As a follow-up to a rule revision last August that added provisions for field inpections, The Jockey Club (TJC) sent two teams of representatives to Thoroughbred farms in six states in December 2005 to examine broodmares with early 2005 breeding or foaling dates.

Thoroughbreds born on or after Jan.1 in a given year are considered foals of that year, so foals delivered before Jan. 1 are considered yearlings on Jan. 1.

Alan Marzelli, TJC president, said the teams were well received and found pregnant mares and mares with foals.

The rule change was implemented by TJC’s board of stewards due to the growing number of foaling dates reported as the first several days of January, and a concern if these dates were accurate