Man Suing to Use Sally Hemmings' Name For A Horse

There is an AP story today about a Kentucky man suing the Jockey Club for the right to use the name Sally Hemmings for one of his race horses. 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...in fact, I will...in future entries.