Live foal reports down almost 6% from ’25
16,100 live foals reported thus far in 2026
The Biz
October 21, 2026
The Jockey Club had received reports of 16,100 live foals born nationwide this year through October 14, down 5.9% from 17,103 at a similar point last year.
The organization estimates reporting is approximately 85% to 90% complete and expects additional reports to arrive, increasing the total. The decrease of 1,003 reported foals accompanied declines in eight of the 10 leading breeding jurisdictions, with several major breeding centers posting reductions exceeding 20%.
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Kentucky remained the dominant breeding state, though even it has its challenges. Its stallions covered 16,492 mares in 2025, far outpacing every other jurisdiction and leading to 10,998 live Kentucky-sired foals thus far this year. The number of state-sired foals is down 2.6% from 2025.
The state and province figures measure foals by where their sires stood, rather than where the foals were born. The numbers reflect reports received through October 14 rather than final totals for the year.
California ranked second by reported 2026 live foals but experienced a 23.5% decline, from 980 to 750. New York followed with 692, down a comparatively modest 1.7%.
Florida’s total dropped 21.7%, from 700 to 548, while New Mexico sustained the largest percentage decrease among the top 10 jurisdictions in 2025 mares bred, falling 28% from 239 to 172. Ontario declined 15.2% to 267, and Puerto Rico fell 8.3% to 243.
Louisiana posted the strongest increase, rising 10.9% from 523 to 580. Pennsylvania was the only other jurisdiction in the group to register a gain; there have been 213 PA-sired foals reported thus far in ’26, up one, or 0.5%, from last year.
In the Mid-Atlantic, Maryland and Pennsylvania followed sharply different paths.
Maryland stallions have accounted for 243 reported live foals thus far in 2026, down 59 from the previous year’s 302, a decline of 19.5%. The state’s stallions covered 443 mares in 2025.
Pennsylvania’s reported crop held steady, increasing by one foal from 212 to 213, a gain of 0.5%. Its stallions covered 396 mares in 2025.
The changes narrowed the gap between the neighboring states considerably. Maryland’s reported sire-based foal crop exceeded Pennsylvania’s by 90 in 2025; this year, the difference was just 30.
| State/Province | 2025 Mares Bred | 2025 Live Foals | 2026 Live Foals | Percent Change in Live Foals |
| Kentucky | 16,492 | 11,288 | 10,998 | -2.6% |
| California | 1,299 | 980 | 750 | -23.5% |
| New York | 1,154 | 704 | 692 | -1.7% |
| Louisiana | 1,022 | 523 | 580 | 10.9% |
| Florida | 1,094 | 700 | 548 | -21.7% |
| Ontario | 558 | 315 | 267 | -15.2% |
| Maryland | 443 | 302 | 243 | -19.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 356 | 265 | 243 | -8.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 396 | 212 | 213 | 0.5% |
| New Mexico | 383 | 239 | 172 | -28.0% |
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