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2 clusters · 8 sources · 3 days · First seen · Last updated

Jockey Club racehorse name change controversy

Overview

The Jockey Club ordered owner and breeder Scott Herbertson to rename a two-year-old colt originally named ‘Austrian Painter’. The decision was made under rules prohibiting names that are “likely to be offensive or threatening” based on factors such as national origin, ethnicity, or politics.

While Herbertson stated the name was intended as a tribute to his wife’s Austrian heritage and the painter Gustav Klimt, the registry determined the name was ineligible. Herbertson noted that another horse of his, ‘New Order’, was named after a musical group despite the term’s associations with Nazi occupation plans.

The horse, which won its debut race at the Horseshoe Indianapolis Racecourse, has been renamed ‘Merrylegs’, a name chosen by Herbertson’s daughter after a character in the novel Black Beauty.

Entities

The Jockey Club · Scott Herbertson · Adolf Hitler · Gustav Klimt · Horseshoe Indianapolis

Timeline

  1. [SPORTS] 5 sources
    The Jockey Club orders racehorse renaming over alleged Hitler reference

    The Jockey Club has ordered a racehorse named ‘Austrian Painter’ to be renamed ‘Merrylegs’ following complaints that the original name referenced Adolf Hitler.

  2. [SPORTS] 3 sources
    The Jockey Club approves name change for racehorse Austrian Painter

    The Jockey Club has approved a name change for racehorse Austrian Painter to Merrylegs following complaints that the original name was offensive under registry rules.

Sources

barenakedislam.com · defector.com · euroweeklynews.com · horseracingnation.com · independent.co.uk · marca.com · metro.co.uk · n-tv.de