The North American foal crop for 2012 is expected to be in the vicinity of 24,700.  That’s a decline of 8.5% from the estimate of 27,000 registered foals this year.

The 2012 foal crop is projected to be the smallest since 1971.  The North American crop peaked at 51,296 foals in 1986.  

“The number of mares bred is declining annually,” said Matt Iuliano, the North American Jockey Club’s vice president of registration services.  “That will have an obvious impact on runners at the racetrack in the years ahead.”