Conn. Agencies Regs. § 12-574-B40 - Racing and track rules
(a)
Driving
procedures. Although a leading horse is entitled to any part of the
track except after selecting his position in the home stretch, neither the
driver of the first horse nor any other driver in the race shall:
(1) Change either to the right or left during
any part of the race when another horse is so near him that in altering his
position he compels the horse behind him to shorten his stride, or causes the
driver of such other horse to pull him out of his stride.
(2) Jostle, strike, hook wheels, or interfere
with another horse or driver.
(3)
Cross sharply in front of a horse or cross over in front of a field of horses
in a reckless manner, endangering other drivers.
(4) Swerve in and out or pull up
quickly.
(5) Crowd a horse or
driver by "putting a wheel under him".
(6) "Carry a horse out" or "sit down in front
of him", take up abruptly in front of other horses so as to cause confusion or
interference among the trailing horses, or do any other act which constitutes
what is popularly known as helping.
(7) Let a horse pass inside
needlessly.
(8) Commit any act
which shall impede the progress of another horse or cause him to
"break".
(9) Change course after
selecting a position in the home stretch and swerve in or out, or bear in or
out, in such manner as to interfere with another horse or cause him to change
course or take back.
(10) Drive in
a careless or reckless manner.
(11)
Fail to set or maintain a pace comparable to the class in which they are
racing. Failure to do so by going an excessively slow quarter or any other
distance that changes the normal pattern, overall timing, or general outcome of
the race will be considered a violation of this rule and the judges may impose
a penalty which can be a fine, suspension, or both.
(12) Laying off a normal pace and leaving a
hole when it is well within the horse's capacity to keep the hole
closed.
(b)
Complaints by drivers, judges stand. All complaints by drivers of
any foul driving or other misconduct during the heat shall be made at the
termination of the heat, unless the driver is prevented from doing so by
accident or injury. At the conclusion of each heat or dash, every driver shall
return to a point designated by the presiding judge to be dismissed by the
judges. Any driver desiring to enter a claim of foul or another complaint of
violation of the rules must indicate to a judge his desire to enter such a
claim or complaint and forthwith upon dismounting shall proceed to the
telephone or judges stand where and when such complaint shall be immediately
considered. In cases of injury to either horse or driver or broken equipment,
the driver may approach the nearest official on foot and indicate his desire to
enter a claim of foul. Otherwise he must make the claim before dismounting. The
judges shall not cause the official sign to be displayed until such complaint
shall have been entered and considered. After being dismissed by the judge, all
drivers must return to the paddock and remain there until the race is made
official.
(c)
Violations
involving entries, complaints, penalties. If any of the above violations
are committed by a person driving a horse coupled as an entry in the betting,
the judges may set both horses back, if, in their opinion, the violation may
have affected the finish of the race. Otherwise, penalties may be applied
individually to the drivers of any entry.
(d)
Placing offending horse. In
case of interference, collision, or violation of any of the rules, the
offending horse may be placed behind all the unoffending horses in that heat or
dash, and in the event such collision or interference prevents any horse from
finishing the heat or dash, the offending horse may be disqualified from
receiving any winnings and the driver may be penalized.
(e)
Fraudulent or unsatisfactory
driving.
(1) Every heat in a race must
be contested by every horse in the race and every horse must be driven to the
finish.
(2) If the judges find that
a horse is being driven, or has been driven, with design to prevent his winning
a heat or dash or is being raced in an inconsistent manner, in order to
perpetuate or aid a fraud, it shall be considered a violation, and the driver
and anyone in consort with him may immediately be placed on suspension and a
report shall be made to the commission.
(3) In the event a drive is unsatisfactory
due to lack of effort, or carelessness and the judges believe that there is no
fraud, or gross carelessness or a deliberate inconsistent drive, they may
impose a penalty or a suspension not to exceed 10 days and/or a fine. However,
if after further review they do suspect a violation of rule (e) (2) of this
section, they shall immediately report the matter to the commission.
(f)
Failure to
finish. If for any cause other than being interfered with, broken
equipment or unavoidable accident, a horse fails to finish after starting a
heat or dash, that horse shall be ruled out.
(g)
Whips. Drivers will be
allowed whips not to exceed 4 feet, 8 inches, plus a snapper not longer than 8
inches.
(h)
Use of goading
devices, etc. The possession or use of a goading device, chain or
mechanical devices or appliances, other than the ordinary whip or crop upon any
horse in a race shall constitute a violation of this rule. The brutal use of a
whip or crop, kicking a horse with a foot, striking a horse with a whip under
the seat of the sulky or indiscriminate use of a whip or crop shall be
considered a violation.
(i)
Hopples. No horse shall wear hopples in a race unless he starts in
the hopples in the first heat or dash and having so started he shall continue
to wear them to the finish of the race. Any person found guilty of removing or
altering a horse's hopples during a race, or between races, for the purpose of
fraud, shall be penalized. Any horse that habitually wears hopples shall not be
permitted to start in a race without them except by the permission of the
judges. Any horse habitually racing free legged shall not be permitted to wear
hopples in a race except with the permission of the judges. Removing, altering
or adding hopples without permission of the judges shall be considered a
violation.
(j)
Head
poles. No horse shall be permitted to wear a head pole protruding more
than ten (10) inches beyond his nose.
(k)
Breaking.
(1) When any horse or horses break from their
gait in trotting or pacing, their drivers shall at once, where clearance
exists, take such horse to the outside and pull it to its gait.
(2) The following shall be considered
violations of rule (k) of this section:
(A)
Failure to properly attempt to pull the horse to its gait.
(B) Failure to take to the outside where
clearance exists.
(C) Failure to
lose ground by the break.
(3) If there has been no failure on the part
of the driver in complying with rule (k) (2) (A), (B), and (C) of this section,
the horse shall not be set back unless a contending horse on his gait is lapped
on the hindquarter of the breaking horse at the finish.
(4) The judges may set any horse back one or
more places if in their judgment any of the above violations have been
committed, and the driver may be penalized.
(l)
Fraudulent breaking. If a
driver causes or allows his horse to break for the purpose of fraudulently
losing a heat or clash, he shall be penalized.
(m)
Calling and noting breaks.
To assist in determining the matters contained in rules (k) and (l) of this
section, it shall be the duty of one of the judges to call out every break made
and the clerk of the course shall at once note the break and character of it in
writing.
(n)
Time between
heats and dashes. The time between heats or dashes for any distance up
to and including a mile shall be not less than twenty-five minutes; for any
distance between one and two miles, thirty minutes.
(o)
Right of the track. Horses
called for a race shall have the exclusive right of the track and all other
horses shall vacate the track at once, unless permitted to remain by the
judges.
(p)
Accidents.
In the case of accidents, only so much time shall be allowed before continuing
as the judges may deem necessary and proper.
(q)
Denerved horses. Horses that
have been nerved, blocked with alcohol or any other drug that desensitizes the
nerves will not be permitted to race.
(r)
Spayed mare. The fact that a
mare has been spayed must be noted on the registration certificate, the
eligibility certificate and any program when such mare races. It shall be the
owner's responsibility to report the fact that the mare has been spayed to the
United States trotting association and return its paper for correction. A list
of spayed mares shall be posted by the racing secretary on the bulletin board
in the entry room.
Notes
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