The Jockey Club's traceability initiative, which was announced at the 2023 Round Table Conference, is scheduled to launch this summer. In preparation, the Registry encourages anyone with a digital certificate of foal registration in their account who no longer has possession of the horse to transfer the certificate to the current owner or appropriate certificate manager.
"We strongly encourage everyone to log on to Interactive Registration and check that the horses in their accounts are still in their possession," said Rick Bailey, registrar of The Jockey Club. "Traceability is a priority for the Thoroughbred industry, and The Jockey Club's commitment in this area, demonstrated by this project and others, underscores that significance."
The first phase of the initiative will trigger email prompts to certificate managers of horses that have no racing activity and no Thoroughbred Incentive Program number in the past two years. The initial phase will focus on racetracks and sales companies.
"The goal of the traceability initiative is to ensure that every horse's certificate stays with the horse, which is where it belongs," said Kristin Werner, senior counsel for The Jockey Club. "Whereabouts of registered Thoroughbreds will improve our understanding of where Thoroughbreds go after their racing and breeding careers in addition to supporting aftercare initiatives."
Resources for horse owners looking to find new careers for their Thoroughbreds can be found on The Jockey Club's new webpage at bit.ly/tjctbcareers.
Owners of Thoroughbreds with paper certificates of foal registration are also encouraged to file a transfer of ownership with The Jockey Club in preparation for future traceability initiatives for older horses. There is no cost to file a transfer of ownership, and the report can be filed online at registry.jockeyclub.com.
