Mark Twain Lends His Wit to Two Runners' Names

A writer whose love of the turf runs alongside a devotion to Mark Twain has put both enthusiasms into the stable, choosing names for a pair of Thoroughbreds that nod to the great American humorist. The wire item casts Twain as one of the nation's first major literary figures, and a horse's name, like a book's title, is the first thing anyone learns about it. Naming a Thoroughbred is one of the few moments in racing that belongs entirely to the owner, before trainer, jockey and the stopwatch have their say. Here, two horses walk to the paddock carrying a bit of American letters with them.

With reporting from America's Best Racing.