Racehorse forced to change its name after officials spot a very unfortunate problem « Euro Weekly News

There are some horse names that make you wonder what on earth the owner was thinking. Others are so unfortunate that you can practically hear the race commentator trying not to laugh. But one American racehorse has just discovered that choosing a name can have consequences far beyond a few raised eyebrows in the paddock.

The horse had already made her racing debut when officials decided that her name was a problem. Her owner has offered an explanation for where it came from, but racing authorities were not convinced it was suitable for the racecourse. And that is where things get rather awkward.

A name becomes a problem

The two year old filly was registered as ‘Austrian Painter’ and won her debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis on Monday. Shortly afterwards, however, the US Jockey Club received a formal complaint about the name and opened an investigation. The organisation ultimately decided that it was ineligible under its rules because it could reasonably be interpreted as an offensive reference to Mr Adolf H. There is an obvious reason for the association. Hitler was born in Austria and spent part of his early adult life pursuing a career as an artist in Vienna.

“Austrian painter” has also become an online euphemism for Hitler, particularly in places where users try to avoid content moderation. The horse’s owner and breeder, Scott Herbertson, however has said the name was intended to refer to Austrian artist Gustav Klimt, rather than the other. Klimt was the artist behind The Kiss and is one of Austria’s most famous painters compared to the other who is also famous but for all the wrong reasons. That explanation did not prevent the name being changed. Austrian Painter is now officially called Merrylegs. Such a downgrade, I know. she sounds more like a ‘My Little Pony’ than a racehorse.

And then there was another horse

Unfortunately for Herbertson, he had another naming headache waiting in the stable. Austrian Painter’s full sister was registered as New Order, and now things are looking suspicious. But not to worry, Herbertson hand a good reason for that name too, and said that name was a reference to the British electronic band New Order, rather than anything connected to Nazi Germany. The Jockey Club nevertheless, once again, ordered that horse also be renamed. The problem is that “New Order” also has a historical association with Nazi Germany’s plans for occupied Europe.

So Herbertson now has two horses requiring new identities, despite having explanations for both names. It is hardly the first time a racehorse name has caused a stir. In 2017, a South African racehorse called President Trump was ordered to change its name after racing authorities deemed it unsuitable. The horse was subsequently castrated and renamed Fake News, after an attempt to use “POTUS” was also rejected, some people have no sense of humour!

When horse names get very awkward

Over the years some names have caused controversy for a completely different reason: they are simply hilarious, rude or unfortunate when spoken aloud. Take Porn Star, for example. There really was a Dutch Warmblood show jumper with that name, born in 1997 and registered for FEI-level jumping competitions. Records show the horse competed in international events in Italy with riders including Filippo Linari and Marta Bottanelli.  

Then there was Brandy Love, a racehorse who attracted plenty of attention before the Cheltenham Festival because her name was almost identical to that of adult actress Brandi Love. Even jockey Paul Townend struggled to keep a straight face when was asked about riding her. And racing has produced names that are considerably harder for commentators to say with a straight face. Hoof Hearted became notorious because its name sounds rather different when shouted repeatedly at race-commentator speed. Racing Post even included it among the names that had somehow slipped through the naming rules. 

Sometimes the mistake is completely innocent

Not every memorable horse name was deliberately trying to cause trouble. One of Britain’s better-known jumpers was called Definitly Red, yes, without the second “e” in “Definitely”. The spelling was apparently the result of a mistake when the horse’s name was registered for point-to-point racing. That did not exactly hold him back. Definitly Red went on to win 15 of his 38 races, including the Charlie Hall Chase and Many Clouds Chase, and twice competed in the Grand National. 

So perhaps the lesson from Austrian Painter is that naming a horse is rather more complicated than finding something that sounds good on a race card. You can name one after an artist, a rock band, a celebrity or simply make a spelling mistake, but once thousands of people are reading the name, you don’t get to decide what they see in it.