Pennsylvania Code › Title 58 - RECREATION › Part IV - Horse Racing Commission › Chapter 163 - RULES OF RACING › RACING OFFICIALS-THE STEWARDS › Section 163.340 - Power of stewards

Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 28, July 13, 2024
(a) In matters
				  pertaining to racing, the orders of the stewards shall supersede the orders of
				  the officers and directors of the association. The stewards shall have the
				  power and duty to regulate and supervise the conduct of racing officials and of
				  owners, trainers, jockeys, grooms and other persons attendant on horses during,
				  before and after races, unless the power and the duty is exclusively vested in
				  the Commission.
(b) The authority
				  of each board of stewards shall extend from 12:01 a.m. of the day upon which
				  entries commence to be taken for a meeting at which they are approved to sit
				  and shall continue until midnight of the third day following the last racing
				  day of each meet. If a dispute is unresolved at the time, it may be heard later
				  or disposed of by the stewards or referred to the Commission. This section does
				  not limit the power of a board to impose sanctions continuing beyond the end of
				  a meeting or to decide a matter occurring and heard before the end of the third
				  day following the end of the meeting. In addition to other reports required of
				  them, the stewards shall immediately at the end of the third day following the
				  end of a meeting specifically report to the Commission the matters still
				  pending before them that have not been finally resolved. The requirement may
				  not apply where there is a succeeding meeting approved to commence at the same
				  track within no less than 30 days. In the latter event, the power of the board
				  of stewards at both meetings, is deemed to be continuing and
				  sustaining.
(c) In the performance
				  of duty, the stewards shall have reasonable control over and unrestricted
				  access to stands, weighing rooms and jockey rooms, stables, barns and other
				  areas of the enclosure.
(d) The
				  stewards shall have the power to determine questions arising with reference to
				  entries and racing.
(e) The
				  stewards shall have the power to punish a person for violation of this chapter
				  subject to their control and to impose fines or suspensions or both for
				  infractions whether arising from complaint, protest, independent investigation,
				  reference or request by the Commission or their own initiative. The stewards
				  may not impose a fine in excess of $250. If it is deemed appropriate that a
				  larger fine should be imposed, the stewards shall recommend to the Commission
				  and shall refer the matter at hand to the Commission. The stewards shall have
				  the power to refer a matter before them to the Commission if it appears proper
				  because of the complexity, severity, uniqueness or extent of the activities
				  likely to be involved. Included within these powers is the authority to impose
				  partial sanctions, such as conditional limitations on a persons usage of
				  facilities or of the enclosure.
(f)
				  The stewards may suspend a person or disqualify a horse for fixed periods of
				  time or under other conditions they may deem appropriate or as may be specified
				  by this chapter. If a person is indefinitely suspended or is ordered suspended
				  for more than the balance of a meeting, the matters shall promptly be referred
				  to the Commission for final disposition.
(g) The stewards shall have the power to
				  exclude or eject from premises and enclosures of the association a person who:
(1) Is disqualified for corrupt practice on
				  the turf in any country.
(2) Is
				  under an order of suspension or revocation or has been denied a license or
				  ruled off by a racing commission or board of stewards.
(3) Is an improper or objectionable person,
				  under section
				  12.1 of the act of December 11,
				  1967 (P. L. 707, No. 331) (15 P. S. §
												2662.1(a))
				  (Repealed).