PRELIMINARY reports from the USA show that less thoroughbred stallions covered fewer thoroughbred mares in 2017.

The 1,342 active stallions recorded is down almost 6% from last year’s 1,423, while the mare numbers declined by a similar percentage, falling from 33,746 to 31,863.

The four busiest sires in the USA this year, and the only stallions covering in excess of 200 mares, were Into Mischief (235), Dialed In (231), American Pharoah (214) and Uncle Mo (204).

Spendthrift’s Into Mischief’s fee rose from $45,000 to $75,000 this year and will go up to $100,000 for the 2018 season.

Darby Dan’s Dialed In is another sire whose fee has grown each year, though at a lower level. He doubled in price to $15,000 for the 2017 season and now increases to $25,000 for next year. American Pharoah and Uncle Mo both stand at Ashford Stud. The former retired to stud in 2016 at a fee of $200,000, then the second highest in the USA behind Tapit, but he is now listed as private.

Uncle Mo saw his fee double to $150,000 this year, but for 2018 it drops a little to $125,000.

CONCENTRATION

Almost one in three mares is serviced by a stallion with a book of mares numbering 125 or more, up substantially from the one in five recorded in 2013 and 2014.

The concentration of mares going to the most popular sires is one of the breeding industry’s most significant trends.

As the accompanying table shows, Kentucky is the largest breeding state or province in the USA and was responsible this year for over 54% of all the mares bred. Ontario, Pennsylvania and Indiana covered more mares this year than last, while Florida suffered a major reversal with an almost 25% fall in mare numbers and a 14% reduction in the number of stallions.