His UAE race he looks green. It was a decent enough pace that he should have run away from the winner but took a last gap to get there.

I'll post Brisnet PPs later this eve unless someone else wants to do it.

So what should somebody who only bets on pretty much one horserace a year bet for this thing?

So what should somebody who only bets on pretty much one horserace a year bet for this thing?

What’s in a name?

For the 20 horses entered in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby, there’s a story – or at least an explanation – behind each of their names.

For the record, all names must be approved by the Jockey Club, and there are several rules. A few of them:

* Names can be up to 18 characters, including spaces and punctuation.

* No names of actual persons unless written permission to use their name is on file with the Jockey Club.

* No names that are suggestive or have a vulgar or obscene meaning; names considered in poor taste; or names that may be offensive to religious, political or ethnic groups.

Here’s a look at the names in this year’s field:

* Lookin At Lee – Sire is Lookin At Lucky. The “Lee” comes from Lee Levinson, who is part of the L and N Racing ownership group.

* Thunder Snow – “No story,” trainer Saeed bin Suroor said. “I liked the name. I name all of the 3-year-olds and all of the yearlings in my stable.”

* Fast and Accurate – Named for the medical skills of Dr. Kendall Hansen, who is the horse’s owner and specializes in pain management.

* Untrapped – It’s a play on the names of his parents – Trappe Shot and Exit Three. If you “exit” from a “trap,” you’re Untrapped.

* Always Dreaming – Co-owner Anthony Bonomo said his wife, Mary Ellen, names most of the horses for Brooklyn Boyz Stables. “We started by naming them after all the streets we grew up on,” Bonomo said. “Then we ran out.”

* State of Honor – A combination of his parents – To Honor and Serve and State Cup.

* Girvin – Named for the small town in Texas where owner Brad Grady was born and raised.

* Hence – Calumet Farm manager Eddie Kane said the horse was a handsome baby. “Hence was always a good-looking horse – ‘hence’ he should be fast,” Kane said.

* Irap – According to bloodhorse.com, one of owner Paul Reddam’s unnamed babies had just undergone Interluekin-1 Receptor Antagonist Protein therapy, more commonly known as IRAP, used to treat the effects of joint disease in horses. “When he arrived at the farm, the van driver saw the word IRAP on the horse’s papers and assumed that was his name, so he identified the young horse as Irap,” bloodhorse.com reported. “When Paul Reddam was told about the van driver’s mix-up the next day, he got a kick out of it and said, ‘Why don’t we just name him Irap?’”

* Gunnevera – This one seems to be a mystery among the horse’s connections. Some said it’s named for a small town in Spain. Others said it’s named for a lake in Venezuela. Another said part of the name comes from a horse farm. It’s anyone’s guess.

* Battle of Midway – Former owner Rick Porter likes to use patriotic themes for his horses’ names. The Battle of Midway was a decisive naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

* Sonneteer – A sonneteer is a writer of sonnets, and assistant trainer Julie Clark said the name was inspired by the horse’s sire Midnight Lute. “We’re hoping he’ll write a new song in the Derby,” Clark said.

* J Boys Echo – The “J Boy” comes from Jason Loutsch, the son-in-law of horse owner Dennis Albaugh. The “echo” comes from dam Letgomyecho.

* Classic Empire – A combination of grandsire Empire Maker and dam Sambuca Classica.

* McCraken – Named for the small Kansas town “McCracken” but lost the last “c” in the process of registering his name.

* Tapwrit – A play on the name of his sire Tapit.

* Irish War Cry – A play on the name of his dam Irish Sovereign.

* Gormley – Named after British sculptor Antony Gormley.

* Practical Joke – It’s more fun in the family as his sire is Into Mischief and his dam is Halo Humor.

* Patch – Son of Union Rags got his name after suffering massive inflammation in the globe of his left eye but before the eye was removed by doctors. “I think they sealed his fate with that name,” trainer Todd Pletcher joked.

It's definitely overwhelming.

I've always liked horse racing but I'm trying to get into the gambling aspect of it and reading about the Derby and the horses is such a mindfuck. I have no idea what I'm reading.

Just put down a straight bet to win on either Classic Empire, Always Dreaming, or McCraken. Don't read into anything else because it may be too overwhelming.

Whatever you can afford, even if it's just a few bucks. If you choose one of those 3 to win and they do, you're looking at least 4-1 odds. So a $20 bet would get you back $100.

better handicap for mudders

Just put down a straight bet to win on either Classic Empire, Always Dreaming, or McCraken. Don't read into anything else because it may be too overwhelming.

Whatever you can afford, even if it's just a few bucks. If you choose one of those 3 to win and they do, you're looking at least 4-1 odds. So a $20 bet would get you back $100.

Just put down a straight bet to win on either Classic Empire, Always Dreaming, or McCraken. Don't read into anything else because it may be too overwhelming.

Whatever you can afford, even if it's just a few bucks. If you choose one of those 3 to win and they do, you're looking at least 4-1 odds. So a $20 bet would get you back $100.

JORR, you have any feel for Hence and Tapwrit here, both at 15-1?

I read today that since Bodemeister, they changed the point system to make it favor more derby-type races. It goes back to when Bodemeister came in 2nd in the Kentucky Derby, only because he was chasing a sprinter who didn't belong in the Kentucky Derby to being with.

I think Girvin is my horse

True but I'd like to know enough about horse racing where I could have a conversation about it with someone like Walt, JORR or Camps and hold my own. All I can really add to a conversation about betting horses right now is "I bet on this one because he looks cool".

I think I got my four.

Classic Empire has looked great in every race but the one that had Irish War Cry, and Irish War Cry is in this race.

He's got classic pedigree, being the son of Curlin, who himself hit the board in all three of his Triple Crown races---3rd in the Kentucky Derby.

And it's good he's not cramped with an inside post, drawing 17 here. He won the Wood Memorial from the outside 8 post.

That's my safe pick. Mark Casse has had nothing but good things to say about this horse.

I believe the overall most talented colts in the race are Always Dreaming, Classic Empire, and Battle of Midway. Battle of Midway probably isn't ready for this type of race right now. The caveat with Classic Empire is that he has had problems in the gate almost every time he's raced. If he gets wild with the big crowd and doesn't come out clean in a 20 horse field it's probably going to be something he can't overcome. It's a good sign that he handled himself professionally in a big field in Arkansas. That isn't THE Derby though.