Column Chronicles: Thoroughbred racehorse name crisis emerges

Thoroughbred racehorse name crisis emerges

Frank Cotolo
October 8, 2026

"It was bound to happen," said veteran racehorse trainer Brent Woodbottom. "There were always only so many names available and now there seem to be none."

Across the landscapes of horse racing around the world there is a shortage of fresh names for new horses causing confusion, anger and other feelings.

Skip Counterbag, a longtime racing journalist, said, "We all thought it impossible but then a few top racehorse owners stopped investing in horses because the names they wanted were used or retired."

Multi-million-dollar owner Donald F. Backlash said, "I bought a horse I wanted to name Barbaro and the commission refused it. Then I said okay how about if I name it Affirmed? They said no. Okay, then how about I name it Bold Forbes? No again. I've had it."

One big time owner thought he would have no trouble naming his steed Uggramsoothy. "It was turned down," he said. "Where the hell is a horse running already named Uggramsoothy? I quit."

A person close to the naming register who spoke upon the condition that we do not mention he was cheating on his wife during the interview told us, "The commission was warned when the name Xdezzulky was rejected in 1988. But no one wanted to look at the math of names. There are only so many letters and combinations."

"We need to hit the reset button," said Counterbag. "Let the public and the racecallers figure out how to work with horses named like other horses. Bettors don't really care. They lose money no matter. I would love to hear a race called where Secretariat beats Secretariat by ten lengths."

Frank Cotolo can be found hosting the talk and interview programme Cotolo Chronicles. You can send him an e-mail at this address: frank@148.ca.