A Zenyatta Retirement Picspam
I'm pretty sure absolutely no one but me cares about this, but I can't let my sweetie go off to pasture without a good send-off on my blog.
This is the paddock at Hollywood Park. I think it's lovely. Too bad this will all be a parking lot soon, since they will be tearing it down as soon as the real estate market picks up again.
Hats! The days she raced had a party atmosphere, with people dressing up in her silks colors, carrying signs and banners, and wearing loopy hats.
Here's a close-up of one of the hats. I asked if I could photograph it, and the wearer, of course, was happy to oblige. You can't really be shy and wear a hat like this in public.
Some early birds with banners. There were more later. We showed up and staked out a place after the second race, and Zenyatta was not paraded around until after the sixth. But she's worth it.
Look, it's Bo Derek!
Here comes The Queen! Her groom looked rather depressed, and I don't blame him. She was moving to Kentucky the next day.
Hollywood Park is in the final descent path of LAX. So she wears cotton in her ears.
One last turn around the paddock. And yes, that is possibly the biggest rear end in the animal kingdom. All real women have curves.
The meeting of Zenyattaholics Anonymous will come to order!
She is an unbelievable ham, and has never once met a photo op that she didn't ADORE.
It is said that great thoroughbreds possess the "look of eagles." If you wonder what that looks like, this is it, right here.
This horse was wondering, "What the hell? What does she have that I don't have?" We took his picture to make him feel better.
There was quite a crowd in the winner's circle. This is as close as we got...watching it on the big screen.
They played "Thanks For the Memories" as she walked off the track for the last time. Yeah, I cried.
It was an awesome, three year ride. I will miss her.