The Jockey Club has released statistics for the 2015 breeding season and 2016 foaling year, showing nearly even statistics as compared to last year at this time.

The Jockey Club reports that 1,923 stallions covered 36,964 mares in North America during 2015, according to statistics compiled through Sept. 15. These have resulted in 21,991 live foals of 2016 being reported, a figure The Jockey Club estimates to be approximately 90 percent complete. In addition, 2,457 no foal reports have been received.

Last year's champion turf male Big Blue Kitten, winless this year, has been retired and will take up stud duties in 2017 at Brad Kelley's Calumet Farm.

The 8-year-old son of Kitten's Joy concludes his career with a record of 33-14-8-5 and earnings of $2,983,350. He spent the majority of his career racing in the colors of breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey, then made three starts this year for Calumet, which had earlier acquired his stallion rights. He was trained throughout his career by Chad Brown.

Expectations can be deadly – especially when combined with a high price tag.

When Fusaichi Pegasus went to stud in 2001, his $100,000 initial stud fee made it imperative that he sire a string of high-class horses right from the get-go. That did not happen, and when his progeny developed a reputation for having inherited their sire’s combustible temperament, buyers and breeders quickly soured on the 2000 Kentucky Derby winner.

Grade 1 winner Bobby’s Kitten will become the first son of Kitten’s Joy to stand in Europe, as it was recently announced that the 5-year-old horse has been retired to Lanwades Stud in Newmarket, England, for the 2017 season.

The month of September in Pennsylvania racing began with a visit by Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia, who dominated the newly created Princess of Sylmar Stakes at Parx. Later this month, the Grade 2 Pennsylvania Derby is expected to get a purse hike as it draws Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist and Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator.

On September 10, Zayat Stables was named owner of the year in 2015 by the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association at its annual awards dinner. Held at Stonestreet Farm in Lexington, Ky., the dinner honored the previously announced state and regional award winners, as well as honoring Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s Godolphin as national breeder of the year and Richard and Karen Papiese’s Midwest Thoroughbreds as national small breeder of the year.

Although California Chrome made it look easy, Del Mar’s Grade 1 Pacific Classic drew perhaps the most competitive field of any race in the world so far this year. The 2016 European equivalent in degree of difficulty to date occurred last Saturday at Leopardstown, where no less than eight Group 1 winners broke from the starting gate for the Group 1 Irish Champion Stakes.

Spendthrift Farm will put forth another incentive for Thoroughbred breeders by sponsoring a stakes race for the progeny of its stallions during the fall meet at Churchill Downs. 

The $300,000 Spendthrift Stallion Stakes, open to 2-year-olds of both sexes by current and past Spendthrift stallions nationwide, will be held Oct. 30 at Churchill. The seven-furlong event falls on the track's first of two "Stars of Tomorrow" programs, focusing on 2-year-old racing, and will be co-featured with a pair of $70,000 stakes, the Street Sense and the Rags to Riches. 

Grade 2 winner Kantharos will relocate to Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm in Lexington, Ky., for the 2017 breeding season.

The 8-year-old son of Lion Heart previously stood at Ocala Stud in Ocala, Fla., where he was advertised in 2016 for $5,000. He debuted at stud in 2011 at Vinery Florida, then moved to Ocala Stud for the 2013 season.

The Indiana Breeders Alliance will host its inaugural Indiana Breeders Seminar on Saturday, Nov. 19, to educate breeders in the region and help them book mares to stallions in and out of the state.

The expo-style event will take place at Indiana Grand in Shelbyville. Attendance to the seminar is free, while admission to the dinner afterward will be paid admission for non-members.

Stallion farms will have booths set up to discuss their rosters with breeders and sign breeding contracts.