Fans passionate about naming Barbaro's siblings

[a kennedy]

Many of you will remember that a few weeks ago, I celebrated the love so many Americans had bestowed on Barbaro, by sending a valentine to his parents and asking that readers submit their choices for names for his two full brothers. One is a yearling, the other will be foaled next month. Neither has been named, but Gretchen Jackson, the wonderful owner of Barbaro, has said that since the great horse was named after a foxhound in a painting, that she'd probably name the two brothers after other foxhounds in the same painting.

Presumptuusly, I suggested that Barbaro was so majestic and beloved that his parents should be honored by having their offspring named in some way that celebrated their names -- and if the glory of Barbaro himself could be incorporated, so much the better. I said I'd pass on the names I considered the most clever to Mrs. Jackson.

To be honest, I anticipated two, maybe three, dozen entries. As it was, we were swamped with about 2,000 names -- so many outstanding suggestions, built on the names of Barbaro's sire: Dynaformer -- which suggests either power or the past -- and the dam, La Ville Rouge -- which gives us French, town and red to work with.

..........So, in no particular order, here are the top 10 I'm going to send to Mrs. Jackson:

Paint the Town Red -- sent in twice

Blow this Town -- also sent in twice; maybe it's a little too flip, but so savvy

I chose four of what you could call red names:

Le Scarlet Dynasty

Burgundy Punch

The Power of Red and

Puissance Rouge, which is virtually "the power of red" in French. Two Barbaro fans thinking alike in two different languages.

I chose one name that had nothing to do with word-play. Someone recalled that when Barbaro had to be put down, Mrs. Jackson said, so eloquently: "Grief is the price we pay for love." So the suggested name: Price of Love.

Finally, I chose three very clever names, played off of ville:

Coup de Ville

La Ville en Rose and

Renard de Ville, which so sagely manages to bring foxhunting into the mix. If Barbaro was a hound, maybe one of his brothers should be a fox. Non, mes amis?

Or maybe, as one nominator had it, I should just butt out. The name she suggested: LETMRSJACKSONDOIT.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/writers/frank_deford/03/07/names/index.html

[ScreamingMeemie]

1. Good for the nominator that suggested LetMrsJacksonDoIt...

Although, Frank Deford and his family will always hit a soft spot in my heart. His story of losing his daughter is heartwrenching and uplifting all at the same time.

[JoDog]

2. Name one after the doc

I'm in the camp that favors naming one of the colts after Dr. Dean. It would be a great tribute to a man who worked so hard to give Barbaro a fighting chance and gave so much of himself emotionally. The sight of him in tears at that final press conference moved me to tears.

[u4ic]

3. Surprising that the columnist

didn't check here first; https://www.registry.jockeyclub.com/registry.cfm?page=namesrch&rand=813&init=&CFID=6959480&CFTOKEN=50733255

The names could already be taken. Price of Love is.

The only one I liked was La Ville en Rose, for a filly. Unfortunately, it'll end up sounding like villain rose by a racecaller, I'm sure. :P

[Little Wing]

4. I'll bet Snappy is out