"upset"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>These accounts of the race suggest that the word "upset" was not familiar
>in the sense of "unexpected victory or loss" before this event.

I agree, with reference to the specific sports/racing/contest usage. But I
think prior understanding of "upset" = "surprise" (easily specialized to
the sports sense) is supported by the following quotation itself:

>... "Upset's victory was a big upset to all racegoers, even his famous
>trainer, James Rowe" ...

Surely "upset" = "distress" doesn't fit here.

A perhaps related question: Whence the horse's name "Upset"? Obviously
there are many possibilities which have no relevance, but I would speculate
the implication might have been "overthrow [the champion, the track record,
etc.]" or so ... surely not so likely "overturn physically" (an unlucky
concept for a horse) nor "nauseate"?

I'm still a little squeamish about the horse-etymology.

-- Doug Wilson