TOP is off on Saturdays, but don't forget today is Kentucky Derby day. Sample the favorite, Nyquist. But keep your eye on Whitmore and Mor Spirit. Best horse name this year*: Suddenbreakingnews.
I can't watch it because I don't have a TV. But I'll be there in spirit.
Mike
*Thoroughbred names have to be unique, and they're darn hard to come up with. That's why they tend to be so weird, like Mohaymen, Shagaf, and Danzing Candy in this year's race. I got to name a racehorse once, thanks to my uncle Smokie, who was a thoroughbred breeder for many years. He made an offhand comment that coming up with names for foals was difficult, so I offered to give it a try. Coming to it cold, I gave him ten name prospects, and only three had never been used! The prospective name I thought was the most obscure turned out to be a relatively famous horse. I don't remember now what it was.
Re Danzing Candy, there was already a "Dancing" Candy, b. 1986, a grandson of the great Northern Dancer. Danzing Candy is also descended from Northern Dancer, on both sides, but not through Dancing Candy—he gets his name from his grandmother, House of Danzing, and her mother, Danzing Crown.
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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:
Tom Noto: "Apparently you can stream the derby on your computer at NBCSports.com and also on the NBC Sports Live Extra app."
Mike replies: Only if you already pay your cable provider for NBC content, which I don't. CBS wised up for the Super Bowl and streamed it for free, reasoning (sensibly) that if people watched paid ads online it was no different than watching the same paid ads on free TV. But NBC has not seen that light, I guess.
Jack: "I live in central Kentucky surrounded by thoroughbred and, to a lesser extent, standardbred (harness racing) farms. The Kentucky Derby is held 90 miles away, but many of the celebrity-saturated Derby parties are held around here.
"Despite the proximity of the industry and events, I don't get worked up by the glitz and glamor. I think more about those living and laboring on 'backside' (i.e., dark side) of the track. These people work long hours for little money, staying among the stables 24 hours a day. While the situation is much better than it used to be (e.g., education opportunities the workers' kids) there's still much room for improvement."
Nyquist as a name for a horse: NO.
It is a fine old Swedish family name.
Posted by: Christer Almqvist | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 09:54 AM
I am in the Yacht business and boat names are of the same genre of interesting names as racehorses. I Recently arranged a showing of a boat called "Quite a Riot" and commented to my buyer that it sounded more like the name of a race horse than a Yacht. Rock bands might fall into that genre also. Of course a now famous rock band in Russia holds the #1 spot for any name that has the word "riot" in it !
Posted by: David Zivic | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 10:18 AM
I guess horse racing is a "sport". Dog racing, same. I often wonder IF the animals could give us their take on it how they would feel about it.
No tv, not even one used for watching dvd's or streaming video? Well to each his own, but I often find something of value on the tube (can't really say tube anymore can we).
Good Saturday to you,
Jb
Posted by: Joe B | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 10:48 AM
Hoof-Hearted on the outside... Hoof-Hearted in the winners circle! :-)
Posted by: Nate | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 11:03 AM
Should be able to stream it on the web (http://stream.nbcsports.com/horse-racing/?pid=21651) if you're brave enough to have Flash Player installed on your computer.
Posted by: John Shriver | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 11:42 AM
Re: David Zivic's post, I went through a period a couple decades ago when spent a lot of time sailing. There was an all-womens' racing boat named "Cunning Stunts" and another racing boat called Fujimo, which sounds Japanese, but wasn't -- the owner's girlfriend told him not to buy another racing boat, but when he did, she allegedly said, "F--- you, Jerry, I'm moving out." Hence, Fujimo. Boat names, band names, horse names, they have to be memorable and clever, but not too stupid. Too bad camera companies can't catch on to this whole idea, and quit this OM-D E-M5 Mark II nonsense.
Posted by: John Camp | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 12:51 PM
I'm afraid that horse racing leaves me as cold as does pool.
On the other hand I love cricket, so I suppose I'm in no position to judge you.
[Yes, that wouldn't be cricket. --Mike]
Posted by: Nigel | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 01:06 PM
Sample the favorite, Nyquist.
After reading the first batch of comments posted, I'm surprised no one else noticed this pun. You did intend it to be one on the Nyquist sampling theorem, didn't you? :-)
Posted by: Sal Santamaura | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 01:46 PM
Horsey McHorseface.
["Horse Not Found.
The horse Horsey McHorseface can't be found in the database. Please check to see if you've made a typo. Otherwise, you can Add Horsey McHorseface to the database by simply entering sire/dam information."
--Mike]
Posted by: Peter C. | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 02:31 PM
Nyquist Limit would be a pretty good name, though.
(assuming it hasn't already been used.)
Posted by: Nigel | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 02:46 PM
"Sample ... Nyquist." I see what you did there.
Posted by: John Morris | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 03:53 PM
I spent the morning shooting the Windermere Cup, the Kentucky Derby of collegiate rowing. The UW against Stanford and the Russian national team in the marquee race; Huskies left 'em for dead.
Posted by: Chuck Albertson | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 04:57 PM
"Sample the favorite, Nyquist."
leads to another potential name:
Half the Frequency
Posted by: David L. | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 06:46 PM
Nyquist is now eight for eight, so you don't get any aliasing no matter how you sample. Sorry....
Posted by: John Morris | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 07:04 PM
If he gets any moire wins he'll be Nyquist limited!
I forcast a spate of physics jokes that will leave the non geeks in a circle of confusion.
Posted by: Hugh Crawford | Saturday, 07 May 2016 at 07:08 PM