bug boy
n.— «Around the racetrack, they are called “bug boys,” but not for their love of insects. These jockeys get their names because the Daily Racing Form used to print a “bug”—or asterisk—next to the weight assignments of apprentices. The more asterisks, the less experience and winners an apprentice had. They are the rookies of thoroughbred horse racing.» —“Del Mar: The apprentices” by Jeff Nahill in Inglewood North County Times (Escondido, California) July 16, 2006. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)
Further reading
What’s up with ketchup? The shifting history and spelling of the name of this condiment. For centuries, ketchup was a fishy sauce originating in Asia—the tomatoes came only later! Plus, a new book shows what’s lost when a language dies: when there...
In 1916, a small-town newspaper in Pennsylvania printed a fanciful item about a local gathering with a guest list that included, among others, Miss Ella Vader, Mr. Ray Zor, and other punny names. This is part of a complete episode. Transcript of...