Ohio Administrative Code

h 119. PDF: At the time the horses reach the finish line, the placing judges shall occupy the stand provided for them and shall determine the order of finish. In such determination, a horse whose nose shall have reached the finish line shall be deemed ahead of all horses whose no…

h 119. PDF: The permit holder shall provide a camera, approved by the commission, which shall be used to photograph each finish. In the event two or more horses reach the finish post so closely aligned that it is difficult for the placing judges to determine the order of finish f…

h 119. PDF: The paddock judge shall keep a record of all equipment carried by a horse, and in subsequent races changes will be permitted only with the consent of the paddock judge and stewards. Blinker and whip changes shall also be subject to the approval of the starter and stew…

h 119. PDF: A qualified horseshoe inspector employed by the permit holder shall be in attendance in the paddock to examine the plating of each horse in each race to see that all horses are properly shod and make such changes as may be required. He shall report his findings to the…

(A) The track regulatory veterinarians will conduct a pre-race examination of every horse scheduled to start in a race that day.(B) The trainer or a representative of the trainer has to present the horse for the pre-race examination. Horses have to have all bandages removed, and …

h 119. PDF: The clerk of the scales shall weigh jockeys out and in on scales provided and checked for accuracy by the permit holder. Last updated February 7, 2024 at 9:13 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: The clerk of the scales shall record on the notice board and also have public announcement made of any overweight or any change in jockey, weight or racing colors from those stated on the official program. He shall promptly advise all racing officials of such changes.…

h 119. PDF: The clerk of the scales shall report promptly to the stewards any infraction of the rules of racing with respect to weight, weighing or riding equipment and any other infraction which may come to his notice. Last updated February 7, 2024 at 9:14 AM Authorized By: – Am…

h 119. PDF: The clerk of the scales shall report to the racing secretary after each race the weight carried by each horse in the race together with the name of each jockey and any overweight. He shall also report post time, running time and such other data as from time to time ma…

h 119. PDF: (A) With the prior approval of the commission one or more patrol judges may be assigned to approved posts of vantage about the course and, when so assigned shall observe each race and, shall be in direct voice contact with the stewards. They shall immediately report t…

(A) At all commercial race tracks, the time of every race shall be accurately taken by an electrical timing device approved by the commission, in addition, and by at least one person with a stopwatch. In the event of a temporary failure of the electrical timing device at a commer…

h 119. PDF: (A) Every commercial permit holder shall provide an alcohol breath testing device, operated by a person approved by the commission to use such device. Such device shall be approved by the commission. All jockeys, apprentice jockeys, clerk of scales, jockey room custod…

(A) A permit holder shall have on file with the commission a copy of the actual policy and post in the jockeys' quarters a summary of the permit holder's insurance coverage for jockeys who are injured while on the grounds of the permit holder and shall, upon the request of any li…

h 119. PDF: (A) For a violation of any rule in this chapter and unless a rule specifically precludes the stewards from doing so, the stewards, upon the concurrence of two such officials, may fine a licensee an amount not in excess of the amount permitted by section 3769.091 of th…

The racing secretary shall prepare the books of conditions for the races to be run during the meeting and they and/or their assistants shall take entries for all races. The racing secretary shall assign post positions for each race by lot by drawing a numbered ball from a bottle …

The racing secretary or their deputy shall be the clerk of the course. The clerk of the course shall discharge all duties expressed or implied by the rules of racing, report to the stewards all violations of said rules or of the regulations of the meeting, and keep a complete rec…

The racing secretary or their deputy shall be the handicapper and shall assign weights to equalize the chances of horses named for handicap races. Last updated December 29, 2025 at 7:41 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 12/22/2030 Prior Effective…

The racing secretary shall receive all stakes, entrance money, jockey fees and other moneys that properly can come to their office and in their discretion may receive moneys due other associations as fees or forfeits, forwarding them promptly to the association to which same is d…

The racing secretary shall, in the interest of racing, keep themself thoroughly informed concerning such forfeits or arrearages as may be authoritatively listed or reported for recognized meetings, using such lists as means of eliminating undesirable people from racing. Other off…

h 119. PDF: The racing secretary shall compile and distribute daily an overnight list which shall carry the names of entries with their post positions, weights and the assigned jockey, if a rider has been named. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:23 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies…

The racing secretary shall compile an official program for the day's racing ensuring the accuracy of the following information:(A) The program shall list the sequence of races to be run and post-time for the first race; (B) Purse conditions and distance for each race and current …

h 119. PDF: (A) If more horses are entered for any purse race than can be accommodated, six in addition to those granted post positions may be drawn and placed on an also eligible list. If any of the original starters are withdrawn, their places may be filled from said list.(B) A…

h 119. PDF: The racing secretary shall keep a list of all horses excluded from races because of too many entries. These horses shall have preference in any race in which they may afterward be entered in accordance with rules and regulations adopted by the racing secretary for the…

h 119. PDF: When the number of entries exceed the original starters plus six, excess entries shall automatically go on the preferred list. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:24 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: Divisions of the preferred list with regard to claiming price or distance may be made at the discretion of the racing secretary. Last updated October 3, 2025 at 1:57 PM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

The system of determining which excluded horse has preference over another excluded horse will be up to the discretion of each racetrack and submitted to the commission for final approval. Whichever system is used (date system or star system) shall be clearly defined in the track…

h 119. PDF: The preferred list shall be posted each afternoon in a location easily accessible to all horsemen. Any claim of error must be made by ten a.m. of the racing day following posting to receive consideration by the stewards. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:25 AM Autho…

h 119. PDF: When a horse on the preferred list is entered in a race, a claim of preference shall be made at time of entry and noted on the entry sheet. Claims of error will not be considered by the stewards unless the person making the claim has signed an entry in conformity with…

h 119. PDF: The racing secretary shall receive entries and declarations for all races. In the absence of notice to the contrary, nominations to and declarations from any stakes closing on the eve of or during a meeting shall be received by the racing secretary. Last updated Novem…

h 119. PDF: No horse may be permitted to race in this state unless the owner, trainer, assistant trainer and jockey shall have been granted a current license by the commission or shall have made application for a license accompanied by the proper fee as prescribed in rule 3769-2-…

(A) Every entry must be made in writing by an owner, their trainer, assistant trainer, authorized agent, or by a jockey agent. All entries must contain the name of the owner, registered stable or lessee of the horse; the name of the trainer, authorized agent or jockey agent makin…

(A) A person wishing to enter horses under a stable name may do so by registering and by paying a fee of fifty dollars, such registration being effective for one year from January first in the year in which they registered.(B) All registrations of stable names by other racing aut…

h 119. PDF: (A) Statements with respect to all partnerships and the name and address of every individual having any interest in a horse, the relative proportions of such interest, and the terms of any sale with contingencies, or any lease, or of any arrangements, must be signed b…

In case of emergency, authority to sign statements of partnerships may be given to the racing secretary by fax or e-mail. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:25 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 10/3/2030 Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966, 1/1/198…

(A) No alteration or condition shall be made in any entry after the time fixed for closing except that an error may be corrected with the consent of the stewards. After races are drawn, if there is conclusive evidence that a horse properly entered in an overnight race was omitted…

.(A) At the time of entry into a claiming race, the owner may opt to declare a horse ineligible to be claimed provided:(1) The horse has not started for a minimum of one hundred eighty days since its last race; and(2) The horse's last race as an official starter was in a claiming…

The stewards may call upon any person making entry to prove the extent of their interest in the horse or its winnings, or to give proof that the horse entered is not the property, wholly or in part, of any person who is disqualified. If unsatisfied with the proof tendered, the st…

h 119. PDF: Not more than two horses of the same ownership and/or in charge of the same trainer may be entered for a purse race, and both may start as a mutuel entry. The horses may also be entered so that each horse will appear in a separate division if the race subsequently be …

h 119. PDF: The entries of any person or the transfer of any entry may be refused without notice. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:26 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

(A) Every owner, trainer, authorized agent, or jockey agent shall, if possible, upon making entry furnish the name of the jockey who will ride their horse, but if this is not possible, the name must be furnished at a time designated by the stewards. At time of entry the owner, tr…

(A) No horse may be started in any race unless it be registered and named with the registry office of the "Jockey Club" (New York), or in quarter horse racing, the "American Quarter Horse Association" (Amarillo, Texas). In the event the name of any horse is changed, and such chan…

(A) When a horse is entered, it must be clearly identified by statement of its name, age, and sex.(B) Any alteration in the sex of a horse must be reported and noted by the trainer to the racing secretary, or horse identification office immediately and that office must note the s…

No horse may start in any race unless it is fully identified. The burden of proving identity rests with the person or persons having charge of the horse at the meeting, and the stewards may suspend and refer to the commission such persons in case of fraud or attempted fraud. The …

(A) Every commission licensee exercising a horse shall, upon request of an official timer, correctly identify the horse they are exercising and shall state the distance over which such horse is to be worked and the point on the race track where it is intended to start the workout…

h 119. PDF: Every horse entered for a race must be a starter unless it is declared out, excused, or ordered withdrawn. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:26 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: At thoroughbred tracks, a horse must be eligible to start at time of starting, in an overnight event. Last updated November 19, 2025 at 8:26 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 9/1/1976

h 119. PDF: An owner or trainer shall not enter or start a horse that:(A) Is not in serviceably sound racing condition;(B) Is wearing a trachea tube, or has a hole in its throat for a trachea-tube;(C) Has been high nerved as described in rule 3769-8-04 of the Administrative Code;…