CHAPTER 201. GENERAL PROVISIONS—
TEMPORARY REGULATIONSSec.
201.1. Definitions.
201.2. Licensure.
201.3. Registration.
201.4. Regulatory conflicts.§ 201.1. Definitions.
The following words and terms, when used in this part, have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
Added money early closing event—An event closing in the same year in which it is to be contested in which entrance, sustaining and declaration fees received are added to the purse.
Age, how determined—The age of a horse shall be calculated from the first day of January of the year of foaling.
Allowances—Given on claiming price in claiming races depending on the sex and age of the horse. Allowances are also given when determining the horse’s eligibility in conditioned races based upon age and sex of the horse.
Also eligible—One of not more than two horses that are entered to race and determined at the time post positions are drawn to be eligible to start in the race should any horse properly drawn into the race be excused by the Judges prior to scratch time.
Bleeder—A horse which has demonstrated external evidence of exercise induced pulmonary hemorrhage.
Bleeder List—A tabulation of all bleeders to be maintained by the Commission.
Break—A horse’s change during a race from its programmed gait to another gait or gallop.
Chart—A comprehensive account of a race showing the positions of all horses at various stages of the race.
Claimant—A person or entity who meets the eligibility requirements of the racing Commission.
Claiming price—The price by which a horse may be claimed from a race.
Claiming race—One where a horse which starts may be claimed for a designated amount in conformance with Chapter 205 (relating to rules of Standardbred racing—temporary regulations).
Conditioned race—An overnight event to which eligibility is determined according to specified qualifications in conformance with Chapter 205.
Coupled entry—Two or more horses starting in a race when owned or trained by the same person or trained in the same stable or by the same management.
Dam—The female parent, or mother, of a horse.
Dash—A race decided in a single trial. The number of premiums awarded may not exceed the number of Starters in the dash.
Dead heat—When the Judges cannot separate two or more horses as to their finishing position at the finish of a race. All unseparated horses are considered to be tied for that finish position. In the event of a dead heat in any positions, points and purses will be divided or shared, or both.
Declaration—The naming of a particular horse to a particular race.
Disqualification—It shall be construed to mean that the person disqualified is barred from acting as an official or from starting or driving a horse in a race. In the case of a disqualified horse, it may not be allowed to start.
Draw—The process by which horses are selected to start in specific races and post positions for each race.
Driver—A licensed person who drives a horse in a race.
Driving violation—A violation of one or more of the provisions of the Rules of Race in Chapter 205.
Early closing race—A race for a definite amount to which entries close at least 6 weeks preceding the race. The entrance fee may be on the installment plan or otherwise, and payments shall be forfeits. No payment on 2-year-olds in early closing events shall be permissible prior to February 15th of the year in which the horse is a 2-year-old.
Eligibility certificate—An official written record of a horse. See the definition of ‘‘registration’’ in this section.
Eligible—A horse qualified to start in a race and properly entered and meeting the conditions of that race.
Elimination heats—Heats of a race split according to Chapter 205 to qualify the contestants for a final heat.
Exotic wagers—Those in which the bettor selects more than two horses in one or more races in a single wager.
Expulsion—The unconditional exclusion and disqualification from a participation, either directly or indirectly, in the privileges and uses of the course and grounds of the association of a licensee or patron.
Futurity—A stake in which the dam of the competing animal is nominated either when in foal or during the year of foaling.
Gait—Either a trotting or pacing gait.
Gelding—A neutered or castrated male horse of any age.
Go—The voice command given by the starting Judge to all drivers at the start of the race.
Guaranteed stake—A stake with a guarantee by the party sponsoring it that the sum may not be less than the amount named.
Handicap—A race in which performance, sex or distance allowance is made. Post positions for a handicap may be assigned by the racing secretary.
Head number—The wagering number for the horse or, in the case of a coupled entry, the wagering number of all horses that make up the coupled entry.
Head Pole—A piece of equipment used to control the position of a horse’s head.
Heat—A single race or a single trial of a race that is one of a series of races that make up an event.
Hobbles—A leg harness used for controlling the gait of a pacer or trotter.
In harness—The horses participating shall be attached to a dual shaft sulky. Sulkies used in a race shall be equipped with unicolored or colorless wheel discs of a type approved by the Commission and placed on the inside and outside of the wheel. A change in the basic design of a sulky or major equipment shall require Commission approval. Rules, regulations, standards, guidelines affecting the use of any new sulky or equipment shall be approved by the Commission before their adoption.
Inquiry—When the Judges suspect that a foul or another misconduct occurred during a heat or dash.
Interference—An act, which by design or otherwise, hampers or obstructs a competing horse or horses.
Judges—The term ‘‘Judges’’ unless otherwise specified shall refer to the Board of Judges.
Lasix—An approved drug used as treatment of pulmonary bleeding. Also known as Furosemide.
Late closing race—A race for a fixed amount for which nominations or declarations close less than 6 weeks and more than 3 days before the race is to be contested.
Length of race and number of heats or dashes—Races or dashes shall be given at a stated distance in units not shorter than 1/16 of a mile. The length of a race and number of heats shall be stated in the conditions. If no distance or number of heats or dashes are specified races shall be a single-mile dash or heat. No 2-year-old shall be permitted to start in a dash or heat exceeding 1 mile in distance.
Maiden—A stallion, mare or gelding that has never won a heat or race at the gait at which it is entered to start and for which a purse is offered.
Mare—A female horse 4 years of age or older.
Match race—A race which has been arranged and the conditions thereof agreed upon between or among the contestants.
Mutuel field—When the individual horses competing in a race exceed the numbering capacity of the Tote, the highest numbered horse capacity of the Tote and horses of a higher number shall be grouped together and called the mutuel field for betting purposes only.
No contest—A race that is voided for any reason by the Judges.
Nomination—The naming of a horse or in the event of a futurity the naming of a foal in utero to a certain race or series of races, eligibility of which is conditioned on the payment of a fee at the time of naming and payment of subsequent sustaining fees or declaration fees, or both.
Nominator—The person or entity in whose name a horse is nominated for a race or series of races.
Objection—A complaint by a driver of a foul driving or other misconduct occurring during a heat or dash.
Overnight race/event—A race for which entries close not more than 3 days (omitting Sundays) before the race is to be contested. In the absence of conditions or notice to the contrary, entries in overnight events may close not later than 12 p.m./noon the day preceding the race. A pari-mutuel association may not demand declaration fees from owners or trainers of horses competing in an overnight event.
Owner—Includes sole owner, part owner or lessee of a horse.
Paddock—An enclosure in which horses scheduled to compete in a race program are confined prior to racing under the supervision of a paddock Judge.
Pennsylvania-bred for pari-mutuel or fair division of sire stakes—Horses sired by a stallion registered with the Commission in conformity the Commission’s regulations relating to registration and licensure. Naming of these horses shall be limited to Standardbred horses which were sired by a Standardbred stallion standing his full season in this Commonwealth.
Post position—The position drawn by the horse at the time declarations close.
Post time—The time set for the start of a race.
Programmed trainer—The person who assumes responsibility for a horse from the time it is entered to race until the conclusion of the race.
Protest—An objection, properly sworn to, charging that a horse is ineligible to race, alleging an improper entry or declaration, or citing an act of an owner, driver or official prohibited by the provisions of this chapter, and which, if true, shall exclude the horse or driver from the race.
Qualifying Race—A race in which a horse must establish its ability to participate at a race meeting consistent with the qualifying standards establish for that class of horse.
Race—A contest of speed between Standardbreds at a trotting or pacing gait.
Race officials—The term may include the following:(i) Board of Judges
(ii) Racing secretary
(iii) Paddock Judge
(iv) Horse identifier
(v) Clerk of the course
(vi) Starter
(vii) Charter/Timer
(viii) Patrol Judge
(ix) Commission Veterinarian
(x) Racetrack veterinarian
Or any other person designated by the Commission as a racing official.
Record—The fastest time made by a winning horse in a heat or dash, in compliance with the requisites of racing.
Registration—A certification of ownership, except where there is a direct conflict with the rules, regulations or laws of the Commission, matters regarding registration and eligibility certificates shall be governed in accordance with the rules and regulations as set forth by the USTA.
Rules—The rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.
Scoring—The preliminary practice taken by the horses in a race after the post parade and before they are called by the Starter to line up for the start.
Scratch—The removal of a horse from a race after its entry has been accepted.
Scratch time—The time specified for making final changes to the official program prior to publication, at which time, any ‘‘also eligible’’ horses in the programmed race are released.
Spayed mare—A female horse who has had her ovaries removed.
Stake—A race that shall be contested in a year subsequent to its closing in which the money given by the licensed racing entity conducting the race is added to the money contributed by the nominators, which belong to the winner or winners.
Starting point—The point marked on the inside rail where the Starter gives the word ‘‘Go.’’
Starters—A group of horses competing in a heat or race.
Timed workout—Permitted instead of a qualifying race for a horse to establish its ability to participate at a race meeting consistent with the qualifying standards establish for that class of horse.
USTA—United States Trotting Association—The National not-for-profit association of Standardbred owners, breeders, drivers, trainers and officials organized to provide administrative, rulemaking, licensing and breed registration services and documentation.
Walk-over—When only horses of the same interest start, a walk-over results. In a stake race a walk-over is entitled to stake money and forfeits unless otherwise provided in the published conditions. To claim the purse, the entry shall start and go once over the course unless this requirement is waived by the Judges.
Winner—The horse whose nose reaches the wire first. If there is a dead heat for first, both horses shall be considered winners. Where two horses are tied in a summary, the winner of the longer heat shall be entitled to the trophy. Where the heats are of the same distance and the horses are tied in the summary, the winner of the fastest heat shall be entitled to the trophy.
Wire—A real or imaginary line from the center of the Judge’s stand to a point immediately across, and at right angles to the track.
Cross References This section cited in 7 Pa. Code § 205.2 (relating to required presence of officials in race).
§ 201.2. Licensure.
(a) No person shall participate in the affairs of any licensed racing entity as director, officer, agent or employee of the entity without first receiving a license from the Commission.
(b) In addition to the requirements set forth in Chapter 185 (relating to occupational licenses—temporary regulations), no person shall participate in any harness horse race meet as an official, driver, trainer or assistant trainer unless the person shall first have received a license from the USTA and this Commission. The Commission may issue temporary licenses or restricted licenses as it may deem necessary and desirable.
§ 201.3. Registration.
All matters relating to the registration of Standardbred horses, unless otherwise provided for herein, shall be governed by the Rules of the USTA. Pennsylvania stallions, to be eligible for Pennsylvania Sire Stakes for any given year, shall have on file a Stallion Certificate of Eligibility no later than December 1 of the preceding year with the Commission.
§ 201.4. Regulatory conflicts.
All duly licensed race meetings and pari-mutuel wagering activities conducted within this Commonwealth shall be governed by the provisions of the act and the Commission’s regulations. If there is a conflict between the Commission’s regulations and the rules/regulations adopted by the USTA, the Commission’s regulations shall control. Except: in the event there is no provision or regulation to cover a specific matter, the Commission may utilize the published rules and regulations of the USTA.
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