Code of Maine Rules › 01 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND FORESTRY › 017 - MAINE STATE HARNESS RACING COMMISSION › Chapter 5 - TRACKS › Section 017-5-5 - Purse Money

Current through 2024-29, July 17, 2024
1.
Distribution of Purse Money
. When an Association submits an
				application for race dates to the Commission in accordance with
				8 M.R.S.
				§271(2),it shall submit
				a purse distribution plan to the Commission for approval. Said plan should
				describe any carryover funding, estimated revenue, estimated average per dash
				purse payments, a general description of range of purses, claiming race purses,
				preferred races, series, and planned carryover.
2.
Purse Money
. Harness racing
				purse checks shall be made available no later than five (5) business days after
				the race has become official. Any purse check that is to be mailed must be
				postmarked no later than five (5) business days after the race has become
				official. In the case of purse money relating to Sires Stakes races, purse
				checks maybe paid in person, or, if mailed, postmarked, by the later of five
				business days after the race has become official or three business days after
				the Association has received purse money for that race from the Department. The
				owner of a horse must file the necessary documentation required by the
				Association to fulfill the requirement(s) of the United States Internal Revenue
				Service. The Association may withhold payment until the necessary documentation
				is filed with the Association. The said information must be posted in the race
				secretary's office and be conspicuously posted in the paddock. Any portion of a
				purse affected by an appeal or protest shall be held until the appeal or
				protest is finalized.
3.
Payment of Purses
: Any Association that the Commission finds in
				default in the payment, of purses in accordance with these rules shall, after a
				hearing before the Commission, be suspended, together with its
				officers.
4.
Payments
:
				If at a meeting of a licensed Association, a race is contested which has been
				promoted by another party or parties, and the promoters thereof default in the
				payment of the amount raced for, the same liability shall attach to the
				licensed Association as if the race had been offered by such licensed
				Association.
5.
Amendment of
				Plans/Disbursement and Allocation of Purse Funds
:
A. The Department shall distribute purse
				funds to eligible, currently licensed tracks in accordance with the the
				schedules and formulas described in
				8 M.R.S.
				§§290 and
				298, and in a manner consistent
				with basic per-dash equity between tracks.
B. The Commission may direct the Department
				to vary from the schedules and formulas described in
				 8 M.R.S.
				§§290 and
				298 when it finds that such
				variance is necessary to achieve the level of funding in the purse distribution
				plans approved for each Association.
C. Associations shall file amended purse
				distribution plans upon any changes in the number of race dates that the
				Association plans to conduct during the racing year.
D. The Commission shall review any amended
				plan forthwith, and determine whether purse funds should be returned or
				augmented based on the changes contained therein. In making such
				determinations, the Commission shall strive to ensure basic per-dash equity in
				purse fund availability for all licensed tracks operating within a given racing
				year.