Code of Massachusetts Regulations
205 CMR - MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
Title 205 CMR 3.00 - Harness Horse Racing
Section 3.31 - Physical Inspection of Horses
Universal Citation: 205 MA Code of Regs 205.3
Current through Register 1518, March 29, 2024
(1) Assessment of Racing Condition.
(a) Every horse entered to participate in an
official race shall be subjected to a veterinary inspection prior to starting
in the race for which it is entered.
(b) The inspection shall be conducted by the
official veterinarian or the racing veterinarian.
(c) The assessment of a horse's racing
condition shall include:
1. Proper
identification of each horse inspected;
2. Clinical observation of each horse in
motion during a warm-up mile, during the post parade, during the running of the
race, and following the race until the horse has exited the race
track;
3. Visual inspection of the
entire horse and assessment of overall condition; and
4. Any other inspection deemed necessary by
the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian including, but not
limited to, manual palpation and/or manipulation of the limbs.
(d) The official veterinarian
shall maintain a permanent, continuing health and racing soundness record of
each horse inspected.
(e) The
official veterinarian is authorized access to any and all horses housed on the
association grounds regardless of entry status.
(f) If, prior to starting, a horse is
determined to be unfit for competition, the official veterinarian and/or the
racing veterinarian will recommend to the judges the horse be
scratched.
(g) Horses scratched
upon the recommendation of the official veterinarian and/or the racing
veterinarian are to be placed on the Veterinarians' List.
(2) Veterinarian's List.
(a) The official
veterinarian shall maintain the Veterinarian's List of all horses which are
determined to be unfit to compete in a race due to illness, physical distress,
unsoundness, infirmity or any other medical condition. Horses so listed are
ineligible to enter to race in any jurisdiction until released by an official
veterinarian or racing veterinarian.
(b) A horse may be removed from the
Veterinarian's List when, in the opinion of the official veterinarian, the
condition which caused the horse to be placed on the Veterinarian's List is
resolved and the horse's status is returned to that of racing
soundness.
(c) Horses working to be
released from the Veterinarian's List are to be in compliance with
205 CMR
3.00 and are to be subjected to post-work biologic
sample collection for laboratory confirmation or compliance. Violations may
result in penalties consistent with
205 CMR
3.29(1).
(d) Horses may be released from the
Veterinarian's List only by authorization of the official
veterinarian.
(e) Horses having
generated a "positive" post race test for an RCI Class I or II substance shall
be required to generate a negative test at the expense of the current owner
prior to being entered for the first start following the positive
test.
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