They’ll be jockeying for the Right to Party. How each KY Derby horse got its name
The news world was aglow over the presence of a 2025 Kentucky Derby racing horse named Journalism.
Regrettably, Journalism failed to nail the win, falling in second place, and bested by Sovereignty - a symbolic victory for the “do your own research” faction of the online discourse factory.
The 2026 steeds offer little in the way of forced media puns, which may be a blessing for our readers, but a curse for us writers. Rank 15 horse Emerging Markets, though, seems like it could have a media pun within reach of brighter minds than mine.
Also absent compared to last year is a name that makes a commandment for us, a la one 2025 horse’s nominal request that we Admire Daytona. But this year’s Derby will see Commandment circle the track.
Case Clay, owner of Case Clay Thoroughbred Management company told the Louisville Courier-Journal the name was suggested by Wathan Racing.
“I hope this is a really good horse because this is a really good name,” he thought at the suggestion.
Without further ado, but including rank 18 racer Further Ado - whose namesake you can probably deduce -, here are the origins of how the rest of our 2026 derby horses got their names.
Renegade
Bearing no relationship to the short-lived podcast of the same name hosted by Bruce Springsteen and former president Barack Obama, Renegade the horse was named because of his attitude.
Mike Repole told Thoroughbred Daily News bluntly: “We’ve got a crazy renegade running in these races.”
Albus
Named in honor of Harry Potter character Albus Dumbledor.
Intrepido
The name “Intrepid” was already taken. A truly intrepid owner may have fought for the name, but co-owner Rubas Islas suggested simply adding an “o” at the end.
Litmus Test
Named in the theme of his academic heritage. His sire is Nyquist and his dam is Study Hard.
Right to Party
From the Beastie Boy’s hit “Fight for your Right,” not from the God-given right enshrined to all residents of Lexington’s State Street.
Danon Bourbon
Danox Co. is the company that owns the horse. Bourbon was added to the end as a little bit of Kentucky flair.
So Happy
One could imagine it to be, perhaps, an aspirational name for how its owners aim to feel after its Saturday performance. But no: this horse’s sire is Runhappy and its dam is So Cunning.
The Puma
Gustavo Delgado, Jr. named his horse after his father, Gustavo Delgado, Sr. - known to his friends as “The Puma.”
Wonder Dean
Yoshinari Yamamoto always uses “Wonder” in his horse’s name. There seems to be no connection between Dean as the horse’s second name and Dean, the worst boyfriend of Rory Gilmore in the all-time great TV show Gilmore Girls. But it could be a reference to the horse’s sire, Dee Majest.
Incredibolt
After his sire, Bolt d’Oro.
Chief Wallabee
Unlike The Puma, which has no connection to the favorite shoe of the aughts, Chief Wallabee is named after the shoe brand Wallabee.
Potente
“Potente” is the Italian word for “powerful.” A bit of a downgrade from his sire’s fun name, Into Mischief.
Emerging Markets
Seth Klarman uses business terms for all of his horses’ names. Other horses christened with capitalist catchphrases include Brick and Mortar and Domestic Spending.
Pavlovian
The name is an evolution of his sire’s, Pavel, not by the famous training technique.
Golden Tempo
A musical term in honor of his dam, Carrumba.
Six Speed
Because the horse is fast. It’s not immediately clear where the clutch on Six Speed is located.
Great White
He’s big and gray like a shark. But not just any shark! A great white shark, he does resemble.
Ocelli
Tigers have white-colored spots behind their ears that resemble eyes when they bend down to eat, fooling potential enemies into thinking tigers are watching them at all times. Those spots are called ocelli, and horse trainer Travis Durr told the Herald-Leader he thought that sounded like a cool horse name.
