Episode 495: Kentucky Derby, Shout-Outs, Movies (Stennie: 9), Binge Watch, Pet Story, More TV Watching, Commercial, The Americans, AskReddit Question of the Week, Around the House, What’s Up With That?, Scratch-Off, Fuck Offs & You Rules, Final Ice-Breaker Questions.
Music: “The Hucklebuck,” performed by Sierra Rein, Lee Rocker, and Frank Sinatra. “Movies” bumper by Duke, “Pet Stories” and “What’s Up With That” bumpers by Siskita.
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I read this in the Richmond Times Dispatch and thought about your predictions. It had never occurred to me that there were actual guidelines to naming the race horses and in case you all didn’t know this either, I thought you would find this interesting.
“What’s in a horse’s name?
When the Kentucky Derby is run this Saturday, Justify (3-1) is currently slated to be the favorite, followed by Mendelssohn (5-1), Magnum Moon (6-1), Bolt d’Oro (8-1) and Audible (8-1).
But how do they come up with the names? Here’s what you can’t do:
Name a horse using initials or numbers
End a name with “filly,” “colt,” “stud,” or any other horse- related term
Name a horse after a living person without written permission
Use the name of a deceased person, unless approved by the Jockey Club, one of American horse racing’s governing bodies
Use the name of a track or stakes race
Use names with clear commercial or artistic value
Use names that are “obscene,” “vulgar” or “in poor taste.”
Use names identical or nearly identical to horses within certain time frames, depending upon what the original horse accomplished
After that, you get 18 characters. Spaces and punctuation count.
“We try to give the horses names that are marketable and fun to say,” says Justin Zayat, president and CEO of Racing and Bloodstock. “ We say the name and think, ‘Is this the one you’d want to hear your horse go down the finish line to. This name?’
“Mostly, it’s after people we love,” Zayat said. “We name horses after a lot of people.”