Thoroughbred Connect enables anyone with an Interactive Registration (IR) account to express his or her willingness to be contacted by someone in possession of a Thoroughbred in the event the horse is in need of aftercare or assistance. It is also a resource for horse owners to list a Thoroughbred that is in need of aftercare or assistance.

With this update, contact information for those who would like to help a specific Thoroughbred is displayed by default on a horse’s digital certificate page. Thoroughbred Connect users can elect to opt out of this setting at any time. Contact information associated with horses born prior to 2018, and who thus might not have a digital certificate, can still be shared with a successful connection made via the Thoroughbred Connect link after logging into IR.

“Adding contact information from Thoroughbred Connect to a horse’s digital certificate page ensures that a horse’s emergency contact will never be lost or removed and will always be easily accessible to its current digital certificate manager,” said Matt Iuliano, executive vice president and executive director of The Jockey Club.  “We believe this change will facilitate connections to transition Thoroughbreds to new homes when their racing or breeding careers are over.”

“We at Herringswell Stables believe in the importance of ensuring that Thoroughbreds are cared for at all stages of their lives and have attached our contact information to physical copies of foal papers for years,” said Graham Motion. “We are excited to take advantage of The Jockey Club Registry’s update to Thoroughbred Connect, which replicates the purpose of stickers and stamps in the age of digital certificates.”

“We commend The Jockey Club for their aftercare initiatives and their efforts to help horses transition to careers beyond the racetrack or breeding shed,” Staci Hancock of Stone Farm said. “From the Thoroughbred Incentive Program and “Transferred as Retired from Racing” designation to this most recent update to Thoroughbred Connect, we thank The Jockey Club for looking out for the welfare of Thoroughbreds and promoting their potential as sport, pleasure, and therapy horses.”

Since its introduction in May 2011, more than 3,500 users have signed up for Thoroughbred Connect, and there are currently more than 8,600 horses in the system that have at least one customer who has provided contact information to indicate their willingness to provide aftercare assistance.

For more information about Thoroughbred Connect or to sign up for an IR account, please visit registry.jockeyclub.com.

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, directly or through subsidiaries, 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. It founded America’s Best Racing (americasbestracing.net), the broad-based fan development initiative for Thoroughbred racing, and in partnership with the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association, operates OwnerView (ownerview.com), the ownership resource. Additional information is available at jockeyclub.com.