Subtitle 10 RACING COMMISSION › Chapter 01 Thoroughbred Rules

.01 Scope. A. This chapter applies to: (1) An entity licensed by the Maryland Racing Commission to hold or conduct a race meeting at which thoroughbred horse racing is permitted for any stake, purse, or reward; (2) All owners, trainers, jockeys, jockey's agents, grooms, or other …

.02 Definitions. A. In this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated. B. Terms Defined. (1) “Added money” means the amount contributed to a purse in a race, other than the fees paid by those who nominated, entered, or started in the race. (1-1) “Age” of a horse is…

.03 Commission Sovereignty. A. A decision or ruling required by these regulations to be made by an entity that is not subject to the authority of the State is subject to review by the Commission. B. If the Commission does not concur with a decision of an entity under §A of this r…

.04 Reserved.

.05 Repealed.

.06 Repealed.

.07 Claiming. A. Except as provided in §A-1 of this regulation, in claiming races a horse is subject to claim for its entered price by: (1) A licensed owner; (2) An individual authorized to claim in behalf of a registered stable or other multiple ownership entity; or (3) A regist…

.08 Repealed.

.09 Colors — Registration. A. All racing colors carried in races shall be registered annually with the Commission on the application for owner's license. It shall be the sole responsibility of the trainer to see that his or her owner's colors are in the jockey's quarters to be us…

.10 Repealed.

.11 Repealed.

.12 Dead Heats. A. When two horses run a dead heat for first place, all prizes to which first and second horses would have been entitled shall be divided equally between them; this applies in dividing prizes, whatever the number of horses running a dead heat and whatever places f…

.13 Repealed.

.14 Purse Money. A. Purse money may not be distributed or used for claiming purposes within 72 hours of the running of the event in which it was earned. B. Any purse money in dispute as the result of an appeal shall be held by the association in an interest-bearing escrow account…

.15 Repealed.

.16 Engagements and Transfers. A. Transfer of Engagements. (1) If a horse is sold by private treaty, at public auction, or claimed out of a claiming race (unless the conditions of the claiming race stated otherwise), the horse is considered to be transferred with its engagements.…

.17 Entries, Declarations and Scratches. A. Except as provided in Regulations .28 and .57 of this chapter, a horse is not qualified to start in any race unless its owner, trainer, and jockey have been duly licensed by the Commission. B. For all races, the racing secretary is to r…

.18 Equipment Changes. A. Permission to add or discontinue the use of blinkers or any other device that would restrict the vision of a horse from behind shall be approved by the starter before being granted by the stewards. B. Permission for a rider to discontinue carrying a whip…

.19 Fines and Suspensions. A. No racing official other than the stewards has the right to impose a fine or suspension after a hearing before the stewards. B. A racing official imposing a fine or suspension shall report it promptly to the racing secretary in writing. C. An unpaid …

.20 Identification of Horses. A. All horses shall be identified to the satisfaction of the stewards except: (1) Under the provisions of §A(2) of this regulation, the original certificate, or a duplicate, issued by the Jockey Club (New York) for thoroughbreds, or issued by the nat…

.21 Jockeys. A. In order to be eligible to participate in a race, a jockey shall be licensed by the Commission. A-1. Except as provided in §A-2 of this regulation, to qualify for a jockey license, an individual shall continue to meet the physical requirements set forth under Regu…

.22 Jockey Agents. A. Each jockey agent shall obtain a license from the Commission. Before issuance of a license, a jockey agent may be required to satisfy the Commission of the jockey agent's financial responsibility which the jockey agent shall maintain so long as the jockey ag…

.23 Apprentice Jockey. A. Licensure. (1) An individual may be granted an original apprentice jockey license and an apprentice certificate by the stewards if the individual: (a) Is 16 years old or older; (b) Has never been licensed and has never ridden in a race as a thoroughbred …

.24 Jockey Room Custodian. A. It is the duty of the jockey room custodian to see to it that order, decorum, and cleanliness are maintained in the jockey and scale rooms. B. The custodian shall assist the clerk of the scales as he may require. C. The custodian shall see to it that…

.25 Licenses and Registrations. A. The following persons are required to take out a license from, or register with, the Commission: (1) Licenses: (a) Owner; (b) Trainer; (c) Assistant trainer; (d) Jockey; (e) Apprentice jockey; (f) Jockey agent; (g) Pari-mutuel employee; (h) Stab…

.26 Repealed.

.27 Outriders. There shall be three outriders on duty at all tracks while racing is being conducted. At least one outrider shall be on duty during training hours at all tracks under the jurisdiction of the Commission. However, at any track of less than 1 mile in circumference, th…

.28 Owners. A. Except as provided by this section, an owner may not be allowed to start a horse under the jurisdiction of the Commission until the owner has obtained from the Commission a current owner's license. The license may be revoked, for cause, by the Commission or, in the…

.29 Paddock to Post. A. Permission shall be obtained from a steward to exercise a horse between races unless the horse is being warmed up on the way to and just before entering the paddock for the next race to be run. B. When a horse is being so warmed up before entering the padd…

.30 Purses. A. Purse money earned on thoroughbred races under the provisions of Business Regulation Article, Title 11, Annotated Code of Maryland, shall be credited to the thoroughbred purse account. B. Purse money earned on nonthoroughbred races under the provisions of Business …

.31 Penalties and Allowances. A. Weight penalties are obligatory. B. Weight allowance is obligatory except by permission of a steward. This permission shall be obtained at the time of entry. C. Weight allowance shall be claimed at the time of overnight entry and shall be the resp…

.32 Post Position. A. Post positions shall be determined publicly by lot in the presence of the racing secretary or his deputy, or one or more stewards. B. Beginning from the inside rail, the horses shall take their positions at the post in keeping with the numerical order result…

.33 Repealed.

.34 Produce Races. A. In making an entry for a produce race, the produce is entered by specifying the dam and the sire or sires. B. The entry of the mare is void if: (1) The produce of a mare is dropped before the 1st of January; (2) There is no produce; (3) The produce is dead w…

.35 Objections, When and Where Made, and Appeals. A. All objections shall be made to the stewards by the objector. Objections that are not claims of interference shall be in writing and signed by the objector. B. Permission of the stewards is necessary before an objection can be …

.36 Racing Officials. A. For each day of live racing during a race meeting, the racing officials on duty shall include: (1) Three stewards; (2) Three placing judges; (3) A clerk of the scales; (4) One or more patrol judges; (5) A horse identifier; (6) A starter; (7) A paddock jud…

.37 Reserved.

.38 Clerk of the Scales. The clerk of the scales shall: A. Exhibit the number of each horse for which a jockey has been weighed out and forthwith furnish the starter with a list of these numbers; B. Weigh all jockeys out and in; C. Accurately record and publish on the notice boar…

.39 Handicapper. A. The handicapper, who may be the racing secretary, shall assign the weights to be carried by each horse in a handicap. B. The handicapper shall append to the weights for every handicap the day and hour from which winners will be liable to weight penalty. C. If …

.40 Paddock Judge. A. The paddock judge shall keep a record of all equipment carried by all horses in all races under his jurisdiction, permitting no change in equipment not authorized by the stewards. B. The paddock judge, in each race, shall require the farrier in attendance in…

.41 Patrol Judges. A patrol judge, for each race, shall: A. Take a station at a place designated by the stewards; B. Be subject to the orders of the stewards; C. Report to the stewards all pertinent observations; and D. File a written report regarding a pertinent observation if r…

.42 Placing Judges. A. At the finish of each race, the placing judges shall be in the stand provided by the association for the observation of the finish of the race. B. The nose of a horse at the finish line is the determining factor as to the placing of the horse in relation to…

.43 Racing Secretary. A. The racing secretary shall discharge all duties of his office, expressed or implied, as required by these rules. B. The racing secretary shall compile an official program for each racing day, which shall state the time fixed for the first race and give th…

.44 Starter. A. The field of horses in a race shall be in the hands of the starter from the time the field begins to line up for the start until the field is released by the starter. A-1. When the field is in the hands of the starter, the horses are entitled to no further care fr…

.45 Stewards. A. When a vacancy occurs among the racing officials before post time of the first race of the day, or when a vacancy occurs after the racing of the day has started, the stewards immediately shall fill the vacancy. The appointment shall be effective only for the day,…

.46 Repealed.

.47 Veterinarians. A. A board of veterinarians, consisting of a chief veterinarian, and such other veterinarians as the Commission may deem necessary shall be designated for duty at each Maryland track. B. A Commission veterinarian shall examine every horse appearing in the day's…

.48 Repealed.

.49 Rewards to Breeders — Maryland-Bred Rules. A. For the purposes of this regulation: (1) A horse is considered to be bred where it is foaled; (2) The breeder of a horse is the owner of the dam at the time the horse was foaled; (3) A Maryland stallion is a stallion that is: (a) …

.50 Rules of the Race. A. During the running of a race: (1) Unless caused wholly or partly by some other horse, a horse may not: (a) Carry another horse in or out; (b) Cross or weave in front of another horse without sufficient clearance; (c) Jostle another horse; (d) Intimidate …