Mind That Bird

[UPChip]

It has to be right, because I haven't seen it any other way, but Pioneerof the Nile was seriously messing me up during Derby week.

Still there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/sports/othersports/17preakness.html?th&emc=th

Fourth-to-last graph. Third-to-last horse.

The reason there is no space between pioneer and of is due to a rule that says horse names can't be longer than 18 characters (including spaces) so that the name will fit on the racing form

Absolutely correct, sir. And UPChip, if the Times put that space in there, then the Times copy editors did something they absolutely shouldn't have, and considering he has been around as a high-profile Triple Crown prospect for a number of months now, I'm really surprised.

 

[imjustagirl]

It has to be right, because I haven't seen it any other way, but Pioneerof the Nile was seriously messing me up during Derby week.

Still there.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/05/17/sports/othersports/17preakness.html?th&emc=th

Fourth-to-last graph. Third-to-last horse.

The reason there is no space between pioneer and of is due to a rule that says horse names can't be longer than 18 characters (including spaces) so that the name will fit on the racing form

Absolutely correct, sir. And UPChip, if the Times put that space in there, then the Times copy editors did something they absolutely shouldn't have, and considering he has been around as a high-profile Triple Crown prospect for a number of months now, I'm really surprised.

Yep, that's wrong.

 

[SF_Express]

I really, truly hope that this wasn't some high-minded New York Times deal where it somehow thinks it's better than that and simply refuses to introduce a "typo" into its sports section, no matter how correct it is.

Also, it's possible that's how it came from the writer. You'd still hope it was caught, though.

 

[Birdscribe]

Did someone call? ;D

 

[Football_Bat]

List of over 40,000 horse names in use: http://horseracing.about.com/od/breeding/a/aanameingtb.htm

(Note: The name "RokSki" is still available. )

A quick primer on naming thoroughbreds: http://horseracing.about.com/od/breeding/a/aanameingtb.htm