Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 35 - HORSE RACING › Part III - Personnel, Registration and Licensing › Chapter 21 - Stewards › Section III-2115 - Specific Duties and Responsibilities

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. In addition to their general powers, the
				stewards shall have certain specific duties and responsibilities, to wit.
1. They shall take cognizance of all
				misconduct or rule infractions irrespective of whether or not complained of,
				and cause investigations to be made of all instances of possible rule
				infractions. They shall take such action as they deem necessary to prevent a
				rule infraction.
2. At least one
				steward shall be on association grounds from scratch time, or if not a racing
				day, when entries are first taken, until entries are closed. At least one
				steward shall be present for the regular showing of racing films or videotapes.
				All three stewards shall be on association grounds for a continuous period
				beginning two hours before post time for the first race until conclusion of the
				last race.
3. At least one steward,
				or a designated representative of the stewards, shall be present in the paddock
				at least 20 minutes before each race and until the horses leave for the
				starting gate, to observe the conduct of all persons in and around the paddock
				and to inspect, with the paddock judge and association and/or state
				veterinarian, all horses for fitness.
4. The stewards shall inspect all
				applications for licenses to participate in racing, and administer or cause to
				be administered by technically qualified persons, standard examinations to all
				first-time applicants for a trainer's license and jockey agent's license. They
				shall make recommendations to the commission as to the qualifications of all
				applicants for licenses to participate in racing.
5. They shall review all licenses,
				registration certificates and all contracts, papers, and other documents
				pertaining to the sale or ownership of a horse, payment of purse money, jockey
				and apprentice jockey contracts, appointment of agents, adoption of racing
				colors or stable name and determine the eligibility and appropriateness thereof
				for participation in racing.
6.
				They shall require proof of eligibility of a horse or person to participate in
				a race if such is in question, and in absence of sufficient proof to establish
				eligibility, they may rule such horse or person ineligible.
7. The stewards shall review and approve
				stall application forms. They also shall advise the association of undesirable
				persons, if any, among owners and trainers applying for stalls and provide the
				association with information pertaining to such undesirable persons.
8. They shall supervise the taking of
				entries, receive all declarations and scratches and determine all questions
				arising from and pertaining thereto. The stewards may, in their discretion,
				refuse the entry of any horse by any person, or refuse to permit a declaration
				or scratch, or may limit entries in any way.
9. They shall cause the "inquiry" sign to be
				posted on the infield odds board immediately after the horses have crossed the
				finish line in a race if any doubt is held by any steward or patrol judge as to
				the fairness of the running of the race. They shall cause the "objection" sign
				to be posted on the infield odds board upon the lodging of an objection. And
				they shall cause the "official" sign to be posted on the infield odds board
				after determining the official order of finish for purposes of the pari-mutuel
				payoff.
10. The stewards shall
				review the patrol films or videotapes of each day's races before commencement
				of the successive day's races and draw up a list of riders, including all
				apprentice jockeys who the stewards feel should review such films for
				instructional purposes and cause the list to be posted in the jockeys'
				room.
11. They shall maintain a
				daily log, reporting all their actions on all controversies which arise during
				the day. The reports shall show the name of the track, date, weather, track
				condition, claims, rulings issued and any other circumstances or conditions
				regarded as unusual. Such reports shall be signed by all three stewards and
				filed within 24 hours at the commission's general office.
12. They shall make periodic inspections of
				the barn area and check track security, and make occasional informal visits to
				the jockeys' room and observe and check security at the weighing out. Such
				inspections and observations made shall be noted in the steward's
				report.
13. The stewards shall
				maintain a minute book which shall contain a detailed written record of all
				questions, disputes, protests, complaints or objections brought to their
				attention. The minute book shall also include reports of all investigations
				undertaken by the stewards, summaries of all related interviews conducted and
				the rulings which resulted. If a ruling is not unanimous, the dissenting
				steward shall record reasons for his dissent. The steward's minute book shall
				be available to the commission for inspection at all times.