58 Pa. Code Ch. 163 — Rules of Racing

§ 163.259. Starting in claiming races. In claiming races not more than two horses in the same interest or under control of the same trainer can start. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 163.251 (relating to general provisions).

§ 163.260. Foal certificate. The foal certificate of a claimed horse shall remain in the custody of the racing secretary or his representative until the new owner removes the horse from the track. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 163.251 (relating to general p…

§ 163.261. Filing of claims. A claim shall be deposited in the claiming box at least 10 minutes before the time fixed for the race to begin. An official of the association may not give information as to the filing of claims therein until after the race has been run. A claim shall…

§ 163.262. Delivery of claimed horse. (a) A horse claimed may not be delivered by the original owner to the successful claimant until authorization is given by the stewards, and every horse claimed shall run in the interest and for the account of the owner who entered it in the r…

§ 163.263. Interference with claiming races. A person may not offer, or enter into an agreement, to claim or not to claim, or attempt to prevent another person from claiming, a horse in a claiming race; nor may a person attempt, by intimidation, to prevent anyone from running a h…

§ 163.264. Mortgages or liens against a horse. The conditions of a mortgage or lien against a horse shall be approved by the stewards and filed with the horsemen’s accountant before a horse is entered. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 163.251 (relating to gene…

§ 163.266. Cancellation of claiming race results. If the stewards, within 24 hours after the running of a race, believe that the lease, sale or entry of a horse was not made in good faith but was made for the purpose of obtaining the privilege of entering a claim, they may disall…

§ 163.267. Responsibility for horse after claiming race. A trainer whose horse has been claimed or whose owner has claimed a horse shall be responsible for the horse until after collection of a required saliva, urine or blood specimen. Source The provisions of this § 163.267 amen…

§ 163.268. Inclusion of engagements with outcome of claiming race. When a horse is claimed out of a claiming race, the engagements of the horses are included. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 163.251 (relating to general provisions).

§ 163.270. Who may claim. (a) If an owner ships away only part of his horses, the stewards shall be free to decide whether or not a part was left behind merely to circumvent the claiming rule. If the stewards decide an attempt was made at circumvention of this section, the claim …

§ 163.271. Claimant of horse in dispute. During the pendency of a review or appeal of a claim, the claimant of a horse in dispute shall be deemed entitled to enter, run or otherwise handle a horse, subject to an order of disposition decreed by the Commission upon application and …

§ 163.272. Claiming by spouses. A person may not claim from his spouse a horse owned wholly or in part by that spouse. Source The provisions of this § 163.272 adopted September 18, 1981, effective September 19, 1981, 11 Pa.B. 3221.

OBJECTIONS OR PROTESTS § 163.281. Objections or protests. (a) A protest, except a protest involving fraud may be filed only by the owner, or his authorized agent, trainer or jockey of a horse engaged in the race over which the protest is made or by a racing official of the meetin…

SAFETY § 163.291. Safety. (a) Racing associations shall take every reasonable precaution to make their premises safe for the protection of the persons and property of patrons and licensees. (b) A person, while exercising a horse, shall wear a safety helmet of a type approved by t…

§ 163.3. Disturbing the peace. A person may not disturb the peace or make himself obnoxious on the grounds of an association.

ILLEGAL PRACTICES § 163.301. Whips. An electrical or mechanical or other appliance other than the ordinary whip, not in excess of 30 inches in length, may not be applied to a horse in a race or workout. A person violating this section shall be ruled off. Cross References This sec…

§ 163.302. Foreign drugs, medications or substances. (a) Policy. The purpose of this section and § § 163.303—163.318 is to protect the integrity of horse racing, to guard the health of the horse and to safeguard the interests of the public and the racing participants through the …

§ 163.303. Prohibition; prima facie evidence; disqualification. (a) A horse participating in a race may not carry in its body a substance except as provided in § 163.304 (relating to substances of therapeutic value). (b) A finding by the chemist that a foreign substance is presen…

§ 163.304. Substances of therapeutic value. A foreign substance of accepted therapeutic value may be administered as prescribed by a veterinarian when test levels and guidelines for its use have been established by the Veterinary-Chemist Advisory Committee of the National Associa…

§ 163.305. Bleeder list. (a) In order to obtain approval for the administration of furosemide, the bleeder horse shall be placed on the bleeder list. (b) Only the following horses shall be placed on the bleeder list: (1) A horse, which during the race or within the first hour imm…

§ 163.306. Racing soundness examination. (a) A horse entered to race shall be available for a veterinary examination for racing soundness and health on race day. Horses entered to start in races one through five are required to be present 1 1/2 hours prior to the published post t…

§ 163.307. Examination by veterinarian. (a) An owner or his authorized agent or trainer of a horse entered to race on a race track licensed by the Commission shall immediately when requested by the Commission or its agents, submit a horse, of which he is the owner or authorized a…

§ 163.308. Official laboratory. (a) The Commission will have authority to direct the official laboratory to retain and preserve by freezing samples for future analysis. (b) The fact that purse money has been distributed prior to the issuance of a laboratory report may not be cons…

§ 163.309. Responsibilities to guard against administration of drugs. The owner, trainer, groom or other person who is charged with the responsibility of the horse shall protect the horse against the administration or attempted administration, either internally or externally, of …

RACING ASSOCIATIONS § 163.31. Maintenance of grounds and facilities. (a) An association shall maintain its grounds and facilities to be clean and in good repair, with special consideration for the comfort and safety of patrons, employes and other persons whose business requires t…

§ 163.310. Persons found guilty of administration of drugs. A person found guilty by the Commission of participation in or knowledge of the fact that a narcotic, stimulant or drug has been administered to a horse shall be ruled off of all tracks in this Commonwealth. If a person …

§ 163.311. Suspension of horses. Horses suspended under this section, in which the person suspended or ruled off holds an interest, aside from the trainer’s percentage, in order to be eligible for reinstatement shall be sold, the sale subject to the approval of the stewards at th…

§ 163.312. Possession of illegal drug devices. The stewards or the Commission, or both, or their designees, shall have the right to enter buildings, stables, rooms or other places within the grounds of an association, and to examine them and to inspect and examine the personal pr…

§ 163.313. Urine samples. A urine sample of the winner of each race and of a horse running an unusual or abnormal race and of any other horse as the stewards or the Commission may direct shall be taken. In the event of difficulty in taking or securing a sample: (1) A veterinarian…

§ 163.314. Horses with desensitized nerves. A horse that has been nerved, blocked with alcohol or other medical drug that desensitizes the nerves above the ankle is not be permitted to race. Cross References This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 163.302 (relating to foreign drugs, …

§ 163.315. Test reports. Urine or blood test reports prepared by the official chemist of the Commission shall be deemed prima facie correct and all steps undertaken in the collection, preservation, handling and testing thereof shall be presumed correct in the absence of affirmati…

§ 163.316. Repeated offenses by owners and trainers. An owner or trainer who once having been suspended for a violation of this chapter, or of the same or similar rule in another racing jurisdiction, and who is thereafter found guilty of a further violation by this Commission, or…

§ 163.317. Mistreatment of horses. A licensee or other person under the jurisdiction of the Commission may not alone or in concert with another person permit an animal under his control to be subjected to a form of cruelty, mistreatment, neglect or abuse or abandon, or to injure,…

§ 163.318. Split samples. (a) The test sample of the winner of each race and of horses finishing in the money in a race for which there is exotic wagering shall be taken, and a test sample shall be taken from other horses as the Commission or stewards may direct. If there is a pr…

§ 163.32. Ambulances. An association shall provide and maintain at least one man-ambulance and at least one horse-ambulance during times horses are permitted to exercise or race. The ambulance shall be equipped, manned, ready for immediate duty and be located at an entrance to th…

§ 163.33. First-aid facilities. An association shall equip and maintain adequate first-aid facilities with not less than two beds and attendance of a competent physician and registered nurse during race hours.

RACING OFFICIALS—THE STEWARDS § 163.331. Race meetings. At race meetings licensed by the Commission, racing officials shall be subject to approval by the Commission at all times during the meetings. The officials shall enforce this chapter and shall render regular written reports…

§ 163.332. Definition. The term ‘‘racing official’’ as used in this chapter at a race meeting shall include: three stewards, the prescribed number of placing judges and patrol judges, the clerk of scales, a horse identifier, a starter, a paddock judge, a racing secretary, an assi…

§ 163.333. Appointment of officials. One of the stewards and two veterinarians shall be appointed by the Commission and shall represent the Commission. The steward so appointed shall serve as the chief steward at each race meeting. Other racing officials listed in § 163.332 (rela…

§ 163.334. Conflict of interest. A racing official may not participate in the supervision, regulation or review of a race in which either he and a member of his family, or a business partner, agent, associate, employe or joint or co-venturer has participated or in which any of th…

§ 163.335. Wagering forbidden. A racing official may not wager or have a form of interest in a wager of money or other value on the result of a race at the meeting.

§ 163.336. Gratuities, rewards, favors and interests. (a) A person may not offer to and no racing official may accept, directly or indirectly, a gratuity, reward or favor in connection with racing at the meeting. (b) A racing official may not, directly or indirectly, for a commis…

§ 163.337. Reporting of violations. A racing official shall forthwith report to the stewards possible evidence of violations of this chapter.

§ 163.338. Application for position of steward. Before a person may be approved as a steward, the person shall have had the following experience: (1) Five years experience as a licensee of an authorized racing commission of the United States or Canada. (2) The applicant shall hav…

§ 163.339. Optical examination required. Before being approved by the Commission, stewards, placing judges, patrol judges, timers, starters and clerks of the scales shall be examined by a certified optometrist or ophthalmologist and secure a certificate that they have passed the …

§ 163.34. Communication system. An association shall install and maintain in good service a communication system between the stewards’ stand and pari-mutuel department, starting gate and clerk of the scales.

§ 163.340. Power of stewards. (a) In matters pertaining to racing, the orders of the stewards shall supersede the orders of the officers and directors of the association. The stewards shall have the power and duty to regulate and supervise the conduct of racing officials and of o…

§ 163.341. Duties of stewards. (a) The three stewards shall be on duty during race time, which means from 1 hour before post time for the first race of the day until the time the result of the last race of the day has been made official. (b) At least one of the stewards, or his d…

§ 163.342. Report and investigation of protests and complaints. (a) A horse whose starting is obligatory is expected to run the course. The stewards may order the withdrawal of a horse up to the actual start of a race to protect the public interest. (b) The stewards shall investi…

§ 163.35. Telephone and telegraph. (a) A telephone, telegraph, teletype, semaphore, signal device, radio, television or other method of electrical, mechanical, manual or visual communication may not be installed or employed within the enclosure of a licensee, until approved by th…