Amusing Names For Horses...

[Missbeholder]

I love the name for a 2yo that finished 4th in the 7th today at Saratoga. One of Felix Mendelssohn's most well known compositions is his Violin Concerto in E Minor, Opus 64.

This little 2yo colt by Mendelssohn is delightfully named Fiddling Felix! I absolutely LOVE that!!

[Mylute]

Caught these names in stakes this past weekend.

Mountain Sound (Souper Speedy - Volie) won the Luminary Cup S. in Canada.

"Mountain Sound" is a song by Of Monsters and Men and it is one of my favorites. The song references horses and the lyric video has them in it.

In the Air Tonight (Stay Thirsty - Angel Allie) was second in the Generous Portion S. in California.

"In the Air Tonight" is of course a Phil Collins song that is also a favorite.

[Curtis]

Caught these names in stakes this past weekend.

Mountain Sound (Souper Speedy - Volie) won the Luminary Cup S. in Canada.

"Mountain Sound" is a song by Of Monsters and Men and it is one of my favorites. The song references horses and the lyric video has them in it.

In the Air Tonight (Stay Thirsty - Angel Allie) was second in the Generous Portion S. in California.

"In the Air Tonight" is of course a Phil Collins song that is also a favorite.

I’ve been waiting for someone to name a horse Iwannabesedated.

[Squeaky]

Caught these names in stakes this past weekend.

Mountain Sound (Souper Speedy - Volie) won the Luminary Cup S. in Canada.

"Mountain Sound" is a song by Of Monsters and Men and it is one of my favorites. The song references horses and the lyric video has them in it.

In the Air Tonight (Stay Thirsty - Angel Allie) was second in the Generous Portion S. in California.

"In the Air Tonight" is of course a Phil Collins song that is also a favorite.

Do owners need to pay royalties or otherwise get permission if a song title is used to name a horse?

[Flanders]

Caught these names in stakes this past weekend.

Mountain Sound (Souper Speedy - Volie) won the Luminary Cup S. in Canada.

"Mountain Sound" is a song by Of Monsters and Men and it is one of my favorites. The song references horses and the lyric video has them in it.

In the Air Tonight (Stay Thirsty - Angel Allie) was second in the Generous Portion S. in California.

"In the Air Tonight" is of course a Phil Collins song that is also a favorite.

Do owners need to pay royalties or otherwise get permission if a song title is used to name a horse?

Its not that simple because there are songs named everything in the world. There is a rule that horses can't be named :

a. Have clear commercial, artistic or creative significance;

So I suppose they just can't name some things if the song is very popular but if its a common word or saying, it doesn't matter. There has never been a US-bred horse named Bohemian Rhapsody, No Woman No Cry or Hotel California but there has been Thriller, Imagine, Yesterday, Beat It, Brickinthewall, Over The Rainbow, Stairway to Heaven(last in 1994 so they might say no now), etc. Its going to have to be really specific to get the No.

[Curtis]

Caught these names in stakes this past weekend.

Mountain Sound (Souper Speedy - Volie) won the Luminary Cup S. in Canada.

"Mountain Sound" is a song by Of Monsters and Men and it is one of my favorites. The song references horses and the lyric video has them in it.

In the Air Tonight (Stay Thirsty - Angel Allie) was second in the Generous Portion S. in California.

"In the Air Tonight" is of course a Phil Collins song that is also a favorite.

Do owners need to pay royalties or otherwise get permission if a song title is used to name a horse?

Its not that simple because there are songs named everything in the world. There is a rule that horses can't be named :

a. Have clear commercial, artistic or creative significance;

So I suppose they just can't name some things if the song is very popular but if its a common word or saying, it doesn't matter. There has never been a US-bred horse named Bohemian Rhapsody, No Woman No Cry or Hotel California but there has been Thriller, Imagine, Yesterday, Beat It, Brickinthewall, Over The Rainbow, Stairway to Heaven(last in 1994 so they might say no now), etc. Its going to have to be really specific to get the No.

I don’t remember who the connections are but in CA recently a few horses were named after snippets of Bob Dylan lyrics. I think the song, “If Not For You” was used for a few. I seem to remember one named I’ll Be Sad And Blue. Not a song but the movie It’s a Wonderful Life has been used to inspire many a name. There was a George Bailey, a Harry Bailey and a stallion named Bedford Falls. The latter sired a filly named Zuzu’s Petals. That filly was the dam of a horse that was in at Del Mar over the weekend.

[Mylute]

Its not that simple because there are songs named everything in the world. There is a rule that horses can't be named :

a. Have clear commercial, artistic or creative significance;

So I suppose they just can't name some things if the song is very popular but if its a common word or saying, it doesn't matter. There has never been a US-bred horse named Bohemian Rhapsody, No Woman No Cry or Hotel California but there has been Thriller, Imagine, Yesterday, Beat It, Brickinthewall, Over The Rainbow, Stairway to Heaven(last in 1994 so they might say no now), etc. Its going to have to be really specific to get the No.

The Jockey Club is notoriously inconsistent with what they allow regarding this rule.

There are plenty of horses clearly named after fictional characters, books, movies, actors, etc. directly. I think the Jockey Club sometimes requires a written letter of consent for a horse to be named after someone. But there's no way every single breeder/owner gets a letter each time.

[BaroqueAgain1]

"There are plenty of horses clearly named after fictional characters, books, movies, actors, etc. directly."

So true. There have been a spate of horses with names harking to the "Game of Thrones/House of the Dragon" series, with references to the Dothraki, Khal/Khalissi, dracarys, Dreamfyre and more. Doesn't appear that either HBO or author Martin discouraged it.

[tachyon]

Federer(JPN)(Nadal) will make his debut at Kyoto R3 1200m dirt Newcomer on Oct 20th 2024.

[tachyon]

Federer(JPN)(Nadal) will make his debut at Kyoto R3 1200m dirt Newcomer on Oct 20th 2024.

The son of Nadal absolutely crushed the field in his debut!!

https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2022103211/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeYXwEsqJY

[Curtis]

Federer(JPN)(Nadal) will make his debut at Kyoto R3 1200m dirt Newcomer on Oct 20th 2024.

The son of Nadal absolutely crushed the field in his debut!!

https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2022103211/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeYXwEsqJY

I’ll have to watch but I sure hope it was on grass.

[HB1994]

Federer(JPN)(Nadal) will make his debut at Kyoto R3 1200m dirt Newcomer on Oct 20th 2024.

The son of Nadal absolutely crushed the field in his debut!!

https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2022103211/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeYXwEsqJY

I’ll have to watch but I sure hope it was on grass.

I see what you did there…

[Missbeholder]

Federer(JPN)(Nadal) will make his debut at Kyoto R3 1200m dirt Newcomer on Oct 20th 2024.

The son of Nadal absolutely crushed the field in his debut!!

https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2022103211/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeYXwEsqJY

I’ll have to watch but I sure hope it was on grass.

That was pretty impressive to be sure. Sorry, Curtis, but it wasn't on grass.

What a neat choice of name for that horse! Federer.....son of Nadal! A little reminiscent of choosing the names of Nijinsky and Nureyev, two of the greatest names in Russian ballet, for sons of Northern Dancer!

[TapitsGal]

Its not that simple because there are songs named everything in the world. There is a rule that horses can't be named :

a. Have clear commercial, artistic or creative significance;

So I suppose they just can't name some things if the song is very popular but if its a common word or saying, it doesn't matter. There has never been a US-bred horse named Bohemian Rhapsody, No Woman No Cry or Hotel California but there has been Thriller, Imagine, Yesterday, Beat It, Brickinthewall, Over The Rainbow, Stairway to Heaven(last in 1994 so they might say no now), etc. Its going to have to be really specific to get the No.

The Jockey Club is notoriously inconsistent with what they allow regarding this rule.

There are plenty of horses clearly named after fictional characters, books, movies, actors, etc. directly. I think the Jockey Club sometimes requires a written letter of consent for a horse to be named after someone. But there's no way every single breeder/owner gets a letter each time.

The jockey club can be inconsistent in general when it comes to naming horses. I remember being shocked my racehorse was allowed to name a horse Boppy when there was already an existing horse named Boppy O

[Curtis]

The son of Nadal absolutely crushed the field in his debut!!

https://en.netkeiba.com/db/horse/2022103211/

-- replay
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NZeYXwEsqJY

I’ll have to watch but I sure hope it was on grass.

That was pretty impressive to be sure. Sorry, Curtis, but it wasn't on grass.

What a neat choice of name for that horse! Federer.....son of Nadal! A little reminiscent of choosing the names of Nijinsky and Nureyev, two of the greatest names in Russian ballet, for sons of Northern Dancer!

Kind of I guess, but it’s akin to naming a horse by Yankee Gentleman Koufax or Ted Williams.