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5/02/2007 07:56:00 AM

Best and Worst Names of Derby Winners

Fusaichi Pegasus
Doesn't "Fusaichi Pegasus" sound like something you'd order at an Italian restaurant?
Photo by Julian Herbert/Getty Images
By Mike McAllister, SI.com

Full disclosure: I'm no expert when it comes to horse racing. Oh, I'll watch the Triple Crown races (it only costs me six minutes a year) and I've read plenty of Dick Francis books (even met him once at a book signing). And I felt sad about Barbaro and all the other race horses who've been critically injured while in action. But I couldn't tell you much about bog spavin or sesamoid bones, and my gambling knowledge is generally limited to picking horses whose names won't make me giggle when I plop down two bucks at the betting window.

And that brings me to today's list. With the 133rd running of the Kentucky Derby set for Saturday at Churchill Downs, I decided to explore the list of winners and pick out the five best -- and five worst -- names. It turned into a process of elimination, as I discarded names that were too boring (for example, Riley in 1890, Agile in 1905), too obvious (Lookout in 1893, Winning Colors in 1988, Strike the Gold in 1991) or just too human (Lieut. Gibson in 1900, George Smith in 1916, Paul Jones in 1920, Clyde Van Dusen in 1929).

Five Best


1. War Admiral (1937): Regal, majestic, intimidating name from one of the top racehorses of all time. Having said that, I might have opted for his sire, Man O' War, at No. 1 had he ever won the Derby. But alas, his owner didn't like racing in Kentucky.

2. Whirlaway (1941): You might think it too much of a "carousel" name, but I like the whimsical images it provokes. Along with War Admiral, these are the only Triple Crown winners on my list.

3. Spectacular Bid (1979): Of the more recent winners, I like this better than Charismatic (too religious) and Affirmed (too business-like).

4. Exterminator (1918): A frightening title long before Tom DeLay turned this nickname into a negative -- and before Arnold Schwarzenegger dropped the first two letters for his movie character.

5. Bold Venture (1936): Honest, I'd rather have Bold Ruler, but he faded down the stretch in the '57 Derby to finish fourth. Bold Venture is much better than Bold Forbes (1976).

Five Worst


1. Fusaichi Pegasus (2000): Because horse names should never have seven syllables.

2. Pensive (1944): One of Webster's definitions for pensive is "suggestive of sad thoughtfulness." I also could have gone with Regret here.

3. Alan-a-Dale (1902): Hey, it may work in Sherwood Forest, but not for me. Maybe if his name was Little John. Or Friar Tuck.

4. Burgoo King (1932): Why am I thinking Whopper? And wouldn't Whopper actually be a decent name for a horse?

5. Fonso (1880) ... I don't know what his colors were back then, but if he was wearing a leather jacket and white T-shirt ... Heyyyyy!

OK, so using this as a reference guide, it's time for you to send me your list of best and worst names of Kentucky Derby winners.
posted by SI.com | View comments |

Comments:

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Posted: May 2, 2007 10:22 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Where is Alysheba or Sunday Silence?
Posted: May 2, 2007 10:29 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
I think "Thunder Gulch" is one of the coolest Derby Winner Names of all time...the name just exudes images of speed and winning.
Posted: May 2, 2007 11:31 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Overlooked Best: Unbridled - A name so great the Commonwealth of Kentucky has utilized it in their tourism slogan (Unbridled Spirit) and a win that produced one of the most memorable, touching moments in sports when trainer Carl Nafzger excitedly described the action the horse's elderly owner, Frances Genter.

Overlooked Worst: Funny Cide – It just doesn’t have that regal, classy sound of the great champions
Posted: May 2, 2007 11:59 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
You've got to love "Smarty Jones."
Posted: May 2, 2007 12:27 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
REAL QUIET!!
Posted: May 2, 2007 12:34 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Call me a biased Canadian, but how could you overlook Northern Dancer?
a great name for one of the greatest horses ever.
Posted: May 2, 2007 12:53 PM   by Blogger Rick
5 Best: Typhoon II, Thunder Gulch, Iron Liege, Assault, Sea Hero

5 Worst: Pink Star, Hoop Jr., Swaps, Pleasant Colony, Behave Yourself
Posted: May 2, 2007 1:19 PM   by Anonymous Joe
I would have to say the best name would go to the 1881 winner, Hindoo. But the name thing aside, I think we need to get a steroid probe going in horse racing....How have the times improved so much?
Posted: May 2, 2007 1:54 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
I actually liked Fusaichi Pegasus if only for the fantastic way the track announcer called his name as he came down the stretch. Check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gfKYJBF9ltE
Posted: May 2, 2007 2:16 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
5 best: Thunder Gulch, Flying Ebony, Northern Dancer, Dust Commander, Seattle Slew

5 worst: Morvich (and the DNA test reveals...you are NOT the father), Joe Cotton, Grindstone, Pleasant Colony, Tomy Lee (and the rest of Rockstar Supernova)
Posted: May 2, 2007 2:23 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Funny Cide is definitely the worst. Anyone who would name a horse after Carrot Top's career is a terrible person.
Posted: May 2, 2007 3:08 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Best would have to be those who names suggest some Spectacular - like Spectacular bid, Majestic prince, His eminence, Proud Clarion, Determine

Worst - Venteian Way, Shut out ( wrong sport), Dark star, burgoo king ( is that what they are going to do with him?) Bubbling over - again this thing with horses and cooking???
Posted: May 2, 2007 3:32 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Loved secretariate!!!

Also, Not sure if this horse won but the name was "hoof hearted" and when being called in a race sounded like "who farted"
Posted: May 2, 2007 3:35 PM   by Blogger DD
Since burgoo is a dish identified with Kentucky--and the bluegrass area in particular--Burgoo King actually fits as far as this race is concerned. For those of you unfamiliar: a kind of beef stew. Some friends of ours used to prepare it and mint juleps for the KYD party.
Posted: May 2, 2007 3:43 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
My five horses whose names don't exactly inspire confidence:
Vagrant
Middleground
Regret
Genuine Risk
Real Quiet
Posted: May 2, 2007 3:52 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Lil E Tee is the worst Derby winner's name of all times-no question
Posted: May 2, 2007 4:49 PM   by Anonymous big ghi
Worst name actually belongs to the 1888 Preakness winner - after all, would you feel comfortable betting on a horse named "Refund"?
Posted: May 2, 2007 9:30 PM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Sir Barton. That is a regal sounding name.
Posted: May 3, 2007 10:46 AM   by Anonymous Anonymous
Sunday Silence. Perfect horse, perfect race, great name.
Posted: May 8, 2007 10:35 AM   by Anonymous Aqib
Lyle Alzado has to be one of the sadder comebacks. Not only was he attempting a comeback years after he was already washed up but he took so many supplements in the process that it eventually killed him.
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