N.J.A.C. 13:71 — HARNESS RACING (Subchapter 1 to 30)

In the event of cancellation of any program after the completion of a numerical majority of the races scheduled to be run on such program, no rain checks or other similar forms of deferred admissions shall be issued or if issued on admittance, will be validated. In the event of c…

(a) The entry box shall be opened by the presiding judge at the advertised time and the presiding judge will be responsible to see that at least one horseman or an official representative of the horsemen is present. No owner or agent for a horse with a declaration in the entry bo…

(a) Where a horse properly declared is omitted from the race by error of the association, or its agent or employee, the horse shall be added to the race but given the outside post position provided, however, that the error is discovered prior to the printing of the official progr…

(a) Declarations for overnight events shall be governed by the following: 1. Within two weeks of being declared in, a horse that has not raced previously at the gait chosen must go a qualifying race under the supervision of the presiding judge or an associate judge and acquire at…

All horses owned wholly, or in part, by the same owner, the spouse of any such owner, or trained by the same trainer, shall not be coupled as an entry but rather shall run as separate wagering interests, except at the discretion of the presiding judge, where the presiding judge b…

Not more than two horses may be drawn as also eligibles for a race and their positions shall be drawn along with the starters in the race. Also eligibles shall be drawn from those horses having the least preference. In the event one or more horses are excused by the judges, the a…

(a) Preference shall be given in all overnight events according to a horse's last previous purse race during the current year. The preference date on a horse that has drawn to race and then scratched is the date of the race from which he was scratched. (b) When a horse is racing …

(a) A horse may be placed on the "Steward's list" if: 1. It is dangerous; 2. Unmanageable; 3. Sick; 4. Lame; 5. Unable to qualify; 6. Otherwise unfit. (b) The horse must be placed on the "Steward's list" by the presiding judge and declarations on such horse shall be refused. (c) …

Declarations shall state who will drive the horse and the driver's colors. Drivers may be changed until 9:00 A.M. of the day preceding the race without permission but the presiding judge must be notified thereof. No driver shall be changed thereafter except by permission of the j…

(a) The starter, under the direction, supervision and control of the presiding judge, shall have control of the horses from the formation of the parade until he gives the word "GO". (b) After the preliminary warming up scores, the starter shall notify the drivers to come up to th…

Horses shall be permitted to take one or two scores before going to the post and upon completion of the scores, the horses shall be gathered by the starter and immediately moved into their positions behind the gate. Horses shall not be held in excess of two minutes before post ti…

In the event there are two tiers of horses, the withdrawing of a horse that has drawn or earned a position in the front tier shall not affect the position of the horses that have drawn or earned positions in the second tier. Whenever a horse is withdrawn from any tier horses in t…

The horses shall be deemed to have started when the word "GO" is given by the starter and all the horses must go the course except in the event of an accident, in which case the judges may deem it impossible to go the course. Drivers must be mounted at the finish of the race or t…

(a) If the opinion of the judges or the starter a horse is unmanageable or liable to cause accidents or injury to any other horse or to any driver, such horse may be sent to the barn in which case the declaration fees on the horse shall be refunded and deducted from the purse in …

The arms of all starting gates shall be provided with a screen or a shield in front of the position for each horse and such arms shall be perpendicular to the rail. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-17.6

Every association shall utilize a mobile starting gate of a type and quality approved by the Commission. Every association shall further more maintain a stand-by mobile starting gate similarly approved. Every association shall utilize an automatic timing device of a type and qual…

The association may employ additional persons to assist the starter in the performance of his duties and such personnel shall be licensed and approved by the Commission. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-17.8

The horse winning a heat shall take the pole (or inside position) the succeeding heat, and all others shall take their positions in the order they were placed the last heat. When two or more horses shall have made a dead heat, their position shall be settled by lot. Notes N.J. Ad…

Officials, drivers, trainers and grooms shall, when directed by the presiding judge, submit to a breathalyzer test and if the results thereof show a reading of more than .05 percent of alcohol in the blood, such person shall not be permitted to continue his duties. The Judges may…

(a) No licensee or official shall use any controlled dangerous substance as defined in the "New Jersey Controlled Dangerous Substances Act", N.J.S.A. 24:21-1, et seq., unless such substance was obtained directly, or pursuant to valid prescription or order from a licensed physicia…

(a) Drivers must wear distinguishing colors. No driver shall be permitted to start in a race or other public performance unless in the opinion of the judges he is properly dressed. (b) When drivers are participating in races during inclement weather, they shall wear rain suits of…

No driver wearing colors shall appear at a betting window, grandstand or clubhouse, or at a bar or in a restaurant dispensing alcoholic beverages. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-19.2

No driver or trainer shall be allowed to drive in any race or public performance, or to otherwise appear on the race track during the racing program unless wearing his own or his owner's registered colors. No driver may appear in colors registered in the name of another, without …

No individual will be permitted to drive on a racetrack unless wearing a protective safety helmet of a type satisfactory to the Commission with chin strap in place. For purposes of this rule "satisfactory" shall be deemed to require that any helmet to be used be manufactured in c…

Every driver in a race shall be attired in white pants. A violation of this rule will subject a driver to a fine or suspension. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-19.5

All individuals, at all times, on horseback or in a sulky or jogging cart affixed to a horse, on a racetrack or licensed off-track stabling facility, shall wear a safety vest designed to provide shock absorbing protection of at least a rating of five, as defined by the British Eq…

(a) A permitholder may impose restrictions on advertising on driver apparel provided the permitholder submits any such restrictions by way of application to the New Jersey Racing Commission for approval. The restrictions must be implemented for one of the following purposes:1. To…

Any person or association licensed by the Commission or any person or association subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission violating any of its rules or regulations shall be liable to the penalties herein provided, unless otherwise limited in and by the rules and regulations…

Any attempt to violate the law or any of the rules and regulations of the Commission falling short of actual accomplishment shall constitute an offense and shall be punishable as if consummated. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-2.2

(a) The penalties for violation of the law or the rules of the Commission shall be as follows: 1. Denial, revocation or suspension of license; 2. Monetary fines not exceeding $ 50,000 for each violation. The steward and board of judges may not impose directly a fine in excess of …

No owner, trainer or driver of a horse entered in a race shall bet or cause any other person to bet on his behalf on any horse other than his own horse. In the case of exotic pools all tickets purchased by an owner, trainer or driver must include his horse entered to race. Notes …

An indefinite suspension shall only be terminated by the New Jersey Racing Commission. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-2.5 R.1976 d.125, effective 4/22/1976. See: 8 New Jersey Register 47(b), 8 New Jersey Register 308(a).

Notwithstanding any provision of N.J.A.C. 13:71-2, any track association licensed by the New Jersey Racing Commission that violates a law, rule or regulation or directive of this Commission and continues in deliberate violation for a period of 72 hours following notification from…

Drivers shall not put their hands or wrists through the hand-holders while competing in races. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.1

(a) Every heat in a race must be contested by every horse in the race and every horse must be driven to the finish. If the judges believe that a horse is being driven, or had been driven, with design to prevent his winning a heat or dash which he was evidently able to win, or is …

If in the opinion of the judges a driver is for any reason unfit or incompetent to drive or refuses to comply with the directions of the judges, or is reckless in his conduct and endangers the safety of horses or other drivers in the race, he may be removed and another driver sub…

If for any cause other than being interfered with, broken equipment or unavoidable accident, a horse fails to finish after starting a heat, that horse shall be ruled out. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.12

Shouting is forbidden during a race by a driver therein. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.13

Drivers will be allowed whips not to exceed four feet plus a snapper not longer than six inches. No leather or unusual materials may be used. The conventional snapper shall not be knotted or altered in any way and tape is permitted only on the handle of the whip. All other modifi…

(a) No person shall possess or use a goading device, chain, or mechanical devices or appliances, other than the ordinary whip, as permitted at N.J.A.C. 13:71-20.14, upon any horse while in a race, training, or at any other time on property subject to the Commission's jurisdiction…

No horse shall wear hobbles in a race unless he starts in the same in the first heat or dash, and having so started he shall continue to wear them to the finish of the race. Any person found guilty of removing or altering a horse's hobbles during a race, or between races for the …

(a) When any horse or horses break from their gait in trotting or pacing, their drivers shall at once, where clearance exists, take such horse to the outside and pull it to its gait. (b) The following shall be considered violations of this section: 1. Failure to properly attempt …

If a driver allows his horse to break for the purpose of fraudulently losing a heat or dash, he shall be liable to the penalties provided for in N.J.A.C. 13:71-2.3. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.18 Amended by R.1990 d.126, effective 2/20/1990. See: 21 New Jersey Register 3861…

To assist in determining the matters relating to accurate charting of races, it shall be the duty of one of the judges to call out every break made and the clerk shall at once note the break made and character of it in writing. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.19

(a) Before the first heat or race at any meeting is contested the racing officials and the drivers shall meet at a time and place to be designated by the presiding judge. Notice of the time and place of such meeting shall be published on the bulletin board in the office of the ra…

The time between heats or dashes for any distance up to and including a mile shall not be less than 15 minutes; for any distance between one and two miles, 20 minutes. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.20 As amended, R.1982 d.109, effective 4/5/1982. See: 13 New Jersey Register 8…

Horses called for a race shall have the exclusive right of the course and all other horses shall vacate the track at once unless permitted to remain by the judges. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-20.21