Code of Massachusetts Regulations
205 CMR - MASSACHUSETTS GAMING COMMISSION
Title 205 CMR 4.00 - Rules of Horse Racing
Section 4.06 - Claiming

(1) In claiming races any horse is subject to claim for its entered price by any owner registered in good faith for racing at the meeting or by his or her authorized agent. Said claim is for the account only of the owner making the claim or for whom the claim was made by the agent provided. No person shall claim his or her own horse or cause his or her horse to be claimed directly or indirectly for his or her own account.

(2) No one may claim more than one horse out of any one race.

(3) No authorized agent, although representing several owners shall submit more than one claim for any one race.

(4) When a stable consists of horses owned by more than one person, trained by the same trainer, not more than one claim may be entered on behalf of such stable in any one race.

(5) If a horse is claimed, it shall not start in a claiming race for a period of 30 days from the date of claim for less than the amount for which it was claimed. A claimed horse shall not race elsewhere until after the close of the meeting at which it was claimed or until 60 calendar days the day after the claim, whichever comes first.

(6) The adoption by any state of any rule limiting the amount at which a horse may be entered in a claiming race shall not be deemed inconsistent with the foregoing rule.

(7) When a horse is claimed at a recognized meeting under rules that are at variance with 205 CMR 4.06, title to such horse shall be recognized in Massachusetts to follow the rule of the meeting under which it was claimed.

(8) Not more than two horses of the same ownership or interest shall be entered in a claiming race and both may start except that two horses coupled by common ownership shall not start if it deprives an uncoupled horse of starting.

(9) If a horse is claimed it shall not be sold or transferred to anyone wholly or in part, except in a claiming race, for a period of 30 days from the date of claim (the day of the claim and the 30th day from the day of the claim shall not be counted), nor shall it, unless reclaimed, remain in the same stable or under the control or management of its former owner or trainer for a like period.

(10) The claiming price of each horse in a claiming race shall be printed on the program, and all claims for said horse shall be for the amount so designated. Should more than one claim be filed for the same horse, the disposition of the horse shall be determined by lot under direction and supervision of one or more of the Stewards.

(11) All claims must be made in writing, on forms and in envelopes furnished by the Association and approved by the Commission. Both forms and envelopes must be filled out completely and must be sufficiently accurate to identify the claim; otherwise the claim will be void.

(12) Each person desiring to make a claim must first deposit with the Association's horsemen's bookkeeper the whole amount of the claim in cash plus any amount that may be required by Federal, State or Local law as a tax, for which a receipt will be given unless at the time of depositing said claim he or she shall have such amount to his credit with the Association.

(13) All claims shall be sealed and deposited in a locked box provided for this purpose. No money shall accompany the claim.

(14) When a claim has been filed it is irrevocable and at the risk of the claimant.

(15) The money deposited for any claimed horse shall be held by the racing secretary until the registration certificate on the claimed horse is surrendered, though the claimed horse may go on and race for the new owner or owners, regardless.

(16) All claims shall be deposited in the claiming box at least ten minutes before the established post time of each race; shall be certified by an approved time stamp and the claim box shall be opened only in the presence of the Stewards or their deputy.

(17) No official or other employee of an Association shall give any information as to the filing of claims until after the race has been run.

(18) The Stewards or their deputy shall pass upon all claims.

(19) A horse claimed shall not be delivered by the original owner to the successful claimant until authorization shall be given by the clerk of the Course, and every horse so claimed shall run in the interest and for the account of the owner who entered it in the race, but title to the claimed horse shall be vested in the successful claimant from time said horse becomes a starter and said claimant shall become the owner of the horse, whether it be alive or dead, sound or unsound or injured during the race or after it.

(20) The Stewards may, at any time, at their discretion, require any person making a claim for a horse in any claiming race, to make affidavit in writing that he or she is claiming said horse for his or her own account or as authorized agent and not for any other person. Any person making such affidavit willfully and falsely shall be subject to punishment in the same manner as is provided for the punishment of other persons' violation of any of the terms of 205 CMR 4.06.

(21) No person shall refuse to deliver to the person legally entitled thereto a horse claimed out of a claiming race, and furthermore, the horse in question shall be disqualified until delivery is made.

(22) No person shall offer, or enter into an agreement, to claim or not to claim, or attempt to prevent another person from claiming, any horse in a claiming race; nor shall any person attempt by intimidation to prevent any one from running a horse in any race for which it is entered nor shall any owner or trainer running horses in any claiming race make any agreement for the protection of each other's horses.

(23) No person or persons shall enter, or allow to be entered, in a claiming race, a horse against which any claim is held, either as a mortgage, bill of sale, or lien of any kind, unless when or before entering the horse the written consent of the holder of the claim shall be filed with the Clerk of the Course of the Association conducting said race.

(24) Notwithstanding any designation of sex appearing on the racing program or in any racing publication, the claimant of a horse shall be solely responsible for determining the sex of the horse claimed.

(25) When a horse is claimed out of a claiming race, the horse's engagements are included.

(26) Any person or persons claiming ownership in a horse after such horse has run in a claiming race in the name of another person having peaceful and undisputed possession of that horse shall be ruled off.

(27) The claiming rules set forth in 205 CMR 4.06(1) through (26) shall apply to all races under the jurisdiction of the Commission, including steeplechases, which are run under claiming conditions; provided, however that in any such steeplechase no horse shall be subject to claim except by the owners of other horses running in such race, or their authorized agent, but for the account of the person making the claim.

(28) Any person violating any of the provisions of 205 CMR 4.06 shall be subject to punishment by the Stewards who may, in their discretion, punish the person so offending by forfeiture or suspension or ruling off, or by denying the privilege of the course. The Stewards shall, in every case, report their action to the Commission which may exclude such person either temporarily or permanently from all race meetings under its jurisdiction.

(29) The Stewards shall issue a claiming authorization to any person who makes an application on forms prescribed for that purpose and who meets the following three requirements:

(30) The claiming authorization shall be valid only at the track that the authorization is granted for the calendar year in which it is issued, or until such time as the holder of the claiming authorization becomes a horse owner either through use of the claiming authorization or through private purchase. If the authorization card does not accompany the claim blank when filed it shall be voided.

(31) The same fee charged for an Owner's license shall be payable to the Commission by the applicant prior to the issuance of a claiming authorization. The holder of a claiming authorization shall not, by virtue thereof, be entitled to admission to the stable area, grandstand, or clubhouse at prices less than those charged the general public.

(32) An application for claiming authorization may be denied or revoked, for any reason that would justify denial, suspension, or revocation of an owner's license. Any person whose claiming authorization is denied or revoked shall have the same rights to notice and hearing as an owner whose license is denied, suspended or revoked.

(33) When an Owner ships a horse in for racing purposes from another jurisdiction and does not have any other horses stabled on the grounds and said horse is claimed, the Owner so affected may obtain a certificate from Stewards of the meeting, and on presentation of the certificate, the Owner shall be entitled to claim during the next 30 days or until such time as he or she has claimed a horse.