Derby Name Analysis 2019
May 3, 2019 9:47:42 GMT -5
Post by grommet on May 3, 2019 9:47:42 GMT -5
Here is a breakdown of this year’s Derby horse names. Unlike the high-class Larry’s Picks, this is more of a guide to ‘unintelligent’ speculation. I started doing this back in the late 80’s when I read a newspaper article about Derby names – the gist of it being that Derby winners tend to have strong, bold names while horses with weak names were rarely allowed to wear the garland of roses. Soon after I started breaking down the names each year to try and narrow the qualifiers down to 4 horses (upped the number to 5 when the Derby field expanded). I only use this breakdown for the Derby and only use it for the top slot. Just like any other angle I don’t follow it 100% when it comes to bets, but it can help sway some final decisions or help narrow down the field.
Positives:
- Names that have a bold sound or a ring to them (Strike the Gold, Charismatic)
- Names that seem to flow smoothly off the tongue (Sunday Silence, Street Sense)
- Names that sound a little old-fashioned (Go for Gin, War Emblem)
Negatives:
- Names with words crunched together (Sweetnorthernsaint, Atswhatimtalknbout)
- Names with abbreviations or apostrophes (Serena’s Song, Unbridled’s Song)
- Names that are devoid of meaning or seem like two random words thrown together (Excellent Meeting, General Challenge)
- Names that sound weak in general (Mister Frisky, Afternoon Deelites, Happy Jazz Band)
The ultimate litmus test to me is reading through past Derby winners and then deciding if a name would be a good fit. Would it belong on a name plate in the Churchill paddock area? With 20 horses you do have to sprinkle in a little racing form logic to get down to the final five. The analysis was more consistent in the 80’s and 90’s, so perhaps this is as antiquated as the dual qualifiers - but it’s still fun to break down the names every year. Of course a lot of it is subjective as well.
Past Hits:
Sunday Silence
Unbridled
Strike the Gold
Sea Hero
Go for Gin
Thunder Gulch
Grindstone
Silver Charm
Real Quiet
Charismatic
Monarchos
War Emblem
Barbaro
Street Sense
Animal Kingdom
Orb
California Chrome
Nyquist
Justify
Past Misses:
Lil E. Tee (I still have no idea how this name won the Derby. Pat Day must have been the difference)
Fusaichi Pegasus (The horse must have been supremely talented to overcome such a clunky name)
Funny Cide (He keyed one of my most profitable Derbies, but I thought the name was too 'cute' for the Derby gods)
Smarty Jones (In hindsight, this was a dumb omission of mine, considering its old-school sound)
Giacomo (Eliminated based on form)
Big Brown (Didn’t like the fact that the horse was named after a large corporation)
Mine That Bird (Eliminated for all kinds of reasons)
Super Saver (Couldn’t include a horse that sounded like a bargain shopper)
I’ll Have Another (Was somewhat close to making the cut but the name came across as too long)
American Pharoah (Didn’t like the misspelling of ‘pharaoh’ - but in hindsight, a bold-sounding name)
Always Dreaming (Had mixed feelings on this name and ultimately did not make the cut)
2019 Name Analysis:
Bodexpress: The name derives from the sire, Bodemeister. Names that crunch words together are an automatic toss when it comes to wearing the garland of roses. But even if the owners had split the name up into Bode Express, it would still remain uninspiring at best.
By My Standards: Apparently owner Chester Thomas likes to randomly pick horse names based on song lyrics and clichés that appeal to him. At first I thought the name might derive from the dam, ‘A Jealous Woman’ (a horrible name, by the way). ‘By My Standards’ comes across as way too self-important to please the Derby gods. It sounds more like a term you would hear from your boss than a Derby winner. Tossing.
Code of Honor: A bold-sounding name that derives from the sire, Noble Mission. It definitely has a good old-school caliber sound reminiscent of War Admiral. An easy inclusion for the second round.
Country House: This one was randomly picked by owner Guinness McFadden based on something his aunt loved. Even though the name doesn’t exactly get the blood stirring, it also has somewhat of an old-school sound to it. Considering the fact that the song My Old Kentucky Home is such a big part of the Derby tradition, it seems to fit even better. Passing through to the second round.
Cutting Humor: The name is a clever derivation of the sire, First Samurai, and the dam, Pun. My first instinct is that the name doesn’t sound Derby-caliber, but it also doesn’t have any obvious strikes against it. It also comes across very similar to the name Funny Cide, in my opinion. Including in the second round.
Game Winner: A fairly nice, concise name that doesn’t appear to be derived from the bloodlines. It may come across as a little cliché, but it also has no immediate strikes against it. Consistent form added to the mix pushes him through to the second round.
Gray Magician: The name derives from the sire, Graydar. No obvious strikes against it – and you could argue that it has a bit of an old-school sound. The fact that the horse recently prepped in Dubai, however, is enough reason to eliminate a name like this where I’m on the fence.
Haikal: ‘Haikal’ is an Arabic word that has multiple meanings: One possibility is ‘boundary’ which is pretty bland. The other and more likely meaning is a church sanctuary. Tough call on this one, but it does have a decent ring to it. Trainer McLaughlin in his corner makes him dangerous. Including in the second round.
Improbable: Nice one-word name that came from a Winstar Farm naming contest. It is slightly clunky but at the same time has a fairly nice ring to it. On paper, the horse is an obvious contender. Including in the top ten.
Long Range Toddy: The horse is named after one of owner William Horton’s relatives who is an expert shot as a hunter. Horses named after family and friends have historically fared poorly in the Derby (Free Drop Billy is one of the many examples). It even kept the best 3YO in 2005, Afleet Alex, out of the Derby winner’s circle. The one exception that I’m aware of is Smarty Jones. All that aside, this name just sounds too corny for the Derby gods. An easy toss.
Master Fencer: The horse’s name came from a contest where the owner’s employees submitted name ideas. No immediate strikes against, but I don’t really like the ‘Master’ part of the name which comes across as a little arrogant. As USA Today columnist Charles Curtis hilariously noted, the name would rank really high if the horse was battling the others with epee and foil. On paper this would be a shocker considering the history of international shippers in the Derby. Tossing.
Maximum Security: Tough call on this one. No immediate strikes against - but overall it seems like too many syllables (although Fusaichi Pegasus somehow overcame that obstacle). The name sounds somewhat bold but also evokes negative feelings of a big-time prison. On paper the horse looks ultra-dangerous, but I’m just having a hard time seeing this name engraved on a plate lining the Churchill paddock. Grudgingly tossing.
Plus Que Parfait: The ownership group likes to give their horses French names. The term ‘plus-que-parfait’ corresponds to ‘past perfect’ in English. This might stir excitement among English teachers, but likely induces yawns for everyone else. Recent form suggests that the horse is overmatched - and horses that prep in Dubai have historically been up against it. An easy toss.
Roadster: The name derives from the sire, Quality Road. I’m on the fence with this one, liking the simple one-word name but unsure about whether or not an open two-seater car is worthy of Derby lore. Since the name ‘California Chrome’ is somewhat in the same category, and since the Tesla Roadster does conjure up images of fast acceleration, I’m inclined to put him through to the second round.
Spinoff: The name derives from the sire, Hard Spun. Although it’s a concise one-word name, it doesn’t exactly get the blood pumping. It’s hard not to think of historical TV show flops like Joanie Loves Chachi and The Brady Brides. On paper he looks like a sneaky bomber with the bloodlines and Pletcher/Franco combo, but based on the name I’m tossing from the top slot.
Tacitus: Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and historian of the Roman Empire. He lived in the Silver Age of Latin Literature. The concise one-word name works in its favor and you could argue that it has somewhat of an old school sound to it – reminiscent of long-past Derby winner Leonatus and 1960 winner Venetian Way. ‘Tacitus’ does have a decent ring to it – and on paper he looks solid. Passing through to the second round.
Tax: The name derives from the dam, Toll – and Claiborne farms prefers one-word names for its horses. A concise one-word name works in its favor. But the word tax doesn’t really inspire and it’s only been a few weeks since April 15th – so it leaves somewhat of a bad taste in your mouth. Even if you think of an alternate meaning, you come up with a word that makes you think of being tired. On paper he looks a little interesting, but there are too many negative connotations with the name to qualify as a Derby winner, in my opinion. Tossing.
Vekoma: Vekoma is the name of a Dutch roller coaster manufacturer. I have no idea how the owner was aware of this company, but he thought the name mirrored the ups and downs of horse racing. Being a concise one-word name works in its favor, but whether or not the name has a nice ring to it is up for debate. Racing form looks solid enough. In the end I felt like it merited second-round consideration.
War of Will: The name derives from the sire, War Front. It doesn’t sound as bold as Code of Honor, but it does have some of that old-school sound to it. On paper he looks dangerous if he rebounds to his old form. Passing through to the second round.
Win Win Win: The name loosely derives from the sire, Hat Trick (three goals in row = win win win). In a way, the name has an old school sound to it, perhaps evoking the mantra of a college football coach in the 1940’s. But it also seems as if the owners are putting unnecessary pressure on the horse to live up to its name. On paper he looks more like a sprinter – but it also seems like the ‘wise guys’ are jumping on his bandwagon. In the end I think the Derby gods will find this name too insistent for their tastes. Eliminating.
First 10 Qualifiers:
Code of Honor
Cutting Humor
Country House
Game Winner
Haikal
Improbable
Roadster
Tacitus
Vekoma
War of Will
Further Analysis:
Cutting Humor, in the end, didn’t seem to fit well with past Derby winners.
Despite the relatively nice name, War of Will didn’t make the cut. For whatever reason it conjured up images of Professor X doing telepathic battles more than it did brave soldiers in WWII.
Vekoma just doesn’t have the same ring, in my opinion, as Improbable and Tacitus. I had a hard time getting over the sound of ‘coma’ and that word’s negative connotation.
Haikal was a tough elimination but ultimately I didn’t think it fit as well as the final 5. With the Derby being very unkind to deep closers recently, it sealed the deal.
Roadster was my final elimination. Even though he will likely be my heaviest-use horse in the Derby, I just don’t feel like the name Roadster - and its ties to cars - is a good fit with past Derby winners.
Final List of potential winners:
Code of Honor
Country House
Game Winner
Improbable
Tacitus
Code of Honor: No horse has ever won the Derby with the word ‘of’ in its name – but the name just has that Derby-caliber ring to it.
Country House: Probably a bit of a reach based on the horse’s form - but for whatever reason the old-school sound and images stirred up by My Old Kentucky Home convinced me.
Game Winner: My instinct thinks that this guy peaked last year - but the name seemed like a solid fit with past Derby winners.
Improbable: No doubt that the horse is talented enough – and I could definitely hear Larry Collmus shouting his name as the horses approach the Derby wire.
Tacitus: Not hard to envision this name among the plates that line the Churchill paddock.
Positives:
- Names that have a bold sound or a ring to them (Strike the Gold, Charismatic)
- Names that seem to flow smoothly off the tongue (Sunday Silence, Street Sense)
- Names that sound a little old-fashioned (Go for Gin, War Emblem)
Negatives:
- Names with words crunched together (Sweetnorthernsaint, Atswhatimtalknbout)
- Names with abbreviations or apostrophes (Serena’s Song, Unbridled’s Song)
- Names that are devoid of meaning or seem like two random words thrown together (Excellent Meeting, General Challenge)
- Names that sound weak in general (Mister Frisky, Afternoon Deelites, Happy Jazz Band)
The ultimate litmus test to me is reading through past Derby winners and then deciding if a name would be a good fit. Would it belong on a name plate in the Churchill paddock area? With 20 horses you do have to sprinkle in a little racing form logic to get down to the final five. The analysis was more consistent in the 80’s and 90’s, so perhaps this is as antiquated as the dual qualifiers - but it’s still fun to break down the names every year. Of course a lot of it is subjective as well.
Past Hits:
Sunday Silence
Unbridled
Strike the Gold
Sea Hero
Go for Gin
Thunder Gulch
Grindstone
Silver Charm
Real Quiet
Charismatic
Monarchos
War Emblem
Barbaro
Street Sense
Animal Kingdom
Orb
California Chrome
Nyquist
Justify
Past Misses:
Lil E. Tee (I still have no idea how this name won the Derby. Pat Day must have been the difference)
Fusaichi Pegasus (The horse must have been supremely talented to overcome such a clunky name)
Funny Cide (He keyed one of my most profitable Derbies, but I thought the name was too 'cute' for the Derby gods)
Smarty Jones (In hindsight, this was a dumb omission of mine, considering its old-school sound)
Giacomo (Eliminated based on form)
Big Brown (Didn’t like the fact that the horse was named after a large corporation)
Mine That Bird (Eliminated for all kinds of reasons)
Super Saver (Couldn’t include a horse that sounded like a bargain shopper)
I’ll Have Another (Was somewhat close to making the cut but the name came across as too long)
American Pharoah (Didn’t like the misspelling of ‘pharaoh’ - but in hindsight, a bold-sounding name)
Always Dreaming (Had mixed feelings on this name and ultimately did not make the cut)
2019 Name Analysis:
Bodexpress: The name derives from the sire, Bodemeister. Names that crunch words together are an automatic toss when it comes to wearing the garland of roses. But even if the owners had split the name up into Bode Express, it would still remain uninspiring at best.
By My Standards: Apparently owner Chester Thomas likes to randomly pick horse names based on song lyrics and clichés that appeal to him. At first I thought the name might derive from the dam, ‘A Jealous Woman’ (a horrible name, by the way). ‘By My Standards’ comes across as way too self-important to please the Derby gods. It sounds more like a term you would hear from your boss than a Derby winner. Tossing.
Code of Honor: A bold-sounding name that derives from the sire, Noble Mission. It definitely has a good old-school caliber sound reminiscent of War Admiral. An easy inclusion for the second round.
Country House: This one was randomly picked by owner Guinness McFadden based on something his aunt loved. Even though the name doesn’t exactly get the blood stirring, it also has somewhat of an old-school sound to it. Considering the fact that the song My Old Kentucky Home is such a big part of the Derby tradition, it seems to fit even better. Passing through to the second round.
Cutting Humor: The name is a clever derivation of the sire, First Samurai, and the dam, Pun. My first instinct is that the name doesn’t sound Derby-caliber, but it also doesn’t have any obvious strikes against it. It also comes across very similar to the name Funny Cide, in my opinion. Including in the second round.
Game Winner: A fairly nice, concise name that doesn’t appear to be derived from the bloodlines. It may come across as a little cliché, but it also has no immediate strikes against it. Consistent form added to the mix pushes him through to the second round.
Gray Magician: The name derives from the sire, Graydar. No obvious strikes against it – and you could argue that it has a bit of an old-school sound. The fact that the horse recently prepped in Dubai, however, is enough reason to eliminate a name like this where I’m on the fence.
Haikal: ‘Haikal’ is an Arabic word that has multiple meanings: One possibility is ‘boundary’ which is pretty bland. The other and more likely meaning is a church sanctuary. Tough call on this one, but it does have a decent ring to it. Trainer McLaughlin in his corner makes him dangerous. Including in the second round.
Improbable: Nice one-word name that came from a Winstar Farm naming contest. It is slightly clunky but at the same time has a fairly nice ring to it. On paper, the horse is an obvious contender. Including in the top ten.
Long Range Toddy: The horse is named after one of owner William Horton’s relatives who is an expert shot as a hunter. Horses named after family and friends have historically fared poorly in the Derby (Free Drop Billy is one of the many examples). It even kept the best 3YO in 2005, Afleet Alex, out of the Derby winner’s circle. The one exception that I’m aware of is Smarty Jones. All that aside, this name just sounds too corny for the Derby gods. An easy toss.
Master Fencer: The horse’s name came from a contest where the owner’s employees submitted name ideas. No immediate strikes against, but I don’t really like the ‘Master’ part of the name which comes across as a little arrogant. As USA Today columnist Charles Curtis hilariously noted, the name would rank really high if the horse was battling the others with epee and foil. On paper this would be a shocker considering the history of international shippers in the Derby. Tossing.
Maximum Security: Tough call on this one. No immediate strikes against - but overall it seems like too many syllables (although Fusaichi Pegasus somehow overcame that obstacle). The name sounds somewhat bold but also evokes negative feelings of a big-time prison. On paper the horse looks ultra-dangerous, but I’m just having a hard time seeing this name engraved on a plate lining the Churchill paddock. Grudgingly tossing.
Plus Que Parfait: The ownership group likes to give their horses French names. The term ‘plus-que-parfait’ corresponds to ‘past perfect’ in English. This might stir excitement among English teachers, but likely induces yawns for everyone else. Recent form suggests that the horse is overmatched - and horses that prep in Dubai have historically been up against it. An easy toss.
Roadster: The name derives from the sire, Quality Road. I’m on the fence with this one, liking the simple one-word name but unsure about whether or not an open two-seater car is worthy of Derby lore. Since the name ‘California Chrome’ is somewhat in the same category, and since the Tesla Roadster does conjure up images of fast acceleration, I’m inclined to put him through to the second round.
Spinoff: The name derives from the sire, Hard Spun. Although it’s a concise one-word name, it doesn’t exactly get the blood pumping. It’s hard not to think of historical TV show flops like Joanie Loves Chachi and The Brady Brides. On paper he looks like a sneaky bomber with the bloodlines and Pletcher/Franco combo, but based on the name I’m tossing from the top slot.
Tacitus: Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and historian of the Roman Empire. He lived in the Silver Age of Latin Literature. The concise one-word name works in its favor and you could argue that it has somewhat of an old school sound to it – reminiscent of long-past Derby winner Leonatus and 1960 winner Venetian Way. ‘Tacitus’ does have a decent ring to it – and on paper he looks solid. Passing through to the second round.
Tax: The name derives from the dam, Toll – and Claiborne farms prefers one-word names for its horses. A concise one-word name works in its favor. But the word tax doesn’t really inspire and it’s only been a few weeks since April 15th – so it leaves somewhat of a bad taste in your mouth. Even if you think of an alternate meaning, you come up with a word that makes you think of being tired. On paper he looks a little interesting, but there are too many negative connotations with the name to qualify as a Derby winner, in my opinion. Tossing.
Vekoma: Vekoma is the name of a Dutch roller coaster manufacturer. I have no idea how the owner was aware of this company, but he thought the name mirrored the ups and downs of horse racing. Being a concise one-word name works in its favor, but whether or not the name has a nice ring to it is up for debate. Racing form looks solid enough. In the end I felt like it merited second-round consideration.
War of Will: The name derives from the sire, War Front. It doesn’t sound as bold as Code of Honor, but it does have some of that old-school sound to it. On paper he looks dangerous if he rebounds to his old form. Passing through to the second round.
Win Win Win: The name loosely derives from the sire, Hat Trick (three goals in row = win win win). In a way, the name has an old school sound to it, perhaps evoking the mantra of a college football coach in the 1940’s. But it also seems as if the owners are putting unnecessary pressure on the horse to live up to its name. On paper he looks more like a sprinter – but it also seems like the ‘wise guys’ are jumping on his bandwagon. In the end I think the Derby gods will find this name too insistent for their tastes. Eliminating.
First 10 Qualifiers:
Code of Honor
Cutting Humor
Country House
Game Winner
Haikal
Improbable
Roadster
Tacitus
Vekoma
War of Will
Further Analysis:
Cutting Humor, in the end, didn’t seem to fit well with past Derby winners.
Despite the relatively nice name, War of Will didn’t make the cut. For whatever reason it conjured up images of Professor X doing telepathic battles more than it did brave soldiers in WWII.
Vekoma just doesn’t have the same ring, in my opinion, as Improbable and Tacitus. I had a hard time getting over the sound of ‘coma’ and that word’s negative connotation.
Haikal was a tough elimination but ultimately I didn’t think it fit as well as the final 5. With the Derby being very unkind to deep closers recently, it sealed the deal.
Roadster was my final elimination. Even though he will likely be my heaviest-use horse in the Derby, I just don’t feel like the name Roadster - and its ties to cars - is a good fit with past Derby winners.
Final List of potential winners:
Code of Honor
Country House
Game Winner
Improbable
Tacitus
Code of Honor: No horse has ever won the Derby with the word ‘of’ in its name – but the name just has that Derby-caliber ring to it.
Country House: Probably a bit of a reach based on the horse’s form - but for whatever reason the old-school sound and images stirred up by My Old Kentucky Home convinced me.
Game Winner: My instinct thinks that this guy peaked last year - but the name seemed like a solid fit with past Derby winners.
Improbable: No doubt that the horse is talented enough – and I could definitely hear Larry Collmus shouting his name as the horses approach the Derby wire.
Tacitus: Not hard to envision this name among the plates that line the Churchill paddock.
TY
