US Jockey Club Orders Horse Austrian Painter to Be Renamed Over Hitler Association

^{The colt Austrian Painter, renamed Merrylegs}

The US Jockey Club has changed the name of a two-year-old racehorse called Austrian Painter after a complaint that the name could be linked to Adolf Hitler, The Guardian reports.

The colt, which won its first race at Horseshoe Indianapolis, has been renamed Merrylegs.

The controversy stems from the fact that the phrase “Austrian painter” is sometimes used online as a coded reference to Hitler. He was born in Austria and lived in Vienna before the First World War,  where he studied and practised painting.

In some online communities, the phrase is used as a euphemism instead of directly mentioning his name.

The horse’s owner and breeder Scott Hebertson said the name had no connection to Hitler and was instead inspired by Austrian artist Gustav Klimt. According to Hebertson, Klimt’s work was the reason behind the choice of the name.

However, the Jockey Club also raised concerns about another horse from the same breeding line — Austrian Painter’s full sister, named New Order. While the name is best known as that of the British rock band, it has also been associated with Nazi Germany’s plans to reshape Europe. That name was changed as well.

The Jockey Club said the decision was made in accordance with its registration rules. The organisation does not allow names that may be considered offensive or connected to sensitive topics, including politics, nationality, religion or race.

There is no public evidence that the owner deliberately intended to reference Hitler when choosing the names. Hebertson said his decisions were not influenced by political views or any intended references. However, because of the potential associations, the Jockey Club decided to change the horses’ names.