The 15 Best Racehorse Names of All Time

Some were chosen by a secretary, some after an owner's favourite record, and one survives a registrar's typo. The good ones outlive the horse.

1

Man o' War

Named by owner Eleanor Belmont for her husband, away at war when the colt was foaled.

1000pts

2

Seabiscuit

A biscuit is what sailors ate and what his sire Hard Tack was named for.

1000pts

3

Spectacular Bid

A name that promised more than most and, for two seasons, delivered on it.

800pts

4

Bold Ruler

Secretariat's sire, and the rare case where the name outlived the horse in pedigree pages.

709pts

5

Mine That Bird

The gelding nobody wanted, hauled to Louisville in a pickup truck, 50-1 and a winner.

709pts

6

Secretariat

Meadow Stable's secretary Elizabeth Ham supplied the name after five earlier submissions were rejected.

600pts

7

Sir Barton

The first Triple Crown winner, and a name that sounds like it was invented for the honour.

600pts

8

Onion

The plain name that beat the most famous horse in America at Saratoga in 1973.

466pts

9

Phar Lap

Zulu and Thai words for lightning, chosen for the Australian champion of the Depression.

466pts

10

Native Dancer

The Grey Ghost of television's first racing audience, named for his sire Polynesian.

466pts

11

American Pharoah

The misspelling came in on the registration form and stayed on the trophy.

466pts

12

Rich Strike

The 80-1 shot whose prospector's name fit the 2022 Kentucky Derby result exactly.

300pts

13

Zippy Chippy

Lost all 100 of his career starts and became more famous than most winners.

300pts

14

Ruffian

The filly who led every race she finished, and whose name still carries the 1975 match race.

300pts

15

Zenyatta

Named for the Police album Zenyatta Mondatta by owner Jerry Moss, the label's co-founder.

300pts