The Jockey Club’s 2010 Online Fact Book, published annually as a statistical and informational guide to the North American Thoroughbred industry, was released today on the organization’s website at jockeyclub.com. The 20th edition of the printed version will be published and distributed in early May.

The Online Fact Book includes state-by-state analysis and multi-year reports. Statistics in the Breeding section, which by their very nature change constantly, are updated regularly. A printer-friendly page option on all pages in the Breeding, Racing and Sales sections condenses the width of the online page so that it can be printed in a “portrait” format.

Pari-mutuel handle on Thoroughbred racing in North America fell by more than $1 billion for the second consecutive year in 2009. The 9.5% decline in handle to $12,972,615,606 contributed to a 5.9% decrease in gross purses to $1,233,172,714.

In the Sales section, total auction receipts in 2009 decreased 32.2% to $659,646,413, the lowest annual total since 1996.

In the Breeding section, the significant reduction in the number of mares bred in recent years is expected to result in an accelerated decline in the annual registered Thoroughbred foal crop in 2009 and 2010.

Updated pages in the General section are Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding Worldwide in 2008 and the Directory of National, State, Canadian and International organizations, which includes phone numbers for all organizations and website links for organizations that have them.

The Jockey Club, founded in 1894 and dedicated to the improvement of Thoroughbred breeding and racing, is the breed registry for North American Thoroughbreds. In fulfillment of its mission, The Jockey Club provides support and leadership on a wide range of important industry initiatives and it serves the information and technology needs of owners, breeders, media, fans and farms, among others. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.