25 ‘Luckiest’ Names of Real Racehorses

From Irish Jig to Shamrock Green, it’s fairly common practice to name a racehorse with the luck of the Irish in mind.

The horseracing world is known for some crazy horse names. (There’s even a racehorse named Odor in the Court.) Not surprisingly, there are many racehorses with names that correlate with luck. After all, the racing world is based on wagers, where a little bit of luck could come in handy.

What is surprising is that most racehorses with lucky names seem to have no luck at all on the track. Considering the high percentage of “lucky” names, you would think more of these horses would become racing greats. Instead, it seems — dare we say — unlucky to name your racehorse something to do with good luck or Irish luck.

Check out these 25 “luckiest” names of real racehorses, most of whom failed at the track.

Irish Jig

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Irish Jig is a Thoroughbred racehorse born in Ireland in 2005. Not only does he have a lucky Irish name, but being Irish-born, he was twice blessed.

During his career he had 51 starts and 5 wins, so his luck must have run out quick.

Dance an Irish Jig

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This American racehorse has Irish breeding in his background and is owned by Pat and Gerald Cundiff. Born in 2015, he has had 22 racing starts, one win, and six placings.

Maybe dancing on the track works.

Paddy O’Prado

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This stallion had 15 racing starts, with five wins and eleven placings.

He was born in the U.S. in 2007 and is the sire to Dance an Irish Jig.

Irish Dame

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There are actually two mares that bear this lucky name. The first is a Thoroughbred mare from the U.S. that was born in 2014.

She had just three racing starts and one win.

Irish Dame (No. 2)

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The other Irish Dame mare was born in 2016 in South Africa.

She is a bit luckier, with 14 racing starts that have amounted to three placings and one win.

Lucky Shamrock

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With a name like Lucky Shamrock, you would think this horse would have gone all the way, maybe to win a big derby in her home country of South Africa. But nope.

This mare, born in 2016, has had eight racing starts, no wins and just two placings.

Slew Of Luck

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Maybe the owner was hoping that if they had both “luck” and a nod to a famous racehorse (Seattle Slew, to which this mare has no relation), it would be sure to be a winner. Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Born in 2014 in Australia, she has had three racing starts, no wins and one place.

Lucky Debonair

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Born in 1962, Lucky Debonair is an American racehorse that won the 1965 Kentucky Derby. He had an OK career, with some bright spots. Of 16 starts he won nine, including the Santa Anita Handicap.

Maybe this is a name we can get behind.

Fresh Out of Luck

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His name says it all. Born in Australia in 2009, Fresh out of Luck was a Thoroughbred gelding that just didn’t seem to have what it took to win.

In 10 starts, he had no wins and one place, which begs the question: Why would you name your horse that?

I’m Feeling Lucky

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This Australian-born mare has actually done fairly well compared to the other lucky racehorses on this list. Born in 2010, she has had 41 starts, with 11 wins and seven placings.

She must feel lucky at least some of the time!

Baytown Shamrock

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Born in Ireland in 2001, Baytown Shamrock is a mare that had plenty of opportunities to win, with 21 racings starts. But she never did it.

She did place six times though.

Call Me Irish

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We can call this Thoroughbred gelding Irish, but not lucky. Born in New Zealand in 2011, Call Me Irish has 35 racing starts, five placings and three wins.

Maybe he was waiting for someone at the finish line to call him Irish.

Irish Mischief

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This has to be one of the best names on this list, but unfortunately, the mare must be more mischievous than she is fast. She was born in the U.S. in 2016.

In 15 racing starts, she had three wins and eight placings.

Black Gold

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Named after recently discovered oil and his rich black coat, Black Gold was born in 1921. He had an OK career, with 18 wins in 35 starts.

His highlight was winning the 1924 Kentucky Derby. Marguerite Henry even wrote a book, “Black Gold,” that gives the story of his life. So, whoever got those royalties may have been the luckiest of all.

St. Patrick’s Day

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This stallion is a full brother to the famous American Pharoah. Originally named Irish Pharoah by his breeder, it was changed to St. Patrick’s Day.

Unlike his full brother, however, he has not a won race, despite having two lucky names. In his eight starts, he has had just two placings.

Irish Moon

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Born in Ireland in 2014, this mare was born from a mare with another lucky name, Irish Queen.

Yet, she also did not impress on the track, winning just once in 27 racing starts and placing seven times.

Silver Charm

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If you are familiar with racing at all, then you probably know the name Bob Baffert. He is a trainer with some luck, having trained several Kentucky Derby winners and even Triple Crown winners over the years.

One of his lucky horses was Silver Charm. Foaled in 1994, he won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness Stakes (two-thirds of the Triple Crown) in 1997. He also won the Dubai World Cup.

Strike the Gold

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Strike the Gold was a Thoroughbred stallion born in 1988. He won the 1991 Kentucky Derby, but after that seemed to lose his luck. He lost 12 races in a row and was sold.

With his new owners, he won several more races before being retired, so maybe he just needed some fresh luck. In 31 starts, he had six wins and 13 placings.

Luck

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A simple name for a racehorse, Luck is a gelding from Ireland born in 2010. He has had just one win and one place in seven starts.

He appears to be unlucky off the track as well, as he has been sold four times for decreasing amounts over the last decade. Poor guy!

Irish Princess

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A wonderful name for a mare, Irish Princess was a Thoroughbred racehorse from New Zealand. Born in 2000, she had a very short racing career, of just seven starts.

Of those starts, she won just two and placed in two others.

Abit Irish

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Born in New Zealand in 2001, Abit Irish is a Thoroughbred gelding that takes a bit of time to get down the track.

In 13 racing starts, he has one win and no placings.

Luckynumberseven

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Why they decided to run this mare’s name together, no one will know. Maybe they thought if her name was run together, it would add to her speed. It did not.

Born in Australia in 2009, this mare had zero wins or placings in her five career starts.

Irish Power

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With a name like Irish Power, you would except a knock-out racehorse. Unfortunately, horse’s names are chosen when they are quite young, and they don’t always fit. Born in Ireland in 2001, this gelding had just five career starts and had zero wins or placings.

Maybe he and luckynumberseven can get together over a pint of carrot juice and swap stories.

Shamrock Green

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Shamrock Green is a Thoroughbred gelding born in the U.S. in 2014. Of his 11 starts, he has actually done quite well compared to some of the other racers on this list. He has three wins and five placings.

Maybe a name that calls the kettle black added a bit more luck to this steed.

Irish Terrier

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Irish Terriers are tenacious little dogs with big hearts. Maybe that is why the breeders of this racehorse gelding decided to name their horse after a dog breed.

With a sire named Boisterous and a dam named Irish Tart, it could have been worse. His name did afford him a bit of luck: In 23 starts, he has had four wins and seven placings.

Seeking the Gold

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When we think of gold, we think of leprechauns and Ireland. Seeking the Gold was a successful Thoroughbred racehorse born in 1985.

Bred in Kentucky, Seeking the Gold won several races throughout his career and sired at least 91 stake winners. So, apparently, Seeking the Gold might be the luckiest name of all…

Seeking the Gold (No. 2)

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OK, not so fast. There was another Seeking the Gold stallion born in 1999 in Zimbabwe.

He has just three racing starts, no wins and one placing. So, maybe luck just doesn’t strike twice.