Kentucky Derby 2020 Name Analysis
Sept 4, 2020 6:05:31 GMT -5
Post by grommet on Sept 4, 2020 6:05:31 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
Country House (with some serious help from the Derby gods, who obviously did not like the name Maximum Security)
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)
2020 Name Analysis:
Authentic: The breeder Peter Blum said that the name loosely derives from the dam, Flawless. It’s a nice, simple one-word name that I could certainly see on a name plate lining the Churchill paddock. An easy inclusion for the second round.
Attachment Rate: Co-owner Jim Bakke is the president of Sub-Zero Freezer Company, which makes luxury refrigerators. Bakke has a history of naming horses related to his business, such as Wolf Gourmet, More Than Coolin, Cove Blue and Miss Subzero. The Wikipedia definition of the name: “The attach rate is a concept used broadly in business, especially in marketing, to represent the number of units of a secondary product/service sold as a direct or implied consequence of the sale of a primary product/service”. My definition: “Not a Kentucky Derby winning name”. Toss.
Enforceable: Owner John Oxley was just looking for a strong name when he picked this one. There are no immediate strikes against this single-word moniker - but it feels devoid of meaning to me. Unlike the owners, I don’t feel like this is a strong name - the first thing that comes to mind is something mundane, like a police officer pulling you over for not wearing your seatbelt. On paper it looks like he’ll need the ultimate pace collapse to hit the top slot. Throwing him out.
Finnick The Fierce: Owner Paige Gilster came up with the name for this horse, saying, “It was just a name that resonated with me as something that had power. My dad said, ‘Well, it needs to sound good when he’s coming down the home stretch. It needs to roll off the tongue.’ I said, ‘Yeah, kind of like Finnick the Fierce.’ And he goes, ‘Yep, that’s the one we’re using.’ “ I have to give them big props for knowing that the name is important if you want the horse to be a serious Derby contender. Passing through to the next round.
Honor AP: The name derives from the sire, Honor Code, and the grandsire, AP Indy. It may sound fine to avid horse fans, perhaps reminding us that the great AP Indy died this year. The casual horse fans, though, may feel confused when the announcer yells out the name at the top of the stretch – seeing it as a demand that they pay some sort of tribute to the Associated Press. The horse looks ultra-talented and the Derby Gods may let him in as a fitting tribute to his grandsire – but in the end the name just doesn’t sound good enough to be a final qualifier, in my opinion. Grudgingly tossing.
Major Fed: He is named after tennis star Roger Federer, who has won 20 major tennis tournaments. Not a bad idea, but I think the owners missed the boat here. Something simple like Federer might have fit the bill, but this name conjures up images of the Federal Reserve Board making a big decision more than it does an all-time sports great. Recent form makes him look like an also-ran at best, so that adds up to a toss.
Max Player: The term ‘Max Player’ refers to an NBA player who receives a maximum contract. Max Player is named after Sport BLX’s first athlete in basketball, Hornets rookie PJ Washington, Jr. Basketball-related names can often sound cool, but this one just sounds greedy, in my opinion - and doesn’t really pay any homage to the game. The horse looks a tad dangerous on paper with some improvement, but I can’t keep him around as a name qualifier.
Money Moves: When Robert LaPenta bought the horse last year, he returned to his room and heard his wife singing a Cardi B song named ‘Bodak Yellow’ whose main line is “money moves”. I googled the song and within seconds, imagined the Derby gods gagging. The horse looks a little dangerous on paper, but the name’s hollow meaning and the fact that it was named after canned hip-hop makes for a super easy throw-out.
Mr. Big News: Owner Chester Thomas said that the ‘Big’ is a tip of the cap to the sire, Giant’s Causeway. He was hoping that the horse would be talented enough to make big news someday. The name ‘Big News’ might have been okay at best – but adding the ‘Mr.’ just makes the entire name come across as corny. The horse looks too slow to hit the top slot, to boot - eliminating.
Necker Island: Named after the luxury private island in the Virgin Islands, owned by Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who founded the Virgin Group. The entire island operates as a resort, with a reported price of $87,000 per night for up to 34 guests. The name on its own sounds decent, in my opinion - but that name origin just conjures up images of rich people throwing their money around. Not exactly the way to please the Derby gods. The horse looks like a superfecta crasher at best, so will toss him.
NY Traffic: Named after the sire, Cross Traffic, and the state where the horse was bred, New York. I love this horse on paper, but the name is just too bad of a fit for me to include as a qualifier. Sunday Silence, War Emblem, Justify……….NY Traffic? Will likely include this guy on a lot of tickets, but I can’t envision his name engraved on a paddock plate. Eliminating.
Sole Volante: The name means ‘Flying Sun’ in Italian and was derived from the sire’s name, Karakontie – which also means ‘Flying Sun’ in Mohawk language. The name has a nice ring to it, in my opinion. I could definitely hear it rolling off the tongue of the Derby race caller. Passing through to the next round.
South Bend: The horse was originally owned by Sagamore Farm, which is owned by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank. The name was a nod to one of Under Armour’s top clients - Notre Dame, which is located in South Bend, Indiana. I’m not typically a fan of a name that derives from corporations, but this name has a good old-school sound, in my opinion - reminding me a little of past Derby winners Johnstown & Spokane. Passing through to the next round.
Storm The Court: The name derives from the sire, Court Vision, and the dam, My Tejana Storm. Great name combination, in my opinion – and a nice nod to an exciting finish in college basketball. Passing through to the next round.
Thousand Words: Owner Joe Seitz named him after the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” after noting the horse’s gorgeous appearance. I’ve been a little back and forth on this name that has no immediate strikes against it. Seems okay enough at this point to pass through to the next round.
Tiz The Law: The name derives from the dam, Tizfiz, and the sire, Constitution. Not a bad name derivation. I’m a bit on the fence whether or not the Derby Gods, will appreciate the ‘Tiz’, but maybe the great Tiznow might sway them in a positive direction. Obviously talented enough to wear the garland of roses. Passing through to the second round.
Winning Impression: The name loosely derives from the sire, Paynter. Owner Jim Pearl said, “My daughter named the horse. She wanted to pick a famous artist and picked Monet. Monet’s most famous work is ‘Winning Impression’. There you have it.” This is a bit of a tough call for me. The word ‘winning’ evokes some thought of the great filly Winning Colors. But adding the word ‘impression’, for whatever reason, makes it sound hollow. In the end, the horse’s form makes it look like an impossible winner, so will toss.
First 7 Qualifiers:
Authentic
Finnick The Fierce
Sole Volante
South Bend
Storm The Court
Thousand Words
Tiz The Law
Further Analysis:
Finnick The Fierce: I hate to eliminate him knowing that the owners worked hard to come up with a name that rolls off the tongue. In the end it came down to him and Authentic - and Authentic just seemed like a better overall fit.
Storm The Court: I like this name but can’t include them all. On paper he looks like a logical elimination from the top slot.
Thousand Words: The horse looks dangerous but the moniker just doesn’t quite ring true for me, lacking the necessary punch for a Derby-winning name. Tossing from the finalists.
Final List of potential winners:
Note: With the number of entrants being 17 rather than 20 this year, I felt compelled to use 4 finalists rather than 5. King Guillermo would have been my 5th qualifier and he was recently scratched.
Authentic
Sole Volante
South Bend
Tiz The Law
Authentic: Looked like a good fit with past winners, perhaps evoking a little bit of Affirmed and Charismatic.
Sole Volante: The name just sounds like a Derby winner to me, with a hint of Gato Del Sol. On paper he appears that he’ll need a pace collapse and a lot of racing luck, but he’s an easy qualifier, in my mind.
South Bend: Would be a big surprise, but this guy just might be fired up enough to win one for The Gipper.
Tiz The Law: My wife has never touched a DRF but has a pretty good knack for judging Derby names. She’s telling me that this name sounds tough and old-fashioned. Who am I to disagree? Have to include him as a finalist.
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
Country House (with some serious help from the Derby gods, who obviously did not like the name Maximum Security)
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)
2020 Name Analysis:
Authentic: The breeder Peter Blum said that the name loosely derives from the dam, Flawless. It’s a nice, simple one-word name that I could certainly see on a name plate lining the Churchill paddock. An easy inclusion for the second round.
Attachment Rate: Co-owner Jim Bakke is the president of Sub-Zero Freezer Company, which makes luxury refrigerators. Bakke has a history of naming horses related to his business, such as Wolf Gourmet, More Than Coolin, Cove Blue and Miss Subzero. The Wikipedia definition of the name: “The attach rate is a concept used broadly in business, especially in marketing, to represent the number of units of a secondary product/service sold as a direct or implied consequence of the sale of a primary product/service”. My definition: “Not a Kentucky Derby winning name”. Toss.
Enforceable: Owner John Oxley was just looking for a strong name when he picked this one. There are no immediate strikes against this single-word moniker - but it feels devoid of meaning to me. Unlike the owners, I don’t feel like this is a strong name - the first thing that comes to mind is something mundane, like a police officer pulling you over for not wearing your seatbelt. On paper it looks like he’ll need the ultimate pace collapse to hit the top slot. Throwing him out.
Finnick The Fierce: Owner Paige Gilster came up with the name for this horse, saying, “It was just a name that resonated with me as something that had power. My dad said, ‘Well, it needs to sound good when he’s coming down the home stretch. It needs to roll off the tongue.’ I said, ‘Yeah, kind of like Finnick the Fierce.’ And he goes, ‘Yep, that’s the one we’re using.’ “ I have to give them big props for knowing that the name is important if you want the horse to be a serious Derby contender. Passing through to the next round.
Honor AP: The name derives from the sire, Honor Code, and the grandsire, AP Indy. It may sound fine to avid horse fans, perhaps reminding us that the great AP Indy died this year. The casual horse fans, though, may feel confused when the announcer yells out the name at the top of the stretch – seeing it as a demand that they pay some sort of tribute to the Associated Press. The horse looks ultra-talented and the Derby Gods may let him in as a fitting tribute to his grandsire – but in the end the name just doesn’t sound good enough to be a final qualifier, in my opinion. Grudgingly tossing.
Major Fed: He is named after tennis star Roger Federer, who has won 20 major tennis tournaments. Not a bad idea, but I think the owners missed the boat here. Something simple like Federer might have fit the bill, but this name conjures up images of the Federal Reserve Board making a big decision more than it does an all-time sports great. Recent form makes him look like an also-ran at best, so that adds up to a toss.
Max Player: The term ‘Max Player’ refers to an NBA player who receives a maximum contract. Max Player is named after Sport BLX’s first athlete in basketball, Hornets rookie PJ Washington, Jr. Basketball-related names can often sound cool, but this one just sounds greedy, in my opinion - and doesn’t really pay any homage to the game. The horse looks a tad dangerous on paper with some improvement, but I can’t keep him around as a name qualifier.
Money Moves: When Robert LaPenta bought the horse last year, he returned to his room and heard his wife singing a Cardi B song named ‘Bodak Yellow’ whose main line is “money moves”. I googled the song and within seconds, imagined the Derby gods gagging. The horse looks a little dangerous on paper, but the name’s hollow meaning and the fact that it was named after canned hip-hop makes for a super easy throw-out.
Mr. Big News: Owner Chester Thomas said that the ‘Big’ is a tip of the cap to the sire, Giant’s Causeway. He was hoping that the horse would be talented enough to make big news someday. The name ‘Big News’ might have been okay at best – but adding the ‘Mr.’ just makes the entire name come across as corny. The horse looks too slow to hit the top slot, to boot - eliminating.
Necker Island: Named after the luxury private island in the Virgin Islands, owned by Richard Branson, the billionaire entrepreneur who founded the Virgin Group. The entire island operates as a resort, with a reported price of $87,000 per night for up to 34 guests. The name on its own sounds decent, in my opinion - but that name origin just conjures up images of rich people throwing their money around. Not exactly the way to please the Derby gods. The horse looks like a superfecta crasher at best, so will toss him.
NY Traffic: Named after the sire, Cross Traffic, and the state where the horse was bred, New York. I love this horse on paper, but the name is just too bad of a fit for me to include as a qualifier. Sunday Silence, War Emblem, Justify……….NY Traffic? Will likely include this guy on a lot of tickets, but I can’t envision his name engraved on a paddock plate. Eliminating.
Sole Volante: The name means ‘Flying Sun’ in Italian and was derived from the sire’s name, Karakontie – which also means ‘Flying Sun’ in Mohawk language. The name has a nice ring to it, in my opinion. I could definitely hear it rolling off the tongue of the Derby race caller. Passing through to the next round.
South Bend: The horse was originally owned by Sagamore Farm, which is owned by Under Armour founder Kevin Plank. The name was a nod to one of Under Armour’s top clients - Notre Dame, which is located in South Bend, Indiana. I’m not typically a fan of a name that derives from corporations, but this name has a good old-school sound, in my opinion - reminding me a little of past Derby winners Johnstown & Spokane. Passing through to the next round.
Storm The Court: The name derives from the sire, Court Vision, and the dam, My Tejana Storm. Great name combination, in my opinion – and a nice nod to an exciting finish in college basketball. Passing through to the next round.
Thousand Words: Owner Joe Seitz named him after the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” after noting the horse’s gorgeous appearance. I’ve been a little back and forth on this name that has no immediate strikes against it. Seems okay enough at this point to pass through to the next round.
Tiz The Law: The name derives from the dam, Tizfiz, and the sire, Constitution. Not a bad name derivation. I’m a bit on the fence whether or not the Derby Gods, will appreciate the ‘Tiz’, but maybe the great Tiznow might sway them in a positive direction. Obviously talented enough to wear the garland of roses. Passing through to the second round.
Winning Impression: The name loosely derives from the sire, Paynter. Owner Jim Pearl said, “My daughter named the horse. She wanted to pick a famous artist and picked Monet. Monet’s most famous work is ‘Winning Impression’. There you have it.” This is a bit of a tough call for me. The word ‘winning’ evokes some thought of the great filly Winning Colors. But adding the word ‘impression’, for whatever reason, makes it sound hollow. In the end, the horse’s form makes it look like an impossible winner, so will toss.
First 7 Qualifiers:
Authentic
Finnick The Fierce
Sole Volante
South Bend
Storm The Court
Thousand Words
Tiz The Law
Further Analysis:
Finnick The Fierce: I hate to eliminate him knowing that the owners worked hard to come up with a name that rolls off the tongue. In the end it came down to him and Authentic - and Authentic just seemed like a better overall fit.
Storm The Court: I like this name but can’t include them all. On paper he looks like a logical elimination from the top slot.
Thousand Words: The horse looks dangerous but the moniker just doesn’t quite ring true for me, lacking the necessary punch for a Derby-winning name. Tossing from the finalists.
Final List of potential winners:
Note: With the number of entrants being 17 rather than 20 this year, I felt compelled to use 4 finalists rather than 5. King Guillermo would have been my 5th qualifier and he was recently scratched.
Authentic
Sole Volante
South Bend
Tiz The Law
Authentic: Looked like a good fit with past winners, perhaps evoking a little bit of Affirmed and Charismatic.
Sole Volante: The name just sounds like a Derby winner to me, with a hint of Gato Del Sol. On paper he appears that he’ll need a pace collapse and a lot of racing luck, but he’s an easy qualifier, in my mind.
South Bend: Would be a big surprise, but this guy just might be fired up enough to win one for The Gipper.
Tiz The Law: My wife has never touched a DRF but has a pretty good knack for judging Derby names. She’s telling me that this name sounds tough and old-fashioned. Who am I to disagree? Have to include him as a finalist.
