The Jockey Club announced Dec. 23 that it has published on the registry's Web site a list of 40,263 names released from active use to aid owners and breeders make a a valid attempt to name foals of 2008 by the deadline of Feb. 1, 2010, to avoid a $75 late fee.

According to a release from The Jockey Club, a majority of the released names are those of horses that will be over 10 years old on Jan. 1 and that have not raced or been bred during the preceding five years. Names selected from the list for re-use are still subject to approval by The Jockey Club prior to use, pursuant to Rule 6 of the "Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book."

"We encourage owners and breeders to take advantage of the resources available on the Registry's Web site when selecting names for their Thoroughbreds," said Matt Iuliano, The Jockey Club's vice president of registration services, in the release. "Besides perusing the list of recently released names, they can check the potential availability of their name selections using the Online Names Book, which lists all of the names currently in use or otherwise unavailable."

TJC added that both resources are updated as names are claimed so that users are always looking at the most current information. The list of recently released names, the Online Names Book and the Principal Rules and Requirements of The American Stud Book are accessible through the Registry’s homepage at registry.jockeyclub.com