The Jockey Club approves name change for racehorse Austrian Painter

The Jockey Club has approved a name change for a two-year-old colt previously named Austrian Painter. The horse, owned and bred by Scott Herbertson, will now be known as Merrylegs.

The decision followed a formal complaint regarding the original name. The Jockey Club stated that the name was ineligible under rules prohibiting names that are “likely to be offensive or threatening” based on factors such as national origin or ethnicity. While Herbertson explained the name was intended as a tribute to his wife’s Austrian heritage and her favorite painter, Gustav Klimt, the registry determined it violated their standards.

Herbertson noted that his daughter chose the new name, Merrylegs, which refers to a character in the novel Black Beauty. The name change also affects the colt’s yearling full sister, previously named New Order, which is currently unnamed.