I have been writing the story about how Kentucky Derby horses got their names since 2001, so I’ve looked at a lot of Thoroughbred names and talked to a lot of owners about how they decide to choose them. On a recent trip to Keeneland, I might have found my all-time favorite: Somelikeithotbrown is by Big Brown, out of Marilyn Monroan. It’s got it all, big nods to the pedigree, pop culture, clever, funny, a touch goofy. The horse was bred in New York, but the name combines Kentucky’s favorite sandwich with Marilyn Monroe’s most popular movie.
Sadly, Somelikeithotbrown is not running in the Derby this year. But this year’s owners also depended heavily on pedigrees when it came to the sometimes difficult game of names.
Tiz the Bomb, for example, was sired by Hit It A Bomb out of Tiz the Key. Mo Donegal’s sire is Uncle Mo, and he’s owned by Donegal Racing. Smile Happy is by Runhappy out of Pleasant Smile.
