Zenyatta

Queen of Racing

Ask The Experts

Ask The Experts #25

Ziconic at Mayberry Farm. Photo by Kyle Acebo.
Ziconic at Mayberry Farm. Photo by Kyle Acebo.

Q:

Does Ziconic have a barn name?

Ann Maree

Collierville, Tennessee

A: No, we call him Ziconic. Often a barn name comes when a horse doesn’t yet have a name or when we don’t like the one he has.

Q:

Since you trained Cozmic One and you are now training Ziconic, you must feel some pressure to make sure that they come out as great as possible. How do you handle this weight on your shoulders, knowing that you are making a future for these two as race horses?

Cassie Pashko

Sundre, AB Canada

A: We’re basic caregivers, and we do worry about them like they’re our kids. It would be a lot more pressure if we hadn’t trained Zenyatta. Seeing her traits in these two colts has eased the pressure and made it fun. They were able to fall into their routines naturally. We want them to do well and be the best they can be, so we do our best to give them the tools to succeed.

Our Experts

Cozmic One at Mayberry Farm / Zenyatta.com

Jeanne Mayberry, April Mayberry, Jacki Garcia

Mayberry Farm

Jeanne Mayberry runs her farm in Ocala, FL with her daughters, April and Summer, and their cousin Jacki. Both Zenyatta and Cozmic One received their early training at Mayberry Farm. Jeanne’s assistant, Margarita, is pictured on the left.

Reader Interactions

254 Comments

  1. / Reply

    Dear Judy, Brenda and Marshall,

    We are all rejoicing in the good MRI results, Judy!

    Happiest of birthdays to both Brenda and Marshall. Many happy returns!

    Hugs, Kathy

  2. / Reply

    I feel like I have come home. Been gone about three weeks. My poor old car broke down and I was stranded at home all this time. No Zenyatta news at all. Ziconic takes my breath away. He is so stunning. Perhaps Gary Stevens would be a good fit for CC.

  3. / Reply

    Just have to say it. I hate to see California Chrome go to Dubai. So many times the horses are never the same after they come back. Would rather see him go to England and race on the Turf.

    Didn’t seem like Art wanted him to go.

    • / Reply

      Racing on the turf in England or Ireland is a tough assignment for a horse who has not trained extensively there, if the idea is to win. The only turf course is North Anerica which is like those English turf courses is Woodbine, which replicates the rolling surface without many turns. That one win on the turf by Chromie does not make him a turf specialist. The competition that he defeated was not in the same league as the horses that he would face at Ascot or elsewhere in the UK or Europe.

      • / Reply

        Max,
        I don’t know much about turf racing in England so bow to your expertise. Just worry about him or any of our horses going to Dubai. Setting aside the health issues, that is in a very troubled part of the world.

        • I agree, but if they have decided on Dubai, we will just have to hope for the best for Chromie. I think that there was also some talk of a plan to go to Ascot after Dubai. Big dreams, but big dreams sometimes come true.

    • / Reply

      Dear Shirlee, Max, Sheena and Z Fans:

      I also wish CC wasn’t going to Dubai. Hope the trip won’t be to difficult on him. Love and Hugs, JB

      • / Reply

        JudyB. If going to Dubai were a good thing, the Mosses would have taken Zenyatta there. They didn’t. There are plenty of good races in the U.S. or Canada for Chromie, but now that he’s going I’m hoping that luck will be on his side. Go and come back safely, Chromie.

        • Dear Max:

          So true. Hoping too for a safe, healthy trip for CC if he goes. Love and Hugs, JB

    • / Reply

      ShirleeinIndy I want CC to stay here at home!! I must have missed something. Why send him somewhere else? Geez!
      hugs, Sally B

    • / Reply

      Read that Hootenanny is targeting the 2000 Guineas. He races everywhere so that he could do it. He is a turf specialist. Won the BC Juvenile Turf and at Ascot last year. Kick some butt, Hootie.

  5. / Reply

    Hi to all,
    Catching up again!! Judy, so glad to hear your sisters results are good, did not know about your big scare or I would have been praying hard. Will pray for continued good news for her.

    Happy belated birthdays to Brenda and Marshall, hope you guys had great days.

    Congrats to SB and Mikey on a big win……but I wish Chrome would have won and maybe he would have if Mikey was riding him. Don’t know how I feel about him going to Dubai, there is so much bad stuff going on over there…..I worry for his safety.

    Sending big nose smooches to Zenny, Zi, CoZ and my Indy.

  6. / Reply

    Dear Sheena:

    Goodnight. Thanks for Nissy and Sparkle. Love and Hugs, JB, LM, PC, HT, Cap, Herc, Frank, Boo and all the Sweeties

  7. / Reply

    Dear Beautiful Z, COZ, ZI, V and Montey:

    Goodnight. Happy Dreams. Love You. Hugs, JB

    Z Princess, Dubai, will always love you.

  8. / Reply

    Dear Max.Afraid it’s just the Cheltenham festival on my mind at the moment plenty of time later to think of the Guineas.I am looking forward to seeing Faugheen’s prep race.We are having quite a long spell of dry weather which will not help the Fly!Maybe some rain in march.The Champion Chase should be fascinating with neither the top 2 excelling themselves.Hopefully SS will come on from his race I am not certain about SDG his jumping was rusty.How is WD?will he be back soon?Sheena.

    • / Reply

      If he is going to race, it’s probably Gowran this Val’s Day. Dry spells don’t last too long in England. Let it rain plenty for The Fly. See that shorty’s win rate has fallen from 50 to 27 %. Townend is currently higher. The Fly must be laughing in his stall.
      It’s never too early for the Guineas. Would be nice to see a U.S. horse like Hootie bag that one.

    • / Reply

      Dear Sheena:

      Poor Nissy. They’ll have snow mounds there ’til April. We are running a close second here; we had another 9 inches of snow between yesterday and today. Love and Hugs, JB, LM, PC, HT, Cap, Herc, Frank, Boo and all the Sweeties

  10. / Reply

    Does anyone know if there are plans to breed Zenyatta this year? I wish they would breed her back to Tapit, especially after they produced Ziconic. Another one is Tiznow, but I guess he is too big.

  11. / Reply

    Happy birthday to Brenda and Marshall. I hope your Bday was a special day.

    Judy, life is grand when you hear such good news about your sister. I am thrilled for you both!
    love n hugs, Sally B

    Goodnight with love n kisses to your soft nose Zenyatta and to your sons
    love to zprincess and my dear Sir always
    Auntie Sally B

  12. / Reply

    Dear Judy B.,
    I am so happy for you and Allee! Thank goodness the report was good, and more importantly, thank the Lord for seeing you through the darkness to the light.
    Lots of Love to you and to Allee, too!

    Big Warm Hugs all around

  13. / Reply

    Dearest Z’sters,
    Heartfelt thanks to all who have sent beautiful birthday greetings to me today! I have had a lovely day despite the return of icky rain this afternoon. Birthday cards, e-cards, the good wishes posted here, Huey and Bailey, pretty gold earrings from dear friends of 40+ years, a birthday lunch supplied by my boss (with birthday cake, too), and a birthday dinner with good friends at Carrabas tonight complete with Burt’s Bees gift box and a donation to the local shelter in my name — these are all PRICELESS gifts!
    How lucky can an “old broad” be? :-)
    I appreciate each and every one of you!
    God bless you all.
    Hugs and Lots of Love

    • / Reply

      Congrats on your b day, Marshall. You did well and deservedly so. Rain sounds good to me. It’s non stop snow in the northeast. No relief in sight.

    • / Reply

      Marshall, sounds like an extra-lovely birthday. Happy Birthday (1 day after). Many of God’s blessings to you in this ‘new’ year for you. with love, Elizabeth

    • / Reply

      Glad to hear that you had such a nice day Marshall! Hope it’s just the start of an equally nice year :-)

  14. / Reply

    Dear Brenda,
    HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, dear friend! May you have good health and happiness today, this year and for many, many more birthdays to come!
    All the Best, always.
    Hugs and Love

  15. / Reply

    Unending thanks to the Mosses and all of Team Z, Lanes End, the magnificent Queen Z herself and everybody associated with this treasured blog for giving us all this wonderful gift so that we might continue to be part of Z’s family! Bless you forever!
    Hugs and Love

  16. / Reply

    Put my name on the list for having CC race here in the US. If Art was the one who decided to race in Dubai I would feel a little better about the trip. As a horse owner when I hire a trainer I listen to his/her advice. There have been many good US horses that have made the trip to Dubai for their owners and came back completely out of gas and unable to race on that high level again. Chrome is a very good horse and I hope everything goes well for him….but after 45 years of owning horses if he were mine he would take on all comers in the US and keep a little left in the tank for his stud career.

    • / Reply

      Wise words in your post today. Just pray CC will be safe and have a very good life creating new ones to carry on his legacy when he does retire. Perhaps his people will change their minds and keep him here in the U.S. Many blessings QHG – with love Elizabeth

    • / Reply

      Agree on all counts. I don’t think Steve Coburn really wants him to go either nor do the vast majority of fans who post on his FB page. Perry Martin is the majority owner and this is his decision.

      • / Reply

        Yes, neither Art or Steve want CC to go. It’s all Martin. I thought they had an equal partnership?? If they go, they need to ship asap so CC can acclamate.

        • I was hoping that CC and Shared Belief would meet again in the SA Handicap. Going to Dubai kinda messes up a feel good story.

        • Dear TC GP:

          Would have liked to see Shared Belief and CC meet up again too. Love and Hugs, JB

  17. / Reply

    February 10 Cherokee Devotional

    Great people from over the years have known the wisdom of taking time to set their minds adrift. They seem to sit idly on the sidelines-but they are really fishing in their minds for solutions rather than thinking only about problems.
    Creative work has always resulted from silent and deep thought. Physical weariness will disappear when the mind is allowed to ramble and rest.
    Knowledge comes from study and observation, but wisdom comes in the quiet times-and particularly when time is made for a da nvto-u ga na s dv which means “the sweet Spirit.”

    The ground says, “It is the Great Spirit that placed me here.”
    Young Chief
    Cayuse
    1855

  18. / Reply

    @quarterhossgal– I have never had a horse (only a grandhorse), and I would practically rather undergo torture than send him over there. It is a very long trip, and not without danger. I can’t help fearing for his safety.

    @”old broad” Marshall–lol. SO glad you had a great birthday, despite the weather. YOU are the one who is priceless, dear friend. Hugs.

  19. / Reply

    Dear Kathy.Oh,I ramble a lot!!!Very grey and cold here still!Mango is well-prepared for her trip to California and has received another suitcase so she is packing more Purdy dresses!!Miss Pauline has been delayed by another storm in NY snow I guess!She will love the temps in your part of the world,even Ray is getting tired of the snow daddy is so busy ploughing!Did you see the snow and ice around his home?.The ratties were busy yesterday with bizness stuffs!Dash had a lovely dream about a yogie forest but woke!I didn’t know Pharell won a grammy for the happy song.Our Sam Smith did well with 4 I think.Great video on Miss Kitty about someone called Tom Mabe visting a shelter in Kentucky with loads of gifts for the dogs and adopting Poppy!Loki will have to visit the clinic for his check-up Thursday she is hoping they could give him a sedative.Does’nt Buster look so happy at his forever home and the video of the bear saved from those disgusting bile farms was amazing!Have a great day.Love and hugs to you,Kisses for Holly,Nikko and Sugar.Sheena

  20. / Reply

    @Sandy–It was certainly good to see Karen at Los Al. I am sure that her problem with posting here goes back to the old days when we all had trouble with signofthetimes. Karen did say that she posts in a different area these days, but this is where I started when it was Zenyatta’s diary and wouldn’t feel comfortable elsewhere.

  21. / Reply

    I wish CC would stay right here. The world is a different place since Curlin ran in Dubai. Too many dangers of all kinds. Coz looks magnificent. So like his Mama.

  24. / Reply

    An old man was on his deathbed and was listening to his kids arguing about who would inherit what. Disgusted, he called his kids into his room. “There is one thing I never told you” he said. “I never married your mother.” Dumbfounded, the oldest son then said ‘You mean we’re bastards?” ‘The old man then said, “Yes. and cheap ones, too.”

  25. / Reply

    I saw an interview where someone asked Moss why he didn’t send Zenyatta to Dubai and he said it would have been too hard on HER. I wish Coburn/Martin felt that way about Chrome.

  26. / Reply

    Claiborne Farm opened their breeding shed today. Wonder when Zenyatta and War Front will have their date. Should be soon as they would want the foal born as early as possible. I know it is too much to hope for but would love to see another filly who looked like ZPrincess.

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