Is there any rule against naming a horse with a .com name?

[EndlessSportsPicks]

Sorry if this is an easy question to answer, I’m not an experienced horse guy, but I'm always thinking "outside the box" so to speak, and have never seen a horse for example named EndlessSportsPicks.com or LittleSeaBiscuit.com and was just wondering if there’s some type of rule against doing this? In terms of business it would be a great marketing strategy or a really good way to have fans keep track of the horse, might also be a good way to target the “Techie” Generation. For instance if LittleSeaBiscuit.com was running in the Kentucky Derby, do you know how many people would visit that website just on Derby Day alone? It would have to be in the millions, not to mention when ESPN is doing its breakdown of the horses all day long, they would have to repeat the name over & over again. Anyway it was just something that popped into my head, and not being a horse person myself thought I would ask it!

If it’s allowed maybe we should all chip in and by a horse and name it PaceAdvantage.com :)

[Bochall]

I am sure the name would not get by the jockey club. Same reason you cant name a horse 'Kill Nancy Grace', but its a good idea. Years ago Ted Turner had his pitcher Andy Messersmith (who wore #17, which happened to be the channel number for WTBS, Ted's station) wear the name 'Channel' on his shirt instead of his name...so his shirt read"Channel 17". Commissioner Kuhn pulled the plug on that stunt immediately, and I imagine the jock club would disallow dot com names that represented actual sites. Dixie Dot Com was a horse who ran a few years back though...

[EndlessSportsPicks]

I am sure the name would not get by the jockey club. Same reason you cant name a horse 'Kill Nancy Grace', but its a good idea. Years ago Ted Turner had his pitcher Andy Messersmith (who wore #17, which happened to be the channel number for WTBS, Ted's station) wear the name 'Channel' on his shirt instead of his name...so his shirt read"Channel 17". Commissioner Kuhn pulled the plug on that stunt immediately, and I imagine the jock club would disallow dot com names that represented actual sites. Dixie Dot Com was a horse who ran a few years back though...

Yeah I was just curious, I have seen the "dot" com before in a horses name which is why I though it might be o.k. to do the real website name, but I didn't know if there was an actual rule in place or something.

[Pace Cap'n]

I believe there is some rule against "commercial endeavors" or something like that. Which is why you don't see the "DuPont horse" or the "Budweiser horse".

[EndlessSportsPicks]

I believe there is some rule against "commercial endeavors" or something like that. Which is why you don't see the "DuPont horse" or the "Budweiser horse".

See I think that's crazy to have rules like that in place, because if they wanted to truly expand the sport, atleast IMO they should start letting corporate sponsors get creative, it could turn out to be really huge for the sport if they let stuff like that occur. Look at Poker & Nascar and you'll see a common theme. I don't know how all you long-time horse players would feel about seeing Mr Bud Light run, but I would watch! :D

[GaryG]

There was a pretty good horse about 10 years ago named Dixie Dot Com.

[illinoisbred]

Years ago here in Illinois there was an owner who also owned a beauty/hygiene product line for Afro-Americans and he did name many of his horses after his products. PCJ Relaxer is one name I do recall.

[illinoisbred]

There was a pretty good horse about 10 years ago named Dixie Dot Com.
There was a cheaper one here named WWW Dot Win Dot Com

[lamboguy]

this is one of the things that i would change if i was running the show.using names would help with corporate sponsorships. its like naming football stadiums, and basketball arena's. they got names of banks on them because they paid for it.


no one has ever accused the horse race industry of doing what is good for the sport.

[macguy]

LittleSeaBiscuit.com would not be allowed simply because the name is too close to Sea Biscuit's name in the first place. If you could claim a name that was a take off of a great horse, I'm sure there would be 100s of "Secretariat" and "Sea Biscuit" like names.

I remember seeing a standardbred with a name that ended in "Dot Com" but come to think of it, I never thought of actually trying the website.

[BUD]

I Believe Corp" America Priced outta NASCAR--May look-to the in most cases less expensive brand--As UPS got involved with Big Brown-You see Jockeys with Sponsors on there riding Pants---etc

It is a Smart market to tap--I am Sure Traditionalists would fight it-

[Judge Gallivan]

I guess they have different rules in England. Here's the pedigree of a horse that ran a few years back in England:

Pokermilliondotcom
6-y-o (21Mar03 b g)
Mujahid (USA) (8.5f) — Addicted To Love (Touching Wood (USA) (12.4f))


The original poster couldn't get away with his name even in England though. The reason is that a thoroughbred can have maximum of 18 characters in a name.

[bks]

EndlessSportsPicks.com or LittleSeaBiscuit.com are not allowed under current rules, as they both exceed the maximum allowable number of letters and spaces in a horse's name.

Maybe for other reasons, too.

[lamboguy]

they won't let you name a horse .com, but your stable name can be .com

[tzipi]

I think you can only have 17 letters in the names at most,right?

[johnhannibalsmith]

I've bolded a couple of the rules pertinent to this thread, but these are the Jockey Club registry guidelines:

F. The following classes of names are not eligible for use:

1. Names consisting of more than 18 letters (spaces and punctuation marks count as letters);

2. Names consisting entirely of initials such as C.O.D., F.O.B., etc.;

3. Names ending in "filly," "colt," "stud," "mare," "stallion," or any similar horse-related term;

4. Names consisting entirely of numbers. Numbers above thirty may be used if they are spelled out;

5. Names ending with a numerical designation such as "2nd" or "3rd," whether or not such a designation is spelled out;

6. Names of living persons unless written permission to use their name is on file with The Jockey Club;

7. Names of persons no longer living unless approval is granted by The Jockey Club based upon a satisfactory written explanation submitted to the Registrar;

8. Names of racetracks or graded stakes races;

9. Names clearly having commercial, artistic or creative significance;

10. Names that are suggestive or have a vulgar or obscene meaning; names considered in poor taste; or names that may be offensive to religious, political or ethnic groups;

11. Names that appear to be designed to harass, humiliate or disparage a specific individual, group of individuals or entity;

12. Names that are currently active either in racing or breeding (see Rule6(E));

13. Names of winners in the past 25 years of grade one stakes races;

14. Permanent names. The list of criteria to establish a permanent name is as follows:

a. Horses in racing's Hall of Fame;
b. Horses that have been voted Horse of the Year;
c. Horses that have won an Eclipse Award;
d. Horses that have won a Sovereign Award (Canadian Champions);
e. Annual leading sire and broodmare sire by progeny earnings;
f. Cumulative money winners of $2 million or more;
g. Horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, The Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Breeders' Cup Classic or the Breeders' Cup Turf; and
h. Horses included in the International List of Protected Names.

15. Names similar in spelling or pronunciation to the classes of names listed in Rule 6(F) 6 - 14 above.

G. In addition to the provisions of this Rule 6, the Registrar of The Jockey Club reserves the right of approval on all name requests.

[Robert Fischer]

good post JHS^^

I'd like to see the names opened up to .com or anything not considered vulgar.

go ahead and line the rails with ads like a minor league homerun fence

and allow "horse clothes"? covered with sponsor names
http://www.whyfame.com/gossip/2008/september/4/katie_price_launches_horse_clothing_line_main_4790 .jpg
nice filly

[EndlessSportsPicks]

I've bolded a couple of the rules pertinent to this thread, but these are the Jockey Club registry guidelines:

F. The following classes of names are not eligible for use:

1. Names consisting of more than 18 letters (spaces and punctuation marks count as letters);

2. Names consisting entirely of initials such as C.O.D., F.O.B., etc.;

3. Names ending in "filly," "colt," "stud," "mare," "stallion," or any similar horse-related term;

4. Names consisting entirely of numbers. Numbers above thirty may be used if they are spelled out;

5. Names ending with a numerical designation such as "2nd" or "3rd," whether or not such a designation is spelled out;

6. Names of living persons unless written permission to use their name is on file with The Jockey Club;

7. Names of persons no longer living unless approval is granted by The Jockey Club based upon a satisfactory written explanation submitted to the Registrar;

8. Names of racetracks or graded stakes races;

9. Names clearly having commercial, artistic or creative significance;

10. Names that are suggestive or have a vulgar or obscene meaning; names considered in poor taste; or names that may be offensive to religious, political or ethnic groups;

11. Names that appear to be designed to harass, humiliate or disparage a specific individual, group of individuals or entity;

12. Names that are currently active either in racing or breeding (see Rule6(E));

13. Names of winners in the past 25 years of grade one stakes races;

14. Permanent names. The list of criteria to establish a permanent name is as follows:

a. Horses in racing's Hall of Fame;
b. Horses that have been voted Horse of the Year;
c. Horses that have won an Eclipse Award;
d. Horses that have won a Sovereign Award (Canadian Champions);
e. Annual leading sire and broodmare sire by progeny earnings;
f. Cumulative money winners of $2 million or more;
g. Horses that have won the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes, The Jockey Club Gold Cup, the Breeders' Cup Classic or the Breeders' Cup Turf; and
h. Horses included in the International List of Protected Names.

15. Names similar in spelling or pronunciation to the classes of names listed in Rule 6(F) 6 - 14 above.

G. In addition to the provisions of this Rule 6, the Registrar of The Jockey Club reserves the right of approval on all name requests.

Yep that's the reason then, Great Post! I figured there must have been some rules. I for one think they need to make some modifications to them to expand the sport.

[Jackal]

Here is a link to the naming rules for the Jockey Club USA. There is a catch all rule to give the jockey club broad discretion.
G. In addition to the provisions of this Rule 6, the Registrar of The Jockey Club reserves the right of approval on all name requests.

http://www.jockeyclub.com/registry.asp?section=3#six

[lilmegahertz]

Was there a horse a couple years ago named Winn dot comma or something like that?