Retrospective analysis of the population dynamics and racing outcomes of the 2014 and 2015 UK and Ireland Thoroughbred foal crops

Abstract

Background: Up-to-date figures on early losses of Thoroughbreds from the racing industry can inform strategies to improve retention and incentivise traceability of Thoroughbreds during this early life period. Methods: Data on Thoroughbred mares bred in 2013-2014 and training, racing and sales information of their live offspring were analysed. The proportions and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of the entire 2014-2015 United Kingdom and Ireland foal crops that entered training, raced, were imported and/or exported between birth and the end of their third year of life, as well as the racing performance of these horses as 2-and 3-year-olds were described. Results: A total of 20,661 mares produced 28,282 live foals. Of them, 47.2% (95% CI: 46.7-47.8; n = 13,354) entered training by the end of their third year of life. Of these, 10,595 (79.3%; 95% CI: 78.7-80.0) raced at least once. Around 20% (n = 5712) of horses were exported by the end of their third year of life, of which 3526 (61.7%) had been in training. The overall mortality during the study period was 7.6% (n = 2123). Conclusion:A considerable proportion of Thoroughbreds had not entered training by 3 years of age but of those that had, the proportion that raced at least once was high. Further research is needed to establish reasons for premature losses from the industry.

Date of birth and purchase price as foals or yearlings are associated with Thoroughbred flat race performance in the United Kingdom and Ireland

“…Available race performance data for the study population comprised number of races, wins, places and prize money won from 2016 to 2018. 13 Outcomes for the study included number of races, prize money and prize money earned per start in UK/IRE flat racing by the end of their second and third years of life, respectively. 14 All the outcomes followed a negative binomial (NB) distribution (Table 1).…”

“…Data for this retrospective cohort study were provided under non‐disclosure agreements with both Weatherbys (http://www.weatherbys.co.uk) and the British Horseracing Authority. The source population, described elsewhere, 13 included the entire 2014–2015 UK and IRE Thoroughbred foal crops ( n = 28,282). Given that the outcomes for this study were measures of race performance by the end of horses’ second and third years of life in UK/IRE flat racing, the study population included all the horses that raced at least once in UK/IRE flat races by the end of their third year of life ( n = 9456).…”