Breeders' Cup foal nominations rebounded in 2003 after two years of declines. A total of 14,927 foals were nominated to the Breeders' Cup in 2003, which marks a 7.3% increase from the previous year.
Breeders' Cup foal nominations had declined in 2001 and 2002 largely due to mare reproductive loss syndrome, which resulted in an estimated 20% reduction of the Kentucky foal crop. In 2003, a total of 7,193 Kentucky foals were nominated to the Breeders' Cup program at a cost of $500 each, which is an 8.7% increase from the 6,618 foals nominated in 2002.
However, the total of 2003 nominees is still below the 15,786 foals nominated in 2000 and 15,104 nominated in 2001.
"We are very pleased with this year's rebound in the nomination totals following declines in the last two years due to MRLS," said D.G. Van Clief, Jr. president of Breeders' Cup Ltd. "We greatly appreciate the continued support of our nominators, whose funding of our purse programs is an integral part of the global effort to grow our industry."
Total foal nomination revenue generated by the 2003 foal crop was $7,463,500, which is the fourth highest revenue total since the nomination process began in 1982. In 2002, 13,800 nominees generated $6,955,000 in revenue.
To be eligible for nomination, a foal must be sired by a stallion nominated to the Breeders' Cup, the European Breeders' Fund, or the Common Fund. Stallion nominators pay an annual fee equal to their stallion's advertised stud fee in order to make those stallions eligible to the Breeders Cup program. Deadline for nominations was Oct. 15.
European foal nominations increased 11.8% from 2002. A total of 1,305 EBF foals were nominated, which is the highest European total since 1996 when the EBF foal nomination program began.
HISTORY OF BREEDERS' CUP FOAL NOMINATIONS:YEAR -- NO. FOALS NOMINATED -- TOTAL DOLLARS
1982 -- 9,260 -- $6,111,100.00
1983 -- 7,839 -- $4,353,600.00
1984 -- 10,034 -- $5,017,600.00
1985 -- 10,907 -- $5,453,500.00
1986 -- 11,494 -- $5,747,000.00
1987 -- 12,183 -- $6,091,500.00
1988 -- 11,276 -- $5,638,000.00
1989 -- 11,734 -- $5,867,000.00
1990 -- 11,003 -- $5,501,500.00
1991 -- 10,056 -- $5,028,000.00
1992 -- 9,392 -- $4,696,000.00
1993 -- 9,564 -- $4,782,000.00
1994 -- 9,738 -- $4,869,000.00
1995 -- 10,543 -- $5,271,500.00
1996 -- 11,971 -- $5,985,500.00
1997 -- 12,751 -- $6,375,500.00
1998 -- 14,081 -- $7,040,500.00
1999 -- 15,196 -- $7,598,000.00
2000 -- 15,786 -- $7,893,000.00
2001 -- 15,104 -- $7,552,000.00
2002 -- 13,910 -- $6,955,000.00
2003 -- 14,927 -- $7,463,500.00
TOTALS: 258,749 -- $131,290,300.00
