Jockey Club projects 22,000 in 2015 foal crop

The Jockey Club on Saturday projected a steadying of the North American Thoroughbred foal population in 2015, announcing an estimate of 22,000.

If the projected figures hold true, it would match The Jockey Club’s estimate for the 2014 foal crop, and snap a nine-year run of declining foal populations. The annual North American foal crop has not experienced a year of growth since 2005.

“The projection for the 2015 foal crop is based on reports of mares bred received to date, and we estimate that approximately 80 percent of those reports have been received,” said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club’s executive vice president and executive director.

If the 2015 foal crop fulfills the projection and finishes around 22,000 horses, it would rival the lowest annual foal population since 1967, when 21,876 foals were registered by The Jockey Club.

The foal crop projection, traditionally announced in mid-August, is computed by using Reports of Mares Bred received to date for the 2014 breeding season. The reports are to be filed by August 1 of each breeding season. Stallion owners who have not returned their reports for the 2014 breeding season are encouraged to do so as soon as possible.