The following news release is being distributed on behalf of the North American International Catalogue Standards Committee.

NEWS RELEASE

November 20, 2013

Contact: Carl Hamilton, Chairman, North American International Catalogue Standards Committee, (859) 224-2800

Quality Control Requirements Added for North American Non-Listed Black-Type Races

The North American International Catalogue Standards Committee (NAICSC) today issued a reminder that effective January 1, 2014, additional quality control requirements will be implemented for races in North America eligible for non-Listed black-type in catalogues compliant with guidelines required by the Society of International Thoroughbred Auctioneers (SITA).

The NAICSC establishes the requirements for non-Listed black type races in sales catalogues produced in North America that are compliant with guidelines required by SITA.

Races eligible for non-Listed black-type status include  stakes races with a purse of $50,000 or more that are open or have  restrictions allowed by NAICSC (e.g., state bred, stallions’ progeny, sales graduates or non-winners of a sweepstakes).

The new requirements, which were first announced in November 2012, include the addition of a minimum Race Quality Score (RQS) for individual age/sex divisions. Statistics used in the evaluation of Graded and Listed races, including ratings provided by the North American Rating Committee, are not available for non-Listed black-type races. The RQS provides an alternative quality control measurement for these races.

The RQS is a composite number compiled by using speed figures for the first four finishers in each race over three years. Four speed figures are used to compile the RQS and are provided by Bloodstock Research Information Systems (BRIS), Daily Racing Form (Beyer), Equibase and Thoro-Graph.

A complete listing of non-Listed black-type races with their 2014 black-type status, their current RQS and the minimum RQS requirements for each age/sex division is available at northamericanicsc.com.

The attached document provides an overview of North American black-type requirements that will become effective January 1, 2014.

Additional information about the NAICSC and the new quality control requirements is available at northamericanicsc.com.