The Jockey Club Board of Stewards held a regularly scheduled meeting today and unanimously endorsed the following statement from Ogden Mills (Dinny) Phipps, the chairman of The Jockey Club. It is being issued in the wake of recent, widespread news reports detailing an animal cruelty situation involving Thoroughbreds.

Phipps said, “The Jockey Club fully supports and assists law enforcement agencies, the courts and racing regulatory authorities in the investigation of matters involving animal cruelty.

“Furthermore, pursuant to Section V, Rule 19A (4) of the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book, The Jockey Club reserves the right to deny any or all of the privileges of The American Stud Book to any person or entity when there is a final determination by a court, an official tribunal or an official racing body that such person has killed, abandoned, mistreated, neglected or abused, or otherwise committed an act of cruelty to a horse.

“The Jockey Club has invoked this rule in the past and will not hesitate to do so again when appropriate. The Jockey Club maintains a long-held conviction that owners are responsible and should be held accountable for the care, well-being and humane treatment of their Thoroughbred horses.”

The Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book is available at: http://www.jockeyclub.com/registry.asp?section=3

In addition to Phipps, the Stewards of The Jockey Club are: John W. Amerman, Reynolds Bell Jr., James C. Brady, William S. Farish, Dell Hancock, Ian D. Highet, Stuart S. Janney III and D.G. Van Clief Jr.