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Friday, 03 June 2005

A Dog Named "Nigger"

810142689wQuasan from lovely San Jose, had this interesting post.

...some wierdo wants to name his horse Sally Hemmings - former slave and concubine of President Thomas Jefferson (not really buying into the whole "mistress" thing because it implies a choice and when someone owns you ...). While I think it is an ignorant idea and probably that it has some not so savory motivation behind it, it's just not one of those things I am going to get myself worked up about.

I can understand the "letting stupid people do stupid things" mentality. I kinda agree with it. But the details surronding this case are quite interesting. As Gordon noted:

The Jockey Club rejected the name because it is of a person and the horse owner doesn't have permission. Furthermore, the Jockey Club fears it will be offensive to certain groups. The horse owner shot back saying that since Hemmings is dead, there shouldn't be a problem.

I don't know who is right on this situtation (by the way, if one looks at the foal's parents, you can see where the name Sally Hemmings came up: Dam: Jefferson's Secert. Her sire? Colonial Affair, most famous, until now, for winning the Belmont Stakes with Julie Khrone as his jockey), but I will say this, the Jockey Club is very inconsistent enforcing their naming rules.

The name rules for the American Stud Book are long, but they boil down to this: you can't name a horse after a person or a copyrighted or trademarked product without permission; you can't name a horse with a name that is deemed offensive; you can't name a horse after another horse that has been put on a special list reserved for the great race horses (i.e. you can't name your horse Secertariat or Man O War); and you can't name a horse that is similar in name to another horse currently running or at stud. All very good rules.


Having said that...why did I see a filly on TVG named "Miss Thirty Four D" this weekend? Thats not offensive?? Why did I see one horse run last year named "Lion Hearted" when there is a "Lion Heart" standing at stud in Maryland? Why did I see a horse named "Free For Internet" (whose owner named for a porn site)? How did a racing stable (Little Feather Stables) get away with using the Chicago Bears famous "C" logo as their racing silk colors? (there is one out there with Superman logo too) I could go on...

So this is a race thing. I am personally not offended by naming a horse Sally Hemmings. But I can see how some might. My second ex-wife and I named our fish after famous people. Could we have been sued?

But I do know this. It is the offended parties right to take offense. I smoke the occasional cigar. It's my right. But I can understand folks who don't want the soothing aroma of a stogie around them.

This will be interesting to watch.

 

 

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Friday, 03 June 2005 in race matters |

Comments

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Posted by: mai | Saturday, 04 June 2005 at 01:35 PM

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Posted by: Terecico | Monday, 06 June 2005 at 03:19 PM

Ellis Island

I think that the motivation for naming a horse can theoretically be argued from both sides of the coin, but owing to the fact that I think racehorse owners in general are a bit reprehensible makes me lean to the not-so-good side of things.

Here is a portion of a FAQ that I encountered: Being a racehorse owner involves much more than making an investment, it provides an owner to rub shoulders with other owners and close bonds are often forged between fellow partners of the turf. It also provides the opportunity to form a network of business contacts and friendship. If they own horses in partnerships with others, they will experience an extraordinary sense of camaraderie with their co-owners. They will share moments of anticipation, exhilaration, triumph and of course despair to. An owner has the opportunity to meet fellow owners and stable supporters at track gallops and functions and in doing so become part of a small racing family.

I think I'll stick to drinking coffee with people I don't know.

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I found this site on accident wile i was looking for B.E.T. and i stumbled upon the tittle (A dog nammed Nigger.) At first i was cought off gaurd by all the stuff about horses but it still made me want to read on. As a black woman i am glad that i found this site, there were some thing that i didnt know. I definetly would have been offended if i would have met someone with a dog nammed "Nigger" but sometimes all you can in a situation like that is just try to teach the meaning of ignorance.

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