Putting microchips in racehorses for identification purposes will remain secondary to standard ID procedures such as tattooing and DNA testing, according to a panel of industry experts at The Syamposium on Racing and Gaming held Dec. 6-8, 2005, near Tucson, Ariz.

The Jockey Club won’t mandate the use of microchips as a requirement to register foals in the near future, but it will adapt its database to include microchip identification numbers, said Matt Iuliano, Jockey Club Registry vice president. Starting in 2006, owners who microchip their horses can report the ID number through the Jockey Club’s online interactive registration.