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Even though I promised to profile the 3-year old boys I left a not insignificant Derby prep off of my list earlier today. The El Camino Real Derby (g.III). That's because I don't have anyone running in it. Also, I do have to work sometimes and I regretfully had to log off in order to look up information on redemption dates for commercial property. It's days like this when I hate being a lawyer. Anyways, here's my call for the final little boy's race of the weekend:

El Camino Real Derby

The El Camino Real is a lesson in poor horse naming. No, I'm serious. People have been giving race horses funky names pretty much since the dawn of domestication. And though some of these names have been...less than respectable (Pot-8-O's comes to mind)...generally, by now, people know how to name a racehorse. No so in this race. You'd think finding a good horse name would be easier with the magic of the internet to help people along; that you shouldn't be getting too many 6th choice "why on the earth didn't the Jockey Club okay that one" names (Secretariat comes to mind). But then, who am I to talk. I was always going to give the hypothetical offspring of my beloved riding mare Silbaska and the farm's premier stallion, Dru, the name Druzil...which was also the name of an imp in a not particularly well written book I read once. Perhaps we should focus on the racing.

Heading up this field of ten is Coast Guard, who's removal from the Sham Stakes I lamented last week. Second last out to Crown of Thorns in the Robert B. Lewis Stakes, he had some heat and his connections decided to take it easy and wait another week. They also might have been eyeing the somewhat less deep field of the El Camino as a place where their golden boy could shine.

Nikki'sgoldensteed (Formal Gold- Dawn of Promise, by Tank's Prospect), has won two in a row; one of which was a stakes (though admittedly minor) at this same distance. Here we have the first of the naming offenders; who breaks two cardinal rules by both consisting of a phrase of words mushed together, and containing punctuation. The occasional Man o' War we can take, this, however, is a bit much. None of that, of course, changes the fact that this horse likes to go to the front and stay there. There's been a dearth of good speed horses on the Derby trail this year (well, aside from the all but idle War Pass), and this one deserves a look.

Bamaha Breeze is a local favorite who is undefeated in three 6 furlong starts. We'll see whether he can step up to stakes company and keep the home fires burning through 2 turns. All signs point to probably not. And not to belabor the point, but this horse's name runs perilously close to mimicking that of a somewhat popular, Caribbean cooking themed restaurant. That or a colorful Applebee's tropical drink. Perhaps something that Behindatthebar would whip up for you (yes, that sound you heard through the internets was my eyes rolling).

Tres Borrachos hasn't been doing all that well for himself recently, but at least he's been trying in stakes company. Last out he was 4th behind Yankee Bravo, and he's been working well. A sleeper perhaps? At least his name doesn't suck. Several commentators have been playing up Pleasure Grounds, who has been slowly making his way up the quality scale. He'd be worth a second look, if he weren't such a confirmed speed horse. As it is, he's going to run into Nikki'sgoldensteed, and I think the latter will win that pissing contest.

It is, however, Autism Awareness who is the true offender in the naming raffle. Seriously, even if this horse were clearly the class of the field, I could never vote for him. One imagines him circling in the paddock, his head low with shame as the other horses in the race laugh at him behind their bridles. In A Year At The Races, noted horse racing author Jane Smiley recounts her discussions with an alleged "horse psychic" who tells her that her budding turf horse Hornblower wants to be called Wowie, because otherwise the other horses won't respect him. Do I believe this sort of nonsense? Of course not. But I believe that a name can be a very powerful thing.

1. Nikki'sgoldensteed
2. Coast Guard
3. Tres Borrachos