Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 13, September 23, 2024
Subpart 1.
Horse must be tattooed digitally or physically or microchipped.
No horse shall be permitted to start unless it has been
tattooed digitally or physically or microchipped and fully identified.
Subp. 2.
Loading in starting
gate.
The starter, with approval of the stewards, shall determine the
procedures for loading horses into the starting gate.
Subp. 3.
Horse deemed a starter.
A horse is a starter for all purposes of the commission's rules
when the stall doors of the starting gate open in front of it at the time the
starter dispatches the horses in a valid start.
Subp. 4.
All horses shall be ridden
out.
All horses shall be ridden out past the finish line in every
race and must carry their assigned weight from the post to finish.
Subp. 5.
Horse shall not
leave course.
If during a race a horse leaves the course, it shall be
disqualified.
Subp. 6.
Interference and willful fouling.
Items A to E apply with respect to the running of a
race.
A. When clear, a horse may be
taken to any part of the course but no horse shall cross or weave in front of
other horses in such a way as to impede them or constitute or cause
interference or intimidation such that it would affect the outcome of the
race.
B. If a horse or jockey
jostles another horse such that it would affect the outcome of the race, the
aggressor may be disqualified, unless the jostled horse or its jockey was
partly at fault, or the jostling was wholly caused by some other horse or
jockey.
C. During a race no jockey
shall willfully or carelessly strike or touch another jockey or another
jockey's horse or equipment with the effect of interfering with that horse or
jockey, nor shall a jockey strike the jockey's horse on or about the head
area.
D. For willful fouling or
careless riding, a jockey may be fined or suspended, or both, by the stewards
according to the nature and seriousness of the offense.
E. A jockey whose horse has been disqualified
or who unnecessarily caused the horse to change or shorten its stride for the
purpose of losing a race may be fined or suspended.
Subp. 6a.
Use of riding crop.
Items A to E apply with respect to the use of a riding
crop.
A. A jockey shall use a riding
crop in a manner consistent with using the jockey>s best efforts to
win.
B. A jockey must not use the
riding crop indiscriminately.
C. A
jockey must not strike a horse more than three consecutive times without
pausing to only push on the horse giving it a chance to respond before using
the riding crop again.
D. Jockeys
are prohibited from striking a horse:
(1) on
the head, flanks, or on any part of its body other than the shoulders or hind
quarters;
(2) during the post
parade except when necessary to control the horse;
(3) excessively or brutally causing welts or
breaks in the skin;
(4) when the
horse is clearly out of the race or has obtained its maximum placing;
(5) persistently even when the horse is
showing no response under the riding crop; or
(6) after the race.
E. Correct uses of the riding crop are:
(1) showing horses the riding crop before
hitting them;
(2) using the riding
crop in rhythm with the horse>s stride; and
(3) using the riding crop as an aid to
maintain a horse running straight.
Subp. 7.
Determination of
disqualifications.
The stewards are vested with sole and complete power and
authority to determine when a disqualification is proper, its extent, and
whether it applies to any other part of an entry. Their decision
is final.
A. In determining the extent of
disqualification of a horse in any race, the stewards may either place the
disqualified horse behind such horse as in their judgment the disqualified
horse interfered with, or they may place it last.
B. When a horse of one ownership or interest
is coupled with a horse or horses of the same or another ownership or interest,
the disqualification of one will not necessarily affect the placing of the
other.
C. When two horses with a
common ownership interest or common trainer are racing uncoupled and one is
disqualified, the stewards shall also disqualify any other commonly owned or
trained horse if they determine it is in the interest of racing integrity to do
so.
D. In the event of a
disqualification, the stewards, at the request of the owner of the disqualified
horse, shall review the race with that owner within 72 hours of the
race.
Subp. 8.
Best effort must be made.
All jockeys are expected to give their best efforts in races in
which they ride, and any instructions or advice to jockeys to ride or handle
their mounts otherwise than for the purpose of winning are prohibited and will
subject all persons giving or following such instructions or advice to
disciplinary action by the stewards and commission. If two horses run in one
interest in any race, each must give their best effort.
Subp. 9.
Protests.
Protests with regard to the running of the race shall be made
only by the owner, trainer, or jockey of the horse alleged to be aggrieved, and
must be made to the stewards, the outriders, or the clerk of scales immediately
after the running of the race. An owner, trainer, or jockey who makes a
frivolous protest may be fined.
Subp.
10.
No assistance to jockey.
No person shall assist a jockey in removing from his or her
horse the equipment that is to be included in the jockey's weight, except by
permission of the stewards.
Subp.
11.
Coverings prohibited.
No person shall throw any covering over any horse at the place
of dismounting until the jockey has removed the equipment that is to be
included in his or her weight.
Subp.
12.
Dead heats.
Dead heats shall be governed in the following manner.
A. When two or more horses run a dead heat,
the dead heat shall not be run off.
B. In a dead heat for first place, each horse
shall be considered a winner.
C.
When two or more horses finish in a dead heat and a protest is made and allowed
against a horse having finished in front of the dead heat, the horses which ran
the dead heat shall be deemed to have run a dead heat from the higher
position.
D. Owners of horses in a
dead heat for any position shall divide equally all money and other prizes, and
if no agreement can be reached as to which of them shall receive a cup, plate,
or other indivisible prize, they shall draw lots for it in the presence of one
or more of the stewards.
Subp.
13.
Race declared no contest.
If a race has been run by all the horses at the wrong weights
or over a wrong distance, and if a protest is made and allowed before the
flashing of the "Official" sign on the totalizator board, the stewards shall
declare the race no contest.
Subp.
14.
Horse becomes disabled or otherwise unable to
finish.
Items A to E apply if a horse during the running of a race
becomes disabled or otherwise obviously unable to finish.
A. The horse shall be dismounted, unsaddled
by the jockey or another MRC licensee, and removed from the course by horse
ambulance.
B. If a bone is broken,
the horse shall remain on the course until the horse ambulance arrives and the
horse is removed under the direction of the commission veterinarian or
association veterinarian.
C. If
euthanasia of the horse is determined necessary, the euthanasia shall be
performed by a veterinarian licensed by the commission through the use of a
needle preferably in a place out of vision of the public. If euthanasia within
view of the public is necessary, an ambulance screen must be used. Removal of
the horse after euthanasia shall be the responsibility of the
association.
D. If euthanasia of a
horse is determined necessary, the jockey will not be required to weigh
in.
E. The steward shall be
notified after euthanasia has been performed.
Statutory Authority: MS s
240.23;
240.24;
240.29
