Horse Racing Forum - USA Thoroughbred Races

— Jockey Club Projects Smaller Foal Crop for 2024
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... p-for-2024

The Jockey Club is projecting the North American foal crop to slip another 2.7% to 18,000 for 2024, based on an analysis of the reports of mares bred submitted this year. This year's foal crop is projected at 18,500.

— Another Year, Another Declining Foal Crop; Experts Chime In
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/a ... -chime-in/

Ned Toffey (Spendthrift Farm): It is certainly concerning and it's certainly more than a minor blip. (...) We have to do a better job as an industry of marketing both the sport and the breeding industry. (...) I don't know how it is that purses keep getting bigger but the foal crop keeps declining. You are seeing fewer and fewer of these breed-to-race operations. It's become almost strictly commercial.

you know, it's funny that he says that considering that Spendthrift is all about mass-breeding and acquiring lightly raced stallions to mass-breed more.

brunanas wrote: ↑Mon Oct 02, 2023 9:57 pm — Jockey Club Projects Smaller Foal Crop for 2024
https://www.bloodhorse.com/horse-racing ... p-for-2024

The Jockey Club is projecting the North American foal crop to slip another 2.7% to 18,000 for 2024, based on an analysis of the reports of mares bred submitted this year. This year's foal crop is projected at 18,500.

— Another Year, Another Declining Foal Crop; Experts Chime In
https://www.thoroughbreddailynews.com/a ... -chime-in/

Ned Toffey (Spendthrift Farm): It is certainly concerning and it's certainly more than a minor blip. (...) We have to do a better job as an industry of marketing both the sport and the breeding industry. (...) I don't know how it is that purses keep getting bigger but the foal crop keeps declining. You are seeing fewer and fewer of these breed-to-race operations. It's become almost strictly commercial.

you know, it's funny that he says that considering that Spendthrift is all about mass-breeding and acquiring lightly raced stallions to mass-breed more.

Considering how rescues have to beg for money to get tbs out of kill pens and out of Puerto Rico, and sustain them afterward, I am not displeased the are less that will need saving.

yeah not seeing the downside (edit; but if there is one i'm happy to learn). i know there have been surprise success stories from nobody horses, but the odds of someone's $2500 claimer by No One o/o Nobody being the next surprise megastar in the shed aren't great. not every horse needs to be bred.

as pointed out, we don't have enough safety nets for every horse. smaller crops is really the responsible answer.

Good news IMO, we don't need that many.

Agreed