Around 10 pm
ET on March 8, Zenyatta gave birth to a beautiful, healthy, dark bay colt with
a white star. The foal, by Bernardini, winner of the 2006 Preakness Stakes, has
been eagerly awaited by hundreds of fans who no doubt had been checking in as
often as they could for updates. He weighs
130 pounds and both Zenyatta and her foal are doing fine. According to the
March 9th diary post from Zenyatta.com, the foaling went smoothly
and Zenyatta and her foal are bonding well. For those of you who don’t avidly
follow horseracing, Zenyatta, known as the Queen of Racing, is the winner of 19
races out of 20 starts. Her most memorable victory was the 2009 Breeder’s Cup
Classic, when she became the first female to ever win the prestigious race. She
was the 2010 Horse of the Year, won numerous awards and inspired hundreds of
people. Zenyatta’s owners, Ann and Jerry Moss, trainer, John Shirreffs, and
Jockey, Mike Smith, count the mare as one of the best they have ever been
associated with.
The birth
of a colt opens up so many possibilities. In three years we may see this
beautiful boy break from the gate in the Kentucky Derby. His career will be
eagerly followed, just like his mother’s. The as of now unnamed colt carries a
heavy burden, he will have to outrace the shadows of Zenyatta and Bernardini to
make his own name as one of the “greats” of racing. I eagerly await the day
when he will first step onto the track, but for now I will watch his growth
with joy at the continuation of Zenyatta’s legacy. Who knows, perhaps one day I
will eagerly follow one of his sons or daughters as they race, writing stories
of their feats on the track.
Photo by Ann Moss from Zenyatta.com
Read the Diary Post for more information.
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