Pitino Names Another Thoroughbred After One Of His Current Players

Louisville’s miraculous run to the Final Four in March was pretty special for Cardinals head coach Rick Pitino. It meant so much to coach Pitino that the future Hall-of-Famer decided to name three thoroughbred horses after three of the players who helped lead Louisville to the school’s ninth Final Four. Peyton Siva, Gorgui Dieng and most recently Russ Smith have had thoroughbred horses named after them.

According BloodHorse.com, a horse named Russdiculous was sold for $145,000 on June 19^th to Dennis O’Neal, the brother of the 2012 Kentucky Derby winner ‘I’ll Have Another’ Trainer Doug O’Neill. H/T to CardChronicle.com for the scoop.

In April, Pitino was asked by Thoroughbred trainer Randy Bradshaw to help name two of the 2-year-old colts that Pitino owns and Bradshaw trains.

“The Bellamy Road colt was a spectacular big, big colt,” Pitino said. “He was lanky, had great potential and goes the distance. I said I got the perfect name for him. I said ‘Gorgui.’ ”

The second colt was “very, very quick – has a great first step, so to speak,” Pitino said. “I said I got the perfect name there, too.”

Pitino went with “Siva.”