Title of Regulation: 11VAC10-110. Entries (amending 11VAC10-110-100, 11VAC10-110-180, 11VAC10-110-190).

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 proposed amendments (i) clarify that the responsibility of claiming weight penalties and weight allowances as well as the eligibility of a horse rests solely with the trainer and (ii) simplify the rule for how long a horse must wait before racing again after being excused by the stewards or a veterinarian.

11VAC10-110-100. Penalties and allowances.

The primary responsibility for claiming the weight penalties and weight allowances for thoroughbreds and quarter horses shall rest with the person filing the entry trainer. However, the racing secretary shall be secondarily responsible for verifying the correctness of the penalties and allowances claimed by the nominator. The following provisions shall apply to penalties and allowances:

1. Penalties are obligatory;

2. Allowances are optional as to all of the allowance or any part thereof;

3. Allowances must be claimed at the time of entry and cannot be waived after the closing of entries, except by permission of the stewards;

4. A horse shall start with only the allowance of weight to which it is entitled at the time of starting, regardless of the allowance it was entitled to at the time of entry;

5. Horses incurring penalties for a race shall not be entitled to any allowances, with the exception of age, sex or apprentice, for that race;

6. An apprentice allowance may be claimed only in overnight races and cannot be claimed in a stakes or handicap race;

7. Horses not entitled to the first allowance in a race shall not be entitled to any subsequent allowance specified in the conditions;

8. Allowances are not cumulative, unless specified in the conditions of the race;

9. Failure to claim an allowance is not cause for disqualifying the horse;

10. A claim of an allowance to which a horse is not entitled shall not disqualify the horse unless the incorrect weight is carried by the horse in the race;

11. A protest that a claim of an allowance is incorrect must be made in writing and submitted to the stewards at least one hour before post time;

12. No horse shall incur a penalty or be barred from any race for having finished second or lower in any race;

13. No horse shall be given a weight allowance for failure to finish second or lower in any race;

14. No horse shall receive an allowance for not winning in one or more races, but maiden allowances and allowances to horses that have not won a race within a specified period or a race of a specified value are permissible;

15. Penalties incurred and allowances due in jump races shall not apply to races on the flat and vice versa;

16. No horse shall incur a penalty for a placing from which it was subsequently disqualified, but a horse earning a placing through the disqualification shall incur the penalty for that placement;

17. When a race is under appeal, the horse that finished first and any other horse, which may be moved into first place, shall be liable for all penalties attached to the winner until there has been a final determination;

18. Any error discovered in the assignment of any penalty or claim of any allowance may be corrected, with the permission of the stewards, until 45 minutes prior to post time;

19. In determining eligibility, allowances and penalties, the reports, records and statistics as published in the Daily Racing Form and its monthly chart books or any similar publication shall be considered official; and

20. In all races, except handicaps and races where the conditions expressly state otherwise, two-year-old fillies are allowed three pounds and fillies and mares three years old and upward are allowed five pounds before September 1 and three pounds thereafter.

11VAC10-110-180. Scratches.

For flat racing, a horse may be withdrawn from or "scratched out" of a race after the closing of entries under the following conditions:

1. Scratches shall be made in a manner prescribed by the racing secretary;

2. Scratches are subject to the approval of the stewards;

3. A horse may be scratched from a stakes race, futurity or other special event until 45 minutes before post time for the race for any reason;

4. No horse may be scratched from an overnight race without the approval of the stewards;

5. In making a determination on whether to permit a horse to be scratched from an overnight race, the stewards may require a report from a veterinarian, who possesses a permit issued by the commission, attesting to the physical condition of the horse;

6. Scratches, once approved by the stewards, are irrevocable; and

7. Entry of any Any horse that has been scratched or excused from starting by the stewards because of a physical disability or sickness shall not be accepted permitted to race again until the horse has been removed from the Veterinarian's List by the commission veterinarian and the expiration of three racing six calendar days after following the day on which such horse was scratched or excused and the horse has been removed from the Veterinarian's List by the commission veterinarian.

11VAC10-110-190. Responsibility for eligibility.

The primary responsibility for the eligibility of a horse for a race shall rest with the person filing the entry trainer. In any event, a No person shall not enter a horse which that is ineligible under the conditions specified in the condition book or condition sheet. The racing secretary shall be secondarily responsible for verifying the eligibility of each horse as specified in the condition book or condition sheet as well as the penalties and allowances.