Horse named after Dr. Fauci posts second-place finish in debut race

Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Dr. Anthony Fauci had a pretty good Wednesday at the track.

Sort of.

As Justin Tasch wrote for a piece published by the New York Post earlier in the day, Philip Antonacci purchased a two-year-old horse last year, and Antonacci registered to name the racer after Dr. Fauci several months ago when Fauci rose in prominence and fame amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Fauci was a neighbor of Antonacci's family in Brooklyn.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), this Dr. Fauci finished second in his debut race at New York's Belmont Park on Wednesday. The AP added that names such as Social Distancing and Flatten the Curve have also been registered during the pandemic.

Mike Rosenstein of NJ.com noted that Fauci finished 4 1/2 lengths behind race-winner Prisoner, and that Wednesday was the first day that racing returned to Belmont Park since the uncontrolled virus outbreak.

The AP also reported that Antonacci wants to name a filly after Dr. Deborah Birx, the Coordinator of the United States Government Activities to Combat HIV/AIDS and U.S. Special Representative for Global Health Diplomacy who has been seen in public service announcements and at press conferences alongside President Donald Trump.