Wisconsin Administrative Code
Department of Administration [Gaming]
Chapter Game 7 - Greyhound racing
Section Game 7.05 - Grading system

(a) The racing secretary shall be responsible for the proper grading of greyhounds under provisions of this section. Before the first day of a race meet the racing secretary, after sufficiently schooling all greyhounds and considering their past performances, shall classify and assign greyhounds to proper grades.

(b) The racing secretary shall use the following 6 grades; A, B, C, D, E and M.

(c) Grade M refers to maiden classification which indicates a greyhound has not won an official race at a pari-mutuel racetrack supervised by a regulatory agency and is under the age of 24 months. On the last race day of the month in which a greyhound reaches the age of 24 months, maidens shall be graded to grade E.

(d) A greyhound that falls in a race shall be considered a starter. However, a greyhound shall not be considered a starter if the start would result in the greyhound being graded off, but in this event the greyhound shall be considered a starter for purposes of pari-mutuel wagering.

(e) For a greyhound that transfers to the racetrack from another racetrack during a race meeting, the racing secretary shall assign the grade held by the greyhound at the time of the transfer or the equivalent grade of such track, depending on the previous track's grading system, or the next 2 grades higher or lower.

(f) The racing secretary may re-grade a greyhound at anytime within its first 3 starts, but not more than one grade higher or lower.

(g) A greyhound that has advanced from grade M and has been dropped from further racing without winning another official start may be re-qualified after a period of 30 days. Upon requalification the greyhound shall be placed in grade E by the racing secretary.

(h) Greyhounds not racing because of illness or injury for 30 days or more may be re-graded.

(i) All stakes races shall be indicated by the letter "S" and the grade.

(j) The racing secretary may form races of a distance of 3/8 of a mile or greater from 2 consecutive grades, not to include maiden. The races shall be designated by the letter "T" and the grade designation of the highest of the 2 grades and shall pay a purse consistent with the higher grade.

(a) The racing secretary shall advance a greyhound that wins a maiden race to grade E. A greyhound that wins a maiden race may be entered in grade D at the request of the trainer and with the approval of the racing secretary.

(b) The racing secretary shall advance a greyhound that wins a race one grade until reaching grade A.

(c) On request by a kennel owner or trainer, the racing secretary may advance a greyhound that finishes second, third or fourth in a maiden race to grade E and then must advance as provided in this section. For a greyhound re-graded on request under this subsection, the association shall place the letter "M" after the greyhound's name in the racing program.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b), the racing secretary shall lower a greyhound to the next lower grade if:

(b) The racing secretary shall lower a greyhound in grade D to the next lower grade if it fails to finish in the top 4 positions in 4 consecutive starts.

(a) A greyhound which fails to finish in the top 4 finishing positions in 6 consecutive grade E starts shall be dropped from further racing at that race meet.

(b) A greyhound which fails to finish in the top 4 positions in 6 consecutive maiden starts shall be dropped from further racing at the race meet, except that if it re-qualifies in official schooling, the greyhound shall be given 2 additional starts. If the greyhound fails to finish in the top 4 positions in those 2 starts, the greyhound shall be dropped from further racing at the race meet.