How this year's Derby horses got their names
Some Kentucky Derby bettors handicap from past performances and video. Others eye the paddock and post parade.
For many, it's all about the name. This article is for you.
The Courier-Journal tracked down as many connections as possible to find meaning behind the monikers of this year's field.
Here goes:
Gun Runner: David Fiske, who manages racing for Winchell Thoroughbreds, said Ron Winchell simply wanted a name with a kick. Arnold Zetcher did something similar with 2015’s Derby runner-up, Firing Line.
Nyquist: Owner Paul Reddam, a hockey fan, has named a number of his horses after NHL players. This one earned his moniker from Detroit Red Wings star Gustav Nyquist, a player Reddam has never met but respects highly.
Exaggerator: Keith Desormeaux says his girlfriend and assistant, Julie Clark, tends to embellish. “She’s a typical storyteller,” the trainer said. “… I said, ‘Julie, I’m going to name a horse after you.’ Sure enough, this is it.”
Outwork: The first son of Uncle Mo to win a race, he showed speed even before then, known to outwork other horses while stabled at New Castle Farm near Ocala, Fla.
Brody’s Cause: Campaigned by Dennis and Susan Albaugh, the colt is named after their nephew, Brody. “And there’s no real big cause,” said trainer Dale Romans. He’s by Giant’s Causeway.
Creator: WinStar Farm’s CEO, Elliot Walden, named this gray son of Tapit after God.
Lani: His name translates from Hawaiian language to mean “heaven” or “sky," and he's out of a mare named Heavenly Romance.
Mor Spirit: Owner Michael Lund Petersen, a native of Denmark, named his Derby contender after his mother. “Mor” means “mom” in Danish, and Petersen said she’s a feisty woman, hence the spirit.
Mohaymen: One of two Derby horses campaigned by Shadwell Stable, Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s racing operation, his name translates from Arabic to mean “dominant” or “protector.”
Danzing Candy: He’s by Twirling Candy, whose dam is House of Danzing. Originally named Ron’s Bitcoin – after the digital form of currency – it changed when owners want to add “zing” to their horse’s moniker.
Destin: Destiny was already taken for Twin Creeks Racing, so they settled on this. The colt appropriately took his own spring break with eight weeks between races leading into the Derby.
Suddenbreakingnews: Owner Samuel F. "Sonny" Henderson put in for "Breaking News" as his horse's name. The Jockey Club didn't take it, but Suddenbreakingnews proved worth publishing.
Oscar Nominated: Owner Ken Ramsey claimed this horse, but he's out of a mare named Devine Actress by sire Theatrical. Two starts back, the colt won Fair Grounds’ Black Gold Overnight Stakes run a day before the Academy Awards.
Shagaf: Shadwell’s other Derby entry, his name translates to mean “fond of” in Arabic.
Whitmore: Trainer Ron Moquett purchased this gelding and named it after a talented high school teammate of his, Wilbur Whitmore. The native Oklahomans met up at the Arkansas Derby, when the horse ran third.
Tom’s Ready: The first acquisition of G.M.B. Racing, stable name for the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owners, this one pays homage to both Tom Benson and the colt’s sire, More Than Ready.
My Man Sam: Owner Sheep Pond Partners’ Sol Kumin had luck previously naming horses after family members – unbeaten filly Lady Eli after his wife, for example – and coined this colt for his son, Sam.
Majesto: The owner combined parts of his sons' names -- MArco, JEsus -- along with "TOdos," the Spanish word for everybody to represent his other children.
Trojan Nation: Owners Aaron Sones and Julie Gilbert, husband and wife, both graduated from UCLA. But in honor of Gilbert’s late father, Morty, they named a horse they bred for his favorite team, rival Southern California.
Mo Tom: G.M.B.’s other Derby horse was named at a time Benson was recovering for knee surgery. His wife, Gayle, wanted "more Tom," she said. This one's also a son of Uncle Mo.