking (purely in jest), that I’d be making plane reservations. I adore those two girls and of course the other 1/2 sis of note, Zazu. Dancing and Joyful are probably in the mixed sale you were talking about.
    About the warm weather…yes we have it too but it brought us RAIN last night as a cool front moved in so we’re especially thankful!

    • / Reply

      To add more info…I was poking around a couple of other websites trying to find out about potential sale of Dancinginherdreams and Joyful Victory and couldn’t find anything. I then found on drf.com, article about Joyfuls returning to racing under Larry Jones and still for Foxhill, so I guess the info I had on pending auction action was not true. I’m really happy about that!

  17. / Reply

    Zen ~ I’d like to know how the HIP NUMBER stays on the horses hair… is it like a sticky note? :-) Thanks!
    ~~~~~~~~
    It was great weather here this weekend for racing! Although I didn’t make it to the track this time……. SHHHH

    High Hoof to Caracortado (aka Scarface) with his “freight train” win… reminded me of YOU coming in out of the clouds LOL
    http://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing/articles/66867/caracortados-remarkable-surge-takes-daytona
    ~~~~~~~~
    Peppermint kisses to you and Baby B/Z with big Plushie {{HUGS}}} XOXOXO
    Judy G

  18. / Reply

    p.s. JOHN HENRY’s message for today: Two months from today is MARCH 9th (lots of winks!) ;-)

  19. / Reply

    Thank you for the education, Lady Z, it is much appreciated. I never knew a lot of these things before and I worked as a hotwalker/groom/shed foreman in the 1980s in Kentucky, based at the Kentucky Horse Training Center, but I took horses to Keeneland, Churchill Downs and Turfway Park to race. I hope you and Tasty are having a LOVELY week! Enjoy the weather, I hear another cold snap is headed our way.
    Hugs and kisses from Tennessee! Liz (it’s always a pleasure to meet another lady with a “Z” in her name!)

  20. / Reply

    Hi, sweet momma,
    Well, it’s about 58 days to go! Can’t wait to see Baby Z/B! Big hugs and so happy for the weather for you and Tasty! Same here in Tennessee…we sometimes have our worst weather in February, so we still have a ways to go before spring. Hope you have a super day and week! Big hugs, Ann Maree

  21. / Reply

    Hi Zenyatta – it’s great to hear from yu. I’m glad that you are enjoying warn weather in Kentucky.

  22. / Reply

    Dearest Zenyatta,

    Happy Monday! I hope the lovely weather holds for you. We’re finally getting a tiny bit of rain here in South Texas, so we are smiling. :)

    Other than watching horses race, there’s nothing more fun than watching them sell. Let’s hope the Keeneland sale will be a huge success and the market for horses will grow!

    Hope you and Tasty are starting out a wonderful week! Stay safe and happy!

    Hugs and kisses,
    Stel

  26. / Reply

    Great info. Wish I could attend the auction. So much excitement. Good luck to everyone. Sweet dreams Zenyatta.

  27. / Reply

    Good morning!
    Read that the first foal arrived at Lands End.
    As they said, the cycle begins again.
    Z–when you talk to baby sister E, would you ask her when her first race will be?
    Workouts look very good.
    She might tell you–if you tell me I’ll keep it a secret : )
    Thanks for the news on Keeneland.
    l’ve been watching some of the sales–good prices.
    Hope your day is sunny & warm!

  28. / Reply

    THIS IS FOR OUR PRECIOUS AND ALL MARES EXPECTING,,, ST GEORGE, THOU SAINTLY CHEVALIER, WITH ALL MY HEART I IMPLORE THEE. TO MARES AND STALLIONS THOU ART DEAR.. SECURE ONE FAVOR FOR ME! SEE HERE MY BLOOD CONGEALS WITH FRIGHT. THE PEDIGREED GRAND IS FOALING. GIVE HER THE BEST OF FOALS TONIGHT AND SEND MY CARES A ROLLING. LOVE YOU MUCH SHERRY.

  29. / Reply

    Well-wishes also to Rosie Napravnik, injured Sunday at SA when she was dumped just before the gate. She landed on 2 feet, but ended up with bruised bones in both ankles. My sympathies to the connections of Joker Face, who was euthanized after race 7 at SA due to injuries sustained in the race. I was concerned because JF’s regular jock is Zenny’s very own Mikie, but Rafael Bejanero was aboard. I haven’t been able to find any more info, but I’m guessing RB is OK, otherwise we would have heard about it.

    Enjoy your warm weather, Zenny! Ours was great while it lasted – we’re back to winter temps this week, with the possibility of a snowy Nor’ Easter on Thursday. Yuck! I hate snow! I think this is the only good thing to come out of my back problem – I can’t shovel!

    Love ya’ always, Sweet Zen!

    • / Reply

      RIP Joker Face. Gone much, much too soon. Thoughts and prayers to all connections with this beautiful boy.

    • / Reply

      Thank you for the nice messages regarding Joker Face, he died peacefully after sustaining a freak injury during a race at Santa Anita. He was a very special horse with a ton of heart and was a joy for my family and I. Mike Smith gave us many memories we will never forget and Joker Face saved Mike from a lifetime of potential pain when he and Mike won the “Battle of the Exes'”. In Joker Face’s first race he was beaten a nose by one of Zenyatta’s stablemates, “Cloud Man” in a very exciting first race for both horses. God Bless Joker Face and his memory will carry on forever!

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