The thrilling victory of the striking gray colt Napoleon Solo at the prestigious 151st Preakness Stakes has taken the horse racing world by storm, breathing new life into a season that previously seemed full of setbacks. Guided masterfully by jockey Paco Lopez and trained by Chad Summers, the talented three-year-old rebounded from a couple of disappointing fifth-place finishes earlier this year to claim the middle jewel of the Triple Crown at Laurel Park. Beyond the spectacular athletic feat on the track and the massive prize money, racing fans and pop culture enthusiasts have been deeply intrigued by the winner’s highly distinctive moniker. The horse’s owner, prominent racing figure Al Gold, has since come forward to pull back the curtain on the creative and nostalgic process that led to selecting the unique name.
Al Gold explained that the inspiration for naming the champion colt stems entirely from his deep personal love for classic television entertainment from his youth, specifically the legendary 1960s American spy fiction series The Man from U.N.C.L.E. In the beloved television show, Napoleon Solo was the suave, charming, and highly skilled secret agent portrayed brilliantly by actor Robert Vaughn, a character that recently found a new generation of fans when Henry Cavill essayed the role in a modern film adaptation. Gold admitted that he thoroughly enjoys watching old television shows and sports in his downtime and frequently names his thoroughbreds after his close friends or favorite fictional heroes. The owner humorously noted that his choice was intended to be more of a fun, nostalgic nod than a prophetic statement about the horse’s ultimate destiny, though he remains pleasantly surprised by how many racing fans instantly remembered the vintage television program upon hearing the name.
Interestingly, the horse’s identity was almost completely different before he achieved international stardom. According to trainer Chad Summers, the colt was originally purchased for a modest forty thousand dollars at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and was initially given the highly unusual stable name No Mail Today. Summers explained that this early moniker was a clever play on words regarding the team’s strong desire to develop a successful Saturday horse rather than a Sunday competitor, referencing the classic rule that mail is not delivered on Sundays. However, as the young horse began showing remarkable speed and getting significantly better during his early workouts, the team thankfully decided that he deserved a much more powerful and cinematic name. With the prestigious Grade 1 victory now under his belt, the name Napoleon Solo seems perfectly suited for a horse that confidently ran his rivals off their feet to claim his rightful place in racing history.
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