Foaling Problems

[PaceAdvantage]

Just read this stat at Bloodhorse.com :


This year, through April 3, there were 2,876 live-foal reports received by The Jockey Club for Kentucky-breds. Through the same date in 2001, there were 4,257 foals. The decline is 32.4 percent.

Does anyone else find this to be as alarming as I do? There is also talk of some foaling problems at some NY breeding operations this year. What the hell is going on out there???

These big breeding operations in Kentucky have been around for ages, doing the same thing year in and year out on the same land using the same methods...and never has anything of this magnitude come along and wreaked havoc with the foaling process...

One has to wonder as officials hem and haw at explaining "Mare Reproductive Loss Syndrome", whether or not something in the environment that we aren't being told about is causing this sudden onset of foaling horrors.


==PA

[bdhsheets]

You're correct. Blaming cherry trees and other BS, something is terribly wrong.

While most handicappers and casual fans ignore the problem, the real impact will be two to three years down the road when the fields in races shrink further. We'll yearn for the days of 7 and 8 horse fields. I'm afraid the long term prognosis isn't very good.

[Observer]

One would think we'll probably also hear alot more about how the divisions are "weak," more so than we do these days.