Michigan Administrative Code › Department - Treasury › Michigan Gaming Control Board › Horse Racing General Rules › Part 4 - STANDARDBRED RACING › Section R. 431.4020 - Stewards; duties and responsibilities

Current through Vol. 24-12, July 15, 2024
Rule 4020.
(1) In
				  addition to the general powers specified in these rules, the stewards shall
				  have the following specific duties and responsibilities:
(a) Exclude from the race any horse that, in
				  their opinion, is improperly equipped, dangerous, or unfit to race.
(b) Investigate any act of cruelty seen by
				  them or reported to them, whether a horse subjected to the alleged cruelty is
				  stabled on or off the grounds.
(c)
				  Immediately thereafter open an investigation of any accidents to determine the
				  cause thereof.
(d) Closely observe
				  the performance of the drivers and the horses to ascertain if there are any
				  violations of racing rules, particularly interference, helping, or inconsistent
				  racing, and exhaust all means possible to safeguard the contestants and the
				  public.
(e) Notify a summoned party
				  of a hearing as soon as possible.
(f) Be in the stand 15 minutes before the
				  first race.
(g) Observe the
				  preliminary warming up of horses and scoring, noting all of the following:
(i) Behavior of horses.
(ii) Lameness.
(iii) Equipment.
(iv) Conduct of the drivers.
(v) Changes in odds.
(vi) Any unusual incidents pertaining to
				  horses or drivers participating in races.
(h) Designate 1 steward to lock the
				  pari-mutuel machines immediately upon the horses reaching the official starting
				  point.
(i) Be in communication with
				  the patrol judges, by use of patrol phones or radio, from the time the official
				  starter picks up the horses until the finish of the race. A recording may be
				  made and preserved of all communications between the patrol judges and the
				  stewards' stand.
(j) Cause the
				  "objection" sign or "inquiry" sign to be posted in the case of an objection or
				  possible rule violation, and immediately notify the announcer of the objection
				  and the horse or horses involved. In addition, the stewards shall cause the
				  "inquiry" sign to be posted when there has been an accident during the race. As
				  soon as the stewards have made a decision, the posted sign shall be removed,
				  the correct placing displayed, the "official" sign flashed, the announcer
				  provided with an explanation of the decision for announcement, and a video
				  displayed on racetrack monitors.
(k) Display the "photo" sign if the order of
				  finish among the contending horses is less than 1/2 length or a contending
				  horse is on a break at the finish. After the photo has been examined and a
				  decision made, true copies shall be made and posted or projected for public
				  inspection.
(l) May review the
				  video recordings of the races conducted the previous race day and, in instances
				  of a possible rule infraction or for instructional purposes, show and explain
				  such films to drivers on a daily basis at a time designated by the
				  stewards.
(m) Maintain a daily
				  stewards' report in the manner and form prescribed by the executive director
				  and report all actions of the stewards that arise during a race day.