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

No horse shall be permitted to start which has not been tattooed or freeze branded, unless the permission of the presiding judge is obtained and arrangements are made to have the horse tattooed or freeze branded. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-11.8 Amended by R.1995 d.615, effect…

Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-11.9 As amended, R.1976 d.125, effective 4/22/1976. See: 8 New Jersey Register 47(b), 8 New Jersey Register 308(a). As amended, R.1982 d.109, effective 4/5/1982. See: 13 New Jersey Register 820(a), 14 New Jersey Register 347(a). As amended, R.1983 d…

A racing, farm, corporate or stable name may be used by the owners or lessees of horses if currently registered with the United States Trotting Association. The names of all persons interested in the stable or operating thereunder shall be listed in such registry and shall not ex…

No more than one stable may be registered under the same name. The commission may prohibit the use of any name which is misleading to the public or unbecoming to the sport. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-12.2

All persons listed in a registered stable shall be liable for entry fees and all penalties against horses raced under such stable name. If one of the persons listed under such stable name is suspended, all the horses in such stable shall be included. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:7…

The lessee of a horse shall file with the United States Trotting Association a copy of the leasing arrangement which shall contain the name of the horse, the name and address of the owner, the name and address of the lessee, the stable name, if any, of either party, and the terms…

All horses shall be registered in current ownership either as standard or non-standard with the United States Trotting Association and the owner or owners shall, upon request of the commission or its authorized representatives, produce a valid registration certificate issued by t…

No time records or bars shall be used as an element of eligibility. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.10

Horses must be eligible when entries close, but winnings on the closing date of eligibility shall not be considered. In mixed races, trotting and pacing, a horse must be eligible under the conditions for the gait at which it is stated in the entry the horse will perform. Notes N.…

In the event there are conflicting published conditions and neither is withdrawn, the more favorable to the nominator shall govern. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.12

The race secretary shall prescribe qualifying standards to determine whether a horse is qualified to race in overnight events at a meeting. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.13

Condition books shall be prepared and substituted condition races may be used only where regularly scheduled races fail to fill. Such books containing at least three days racing program will be available to horsemen at least 24 hours prior to taking declarations on races containe…

(a) In presenting a program of racing, the race secretary shall use exclusively the following types of races:1. Stakes and futurities; 2. Early closing and late closing events; 3. Conditioned races; 4. Claiming races; 5. Preferred races limited to the fastest horses at the meetin…

Conditions shall not be written in such a way that any horse is deprived of an opportunity to race in normal preference cycle. Where the word "preferred" is used in a condition it shall not superseded date preference. Not more than three also eligible conditions shall be used in …

Any dash or any heat shall be considered as a separate race for the purposes of conditioned racing. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.17

Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.18 As amended, R.1982 d.109, effective 4/5/1982. See: 13 New Jersey Register 820(a), 14 New Jersey Register 347(a).

For all overnight events, starters and also eligibles shall be drawn by lot from those properly declared in, except that the race secretary must establish a preference system for races as provided for in the rules. However, where necessary to fill a card, not more than one race p…

When a horse is sold or leased after an eligibility certificate is issued for the current year, the seller or his authorized agent shall endorse the eligibility certificate to the new owner or lessee who may use it providing that he immediately sends the registration certificate …

(a) Names of all horses shall be posted by gait with the following information: 1. Lifetime winnings; 2. Season's winnings; 3. Winnings at the meeting; 4. Wins during the season; 5. Age, gait and sex; 6. Previous year's earnings; 7. Date of last win. (b) There shall be a separate…

(a) The race secretary may reject the declaration on any horse whose eligibility certificate was not in his possession on the date the condition book is published. (b) The race secretary may reject the declaration on any horse whose past performance indicates that he would be bel…

Substitute races may be provided for each day's program and shall be so designated. A substitute race or a race divided into two divisions shall be used only if regularly scheduled races fail to fill. The practice of carrying races to the next day's program is prohibited. Notes N…

A fair and reasonable racing opportunity shall be afforded both trotters and pacers in reasonable proportion from those available and qualified to race. (Not more than 50 percent of any week's racing program shall be claiming races.) The Commission may, by directive, alter this r…

A horse winning a qualifying race shall not be deprived by reason of such performance of his right to start in an event limited to maidens. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.24

Owners of horses who have raced at Canadian tracks not in membership with the United States Trotting Association, shall prior to declaration furnish the race secretary either an eligibility certificate issued by the United States Trotting Association or a Canadian eligibility cer…

No person shall tamper with eligibility certificates. Any winnings, after the tampering, may be ordered forfeited. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.4 As amended, R.1982 d.109, effective 4/5/1982. See: 13 New Jersey Register 820(a), 14 New Jersey Register 347(a).

Corrections on said certificates may be made only by one of the judges, the Commission or a representative of the United States Trotting Association. Persons making corrections shall affix their initials and date thereon. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.5

(a) No eligibility certificate will be considered valid on a horse coming from a country other than Canada unless the following information, certified by the trotting association or governing body of that country from which the horse comes, is furnished: 1. The number of starts d…

In the event of loss or destruction of an eligibility certificate, a replacement certificate must be secured from the United States Trotting Association. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.7

(a) No horse shall be declared in to race except as hereinafter stated without first having an eligibility certificate placed on file with the race secretary. Declarations by telephone or wire may be sent and accepted in accordance with the rules of racing, without penalty, provi…

For purposes of eligibility, a racing season or racing year shall be the calendar year. All races based on winnings will be programmed "Nonwinners of $ ..." additional conditions may be added. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-13.9

Claiming privileges, other than open claiming pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:71-14.36, are restricted to those persons who possess a current New Jersey owner's license issued by the Commission. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.1 Amended by 48 N.J.R. 2828(a), effective 12/19/2016…

No person shall offer, or enter into an agreement to claim or not to claim, or attempt to prevent another person from claiming any horse in a claiming race; and no owner or trainer shall make any agreement for the protection of each other's horses in a claiming race. Notes N.J. A…

No person shall attempt by intimidation or threat of bodily harm to coerce any person to enter a horse into a claiming race, to prevent any person from entering a horse into a claiming race, to prevent anyone from racing a horse in any claiming race for which it is entered, or to…

The Judges and/or Steward may, at any time, at their discretion, require any person who has filed a claim to make an affidavit in writing that he or she is claiming in accordance within the rules. Failure to make an affidavit in writing or the filing of a claim, which is not made…

No money or its equivalent shall be put in the claim box. For a claim to be valid the claimant must have a credit balance in his or her account with the horsemen's bookkeeper of not less than the amount of the claim, plus the applicable post-race testing fee pursuant to N.J.A.C. …

Claims must be deposited in the claim box at least 30 minutes before post time of each race. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.14

Claims are irrevocable and at the risk of the claimant. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.15 Amended by 48 N.J.R. 2828(a), effective 12/19/2016

Prior to off-time, the Judges, or their appointed deputy, shall open the claim envelopes for each race, and thereafter check with the horsemen's accountant to ascertain whether the proper credit balance has been established with the association. The association shall provide an a…

Every horse claimed shall race in all heats or dashes of the event in the interest and for the account of the owner who declared it in the event, but title to the claimed horse shall be vested in the successful claimant from the word "go" and said successful claimant shall become…

(a) A claim shall be void if: 1. A claimed horse is excused by the Judges before the word "go"; 2. The claimed horse dies during the race or, at the direction of the State Veterinarian, has to be euthanized; 3. The claim is made by an owner in violation of N.J.A.C. 13:71-14.5; 4.…

(a) A claim is voidable at the discretion of the successful claimant if: 1. A post-race test of the claimed horse pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:71-14.32r eturns a positive finding for any drug and/or substance foreign to the natural horse. However, if the successful claimant races the …

Should a horse that has been claimed be scratched prior to off-time, the claim on that horse shall become void. However, should the claimant of the scratched horse wish to continue with his or her claim, he or she may elect to do so by informing the horsemen's bookkeeper prior to…

Any horse that has been claimed shall, after the race has been run, be taken to the detention barn for delivery to the claimant. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.19

Except as exempted pursuant to N.J.A.C. 13:71-14.2A, any horse entered into a claiming race is subject to claim for its entered price by any person qualified under the terms of N.J.A.C. 13:71-14.1 and 14.36. No trainer or agent shall be permitted to enter a horse in a claiming ra…

A claimed horse shall not be delivered to the successful claimant until written authorization is given by the racing secretary, or his deputy. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.20

A trainer whose horse has been claimed is responsible for cooling his horse out until after the collection of any blood and/or urine specimen and he shall sign for the witnessing thereof. Failure to comply shall be subject to penalty. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 14:71-14.21

No person shall refuse to deliver to the person legally entitled thereto a horse claimed out of a claiming race, and furthermore, the horse in question is disqualified until delivery is made. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.22

If more than one claim is filed for the same horse, title to the horse shall be determined by lot under the direction or supervision of the Judges, or their appointed deputy. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.23

When a horse is claimed, the horse's engagements are included. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.24

No person shall enter a horse against which there is a mortgage, bill of sale, or lien of any kind, unless the written consent of the holder of the claim shall be filed with the racing secretary of the association conducting such claiming race. Notes N.J. Admin. Code § 13:71-14.2…