LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — The Jockey Club has ruled that a racehorse known as Austrian Painter has been renamed Merrylegs after a review of a complaint that alleged it was a reference to Adolf Hitler.
The horse’s name drew attention after winning his debut Monday at Horseshoe Indianapolis Racecourse. Hitler was born in Austria and was an artist before becoming the head of the Nazi Party in Germany.
“The Registrar determined that the name is ineligible under Rule 6.F.9.d, which prohibits names that ‘are likely to be offensive or threatening based upon factors including, but not limited to, color, creed, disability, ethnicity, gender, national origin, race, religion, politics or sexual orientation,’” the Jockey Club said in a statement announcing its decision.
Owner and breeder Scott Herbertson said on social media it was a reference to Austrian painter Gustav Klimt and that his filly originally called New Order was named for his favorite band. New Order is also a term for the Nazis' plan for occupying Europe.
The Jockey Club said that horse, a full sister to Merrylegs, had also been unnamed.
“We take these matters seriously and appreciate that they were brought to our attention,” the Jockey Club said.
See AP’s full horse racing coverage here
FILE - A horse runs through some mud during a race before the 136th Kentucky Derby horse race at Churchill Downs Saturday, May 1, 2010, in Louisville, Ky. (AP Photo/Rob Carr, File)
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week above 7% for the first time since January 2025, the latest affordability setback for prospective homebuyers following a five-week run of rate increases.
The weekly average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate home loan rose to 7.03% from 6.95% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.30%.
The average rate is now the highest it's been since Jan. 16, 2025, when it was at 7.04%.
Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 6.42% from 6.26% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.49%.
Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month to borrowers’ costs, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power. As rates rise, that can also lead prospective home shoppers to delay buying.
The housing market has been stuck in a rut this year in large part because of rising borrowing costs. Mortgage rates have continued to march higher in the months since the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in late February.
Mortgage rates are influenced by inflation, Federal Reserve policy and bond-market investors’ expectations for the economy, among other factors. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.
Expectations of higher inflation amid surging oil prices have pushed up the 10-year Treasury yield, which was at 3.97% in late February, before the war began. It surged to 5.17% in midday trading on the bond market Thursday. That’s put its roughly back to where it was in 2007.
For sale sign is seen outside of a home in Arlington Heights, Ill., Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)
