Imagining a field of Colorado-themed thoroughbreds

Today, a field of up to 20 thoroughbreds will enter the gates at Churchill Downs, hoping to etch their name in the record books as the winner of the 142^nd Kentucky Derby. While the field won’t be finalized until just before post time, some of the likely entries include Gun Runner, Nyquist, Tom’s Ready and Brody’s Cause; as with every horse that takes to the track, each has a moniker that carries an often-unknown meaning.

Oftentimes, these names have something to do with the world of sports; they’re connected to the owner’s favorite team or player, commemorate a moment in time or pay tribute to a legend. Hidden meanings are part of the charm of horse racing; trying to decode the message is sometimes as fun as going to the window and placing a bet.

What would be a lot of fun, however, is coming up with the names; not only would that signal that life was currently pretty good, affording the chance to own a thoroughbred horse, but it would also provide a chance to let the creative juices start flowing.

While that might not be a reality at the moment for most sports fans in Colorado, there’s not harm in dreaming. So with that as a backdrop, here are some monikers that might be heard at Churchill Downs if someone who roots for teams from the Centennial State was in charge of the naming process:

28 Special – There’s no doubt that Nolan Arenado is a “special” player; the fact that he won three Gold Gloves and a Silver Slugger before the age of 25 is a testament to his greatness on the field. A subtle nod to his jersey number pays tribute to the Rockies third baseman.

Lax Capital – Not only did the University of Denver make history last year by becoming the first school west of the Mississippi River to win an NCAA title, but the Colorado Mammoth (2006) and Denver Outlaws (2014) have also won lacrosse championships in the past decade.

Roll Tad – Prior to his arrival in Boulder, the Buffs had been to two NCAA Tournaments in the previous four decades. Since he became the head coach at CU, he’s made postseason basketball the norm, leading Colorado to the Big Dance in four of the past five seasons.

Teflon John – This isn’t necessarily a knock, although it does tie into the fact that John Elway can do no wrong in the minds of most people in Colorado; as a result, no criticism sticks to him. But it’s also a statement about how good the Broncos GM has been at his job; he’s virtually untouchable due to his near-spotless résumé.

Have a suggestion of your own? Submit it to editor@milehighsports.com for a chance to be featured in the June issue.