The Jockey Club once again dispatched teams of representatives in late December to numerous farms in six states and one Canadian province to inspect broodmares with early 2007 breeding or foaling dates.

The provisions for field inspections were approved by The Jockey Club’s Board of Stewards and inserted into Section V of the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book in August 2005 due to the increasing number of Thoroughbred foals reported as being born in the first several days of January and a concern as to whether these foaling dates were being reported accurately.

This was the third consecutive year that The Jockey Club sent representatives out to make such inspections.

“Our Registry staff inspected more mares this year and found fewer foals than in the past two years,” explained Alan Marzelli, president of The Jockey Club. “These results are consistent with the general trend we’ve seen over the last few years in the reporting of breedings.”

Marzelli also said that The Jockey Club will continue with the field inspections in 2008.

The Jockey Club recommends that owners and breeders consult the online rules book, which is available at http://www.jockeyclub.com/registry.asp?section=3 to access the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book.