Ohio Administrative Code

h 119. PDF: The stewards may require any person making a claim for a horse to make an affidavit that he is claiming said horse for his own account or as an authorized agent and not for any other undisclosed person. Any person making such affidavit falsely may be subject to penalt…

h 119. PDF: Any person who makes a false ownership claim to a horse may be fined and/or suspended or they may be suspended and referred to the commission for any disciplinary action the commission deems advisable. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 8:49 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies…

Every jockey who is engaged to ride in a race shall report to the scale room on the day of the race at the time required by the officials. They shall then report their engagements and overweight, if any, to the clerk of the scales. Last updated July 14, 2025 at 8:03 AM Authorized…

(A) All jockeys engaged for a race shall be weighed out not less than twenty minutes before the post time for the next race.(B) A jockey's weight shall include their clothing, boots, saddle and its attachments, and any other equipment except the riding crop, bridle, bit, reins, s…

(A) Any person mounted on a horse or stable pony, all valets, and all persons working in or around the starting gate must wear a properly secured safety helmet at all times. The safety helmet must comply with one of the commission approved safety standards or later revisions.(B) …

The jockey shall be weighed out fully dressed in their riding clothing of cap, jacket, breeches, and boots. Their weight shall include saddle with attachments including undergirth, stirrups, webbing, and weight pad, if weight pad is needed. The weight shall not include safety hel…

The owner or their representative shall be responsible for the weight their horse carries. No horse may carry more than two pounds overweight without consent of its owner or trainer, but in no case shall a horse carry more than seven pounds overweight, except in a stakes race whe…

h 119. PDF: A bugle shall be sounded as the horses come upon the track. After the horses enter the track, the course over which the horses will run shall be closed to all but racing officials until the stewards direct that it be reopened. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 8:49 AM A…

(A) Horses shall be in the hands of the starter from the time they arrive on the track until the start is effected. All horses shall parade and carry their weight from paddock to starting post, and no jockey shall dismount without permission of the starter. Attendants may not car…

(A) The starter shall give such orders and take such measures not in conflict with the rules of racing, as are necessary to secure a fair start.(B) Should an accident or malfunction of the starting gate, or other unforeseen event during a race, compromise the fairness of the race…

With the approval of the stewards, the starter shall be required to appoint additional assistants in sufficient number, which in any event shall be no less than eight, so as to insure that each starting horse in each race of that day's live racing program will be promptly and eff…

The starter shall change the positions of their assistants on the track for each race and shall not designate their respective positions until after the horses have left the paddock. Last updated July 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review …

There shall be two or more outriders in all races at all running horse racing meetings on each day that racing occurs. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:39 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 7/3/2030 Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966, 1/1/1985

h 119. PDF: By permission of the stewards and upon payment of not less than a five-dollar fee through the horsemens' bookkeeper, a mounted attendant may lead a horse to the starting post but any horse so led must pass the stand. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:39 AM Authorized …

(A) Each horse shall carry the full weight assigned for that race from the paddock to the starting point and throughout the race.(B) After the horses enter the track, no jockey may dismount nor entrust their horse to the care of an attendant except in case of an accident or injur…

h 119. PDF: All starts at thoroughbred meetings shall be made from an enclosed starting gate, and there can be no start until and no recall after the starter has caused the gates to be opened; provided, that in an emergency and with permission of the stewards the start may be mad…

h 119. PDF: Horses shall take their positions in the starting gate in alternating sequence, with the horse assigned to the post position closest to the inside rail and the horse assigned to the post position nearest to the middle of the field being loaded first, and so on until t…

If when the starter gives the signal for the start of any race, the doors at the front of one or more of the stalls should fail to open, causing the occupant or occupants to be left, or if a horse is not in the starting gate stall when the field is dispatched, thereby causing a h…

The starter may, with the approval of the stewards, discipline jockeys for rule infractions at the post or for disobedience of the starter's instructions by a fine not to exceed two hundred fifty dollars and/or suspension of not more than five days. However, the stewards may impo…

No horse shall be permitted to start without being approved by the starter. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 7/3/2030 Prior Effective Dates: 2/12/1973, 1/1/1985, 1/1/1987

The starter and/or their assistants shall school such horses as may be necessary and shall prepare a list of horses not qualified to start, a copy of which shall be delivered to the racing secretary. The starter's list shall be posted in the racing secretary's office with the lis…

No starter or assistant starter shall either directly or indirectly wager on any race, engage in any betting transaction; nor shall they directly or indirectly receive presents, gratuities, remuneration, tips from any person or persons, or have any interest in any horse under pen…

h 119. PDF: The horse must be started by the jockey. No other person except the starter or an assistant starter shall be permitted to help in effecting a start by striking a horse or shouting at it or otherwise assisting. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM Authorized By: – A…

h 119. PDF: If a horse leaves the course, it shall be disqualified. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:40 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: Every jockey shall be responsible for making their best effort to control and guide their mount in such a way as not to cause a foul. The stewards shall take cognizance of riding which results in a foul, irrespective of whether an objection is lodged, and if in the op…

A leading horse when clear is entitled to any part of the track. If a leading horse, or any other horse in a race, swerves or is ridden to either side so as to interfere with, intimidate or impede any other horse or jockey, or affect the outcome of a race, it is a foul. If a jock…

Every horse shall be ridden out unless injured. Any jockey who, without adequate cause, shall rein in before crossing the finish line or who shall fail to use their utmost exertion to obtain a winning performance from the horse ridden by them may be suspended, ruled off, or may b…

At the conclusion of any handicap, stake or sweepstakes race, upon pulling up after a race, each jockey shall return to the place of weighing, in public view or adjacent to the winners circle, and there dismount, but not before permission to do so has been asked and obtained of t…

h 119. PDF: Except in stakes and handicap races when permission may be granted by the stewards, no mounted attendant, except a licensed outrider, shall be permitted to lead a horse to the place of dismounting after such horse has been pulled up by the jockey at the end of a race.…

No person shall assist the jockey in taking their equipment off their horse except by permission of the stewards. Last updated July 14, 2025 at 8:07 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 7/3/2030 Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966, 1/1/1985

h 119. PDF: No person shall throw any covering over any horse at the place of dismounting until its equipment shall have been removed. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:42 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: No jockey shall touch any person or thing before weighing in under penalty of fine and or suspension. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:43 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

If a jockey who is not excused does not weigh in, they may be fined and/or suspended. Last updated July 14, 2025 at 8:07 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 7/3/2030 Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966, 1/1/1985

(A) The jockey shall be weighed out fully dressed in their riding cloth of cap, jacket, breeches, and boots. Their weight shall include saddle with attachments including under-girth, stirrups, webbing, and weight pad, if weight pad is needed. The weight shall not include safety h…

h 119. PDF: No horse shall be disqualified for bringing in overweight. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:43 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective Dates: 3/15/1966

h 119. PDF: When a horse is disqualified, the other horse or horses in the same race coupled with it as an entry, in the discretion of the stewards, may be disqualified. Last updated August 13, 2025 at 9:43 AM Authorized By: – Amplifies: – Five Year Review Date: Prior Effective D…

If any jockey is guilty of violating rules with respect to weight or weighing, or if they fail to bring in their weight out, they may be fined and/or suspended. Last updated July 14, 2025 at 8:08 AM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Date: 7/3/2030 Prior E…

(A) Although the use of a riding crop is not required, a jockey who uses a riding crop during a race shall do so only in a manner consistent with exerting their best efforts to win.(B) In any race in which a jockey will ride without a riding crop, an announcement of that fact sha…

(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 the Revised Co…

(A) No permit holder shall allow any horse to start in a race unless the owner(s), or lessee(s) are licensed or the owner has been issued a reciprocal validation for a current and properly issued owner's license from another state or other racing jurisdiction which has reciprocit…

(A) A corporation must supply to the commission a copy of its articles of incorporation, a certified roster of corporate officers and directors, one of whom must be designated as the chief executive officer, and a certified roster of shareholders including the number of shares an…

Any owner or trainer may engage an authorized agent or agents who may handle all business between the permit holder and the agent's principal. No authorized agent shall be licensed by the commission except upon receipt of written notice of their engagement as an agent by an owner…

(A) Each owner shall be entitled to register a set of racing colors without fee other than that which covers the owner's license. Such colors shall not be claimed or used by others except after three years withdrawal from the turf. In thoroughbred racing, no horse shall be allowe…

When two horses, the property of one owner, are run in a race, caps matching the post-position of each respective horse shall be provided for the jockeys of the horses of the entry. Last updated June 8, 2026 at 9:25 PM Authorized By: 3769.03 Amplifies: 3769.03 Five Year Review Da…

Any person who shall entice away or attempt to entice away any employee from honoring any written agreement with another licensee may be fined and/or suspended or penalized under the provisions of the penalties provided by rule 3769-7-99 of the Administrative Code. Last updated M…

When an owner or trainer shall discharge a jockey, groom, or attendant, such owner or trainer shall, upon demand in writing, give such jockey, groom, or attendant a written statement setting forth the cause and reason for the discharge and shall pay them to date for service rende…

When a trainer is to be absent from their stable or the grounds where their horses are racing at a time when a horse under their care is scheduled to race, or for a period of more than two racing days, they must provide a licensed trainer or assistant trainer to assume the joint …