Pennsylvania Administrative Code

§ 305.243. Ineligible horses. (a) A horse is ineligible to start in a race within this Commonwealth if: (1) It is not stabled on the grounds of the licensed racing entity or present by the time established by the Commission; (2) Its breed registration certificate is not on file w…

WEIGHTS, PENALTIES AND ALLOWANCES § 305.251. Weight allowances. (a) Weight allowance must be claimed at time of entry and shall not be waived after the posting of entries, except by consent of the Stewards. (b) A horse shall start with only the allowance of weight to which it is …

§ 305.252. Weight penalties. (a) Weight penalties are obligatory. (b) Weight allowance, including apprentice allowance, shall be claimed at time of overnight entry. (c) Horses incurring weight penalties for a race shall not be entitled to any weight allowance for that race. (d) N…

§ 305.253. Scale of weights. (a) With the exception of apprentice allowances, handicap races, 3-year-old horses entered to run in races against horses 4 years old and upwards, and the allowance provided in subsection (b) of this section, no jockey shall be assigned a weight of le…

§ 305.254. Timed workouts. In addition to the provisions of § 305.243 (relating to ineligible horses), a horse which has not started for a period of 45 days or more is ineligible to race until it has completed a timed workout satisfactory to the Stewards. A workout following the …

§ 305.255. Identification. (a) The trainer or exercise rider shall bring each horse scheduled for an official workout to be identified by the clocker or clocker’s assistant immediately prior to the workout. (b) The horse shall be properly identified by its lip tattoo, unique impl…

§ 305.256. Information dissemination. Information regarding a horse’s approved timed workout(s) shall be furnished to the public prior to the start of the race for which the horse has been entered.

§ 305.257. Restrictions. A horse shall not be taken onto the track for training or a workout except during hours designated by the licensed racing entity.

RUNNING OF THE RACE § 305.271. Racing equipment. (a) All riding crops are subject to inspection and approval by the Stewards and the clerk of scales. (1) Riding crops shall have a shaft and a flap and will be allowed in flat racing including training, only as follows: (i) Maximum…

§ 305.272. Racing numbers. (a) Each horse shall carry a conspicuous saddle cloth number corresponding to the official number given that horse on the official program. (b) In the case of a coupled entry that includes more than one horse, each horse in the entry shall carry the sam…

§ 305.273. Jockey and apprentice license. (a) A jockey or an apprentice jockey who wants to obtain an appropriate license from the Commission shall meet all the licensing and eligibility requirements set forth in Chapter 303 (relating to licensing, duties and responsibilities of …

§ 305.274. Examination of jockeys by licensed physicians. Before the beginning of a racing season, a jockey shall pass a physical examination given within the previous 12 months by a licensed physician affirming fitness to participate as a jockey. The Stewards may require that a …

§ 305.275. Requirements for apprentice jockeys. (a) A person 18 years of age or older who has never been licensed as a jockey in any country may apply to become an apprentice jockey. An applicant with an approved apprentice certificate may be licensed as an apprentice jockey. (b)…

§ 305.276. Apprentice jockey weight allowances in overnight races. A certified apprentice jockey may claim the weight allowances set forth in Chapter 303 (relating to licensing, duties and responsibilities of Thoroughbred occupational licensees—temporary regulations) in all overn…

§ 305.277. Applications for extensions. If an apprentice jockey is unable to ride for a period of 5 consecutive days or more after the date of the apprentice jockey’s fifth winning mount because of restriction of racing, service in National armed forces, physical disablement or i…

§ 305.278. Jockey agents. (a) A jockey may have only one agent. A jockey agent may only handle up to two jockeys and may not make or assist in making of an engagement for a jockey other than those jockeys represented by the agent. (b) A jockey agent is prohibited from: (1) Being …

§ 305.279. Valet-attendants. A jockey may not have a valet-attendant other than one provided by the licensed racing entity.

§ 305.280. Jockey mount fees. (a) In the absence of a contract or other agreement between jockey representatives, the Commission shall use the following as a guideline for establishing jockey mount fees. Purse Winning mount Second mount Third mount Fourth mount Other mounts 0 to …

§ 305.281. Jockey suspensions and designated races. (a) For purposes of this subchapter, ‘‘designated race’’ shall mean any stakes race or associated trial in any state as designated by the Stewards. (b) A jockey suspended for 10 days or less for a riding violation unless otherwi…

§ 305.282. Jockey requirements. (a) Jockeys shall report to the jockeys’ quarters at the time designated by the licensed racing entity. Jockeys shall report their engagements and any overweight to the clerk of scales. Jockeys shall not leave the jockeys’ quarters, except to ride …

§ 305.283. Weighing out. (a) A jockey’s weight shall include his/her clothing, boots, saddle and its attachments and any other equipment except the bridle, bit, blinkers, goggles, number cloth and safety equipment including helmet, vest, over-girth, reins and breast collar. (b) U…

§ 305.284. Paddock to post. (a) Each horse shall carry the full weight assigned for that race from the paddock to the starting post, and shall parade past the Stewards’ stand, unless excused by the Stewards. The post parade shall not exceed 12 minutes, unless otherwise ordered by…

§ 305.285. Post to finish. (a) In addition to the duties and responsibilities of the starter as set forth in this chapter, the starter is responsible for ensuring that each participant in every race receives a fair and appropriate start. If the Stewards suspect a false start has …

§ 305.286. Interference, jostling or striking. (a) A jockey shall not carelessly or intentionally permit the horse the jockey is riding to interfere with, impede or intimidate any other horse in the race. (b) No jockey shall carelessly or intentionally jostle, strike or touch ano…

§ 305.287. Maintaining a straight course. (a) During the running of the race, when the way is clear, a horse may be ridden or taken to any part of the course, but a horse may not cross, weave, or swerve in front of another horse, or otherwise be ridden to either side, so as to in…

§ 305.288. Disqualification. (a) If the Stewards determine that a horse shall be disqualified for interference, the Stewards may place the offending horse behind these horses as in their judgment it interfered with, or they may place the offending horse last. (b) If a horse is di…

§ 305.289. Multiple disqualifications. Should the Stewards determine that there is more than one incident of interference in a race where disqualification is warranted, the Stewards shall deal with the incidents in the order in which the incident occurs during the race from start…

§ 305.290. Horses shall be ridden out. (a) All horses shall be ridden out in every race. A jockey shall not ease up or coast to the finish, without reasonable cause, even if the horse has no apparent chance to win prize money. A jockey shall at all times give a best effort during…

§ 305.291. Use of a riding crop. (a) Although the use of a riding crop is not required, any jockey who uses a riding crop during a race shall do so only in a manner consistent with exerting his/her best efforts to win. In all races where a jockey will ride without a riding crop, …

§ 305.292. Review by Stewards. In the event there is a review by the Stewards, use of the riding crop may be deemed appropriate in the following circumstances: (1) To keep a horse in contention or to maintain a challenging position prior to what would be considered the closing st…

§ 305.293. Prohibition. (a) Prohibited use of the riding crop includes but is not limited to striking a horse: (1) On the head, flanks or on any other part of its body other than the shoulders or hind quarters except when necessary to control a horse; (2) During the post parade o…

§ 305.294. Horse leaving the racecourse. If a horse leaves the racecourse during a race, it must turn back and resume the race from the point at which it originally left the course.

§ 305.295. Order of finish. (a) The official order of finish shall be decided by the Stewards. The video replay shall be available to assist in the Stewards’ decision. (b) The nose of the horse shall determine the placement of the horse in relationship to other horses in the race…

§ 305.296. Returning after the finish. (a) After a race has been run, the jockey shall ride promptly to the place designated by the Stewards, dismount and report to the clerk of scales to be weighed in. Jockeys shall weigh in with all pieces of equipment with which they weighed o…

§ 305.297. Unsaddling. (a) Only persons authorized by the Stewards may assist the jockey with unsaddling the horse after the race. (b) No one shall place a covering over a horse before it is unsaddled.

§ 305.298. Weighing in. (a) A jockey shall ‘‘weigh in’’ at no less than the same weight at which the jockey weighed out, and if under that weight, and after consideration of mitigating circumstances by the Board of Stewards, the jockey’s mount may be disqualified from any portion…

§ 305.299. Dead heats. (a) When two horses run a dead heat for first place, all purses or prizes to which first and second horses would have been entitled shall be divided equally between them; and this applies in dividing all purses or prizes whatever the number of horses runnin…

§ 305.3. Conflict of interest. A racing official may not participate in the supervision, regulation or review of a race in which either the racing official or a member of the racing official’s family, or a business partner, agent, associate, employee or joint-venturer has partici…

OBJECTIONS AND PROTESTS § 305.301. Stewards’ inquiries. (a) During the running of a race, the Stewards shall take cognizance of foul riding and upon their own motion or other racing official empowered by this chapter to object or complain of an occurrence during the race, shall i…

§ 305.302. Race objections. (a) An objection to an incident alleged to have occurred during the running of a race shall be received only when lodged with the clerk of scales, the Stewards or their designees, by the owner, the authorized agent of the owner, the trainer or the jock…

§ 305.303. Prior objections and protest. (a) Objections or protests to the participation of a horse entered in any race shall be made to the Stewards in writing, signed by the objector, and filed not later than 60 minutes prior to post time for the first race on the day which the…

BOARD OF STEWARDS § 305.31. Accreditation of Stewards. (a) To qualify for appointment as a Steward, the appointee must meet the education and examination requirements necessary to be accredited by the Racing Officials Accreditation Program in association with the Universities of …

§ 305.32. Power of the 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 track management, lice…

§ 305.33. Disciplinary action. (a) The Stewards shall take notice of alleged misconduct or rule violations and may initiate investigations into the matters through the Commission’s investigative staff or matters may be referred to them for hearing. The Stewards shall have the exp…

§ 305.34. Stewards’ presence. (a) Three Stewards shall be present and on duty in the Stewards’ stand during the running of each race. During the race times, the Stewards shall remain in the stand, in the paddock or otherwise readily available to the participants at the meet. (b) …

§ 305.35. Duties of Stewards. (a) The Stewards shall investigate promptly and render a decision in every protest, objection and complaint made to them. They shall maintain a record of all protests, objections and complaints. The Stewards shall file daily with the Commission a cop…

§ 305.36. Stewards’ List. (a) The Stewards shall maintain a Stewards’ List of the horses which are ineligible to be entered in a race because of poor or inconsistent performance or behavior on the racetrack that endangers the health or safety of other participants in racing. (b) …