#Soundbites - The Jockey Club just proposed limiting a stallion to 140 breedings a year. We asked breeders, owners and bloodstock agents: Is this a good idea?

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By Bill Heller

According to The Jockey Club, the number of mares bred in 2020 were down 12.5% in California, 7.6% in Florida, 5.3% in New York and 4.3% in Kentucky; while the number was up 7.0% in Pennsylvania, 3.4% in Louisiana and 3.3% in Maryland. The Jockey Club just proposed limiting a stallion to 140 breedings a year. 

We asked breeders, owners and bloodstock agents: Is this a good idea or bad? If it’s bad, then what’s the alternative? 

# John Harris - Harris Farms, California 

#Soundbites According to The Jockey Club, the number of mares bred in 2020 were down 12.5% in California, 7.6% in Florida, 5.3% in New York and 4.3% in Kentucky; while the number was up 7.0% in Pennsylvania, 3.4% in Louisiana and 3.3% in Maryland. The Jockey Club just proposed limiting a stallion to 140 breedings a year. We asked breeders, owners and bloodstock agents: Is this a good idea or bad? If it’s bad, then what’s the alternative?By Bill Heller *************************************Chad Schumer Bloodstock Agency, Louisville, Ky.I think it’s a good idea. I think as in most business, supply and demand is a major factor determining value. I’d admire the Jockey Club’s intent with regard to genetic diversification. I also agree with that concept that our Thoroughbreds has become brittle, very brittle. This is due to a higher concentration of in-breeding. *************************************Rob Whiteley, Liberation Farm, Califon, N.J. I’m very happy that the Jockey Club is taking action. 140 is a lot of mares. In 2020, there were nine stallions that bred over 200 in Kentucky, averaging 232 mares. That’s 2,088 top mares going to just nine stallions. I don’t think that’s good for the mare owners or for the long-term wellness of the industry to have huge books for a number of reasons. Mares need to be bred when they’re ready to breed. Spreading them out is important so that other stallions have enough runners to be competitive in the marketplace. Finally, whatever the number, stallion owners should be transparent in the number of mares their stallions breed. ************************************** Brent Fernung, owner, Journeyman Stallions, Ocala, Fla. It would be beneficial to regional breeders like me and everybody else. The industry’s changed considerably over the years. If one stallion breeds 250 mares, they’re taking out other people’s pools. I don’t know if you can legislate that. I guess we’ll find out because there are lawsuits about it. ************************************Mike Pons, Country Life Farm, Bel Air, Md. I can understand both sides. For my partners and clients, no limits helped stallions like Malibu Moon. He began in Maryland with us, and then moved to Kentucky in 2003. When Orb won the Derby, there was a tremendous interest in breeding to him. So I was for no limits then. Now, the Jockey Club ruling gives the small guy a chance. We have four stallions here, and they’re all graded stakes winners. The good stallions can come from anywhere. Diversity of pedigrees and different types of horses are needed to keep this industry going. *************************************John Harris, Harris Farms, California I think it’s a good idea, but it’s kind of academic in California. We rarely have stallions in California who breed over 140 mares. Some are over 100, but none over 140. 140 is quite a few. We breed horses here to race. The declining mares— that’s the tip of the iceberg. The problem in California is a lot of people aren’t making a lot of money racing here, and their interest starts to wane. ************************************Ken Ramsey, breeder and owner, Kentucky I have mixed feelings on it. I don’t believe in a lot of government control— the government telling a man what to do—but at the same token, I do think the breed needs more diversity. Everybody wants to breed to Tapit and Into Mischief. That dilutes the gene pool. I believe in free enterprise and letting the free market take its course. If I had to vote yes or no, I would favor putting the rule in. I think it’s a good thing for the sport for the future. I’m looking forward to the future. ***********************************Joe McMahon, McMahon at Saratoga Thoroughbred, New York I can understand the large farms' displeasure, but if we were to limit a stallion’s book to 140 or less, it would probably improve the market and the price we could get for seasons. As it is now, the large popular horses overflood the market, so that results in a lot of yearlings becoming non-profitable. That, with the shrinking of the gene pool, is not good for the industry as a whole.

I think it’s a good idea, but it’s kind of academic in California. We rarely have stallions in California who breed over 140 mares. Some are over 100, but none over 140. 140 is quite a few. We breed horses here to race. The declining mares— that’s the tip of the iceberg. The problem in California is a lot of people aren’t making a lot of money racing here, and their interest starts to wane. 



# Rob Whiteley – Liberation Farm, Califon, N.J. 

Rob Whiteley

Rob Whiteley

I’m very happy that the Jockey Club is taking action. 140 is a lot of mares. In 2020, there were nine stallions that bred over 200 in Kentucky, averaging 232 mares. That’s 2,088 top mares going to just nine stallions. I don’t think that’s good for the mare owners or for the long-term wellness of the industry to have huge books for a number of reasons. Mares need to be bred when they’re ready to breed. Spreading them out is important so that other stallions have enough runners to be competitive in the marketplace. Finally, whatever the number, stallion owners should be transparent in the number of mares their stallions breed. 

# Brent Fernung - Journeyman Stallions, Ocala, Fla. 

Brent Fernung

Brent Fernung

It would be beneficial to regional breeders like me and everybody else. The industry’s changed considerably over the years. If one stallion breeds 250 mares, they’re taking out other people’s pools. I don’t know if you can legislate that. I guess we’ll find out because there are lawsuits about it.





# Ken Ramsey – Breeder and owner, Kentucky 

I have mixed feelings on it. I don’t believe in a lot of government control— the government telling a man what to do—but at the same token, I do think the breed needs more diversity. …

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