Washington Administrative Code › Title 260 - Horse Racing Commission › Chapter 260-52 - The race-Paddock to finish › Section 260-52-040 - Post to finish

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
(1) All horses must
			 be ridden out in every race. A jockey may not ease up or coast to the finish,
			 without reasonable cause, even if the horse has no apparent chance to win prize
			 money. A jockey must always give his/her best effort during a race. Each horse
			 must be ridden to win. No jockey may cause his/her horse to shorten its stride
			 so as to give the appearance of having suffered a foul.
(2) If a jockey strikes or touches another
			 jockey or another jockey's horse or equipment, his/her mount may be
			 disqualified.
(3) When clear in a
			 race a horse may be ridden to any part of the course. If any horse swerves, or
			 is ridden to either side, so as to interfere with, impede, or intimidate any
			 other horse, the horse may be disqualified.
(4) A horse may not interfere with another
			 horse and thereby cause the other horse to lose ground or position, or cause
			 the other horse to break stride. When this interference occurs in the part of
			 the race where the other horse loses the opportunity to place where it might
			 reasonably be expected to finish, the stewards may disqualify the interfering
			 horse.
(5) If the stewards
			 determine the foul was intentional, or due to careless riding, the jockey may
			 be held responsible.
(6) In a
			 straightaway race, every horse must maintain position as nearly as possible in
			 the lane in which it starts. If a horse is ridden, drifts or swerves out of its
			 lane and interferes, impedes, or intimidates another horse, it may be
			 considered a foul and may result in the disqualification of the offending
			 horse.
(7) When a horse is
			 disqualified, the stewards may place the offending horse behind the horse(s) it
			 interfered with, place it last, or declare it unplaced and ineligible for any
			 purse money and/or time trial qualification. In the case of multiple
			 disqualifications, under no circumstance may a horse regain its finishing place
			 in front of a horse that it interfered with.
(8) If a horse is disqualified, any horses
			 that it shares a common ownership with may also be disqualified, if in the
			 opinion of the stewards, the foul was intentional.
(9) When a horse is disqualified in a time
			 trial race, for the purposes of qualifying only, it must receive the time of
			 the horse it is placed behind plus one-hundredth of a second penalty or more
			 exact measurement if photo finish equipment permits, and remain eligible to
			 qualify for the finals or consolations of the race on the basis of the assigned
			 time.
(10) In time trials, horses
			 must qualify on the basis of time and order of finish. Times are determined by
			 the official timer. If the automatic timer malfunctions, averages of a minimum
			 of three hand times must be used for that individual race. In the instance of
			 horses competing in the same race receiving identical times, order of finish
			 must determine qualifiers. In the event two or more horses receive identical
			 times for the final qualifying position, a draw by lot conducted by the
			 stewards will determine the final qualifying positions.
(11) If a horse that qualified for the finals
			 should be unable to enter due to racing soundness or scratched for any other
			 reason other than a positive test or rule violation, the owner will receive
			 last place purse money. If more than one horse is scratched from the final,
			 then those purse moneys will be added together and distributed equally among
			 those owners.
(12) If a qualifier
			 for a final or consolation is disqualified for ineligibility or a rule
			 violation after the time trials are declared official, but prior to entry for
			 the final or consolation, the nonqualifier with the next fastest time must
			 replace the disqualified horse. If a qualifier is disqualified after entry for
			 the final or consolation for any reason other than unsoundness, illness or
			 death, the purse will be redistributed among the remaining
			 qualifiers.
(13) Possession of any
			 electrical or mechanical stimulating or shocking device by a jockey, horse
			 owner, trainer or other person will be considered prima facie evidence of a
			 violation of these rules and is sufficient grounds for the stewards to scratch
			 or disqualify any horse involved, and summarily suspend the individual in
			 possession of the device.
Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				  67.16.020. 10-17-070, §
										260-52-040, filed 8/13/10,
				  effective 9/13/10; 10-07-050, §
										260-52-040, filed 3/11/10,
				  effective 4/11/10. Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				   67.16.020 and
				  67.16.040. 08-05-088, §
										260-52-040, filed 2/15/08,
				  effective 3/17/08. Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				   67.16.040. 00-06-069, §
										260-52-040, filed 3/1/00,
				  effective 4/1/00. Statutory Authority:
				  RCW
				   67.16.020 and
				  67.16.040. 81-08-013 (Order
				  81-01), §
										260-52-040, filed 3/24/81; Rule
				  211, filed 4/21/61.