(a) The Virgin Islands Horse Racing Commission, after due notice and public hearings, shall adopt, amend, and repeal regulations for horse racing. The adopted regulations as well as the anti-doping policy established by the Virgin Islands Horse Racing Commission apply to both St. Croix and the St. Thomas-St. John districts. The Virgin Islands Horse Racing Commission shall:(1) prescribe the regulations and conditions by which the holding of horse races are governed;(2) prescribe the qualifications of persons who engage in any horse racing activity;(3) provide for the classification and registration of racehorses in the Virgin Islands as a condition precedent to eligibility for participation in horse races;(4) authorize and regulate the use of mechanical and photographic devices for the purpose, among others, of determining the development and order of finish of races;(5) provide for the licensing of trainers, jockeys, grooms and other persons directly involved in the conditioning, handling, care or riding of horses in horse races; but the joint Commissions may not license any person who has been convicted of violation of any laws relating to traffic in, possession of, or use of narcotic drugs, or of any felony involving moral turpitude;(6) prescribe and provide for the imposition of administrative fines and penalties, including suspensions and the revocation of licenses for violations of this subchapter or of any regulations promulgated under this subchapter, but the fines may not exceed $500 and such suspensions may not exceed six months, and no fine, suspension, or revocation may be imposed except after due notice and hearing, including representation by counsel, afforded the accused. Any penalty that involves a fine may be enforced in any court of the Virgin Islands. No fine may be imposed under this section for any act or omission that is a criminal offense under any other provision of this Code;(7) hold hearings in any matter concerning racing, to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses, to administer oaths and affirmations, and to examine witnesses in all matters pertaining to this subchapter; and(8) delegate to the St. Croix Racing Commission and to the St. Thomas-St. John Racing Commission the exercise or implementation of any of the foregoing powers with respect to any matters that affect horse racing only on the particular island involved and which delegation is not otherwise inconsistent with the public interest in the uniform administration and enforcement of this subchapter.(9) prepare quarterly and annual profit and loss statements on horse races under this chapter. The quarterly and annual statements must include a profit and loss statement for each horse race held in the district of St. Croix and each horse race held in the district of St. Thomas-St. John under the Commission’s authority and must be made available to the appropriate Committee of jurisdiction within the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and to the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation.
(1) prescribe the regulations and conditions by which the holding of horse races are governed;
(2) prescribe the qualifications of persons who engage in any horse racing activity;
(3) provide for the classification and registration of racehorses in the Virgin Islands as a condition precedent to eligibility for participation in horse races;
(4) authorize and regulate the use of mechanical and photographic devices for the purpose, among others, of determining the development and order of finish of races;
(5) provide for the licensing of trainers, jockeys, grooms and other persons directly involved in the conditioning, handling, care or riding of horses in horse races; but the joint Commissions may not license any person who has been convicted of violation of any laws relating to traffic in, possession of, or use of narcotic drugs, or of any felony involving moral turpitude;
(6) prescribe and provide for the imposition of administrative fines and penalties, including suspensions and the revocation of licenses for violations of this subchapter or of any regulations promulgated under this subchapter, but the fines may not exceed $500 and such suspensions may not exceed six months, and no fine, suspension, or revocation may be imposed except after due notice and hearing, including representation by counsel, afforded the accused. Any penalty that involves a fine may be enforced in any court of the Virgin Islands. No fine may be imposed under this section for any act or omission that is a criminal offense under any other provision of this Code;
(7) hold hearings in any matter concerning racing, to issue subpoenas for the attendance of witnesses, to administer oaths and affirmations, and to examine witnesses in all matters pertaining to this subchapter; and
(8) delegate to the St. Croix Racing Commission and to the St. Thomas-St. John Racing Commission the exercise or implementation of any of the foregoing powers with respect to any matters that affect horse racing only on the particular island involved and which delegation is not otherwise inconsistent with the public interest in the uniform administration and enforcement of this subchapter.
(9) prepare quarterly and annual profit and loss statements on horse races under this chapter. The quarterly and annual statements must include a profit and loss statement for each horse race held in the district of St. Croix and each horse race held in the district of St. Thomas-St. John under the Commission’s authority and must be made available to the appropriate Committee of jurisdiction within the Legislature of the Virgin Islands and to the Department of Sports, Parks and Recreation.
(b) Horse racing in the islands of St. Croix and St. Thomas and St. John is conducted under the supervision of the St. Croix Racing Commission and the St. Thomas-St. John Racing Commission, as appropriate.
(c) The St. Croix Racing Commission and the St. Thomas-St. John Racing Commission shall each appoint three stewards, two judges. One judge and two stewards appointed by each Commission shall serve for two years and the other judge and other steward shall serve for one year. Thereafter appointments are for two years, but any person appointed to fill a vacancy occurring before the expiration of a term shall serve only for the remainder of the term. The promoter shall appoint the racing secretary, the assistant racing secretary, gate handlers crew, and starters, who must be licensed by the respective commissions. An appointee may be removed by the pertinent Commission for cause. The racing secretary shall perform the necessary administrative functions and the judges and stewards shall officiate at horse races. In addition to other penalties provided for under this chapter, the judges, and stewards, by a majority vote, may suspend the license of any person for the violation of any provision of this chapter or of any regulations promulgated hereunder, for not more than three racing days but not to exceed sixty days. The officials may also institute proceedings before the pertinent Commission for the imposition of fines or for the revocation or suspension of licenses in excess of three racing days based upon charges of violations of this chapter or any pertinent rule or regulation.
(d) Each Commission shall ensure that horses participating in horse races in their respective district are examined by a licensed veterinarian before and immediately after the race or races in which they participate. A horse to which drugs have been administered or to which an electric battery or any similar device had been applied may not participate in any race during the program. The order of finish of a race may not be determined until after the post-race examination for electric batteries or any similar device. If the administration of a drug or application of an electric battery or any similar device to a horse is discovered after a race and before the order of finish is determined, the horse must be disqualified. If a drug test returns with a positive result, the prize in cash or otherwise must be returned. If the prize is not returned, the owner and trainer of the horse must be disqualified from participating in any other races until the prize is returned.
(e) No person may be designated, appointed, or employed as a judge, steward, or in any capacity having to do with the enforcement or administration of this subchapter who has any pecuniary interest, direct. or indirect, in any horses registered for participation in horse races in the Virgin Islands.