Pennsylvania Code
Title 7 - AGRICULTURE
Part VIII - State Horse Racing Commission
Subpart D - Standardbred Rules of Racing (Harness)
Chapter 205 - RULES OF STANDARDBRED RACING-TEMPORARY REGULATIONS
ENTRY, DRAWING OF POST POSITIONS, POST DRAW
Section 205.325 - Coupled entries
Current through Register Vol. 54, No. 44, November 2, 2024
(a) When the Starters in a race include two or more horses owned or trained by the same person or trained in the same stable or by the same management, the starts shall be "coupled" as a single entry and a wager on one horse in the "entry" shall be a wager on all horses in the "coupled entry" unless approval has been granted by the Commission to race as separate entries under bona fide ownerships. The fact that those horses are trained by the same person shall be indicated prominently in the program.
(b) If the race is split in two or more divisions horses in an "entry" shall be seeded insofar as possible, first by owners, then by trainers, then by stables but the divisions in which they compete and their post positions shall be drawn by lot. The above provisions shall also apply to elimination heats.
(c) At all race meetings the person making the declaration of a horse which qualifies as a coupled entry with another horse entered in the same event shall be responsible to designate the word "entry" on the declaration blank.
(d) The Presiding Judge shall be responsible for coupling horses. In addition to the foregoing, horses separately owned or trained may be coupled as an entry where it is necessary to do so to protect the public interest for the purpose of pari-mutuel wagering only. However, where this is done entries may not be rejected. Provided further that when drivers participate in a pari-mutuel purse races in which they have an ownership interest or trainer interest in one or more of the horses, they must drive one of the horses in which they have the ownership interest or trainer interest.
(e) If one of the horses with common ownership or trainer while running in a race interferes or commits a foul preventing another horse in the race a better placing, the Judges may, in their discretion, disqualify both horses of common ownership or trainer. The Judges may use all relevant information, video of the incident and their respective experience to make the decision.
