The Jockey Club has released its Report of Mares Bred (RMB) statistics for the 2022 breeding season. Through Oct. 18, 2022 and based on the RMBs received, a total of 925 stallions covered 27,163 mares in North America this year, a decrease of the reported 27,829 mares from 2021.
In Kentucky, the state's 196 reported stallions served 16,689 mares, a number which translates to 61.4% of all breeding activity in North America. That number reflects a decrease of 0.2% from last year when 16,727 mares were reported as bred in Kentucky, while the number of stallions was down 2% from 200 in 2021.
California was the second-busiest state from a statistical standpoint, with 99 stallions covering 1,781 mares, a decline of 3.4%. Florida is the only other state reporting four-figure matings, with 1,495 mares (-4.3%) having been bred to 59 sires (-4.8%).
Stallions in New York and Indiana covered more mares this year than last. In New York, 973 mares were reported as bred, an increase of 2.6%, while the number of sires remained static at 38. In Indiana, 39 stallions (down from 45 in 2021) bred 496 mares, a bump of 4.4% over 12 months ago.
In terms of individual stallions, Gun Runner, standing at Three Chimneys, bred 248 mares in 2022, tops in North America. He was followed by Yaupon (Spendthrift), 242; Mendelssohn (Coolmore), 230; Practical Joke (Coolmore), 227; and Not This Time (Taylor Made), 225. The top 56 stallions by mares covered were all in Kentucky. Six different farms had a stallion in the top 10, up from four in 2021.
Gun Runner's rise from 166 mares in 2021 was fueled by his exceptional first crop's performance on the racetrack. He led all first-year stallions in every black-type category, as well as by winners, wins, earnings per starter and earnings.
The top 10 first-crop sires by mares covered were also in Kentucky, led by Yaupon, good for second among all sires.
The Jockey Club estimates that it will receive an additional 2,500 to 3,000 RMBs.
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