The Jockey Club has filed its response to a federal civil suit brought by Spendthrift, Ashford, and Three Chimneys over the impending stud book cap of 140 mares per stallion each breeding season.
The plaintiffs had alleged the rule violated antitrust laws, which The Jockey Club's response indicates is incorrect because antitrust is designed to “protect competition, not competitors” and that the rule does not harm competition.
The suit also alleged it was illegal for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, as a state entity, to allow The Jockey Club, as a private entity to decide what legally constituted a Thoroughbred horse. The breed organization's response points out that the Kentucky General Assembly decided in 1960 to statutorily reference The Jockey Club's standing as the breed registry, and that there is no constitutionally-protected “right to race” anyway.
“Plaintiffs' hodgepodge of speculative claims lacks plausibility and suffers from Plaintiffs' fundamental misunderstanding of the facts, law, and relevant statutory regime,” read part of the response, according to a summary provided by the Thoroughbred Daily News.
The stud book cap is due to be enforced starting with stallions born in 2020.
The Jockey Club, along with two defendants associated with the commission, requested the case be dismissed.
Read more at Thoroughbred Daily News
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