And They’re Off

Unusual names of racehorses, collected by Paul Dickson in , 1996:

Bates MotelDisco InfernoUp Your AssetsRace HorseCrashing BoreEnglish MuffinLeo Pity MeCold ShowerT.V. DoubletalkRanikabooHoly CatsHadn’t OrterStrong StrongHoneybunny Boo

After the Jockey Club rejected several names for one filly in the 1960s, the exasperated owner wrote “You Name It” on the application form. “We did,” said registrar Alfred Garcia. “We approved the name You Name It, and I think she turned out to be a winner, too.”

This race, run at Monmouth Park in 2010, seems to take on a deeper significance near the end: