Washington Administrative Code

The horsemen's bookkeeper is responsible to maintain the records, moneys and funds on account, and the payment of all purses.(1) Records: The records will include the name, mailing address, Social Security number or federal tax identification number, and the state or country of r…

The mutuel manager is responsible for the following:(1) The overall operation of the parimutuel department;(2) The correctness of all pay-off prices;(3) To maintain records of all wagers;(4) To provide information regarding betting patterns to the commission, or its designee(s);(…

The official veterinarian(s) will be employed by the commission, and be a graduate veterinarian, licensed to practice veterinary medicine in a recognized jurisdiction approved by the executive secretary. An official veterinarian is exempt from Washington state licensure per RCW 1…

The horse identifier is responsible for performing the following duties:(1) Inspect the certificate of registration or each horse scheduled to compete at the race meet to ensure the proper identification;(2) Examine every starter in the receiving barn or paddock for lip tattoo, s…

The paddock judge is responsible for performing the following duties:(1) Supervise the horses in the paddock and saddling enclosure and ensure that the saddling of all horses are done by or under the direct supervision of the trainer or their assistant trainer as listed in the pr…

(1) The starter is responsible for the following duties:(a) Approve and submit a list of all horses which have never started to ensure that the horse is familiar with, and capable of, breaking from the starting gate;(b) Ensure all participants have an equal opportunity to a fair …

The security director will be employed by the association and will be responsible for maintaining the security and safety of the association's grounds. The security director will provide daily reports to the commission investigators related to any incidents or occurrences on the …

The commission investigator(s) report to the executive secretary or designee. The investigator(s) are responsible to investigate allegations of wrongdoing and violations of Title 260 WAC. The investigator(s) will present cases before the board of stewards, the commission, and per…

The commission auditor is responsible for the following duties:(1) Reviewing annually the financial statements of the racing association.(2) Verifying the monetary commissions due to each entity as required by law, rule or agreement.(3) Verifying Washington-bred eligibility and t…

The clerk of scales is responsible for the following duties:(1) Verifying the presence of all jockeys in the jockey's room at the time required by rule;(2) Verifying all jockeys are properly licensed;(3) Verifying the correct weight of each jockey at the time of weighting out and…

The jockey room supervisor is responsible for the following duties:(1) Supervising the conduct of the jockeys and their attendants while they are in the jockeys' room;(2) Keeping the jockeys' room clean and safe for all participants;(3) Ensuring all jockeys are in the correct col…

The film analyst, when utilized, is responsible for the following duties:(1) Keeping a daily video list as directed by the stewards and have it displayed in plain view for all jockeys;(2) Reviewing with all apprentice jockeys the video record of all their rides;(3) Reviewing with…

(1) The clocker is responsible for the following duties:(a) Be present during training hours at each association to record the time and distance of each horse's official workout. (A clocker is not required to be present for any other workouts);(b) Prepare a daily record of all of…

The race timer is responsible for the following duties:(1) Recording accurately the time elapsed between the start and finish of each race. The time will be recorded from the instant the race begins until the first horse reaches the finish line. (As a backup to the electronic tim…

The paddock plater is responsible for the following duties:(1) Be available during race hours to perform emergency shoeing repairs on horses in the receiving barn, paddock, or during post parade;(2) When directed by the board of stewards, inspect the height of toe grabs, or type …

The mutuel inspector is responsible to oversee the parimutuel wagering activity during the race meet. This will include, but is not limited to, testing of the totalisator system, reviewing unusual wagering patterns, providing information to the board of stewards, assisting the co…

The outrider(s) is responsible for the following duties:(1) During training hours:(a) Maintaining safety on the racetrack;(b) Ensuring all persons on horseback ride in a safe and prudent manner;(c) Ensuring all persons on horseback have the proper safety equipment;(d) Promptly re…

The commission may create additional racing official positions. Persons selected to these positions will be considered racing officials and subject to the same eligibility requirements outlined in this chapter. Persons selected will be responsible to perform duties assigned to th…

An authorized agent is a person appointed by an owner or by a stable to act as their agent. Before an authorized agent can act on behalf of the owner or the stable, the agent must be licensed by the commission as an authorized agent. All licensed authorized agents must also file …

Licensed owners and lessees may adopt a stable name subject to the approval of the stewards.(1) Four or more owners are required to race under a stable name.(2) The applicant must identify all persons using the stable name. Changes must be reported immediately to the commission.(…

(1) A licensee may not willfully fail or refuse to pay money due for services, supplies, or fees connected with his or her operations as a licensee. A licensee may not falsely deny such an amount due or the validity of a complaint on such an amount due for the purpose of hinderin…

Partnerships which result in a dispute over financial obligations, ownership, or other issues may be addressed by the board of stewards under the following conditions:(1) An agreement, signed and notarized by each partner, is on file with the commission indicating ownership perce…

(1) Racing colors must be registered, and authority for their use approved by a steward. Approval will be made annually when the owner's license is approved.(2) Colors registered with any racing commission or with the Jockey Club will be honored in Washington and only the registr…

(1) When a horse is claimed, any nominations previously made to a stake or any breed association sponsored race for the horse will remain valid.(2) Nominations, entries or rights of entry remain valid when a horse is sold or claimed, except when the horse is transferred to a pers…

Before a horse may start, all persons with an ownership interest in the horse must be disclosed to the commission and racing secretary.(1) A trainer's entitlement to a percentage of a horse's winnings is not considered an ownership interest.(2) If ownership changes during the rac…

(1) If the legal owner of any horse is a corporation, company, or other organization, each shareholder or member must be licensed.(2) Each corporation, company, or other organization must disclose to the commission all shareholders or members of the organization.(3) Corporations,…

A horse may be raced under a lease if a completed breed registry or other notarized lease form is attached to the certificate of registration and on file with the commission. The lessee must be licensed as the horse owner. If the legal owner of the horse is ineligible for licensi…

(1) If an owner changes trainers, he/she must notify the racing commission within seventy-two hours. This form must be signed by the new trainer acknowledging that he/she accepts responsibility for the horse or horses, and by the previous trainer to release any obligations in con…

An owner or trainer may not employ a jockey for the purpose of preventing the jockey from riding in any race.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 07-07-007, § 260-28-110, filed 3/8/07, effective 4/8/07; Rules of racing, § 179, filed 4/21/61.]

An owner or trainer may not accept, directly or indirectly, any bribe, gift or gratuity in any form which might influence the result of any race, or which was intended to influence the result of any race.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 07-07-007, § 260-28-1…

Owners and trainers will only employ veterinarians who are properly licensed by the Washington state department of health and the commission. Racing associations will use all reasonable efforts to prevent unlicensed veterinarians from practicing on their grounds.[Statutory Author…

(1) A trainer must have his or her horse in the receiving barn or paddock at the time appointed.(2) A trainer, their assistant trainer, or substitute trainer, must attend his or her horse in the paddock, and must be present to conduct, or directly supervise, the saddling of the h…

If a trainer will be absent from the track where his or her horses are participating in races, the trainer must first obtain a licensed trainer to substitute for him or her during the trainer's absence. The substitute trainer must be approved by a steward prior to the original tr…

Each trainer must register with the racing secretary all the horses in his or her charge, giving the name, age, sex, breeding and ownership of each horse.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 07-07-007, § 260-28-220, filed 3/8/07, effective 4/8/07; Rules of racin…

A trainer may not have in his or her charge or under his or her supervision any horse owned, in whole or in part, by a disqualified person.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 07-07-007, § 260-28-240, filed 3/8/07, effective 4/8/07; Rules of racing, § 287, filed…

A trainer must immediately report any sickness or illness of any of his or her horses to an official veterinarian.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 07-07-007, § 260-28-280, filed 3/8/07, effective 4/8/07; Rules of racing, § 291, filed 4/21/61.]

When participating as a licensed trainer at a race meet, the trainer is responsible for training all horses participating at the race meet that are owned wholly or in part by the trainer. The board of stewards has discretion to permit an exception to this rule only where the trai…

The purpose of this section is to identify the minimum responsibilities of the trainer that pertain specifically to the health and well-being of horses in his/her care.(1) The trainer is responsible for and is the absolute insurer of the condition of the horses entered regardless…

In order to obtain a jockey license a person must meet the following minimum requirements:(1) Be at least sixteen years of age; and(2) Be engaged by a trainer to ride in a race.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020. WSR 11-03-049, § 260-32-010, filed 1/14/11, effective 2/14/11. Sta…

(1) A jockey shall not be a trainer of any horse competing at the race meet where the jockey is riding.(2) A jockey may be an owner of a horse(s) competing at the race meet where the jockey is riding under the following conditions:(a) A jockey may not enter more than one horse in…

Jockeys are required to present themselves to be weighed out as directed by the clerk of the scales.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 06-07-065, § 260-32-070, filed 3/10/06, effective 4/10/06. Rules of racing, § 146, filed 4/21/61.]

All jockeys shall faithfully fulfill all engagements in respect to racing, unless excused by the board of stewards or a physician.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 06-07-065, § 260-32-080, filed 3/10/06, effective 4/10/06. Rules of racing, § 147, filed 4/21/6…

In riding a race a jockey must be neat in appearance. All riders must be dressed in clean jockey attire, caps, and jackets of silk or waterproof material, white jockey's pants and jockey boots. During off-track conditions protective rain pants may be of a different color.[Statuto…

(1) It shall be mandatory that jockeys wear a protective helmet and safety vest in compliance with WAC 260-12-180.(2) The weight of the protective helmet shall not be included in the jockey's weight.(3) The safety vest shall weigh no more than two pounds and shall not be included…

The use of spurs or steels is prohibited.[Rules of racing, § 152, filed 4/21/61.]

A jockey must wear the colors of the owner or owners of the horse he/she is riding (except by special permission of the stewards), and a number on the saddle cloth corresponding to the number of the horse in the official program.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. …

A jockey may be required to wear a number on his/her right arm. The number on the jockey's arm and the saddle cloth number shall correspond to the number of the horse in the official program.[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. WSR 06-07-065, § 260-32-140, filed 3/1…

Every jockey who is engaged in a race shall report to the scale room on the day of the race at the time required by the officials. He/she shall then report his/her engagements and overweight, if any, to the clerk of scales, and thereafter, except with the permission of the stewar…

During the conduct of a meeting, if the board of stewards has reasonable concerns that a jockey may be unfit to ride due to physical ailment, the board of stewards may require that any jockey be examined by a physician and may refuse to allow said jockey to ride until he/she pres…

(1) A jockey shall only be allowed to wager on a race in which the jockey is riding, and then only if:(a) The owner or trainer of the horse, which the jockey is riding, makes the wager for the jockey;(b) The jockey only wagers on his/her mount to win or finish first in combinatio…