Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-140. Flat Racing (amending 11VAC10-140-40, 11VAC10-140-60).

Statutory Authority: § 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.

Effective Date: May 29, 2010.

Agency Contact: David S. Lermond, Jr., Regulatory Coordinator, Virginia Racing Commission, 10700 Horsemen's Lane, New Kent, VA 23024, telephone (804) 966-7404, FAX (804) 966-7418, or email david.lermond@vrc.virginia.gov.

Summary:

The amendments (i) clarify that the commission veterinarian or his designee is permitted to touch a horse while in the paddock and (ii) require the permission of the stewards to add or discontinue the use of equipment that restricts vision or affects performance. No changes have been made to the final text since publication of the proposed text.

11VAC10-140-40. Prohibitions.

No person other than the horse's owner, trainer, employees of the owner or trainer, paddock judge, horse identifier, assigned valet, commission veterinarian or his designee, steward, farrier, pony rider, or outrider shall touch a horse while it is in the paddock. The material used as a tongue tie shall be supplied by the horse's trainer or his designee, who shall affix the tongue tie in the paddock.

11VAC10-140-60. Changing equipment.

Permission must be obtained from the stewards for the following changes of a horse's equipment from that which the horse used in its last previous start:

1. To add blinkers or any device that would restrict vision or could affect performance to a horse's equipment or to discontinue the use of blinkers or any such device that would restrict vision or could affect performance;

2. To use or discontinue use of a bar plate;

3. To race a horse without shoes or with a type of shoes not generally used for racing; and

4. To race a horse without the jockey carrying a whip.

Changes of equipment shall be noted in the daily program. In the absence of such notation, the change of equipment shall be announced to the public and noted on the closed-circuit television system. The stewards shall cause an appropriate public announcement or a display to be made in the paddock or elsewhere at the discretion of the stewards for the aforementioned changes of equipment.