There are a lot of rules when it comes to naming a horse for example no obscenities, you cannot repeat the name of a Triple Crown or Breeders Cup Champion and if a horse is in the hall of fame horse his name is off limits so that forces horse owners to be creative.
I've scoured the World wide web I've referred to as some of the oldest horse handicappers I know seeking for the most effective, the coolest, the most suggestive and downright questionable names we could come up with.
When I created my selections I asked myself does this name make me smile. Does the name develop a strong image in my mind? Can I say this name in front of my mother with no feeling awkward? Let's have a appear.
The Past 10 years
The Jockey Club has undoubtedly tightened up what they think of acceptable thoroughbred names so the past ten years are not practically as colorful as the 100 plus years before. Here are a handful of of the most beneficial horse names of the past ten years.
Funny Cide - The 2003 Derby winners name is a play on his fathers name Distorted Humor and his mothers Belle's Excellent Cide. But to me the name Funny Cide sounds like a Superman villain some sort of Bizarro World version of Jack Kevorkian.
Massive Brown - Named right after UPS, Huge Brown delivered the great product placement. UPS contractor Paul Pompa Jr. named his horse right after his biggest customer. Now if only Kit Kat candy bars and Bombay Sapphire Gin would name a horse just after me.
Stevie Wonderboy - Owner Merv Griffin mentioned of his horse, "My horse isn't blind he just wears big sunglasses.
Just Really Cool Names
Tabasco Cat - The 1994 Belmont stakes winner was as fiery as his name suggestions. Tabasco Cat put the son of trainer D. Wayne Lukas in a coma for many weeks after breaking shed for the duration of a coaching session.
Nutzapper - Nutzapper was the name given to Andy Hillis' gelding horse until the Jockey Club figured out the name had nothing to do with cooking chestnuts in oil. The horse is presently named Awaiting Justice.
Ghostzapper - Ok maybe I like the name zapper for a horse but Ghostzapper not only had a cool name he has the heart of a lion. Following winning the 2004 breeders cup he could have retired to stud, earning a cool $200,000 per go round (My fees are significantly less) he came back for one particular a lot more race very easily winning the 2005 Metropolitan Handicap.
Prepared for Battle
Everyday in the sporting globe we use the analogies of war and horseracing is no numerous, here are some horses I would have gladly rode into battle.
Man o'War - Man o'War won every single race but one. Who was the only horse to beat the legend? The horse that beat him was named "Upset" and therefore popularized the term for an underdog victory.
War Admiral - Sired by Man o'War, War Admiral was the winner in 21 of his 26 begins with 3 places and a show, the only race the Admiral lost was his 1938 match race against Seabiscuit but on the vivid side we all got a fantastic film because of it.
Battleship - There was no sinking this horse, Battleship was the only horse to with both the American Grand National and the prestigious British Grand National.
The Kid Stays in the Picture
The entertainment sector and the horseracing market regularly go hand in hand. Several horses take their name from their celebrity owners or significant movie productions and Hollywood, usually seeking for a good story, will produce a blockbuster featuring 1 of these famous thoroughbreds. Please note Bobcat Goldthwait car Hot to Trot doesn't fall into either the blockbuster or the famous thoroughbred category.
Seabiscuit - The aforementioned Seabiscuit was a rags to riches story, though slightly exaggerated in Hollywood's portrayal but he did give the American public hope during the depression of the 1930s. In reality Seabiscuit and his "Match of the Century" victory more than Man o War was the most trendy story of 1938 receiving a lot more columns of print than any individual or thing that year. President Franklin D Roosevelt was second and Adolf Hitler was third.
Pharlap - The Australian Wonder Horse was the subject of a fascinating film 1983 film bearing his name. The horse was too excellent winning 37 of 51 races entered but becoming so fantastic Phar Lap created some enemies. Just 3 days ahead of the 1930 Melbourne cup, gangsters tried to assassinate the horse. Phar Lap survived this attempt on his life, won the Cup with the shortest odds (8/11) ever.
Afternoon Deelites - We all know what afternoon deelites are and getting owned by ultra-smooth composer Burt Bacharach, makes this horse so considerably cooler.
That's a Silly Name for a Horse
The Belmont Stakes has a history of crushing the dreams of Triple Crown hopefuls with 20 horses, including final years Significant Brown, winning both the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness stakes ahead of succumbing to the Belmont. In the course of the early years, the Belmont also had a strange run of winners with odd names, nicely odd for thoroughbred horses.
1875 - Calvin
1889 - Eric
1905 - Tanya
1908 - Colin
1928 - Vito
The Preakness Stake had a couple champions named immediately after my aunt and uncle.
1876 - Shirley
1879 - Harold
I hope this dark period in racing's history in no way repeats itself.
I'm Feeling Tipsy
The wonderful thing about the Kentucky Derby is all the traditions that come along with the initially Saturday of May possibly. The nicely dressed gentlemen, the ladies wearing hats they'd never wear outside of Churchill downs and of course my preferred the Mint Julep. Google the recipe, it really is a wonderful combination of Kentucky Bourbon, Spearmint, Powdered Sugar and water. Several recipes won't tell you but I will let you in on a tiny secret. The essential to bringing out the exclusive tastes of a Mint Julep is to drink it from a metal cup.
Let's have a look at a couple alcohol inspired names
Go For Gin - Mastered a sloppy track in 1994 to win the 120th Kentucky Derby an give trainer Nick Zito his second Derby winner in 4 years.
Not Bourbon - This Canadian winner of the 2008 Queen Plate could be in the running for next year's Kentucky Derby but his name guarantees he'll be treated like an outsider in the land of Makers Mark.
How Instances Have Altered. Exactly where was Al Sharpton, when we necessary him?
We all know America hasn't constantly been so cool to black many people but seeking back it's fairly wonderful how far the US has come. Here are some actual horses registered by way of the Jockey Club and the year every was registered. Multiple years implies numerous horses had been registered under the similar name. You can kind of make a case for the horses named ahead of the height of the civil rights movement but for the three horses registered immediately after 1975 you just have to shake your head.
Tar Baby (1944, 1975, and 1985)
Uncle Remus (1944 and 1965)
Darkie (1950)
Uncle Tom (1950),
Jungle Bunny (1953)
Blackface Minstrel (1980)
The most egregious example of this lax registration finished 3rd spot in the 1911 Preakness Stakes. Nicely let's just say the name rhymes with larger and is used often by Chris Rock and Dr. Dre.
Can they say that on Tv?
Late Wonderful Comedian Bill Hicks was ahead of his time, his comedy was often over the heads of his audience, which would result some grumbling and some heckles from an impatient audience. His answer was very simple "Hold on, Hold on the Dick jokes are coming." So I'll close with this slide devoted to the dick jokes of the horseracing world. Here are some of the most risqué, sexually suggestive and down right dirty horse names from the past 150 years.
Lagnaf - (1978) An acronym for Let's all get naked...I'll let you figure out the rest
Wrecked Em (1983)
Golden Shower (1955)
Bodacious Tatas (1985)
Blow Me (1945)
Cum Rocket (1969)
Date More Minors (1998)
And lastly I'll close with two of the greatest.
In 1969 there was a horse that raced at Aqueduct named Cunning Stunt, say that five instances quickly.
And of course the Youtube sensation Hoof Hearted.