Sec.12-574-B30. Claiming races

(a) Claiming procedures are as follows:

(1) Who may claim. An owner who has declared a horse programmed to start in a purse race at that meeting. An authorized agent may claim for a qualified owner provided such authorization is in writing.

(2) No person shall claim his own horse, directly or indirectly, nor shall he claim a horse trained or driven by him or shall he claim more than one (1) horse in a race.

(3) No qualified owner or his agent shall claim a horse for another person. The judges may require any person making a claim for a horse to execute an affidavit stating that he is claiming said horse for his own account or as authorized agent and not for any other person.

(4) Any entry in a claiming race cannot declare for a subsequent race until after the claiming race has been contested.

(5) The owner must have to his credit with the association offering the race an amount equivalent to the specified claiming price plus the existing Connecticut sales tax and requisite fees for transfer of registration.

(6) Any horse still officially programmed to start after designated scratch time is eligible to be claimed, even though said horse is scratched and does not start. The option to claim said horse shall rest with the successful claimant.

(7) No horse claimed shall start at any other track until thirty (30) days have elapsed or the meeting has closed, whichever occurs first. The racing secretary may waive this rule at his discretion.

(8) The claiming price shall be printed on the program, and all claims shall be for the amount so designated. Should more than one claim be filed for the same horse, the successful claimant shall be determined by lot by the judges.

(9) All claims shall be in writing on forms and in envelopes provided by the association, sealed and deposited at least fifteen (15) minutes before post time of the race in a locked box provided for this purpose by the clerk of the course.

(10) The association shall provide an automatic time clock which shall be used to stamp the time the claim is filed in the box upon the envelope containing the claim.

(11) The claim box shall be opened and the claims, if any, examined by the judges. The association shall provide for an agent who shall deliver the claim box to the judges' stand. The association auditor, or his agent, shall be prepared to state whether the claimant has to his credit, with the association, the amount equivalent to the specified claiming price.

(12) A horse claimed, with his halter, shall be delivered immediately by the original owner or his agent to the successful claimant upon authorization by the presiding judge. Any tampering with the shoeing on any horse so claimed shall be considered a violation of this rule. Every horse claimed shall race in the interest and for the account of the owner who declares it in the race, but title to the claimed horse shall be vested in the successful claimant from the word "go", and said successful claimant shall become the owner of the horse, whether it be alive or dead, sound or unsound, or injured during the race or after it.

(13) The current registration certificate of all horses entered in claiming races must be on file with the racing secretary together with a separate claiming authorization form signed by the registered owner or owners and indicating the minimum amount for which the horse may be entered to be claimed. To facilitate transfer of claimed horses the presiding judge may sign the transfer providing that he then send the registration certificate and claiming authorization to the United States trotting association registrar for transfer.

(14) A horse claimed shall not remain in the same stable or under the care or management of its original owner or trainer or anyone connected therewith until thirty (30) days have elapsed unless it is subsequently claimed out of another race.

(15) No person shall offer, or enter into an agreement, to claim or not to claim, or attempt to prevent another person from claiming, any horse in a claiming race.

(16) No person shall refuse to deliver a horse legally claimed out of a claiming race.

(17) No person shall enter a horse against which there is a mortgage, bill of sale, or lien of any kind, unless the written consent of the holder of the lien shall be filed with the clerk of the course of the association conducting such claiming race.

(18) Whenever possible, claiming races shall be written to separate horses five (5) years old and up from young horses, and to separate males from females. If sexes are mixed, mares shall be given a price allowance.

(19) If a horse is claimed, it shall not start in another claiming race until thirty (30) days have elapsed unless such horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the price at which it was claimed. The day following the date at which it was claimed shall be the first day.

(20) No person shall sell or otherwise transfer ownership of a horse accepted as an entry or an also eligible in a claiming race, until such claiming race has been completed.

(b) Blood sample required where horse is claimed. If claimant indicates on the claiming form that he desires a blood sample, a licensed veterinarian shall take a blood sample identified as being from the claimed horse. The sample shall be forwarded within twenty-four (24) hours to a laboratory approved by the commission to be tested for equine infectious anemia (coggins test).

(1) Coggins test. Pending the receipt of the result of a coggins test, the following procedure shall apply:

(A) The claimed horse shall remain upon the grounds of the association.

(B) The monies paid for the claimed horse shall be held by the association.

(C) The cost of the test is to be borne by the claimant if a negative test result, and by the original owner if a positive test result.

(D) If a positive coggins test:

(i) The ownership of the claimed horse shall revert to the original owner.

(ii) The claim monies shall be returned to the claimant.

(iii) Any subsequent purses earned by said claimed horse, pending the receipt of the result of the coggins test, shall go to the claimant.