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Horsing Around: 7 of the Weirdest Racehorse Names in History

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Written by
Alison Eldridge
Alison Eldridge was Managing Editor at Encyclopaedia Britannica.
Alison Eldridge
Fact-checked by
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Horses. Equus caballus. Horse stable. A brown horse looks out from his stall through the window.
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The naming of racehorses is governed in the U.S. by the Jockey Club. They have the difficult task of deciding which names are permissible and which are not. Names must be unique (unless they are deemed old enough to be used again—some famous names, like Seabiscuit, are off-limits forever), and in a pool of some 450,000 active names that leads to some interesting combinations. There are some hard and fast rules, such as an 18-character limit, but also some more nebulous ones about vulgarity and inappropriateness. Every once in a while a horse named “Panty Raid” canters right by. Here are Britannica’s 7 picks for weirdest racehorse names.

  • Potoooooooo

    This 18th-century horse got his unusual name either through a bit of misunderstanding or a bit of mischief. His owner asked the stable boy to write the horse’s name—Potatoes—on his stall door (or feed bin, depending on the tale). The boy diligently wrote “Pot” followed by “8 o’s.” The owner liked the name so much that the horse was registered with it.

  • Waikikamukau

    This horse’s name, pronounced “Why kick a moo cow,” is a New Zealand expression that refers to a very remote place. In the states we might have named such a horse “Boondocks” or “Timbuktu,” but that doesn’t have quite the same ring to it.

  • Ghostzapper

    This name is both kooky and somewhat endearing. You might not be able to imagine saying it and keeping a straight face, but with over $3 million in career earnings, that’s Mister Ghostzapper to you.

  • Hoof Hearted

    At first glance, Hoof Hearted seems like a charming and appropriate name for an equine friend. But if you say it 5 times fast, you’ll realize it’s a clever double-entendre that made it past Jockey Club censors.

  • ARRRRR

    ARRRRR, a horse from a stable of the same name, is another that makes for entertainment at the track. ARRRRR surprised race fans with an exciting first-place finish from behind that heard the announcer yelling “ARRRRR, ARRRRRR, ARRRRRRRR!!!”

  • Odor in the Court

    Often, horses will be named in a fashion after their parents. Thus, the horse Golden Soul is by Perfect Soul out of Hollywood Gold. Odor in the Court, a much less fortunate creature, was sired by Judge Smells.

  • Clyde Van Dusen

    Kentucky Derby winner in 1929, Clyde Van Dusen was named after his trainer, former jockey Clyde Van Dusen. It could only be weirder if Clyde Van Dusen had ridden Clyde Van Dusen during the race. Or maybe it would have been weirder for Clyde Van Dusen to ride Clyde Van Dusen. In either case, it was a true victory for Clyde Van Dusen.