Sec.12-574-A45. Starting

(a) Qualifications to start. A horse shall not be qualified to start unless the provisions of this rule and any other applicable rules are complied with.

(1) His presence on the grounds of the association is reported to the paddock judge at least thirty (30) minutes before the post time set for the race.

(2) He is announced as a starter to the clerk of the scales.

(3) The name of his jockey is reported to the clerk of the scales.

(4) The horse's jockey club registration certificate is on file with the racing secretary.

(5) He is tattooed on his lip with his identification number.

(6) His night eyes have been photographed.

(7) He has passed such examinations to insure the security of his identification as the commission may establish.

(8) He shall have a negative result of a pre-race blood test.

(9) He is in the hands of a licensed trainer.

(10) He is not on the veterinarian's list.

(11) He is not on the steward's list.

(12) He has complied with all provisions of this section.

(13) Horses shipped in to race must be in the receiving barn by 10:00 A.M. on the day of the race in order to start.

(b) Identification of horse. No horse shall be permitted to start that has not been fully identified. The responsibility in the matter of establishing the identity of a horse, of his complete and actual ownership, shall be as binding on the persons so identifying or undertaking to establish identification as it is on the person having the horse requiring identification. And the same penalty shall apply to them in case of fraud or attempt at fraud. The paddock judge in such instances shall keep a written record of such identification and by whom made.

(c) Jockey fees paid. No horse shall be allowed to start for any race and no jockey shall be weighed out for any horse until there has been paid or guaranteed the jockey fee or any stake or entrance money due, by the owner in respect to that race, which information shall be supplied by the racing secretary.

(d) Change of jockey. There shall be no change of jockey unless approved by the stewards. The stewards may suspend any person involved in an unauthorized substitution of jockey.

(e) Horses to be saddled in paddock. All horses must be saddled in the paddock except by permission of the stewards.

(f) Horses in paddock not to be touched. No one not actually connected with its stable shall touch a horse while in the paddock preparatory to starting in a race, except for authorized inspection as provided in these rules.

(g) Inspection of plating. A representative of the association conducting a meeting shall inspect the plating of each horse as it enters the paddock before the race and record the type of shoes worn on a board provided for that purpose in the paddock and keep a written record for the stewards. Any deficiency in shoeing shall be reported immediately by said inspector to the paddock judge.

(h) Withdrawal of horse.

(1) The stewards may permit or direct the withdrawing of a horse after weighing out.

(2) Scratches and refunds. The stewards may excuse any horse and order it scratched from a race at any time before the race is actually started. The operator shall also refund to the owner of such horse the starting fee, if any is required under the conditions of the race.

(i) Post time. The post time for all but the first race shall be designated by the stewards and post times for all races shall be shown on the infield tote board.

(j) Number of starters. The number of starters in overnight races shall be limited by the width of the track at the starting post, the maximum number to be determined by the stewards. The number of starters in such overnight races, except handicaps, shall be reduced to the proper number by lot, or by division (also by lot) of the race, at the option of the association. The division of overnight handicaps shall be made by the racing secretary in his discretion.

(k) Persons excluded from course. After the horses are ordered to the starting post and until the stewards direct the gates to be reopened, all persons except the racing officials shall be excluded from the course to be run over.

(l) Twitches and war bridles. No twitches or war bridles are to be used.

(m) Parade to post.

(1) All horses shall parade and, under penalty of disqualification, shall carry their weights from the paddock to the starting post, such parade to pass the steward's stand.

(2) A rider thrown on the way to the post must remount at the point at which he was thrown.

(n) Horses led to the post. When, by permission of the paddock judge and upon payment to the association of $10.00, a horse is led to the post, he is excused from parading with the other horses, but nevertheless he must, on his way to the post, pass the steward's stand.

(o) Jockeys to dismount. In the case of delay at the post, the starter may permit the jockeys to dismount and the horses be cared for during the delay; otherwise, no jockeys shall dismount.

(p) Accident at the post. A horse in the hands of the starter shall receive no further care from anyone at the starting post except the assistant starters, provided that if any accident happens to a jockey, his horse or his equipment, the starter may permit any jockey or jockeys to dismount and the horses to be cared for during the delay; otherwise no jockey shall dismount.

(q) Starting gate.

(1) Except in cases provided for in rule (q) (2) of this section, all races shall be started in a starting gate selected by the association conducting the meeting and approved by the commission.

(2) By permission of the stewards a race may be started without a gate.

(3) The stewards may scratch an unruly horse or put an unruly horse in a position outside the starting gate pursuant to rule (b) of section 12-574-A24.

(r) Starting in front of the post. A start in front of the post is void, and the horses must be started again.

(s) Horses to be schooled before starting. All horses shall be schooled in the starting gate under the supervision of the starter or his assistants before starting and the starter shall designate the horses to be placed on the schooling list, a copy of which shall be posted in the office of the racing secretary. Upon request of the starter, the stewards may suspend any trainer who after being notified by the starter that his horse is unruly and should not start, nevertheless, proceeds to start the unruly horse.

(t) Workout. A horse which has not started for a period of sixty (60) days or more shall be ineligible to race until it has completed a timed workout satisfactory to the stewards prior to the day of the race in which he is entered.

(u) Horses from licensed tracks, approved farms. No horse shall be allowed to race in Connecticut unless the horse has come to Connecticut from a stable at a licensed track in the United States or a licensed track in another country or unless the horse has come from an approved farm. The stewards must approve all farms from which horses can be shipped for racing.

(v) Position at starting post. Horses shall take their positions at the post in order in which their names have been drawn, beginning from the inside rail unless otherwise ordered by the starter with the approval of the stewards.

(w) Horse, when a starter. Where a starting gate is used, no horse entered in any race is classed as a starter unless the starting gate opens in front of him simultaneously with the opening of the gates in front of the other horses at the start of the race. Refusal of a horse to break with other horses shall not deem him a nonstarter.

(x) Matters to be referred to stewards. For disobedience of his orders at the starting post or attempting any unfair advantage, the starter may refer the matter to the stewards for action; but any penalty shall not take effect until after the last race of the day.

(y) Statements by starter conclusive. The concurrent statements of the starter and his assistant as to incidents of the start are conclusive.

(z) Failure of starting gate to open. When a door of the starting gate fails to open as the starter dispatches the field (because of faulty action or other cause), it shall be reported immediately to the stewards by the starter. The stewards shall post the inquiry sign and have the announcer alert the public to hold all mutuel tickets. The stewards shall then view the films to determine if the gate or gates failed to open when the starter dispatched the field and rule accordingly.

(aa) Change in course. By permission of the commission, races may be run over a race course other than the one over which they have been announced to be run.