The Jockey Club has amended Rule 18 of the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book from "Sold Without Pedigree" to "Sold as Retired from Racing" so an owner can retire a Thoroughbred from racing without affecting its breeding privileges, it was announced Feb. 27.
Under the previous Rule 18, the Certificate of Foal Registration for a horse sold without pedigree was returned to The Jockey Club and canceled, and the horse was no longer considered a Thoroughbred for breeding or racing purposes.
Under the amended Rule 18, the owner of a Thoroughbred can request that The Jockey Club attach a special notation to the Certificate of Foal Registration to indicate the horse should no longer be considered a Thoroughbred for racing purposes. Unlike the previous "Sold Without Pedigree," horses that are "Retired from Racing" are still considered Thoroughbreds for breeding purposes.
"For myriad reasons, owners may not want their Thoroughbred to race again, but they do want the horse's offspring to be eligible for registration with The Jockey Club," said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club, in a release. "We developed the 'Sold as Retired from Racing' rule with that in mind."
To sell a horse as retired from racing, the owner must send a signed and notarized "Sold as Retired from Racing" form, a set of photographs of the horse, and the horse's Certificate of Foal Registration to The Jockey Club within 60 days of the sale. The Jockey Club will stamp the certificate "Retired from Racing" and forward it to the purchaser. A copy of such stamped certificates will be made available at registry.jockeyclub.com for interested industry stakeholders.
The rule change comes as welcome news to owners, horsemen, and organizations dedicated to aftercare.
"I recently tried to sell a horse for breeding purposes only, but the horse ended up back at the track," said Thoroughbred owner Earle Mack in a statement. "This new rule will help owners do what they believe is in the best interests of their horses. We surely owe our horses that."
"This is a valuable tool to protect the future of retired racehorses," said Rick Violette Jr., president of the New York Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, in a release. "It will simplify the transfer process and give owners the peace of mind of knowing the horses they retire will not race again."
"This rule will greatly enhance Thoroughbred aftercare efforts," added Mike Ziegler, executive director of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance, in a statement. "Many owners and rescue organizations were hesitant about sending pedigree papers with a horse because they were worried the horse would end up back on the track. Now, the papers can travel with the Thoroughbred to its second career, making it easier to identify and more appealing to new owners."
The retired from racing rule is spelled out below and can be found in the online in the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book at registry.jockeyclub.com.
