Pronunciation

[Toccet02]

OK, I'm in a really bad fed-up mood today so I'll vent about a pointless pet peeve that doesn't matter:

WHY isn't there a system to advise race callers/sports show hosts on how to pronounce horse's names? I've heard 4 different versions of Eskenderaya.

Some of them aren't even close phonetically. Would it be so bad for the owner to include a pronunciation guide to the JC, who could then make it available to those who are referring to the animal?

Told you it was nit-picking.

[Toccet02]

Arghhh! EskenderEya. See, now I mispelled it. I checked Google and found various wrong spellings on horse sites.
I need a vacation.

[justinnich]

I hope you haven't heard any race calls from Tampa with Odysseus...can anyone tell me how that could possibly be o-DEE-siss? That's pretty much how I've been hearing it from him.

[docjocoy]

I always vowed that if I had a horse with a name that wasn't easily pronounced I would call the track announcer and just tell him how to pronounce the name, before the horse ever ran. For me a lot of effort goes in to choosing the name, and of course a lot of fun, but to have the announcer butcher the name would be unacceptable. I'd call TVG also, I've interacted with them before and they seem to like calls from owners.
And, yes, I bet you do need a vacation . New parent with twins, time for a break!

[Toccet02]

I hope you haven't heard any race calls from Tampa with Odysseus...can anyone tell me how that could possibly be o-DEE-siss? That's pretty much how I've been hearing it from him.

Oh yeah!!! I have! Gimme a break did you never read it or at least hear it said in school?
I have sung a piece by Mahler that pronounces it "Oh-DEE-Soys", but that's the only other valid pronunciation.

While we're bitchin' , how about "Meh Dahl-yia-dee-(uh) OR-Oh!"

[madelyn]

Our little stable (the trainer that I am working for) had a mare get another good 2nd at Turfway yesterday, and for the second time in two weeks the field included a filly named Shesinthesterway. Part of the problem is these all one-word names, or the obscurity. However, the fellow who couldn't pronounce 'Odysseus' doesn't deserve the job. I wonder if he was required to fill out a written application before he was hired?? It is infuriating that the Jockey Club will reject some sort of quite clear name (I had Carmen Electrick rejected for my filly), and yet approve some unprounceable, mispelled jumbled name.

[Diane]

Toccet doesn't need a vacation, she needs a NAN-EEE,
Not to hijack the thread but Madelyn how's the leg, scratch that, how's the body holding up to working at the training track?

[griff]

one way to get rid of this problem is for the Jockey Club to put more restrictions and what you can name a horse..

Thay already will not let you have a name that might be confused with another name. Why not require it to be readily pronounced even by red necks like me/

griff

[Toccet02]

Toccet doesn't need a vacation, she needs a NAN-EEE,
Not to hijack the thread but Madelyn how's the leg, scratch that, how's the body holding up to working at the training track?

I need a NAAN-NEE that is not my Moooother-eeeeeeen-LAWWWWW.

[madelyn]

Thanks for asking, Diane. I don't work every single day -- I structure to be there when needed most. I twisted the ankle pretty hard last Saturday and was off for a few days, but yesterday when the trainer had to take the mare to Turfway to race I was able to go to the other training center (Indiana) and muck all the stalls, water and feed while our exercise rider walked the horses and then grazed them. I'm about equal to three-fourths of a person so I take less off my training bill than for a whole groom The first week was Hell - came home feeling like I'd been run over. Got my second wind now, though, and can put in 5-6 hrs early am and come home and mess with my own horses! It's quite fun, a real eye opener and the best part is that I see my filly going everyday with my own eyes and am 100% involved in her care, her life and her potential.

Back to the name thing - it's sort of humorous that there is a stallion in Lexington whom EVERYONE calls Leroy - because they just can't pronounce Leroidesanimaux properly. I have a pal in the biz and he asked me how to pronounce it. He tried for an hour or so and gave up. If it is pronounced properly, with a true French accent, it's "luh rwa days animo" with the r in rwa rolled. That horse has an excuse, he's imported.

[Toccet02]

well, I can understand an abbreviation for him, even if everyone knew how to pronounce his name.

[Crystal]

I dont even try if it's a Shadwell horse.. I just spell it out..

[wilf]

To be frank this is America where Versailles is pronounced Verrrsayles so you have no shot of correct pronunciation and really what does it matter as long as " the three horse" wins the race? Anyway in the 90's there was a filly running in Canada named Wooloomooloo and after cringeing numerous times listening to Dan Loiselle destroy the name in a race I finally called him. "Hey Dan,it's a bayside suburb of Sydney Australia and this is how they say it". It never made any difference!

[BookieBuster]

Best incorrect pronunciation of Medaglia d'Oro:

Meh-Dalh-yuh Dee-Oreo

(The horse you invite over to your house for milk and cookies.)

[LB]

It's not just the hard names that get mispronounced. We have a filly with the simple, five letter name SHRIEK. It's amazing how many times she was called as SHREK.