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SARGA.CO - A two-year-old racehorse who won his debut at Horseshoe Indianapolis has been given a new identity after the U.S. Jockey Club ruled that his original name was ineligible because it could be interpreted as a reference to Adolf Hitler.
The colt, then named Austrian Painter, won a five-and-a-half-furlong Maiden Special Weight on 21 September, defeating four other runners in 1:04.97 under jockey William Antongeorgi III. Four days after his debut, the Jockey Club announced that the name had been changed to Merrylegs following a formal complaint.
The Jockey Club said in a statement, as quoted by the Guardian, “We take these matters seriously and appreciate that they were brought to our attention.”
Owner Scott Herbertson has denied that “Austrian Painter” was intended to refer to Hitler.According to reports from the Guardian, Associated Press and Racing Post, he claimed the name was inspired by his Austrian wife’s favourite artist, Gustav Klimt.
However, this came into question after reports emerged that Herbertson had submitted other names during the registration process, such as My Struggle and Braunau Star. Racing Post reported that “My Struggle” is the English translation of Mein Kampf, Hitler's book, while Braunau refers to Braunau am Inn, Hitler’s hometown.
Herbertson maintained that these names had explanations unrelated to Hitler, such as his wife’s grandfather being from Braunau. Nonetheless, their appearance alongside Austrian Painter contributed to the concerns surrounding the registration.
The Jockey Club's decision therefore rested on the name’s eligibility under its registration rules, not on a formal finding that Herbertson had publicly acknowledged Hitler as the inspiration.
The controversy extended to another horse owned by Herbertson, as Merrylegs' full sister had been registered as New Order, a name he said referred to the British rock band of the same name. The phrase “New Order,” however, has another historical meaning: how Nazi Germany referred to its proposed political and territorial reorganisation of Europe during World War 2.
The Jockey Club also ordered that name removed, so the sister has been left without a registered name while the matter is addressed.
Merrylegs' replacement name comes from Merri-Legs, the grey pony in Anna Sewell's classic 1877 novel Black Beauty, reportedly selected by Herbertson's daughter. For a horse whose racing career had begun with an ordinary maiden victory and a name, Merrylegs now carries an entirely different moniker.
It remains to be seen whether the colt develops into a significant racehorse. For now, however, his first win will be remembered not only for what happened on the track, but also for the unusual controversy that followed it.
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