A thoroughbred stallion valued at $900,000, boasting a champion lineage, has been named after college football’s standout star. The horse, owned by SF Racing with Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, will carry the name Mendoza in tribute to Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
Tom Ryan, managing partner of SF Racing, shared on X (formerly Twitter) that Fernando Mendoza represents the epitome of American sportsmanship, and after watching Mendoza’s post-Heisman interview, he felt the name was a perfect match. This new stallion is a descendant of Gun Runner, a highly successful modern racehorse, and the champion mare Songbird, who won 13 of her 15 races and earned Eclipse awards. Gun Runner, who placed third in the 2016 Kentucky Derby and won the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Classic, remains a key figure in American horse breeding.
Mendoza, the horse, will be ready to compete in the 2027 Triple Crown races, which are for three-year-old thoroughbreds. Currently, he is training under Bob Baffert’s guidance over the next two years. Meanwhile, the quarterback Mendoza has had a stellar season, leading with 33 touchdown passes, a 71.5 percent completion rate, and guiding Indiana to a Big Ten championship and the top seed in the College Football Playoff. As the stallion prepares for his future races, the quarterback is gearing up for the upcoming College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Rose Bowl.
Fan Take: Naming a high-caliber racehorse after a rising sports star symbolizes the deep cultural connections between horse racing and wider sports fandom. This kind of crossover brings fresh attention and excitement to horse racing, potentially drawing new fans and emphasizing the sport’s ongoing relevance and prestige.
