Minnesota Administrative Rules
Agency 178 - Racing Commission
Chapter 7884 - HARNESS RACES
Part 7884.0200 - STAKES RACES

Universal Citation: MN Rules 7884.0200

Current through Register Vol. 49, No. 13, September 23, 2024

Subpart 1. Conditions.

Conditions for stakes races which are vague, inconsistent, or which conflict with the rules of the commission shall not be published. Conditions shall state whether the race will be:

A. raced in divisions; or

B. conducted in elimination heats if more horses than the maximum allowed to compete in one division are entered.

Subp. 2. Conditions shall not be changed.

Published conditions shall not be changed after nominations have been received, nor shall the date and place of the event be changed after being advertised without the prior consent of the commission.

Subp. 3. Stakes nomination fees.

All nominations to stakes races must be:

A. made in writing;

B. signed by the owner, trainer, or the owner's authorized agent; and

C. made at least five days prior to the race for which the nomination is made.

Subp. 4. Fees are due on business days.

If the day for closing of nomination or sustaining payments falls on a Sunday or legal holiday, the day of closing shall be the next business day.

Subp. 5. Entry fees.

Entry fees shall become due and payable when a horse is properly entered, and the fees are nonrefundable.

Subp. 6. Nominations not affected by sale.

The eligibility of a nominated horse is not affected by the sale of the horse after its nomination has been accepted unless the contrary is specified in the conditions.

Subp. 7. Nomination lists to be provided.

An association shall provide a list of all stakes nominations to each nominator and to the commission within 30 days after the date on which payments were due. The list must be accompanied by a report indicating the current financial status of the race and listing the number of horses remaining eligible and the amounts of nomination and sustaining payments received by the association.

Subp. 8. Minimum number of starters may be required.

An association may require at least five separate interests to start in a stakes race. If fewer horses than the number required are properly entered, the race may be canceled. In that case, the total of nomination and sustaining payments received shall be divided equally among the horses entered without being credited as purse winnings. If no entries are made, the total nomination and sustaining payments shall be divided equally and awarded among the horses remaining eligible after the last sustaining payment, without being credited as purse winnings.

Subp. 9. Restrictions against entering or starting.

Any horse that is on the qualifying, veterinarian, starter's schooling, or stewards' list may be nominated but shall not be eligible to enter or start in a stakes race unless it is removed from those lists before the time of entry.

Subp. 10. Overfilled stakes to be run in divisions.

If more horses than allowed in one field are entered to start a race, the race shall be conducted in divisions or eliminations, as specified in the conditions.

Subp. 11. Stakes races conducted in divisions.

Stakes races conducted in divisions shall be subject to the following:

A. Starters shall be divided by lot with all nomination and sustaining payments divided in equal proportion to the number of entered horses that are drawn to each division.

B. The amount of the additional purse added to each division shall be approved by the stewards.

C. All divisions shall be raced on the same day.

Subp. 12. Stakes races conducted in eliminations.

For stakes races conducted in eliminations:

A. The stewards shall draw by lot the post positions of the horses that have qualified for the final heat.

B. Elimination heats and the final heat shall be raced on the same day, unless the conditions provide otherwise, and in that case, elimination heats shall be contested not more than seven days prior to the date of the final heat.

C. The winner of the final heat shall be the winner of the stakes race, unless the conditions provide otherwise.

D. If there are two elimination heats, the first five finishers in each heat shall qualify for the final heat.

E. If there are three or more elimination heats, three horses from each elimination heat shall qualify for the final heat, in addition to the fastest time of all the fourth place finishers.

F. In all cases, the number of horses allowed to qualify for any final heat shall not exceed ten.

G. The stewards shall draw by lot the post positions for the final heat to determine which of the elimination heat winners shall have the pole position, and shall in that manner determine all of the other positions for the final heat.

Subp. 13. Canceled stakes races.

The following procedures shall be followed when stakes races are canceled.

A. In stakes races that have not been contested before being canceled, all nomination and sustaining fees shall be divided equally among the owners of horses remaining eligible at the time of cancellation.

B. In stakes that have been started but remain unfinished before being canceled, the allotted shares of the remaining nominating, sustaining, and starting fees shall be distributed equally to the owners of all horses remaining eligible at the time of cancellation.

C. Unless otherwise provided in the conditions, canceled stakes races shall not be transferred to another race meeting.

Statutory Authority: MS s 240.23; 240.29

Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Minnesota may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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