Have you ever looked at a race card and thought to yourself, how are racehorse owners coming up with these strange names? The horse racing industry is full of strange names that sometimes don’t make much sense to us. I’m sure that they have a certain meaning for the owners.
On top of that, the horse racing name game has gone wild in the last couple of years. Few decades ago, we had noble-sounding stallion names like Seabiscuit, War Admiral, and the Secretariat, and now we see names like Potato Chip or Odor in the Court.
So, what the heck happened to the industry, first of all? Do these horse names hold meaning, or are they just a random string of words attached to create a horse name?
Well, there is no doubt that we can see a lot of unique names out there, but most of them carry hidden meanings. To us, these names may sound ridiculous, but to their owners, they usually hold something special.
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The Rules of Naming a Racehorse
First of all, how do even horses get their names? Well, it’s not like you can name your horse whatever you like. There are certain organizations in different countries, like The Jockey Club (in the U.S.), that have strict rules when it comes to naming a horse.
For example, it cannot be more than 18 characters, including spaces. There is absolutely zero tolerance for repeating famous names, which means you can’t just name your horse “Secretariat 2”. Also, you cannot use obscene or offensive words, and sometimes, no names that sound too similar to existing ones in the industry.
It’s like opening a company to be honest. You have to find a unique name that’s not taken and trademarked by a big organization. Maybe because of these complex rules, we have strange-sounding horse names. After all, owners get really creative when they see all the things they cannot name their horse, which is why they mash up words, play with puns, and not to personal stories or family names.
When Puns Take the Lead
Puns are probably the most common trick in the book. Take Odor in the Court, a cheeky spin on the legal phrase “Order in the Court.” Or Arfer Tamale, which sounds suspiciously like “Our Fat Tamale.” Even Maythehorsebewithu made headlines, because let’s be honest, Star Wars jokes never get old.
For example, we saw some pretty weird names in the Breeders’ Cup prep races, like Book’emDanno, Dr. Venkman, Raging Torrent, Seismic Beauty, Dorth Vader, etc. To check out some other interesting names from the Breeders’ Cup prep races, click here: https://www.twinspires.com/breeders-cup/prep-races/
Owners love these names because they stand out, make the announcers chuckle, and get remembered by bettors. I mean, are you really going to forget the time you cheered for a horse called Hoof Hearted? (Yes, say that one out loud… you’ll get it.)
Names with Family Ties
Some names are sentimental nods to bloodlines. Breeders often combine parts of the sire and dam’s names to create something new. For instance, if a stallion named “Storm Cat” is bred with a mare named “Sweet Symphony,” you might end up with a foal called Stormy Melody. It’s a way of honoring both parents while giving the horse its own identity.
But sometimes the connections get more subtle. Take American Pharoah (yes, with the famous misspelling). His sire was Pioneerof the Nile and his dam was Littleprincessemma. The name was picked through an online contest, and the typo? It was a mistake. Nobody caught it until it was too late. Now it’s part of racing history.
Hidden Meanings and Inside Jokes
Some horse names are basically inside jokes between the owners and anyone “in the know.” Like Why Kick a Moo Cow, a playful nod to the New Zealand town of Waikikamukau. Or Bofa Deez Nuts, which actually slipped past the naming rules for a short while before it was banned.
And then there are names with cultural or historical layers. Gallant Fox, for example, wasn’t just a classy-sounding name; it also reflected the 1930s trend of giving horses titles that conveyed nobility and strength. Meanwhile, modern names like Fiftyshadesofhay tap into pop culture references to grab attention.
Why the Names Matter
Sure, a name doesn’t make a horse run faster, but it does matter. Names give personality to these athletes. They make the sport more colorful, more approachable, and, frankly, more fun. A name can stick in the public’s memory long after the horse retires. That’s part of the magic, when you hear a name like Sea The Stars, it instantly evokes the greatness of the horse itself.
Plus, let’s be honest: it makes betting more entertaining. Even if you don’t know anything about the odds, plenty of people have placed a cheeky wager because they liked the sound of a name.
