Z Princess: We Will Never Forget

Zenyatta's 2014 War Front filly at Lane's End Farm. Nicknamed Z Princess, the filly died in a paddock accident on Oct. 28, according to a statement from Lane's End Farm. (All photos by Julie June Stewart for Team Zenyatta) 
It is such a lovely memory, one that you take out now and then to remember. The good memories are to be cherished as you roll them back and forth in your mind.  They can be special and very unique. A good memory can bring you a smile and last a lifetime.
I met her on a glorious day in May as she sunned herself in the Kentucky bluegrass. Regally bred, she played under the watchful eye of Zenyatta, who grazed close by. Known as Z Princess, she had already won the hearts of all who had met her through the adorable photos and videos posted on Zenyatta.com. 
I close my eyes and remember running my hand through her mane. It was just long enough to start flopping over. She turned her head and studied me with the love and trust that one associates with a young puppy.
She wanted to be the center of attention and she was. She had already mastered the “Princess Di” look of slowly gazing at you through uplifted eyes. I was smitten. I felt my heart go “ker-thunk” as my hopes and dreams for her galloped onward into the future. 
Z PRINCESS IN MAY

Therein lies the tragedy of losing a young one. Their destiny seems unfulfilled. Their short time on this planet and their sudden loss is cruel for the ones who loved or cared for them. Phrases seem insufficient as one struggles for an understanding. 
A life cut short. Four words that carry an immensity of emotion. Four words that can never tell the story of what might have been. The playful princess is gone.
We will mourn what could have been. For those who knew her, she was a bright meteorite. A bright, shining star that kissed the earth’s boundaries and then moved on into the darkness of the night. 
This weekend as we celebrate Zenyatta’s accomplishments and remember her thrilling Breeders’ Cup races, many a mind will also remember a precious little girl who was lost too soon. As they celebrate the crowning of new racing royalty, there will also be those who wonder what might have been.
Z PRINCESS PLAYS AT LANE'S END

We all want to be a part of greatness. It is natural to assign our hopes and dreams to the young. Letting go of our dreams can be hard when it involves grief. We ache with the loss and we mourn the change in destiny for all involved. It is hard to sit in the warm California sun on the cusp of this year’s Breeders’ Cup while grieving for a loss thousands of miles away. I would prefer it to storm. Let the rain camouflage the tears, and let the wind dry them away.
The price of dreaming is to take on the day with the risk of loss. The sun will rise tomorrow in Kentucky and California as new dreams are formed. Yet there will always be a tug of the heart as we remember what might have been. We had a Princess once and she was beautiful. And we will never forget.