R52-7-6. Racing Officials and Commission Racing Personnel

  1. Racing Officials. The racing officials of a race meeting, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, are as follows: the stewards, the associate judges, the paddock judge, the starter, the identifier/tattooer, and the racing secretary. No racing official may serve in that capacity during a race in which is entered a horse owned by them or by a member of their family or in which they have any financial interest except for the identifier/tattooer, and the racing secretary. Being the lessee or lessor of a horse shall be construed as having a financial interest.

  2. Responsibility To The Commission. The racing officials shall be strictly responsible to the Commission for the performance of their respective duties, and they shall promptly report to the Commission or its stewards any violation of the rules of the Commission coming to their attention or of which they have knowledge. Any racing official who fails to exercise due diligence in the performance of his duties shall be relieved of his duties by the stewards and the matter referred to the Commission.

  3. Racing Officials Subject To Approval. Every racing official is subject to prior approval by the Commission before being eligible to act as a racing official at the meeting. At the time of making application for an organization license, the organization shall nominate the racing officials other than the racing officials appointed by the Commission; and after issuance of license to the organization, there shall be no substitution of any racing official except with approval of the stewards or the Commission.

  4. Racing Officials Appointed By The Commission. The Commission shall appoint the following racing officials for a race meeting: The board of three stewards and the identifier/tattooer. The Commission may appoint from the approved stewards list one steward to serve as state steward.

  5. Racing Personnel Employed By The Commission. The Commission shall employ the services of the licensing person for a race meeting.

  6. General Authority Of Stewards. The stewards have general authority and supervision over all licensees and other persons attendant on horses, and also over the enclosures of any recognized meeting. Stewards have the power to interpret the Rules and to decide all questions not specifically covered by them. The stewards shall have the power to determine all questions arising with reference to entries, eligibility and racing; and all entries, declarations and scratches shall be under the supervision of the stewards. The stewards shall be strictly responsible to the Commission for the conduct of the race meeting in every particular.

  7. Vacancy Among Racing Officials. Where a vacancy occurs among the racing officials, the stewards shall fill the vacancy immediately. Such appointment is effective until the vacancy is filled in accordance with the rules.

  8. Jurisdiction Of Stewards To Suspend Or Fine. The stewards' jurisdiction in any matter commences 72 hours before entries are taken for the first day of racing at the meeting and extends until 30 days after the close of such meeting. In the event a dispute or controversy arises during a race meeting which is not settled within the stewards' thirty-day jurisdiction, then the authority of the stewards may be extended by authority of the Commission for the period necessary to resolve the matter, or until the matter is referred or appealed to the Commission. The stewards may suspend for not more than one year per violation the license of anyone whom they have the authority to supervise; or they may impose a fine not to exceed $2,500 per violation; or they may exclude from all enclosures in this state; or they may suspend and fine and/or exclude. All such suspensions, fines, or exclusions shall be reported immediately to the Commission. The Stewards may suspend a horse from participating in races if the horse has been involved in violation(s) of the rules promulgated by the Commission or the provisions of the Utah Horse Act under the following circumstances:

  A. A horse is a confirmed bleeder as determined by the official veterinarian, and the official veterinarian recommends to the stewards that the horse be suspended from participation.

  B. A horse is involved with:

  i. Any violation of medication laws and rules;

  ii. Any suspension or revocation of an occupation license by the stewards or the Commission or any racing jurisdiction recognized by the Commission; or

  iii. Any violation of prohibited devices, laws, and rules.

  9. Referral To The Commission. The stewards may refer with or without recommendation any matter within their jurisdiction to the Commission.

  10. Payment Of Fines. All fines imposed by the stewards or Commission shall be due and payable to the Commission within 72 hours after imposition, except when the imposition of such fine is ordered stayed by the stewards, the Commission, or a court having jurisdiction. However, when a fine and suspension is imposed by the stewards or Commission, the fine shall be due and payable at the time the suspension expires. Nonpayment of the fine when due and payable may result in immediate suspension pending payment of the fine.

  11. Stewards' Reports And Records. The stewards shall maintain a record which shall contain a detailed, written account of all questions, disputes, protests, complaints, and objections brought to the attention of the stewards. The stewards shall prepare a daily report concerning their race day activities which shall include fouls and disqualifications, disciplinary hearings, fines and suspensions, conduct of races, interruptions and delays, and condition of racing facility. The stewards shall submit the signed original of their report and record to the Executive Director of the Commission within 72 hours of the race day.

  12. Power To Order Examination Of Horse. The stewards shall have the power to have tested, or cause to be examined by a qualified person, any horse entered in a race, which has run in a race, or which is stabled within the enclosure; and may order the examination of any ownership papers, certificates, documents of eligibility, contracts or leases pertaining to any horse.

  13. Calling Off Race. When, in the opinion of the stewards, a race(s) cannot be conducted in accordance with the rules of the Commission, they shall cancel and call off such race(s). In the event of mechanical failure or interference during the running of a race which affects the horses in such race, the Stewards may declare the race a "no contest." A race shall be declared "no contest" if no horse covers the course.

  14. Substitution Of Jockey Or Trainer.

  A. In the event a jockey who is named to ride a mount in a race is unable to fulfill his engagement and is excused by the stewards, the trainer of the horse may select a substitute jockey; or, if no substitute jockey is available, the stewards may scratch the horse from the race. However, the responsibility to provide a jockey for an entered horse remains with the trainer; and the scratching of said horse by the stewards shall not be grounds for the refund of any nomination, sustaining, penalty payments, or entry fees.

  B. In the absence of the trainer of the horse, the stewards may place the horse in the temporary care of another trainer of their selection; however, such horse may not be entered or compete in a race without the approval of the owner and the substitute trainer. The substitute trainer must sign the entry card.

  15. Stewards' List. The stewards may maintain a stewards' list of those horses which, in their opinion, are ineligible to be entered in any race because of poor or inconsistent performance due to the inability to maintain a straight course, or any other reason considered a hazard to the safety of the participants. Such horse shall be refused entry until it has demonstrated to the stewards or their representatives that it can race safely and can be removed from the stewards' list.

  16. Duties Of The Starter. The starter shall have complete jurisdiction over the starting gate, the starting of horses, and the authority to give orders not in conflict with the rules as may be required to ensure all participants an equal opportunity to a fair start. The starter shall appoint his assistants; however, he shall not permit his assistants to handle or take charge of any horse in the starting gate without his expressed permission. In the event that organization starter assistants are unavailable to head a horse, the responsibility to provide qualified individuals to head and/or tail a horse in the starting gate shall rest with the trainer. The starter may establish qualification for and maintain a list of such qualified individuals approved by the stewards. No assistant starter or any individual handling a horse at the starting gate shall in any way impede, whether intentionally or otherwise, the start of the race; nor may an assistant starter or other individual, except the jockey handling the horse at the starting gate, apply a whip or other device in an attempt to load any horse in the starting gate. No one other than the jockey shall slap, boot, or otherwise attempt to dispatch a horse from the starting gate.

  17. Starter's List. The starter may maintain a starter's list of all horses which, in his opinion, are ineligible to be entered in any race because of poor or inconsistent performance in the starting gate. Such horse shall be refused entry until it has demonstrated to the starter or his representatives that it has been satisfactorily schooled in the gates and can be removed from the starter's list. Such schooling shall be under the direct supervision of the starter or his representatives.

  18. Duties Of The Paddock Judge. The paddock judge shall supervise the assembling of the horses scheduled to race, the saddling of horses in the paddock, the saddling equipment and changes thereof, the mounting of the jockeys, and their departure for the post. The paddock judge shall provide a report on saddling equipment to the Stewards at their request.

  19. Duties Of Patrol Judges. The patrol judges, when utilized, shall be subject to the orders of the stewards and shall report to the stewards all facts occurring under their observation during the running of a race.

  20. Duties Of Placing Judges And Timers. The placing judges, timers, and/or stewards shall occupy the judges' stand at the time the horses pass the finish line; and their duties shall be to hand time, place the horses in the correct order of finish, and report the results. In case of a dead heat or a disagreement as to the correct order of finish, the decision of the stewards shall be final. In placing the horses at the finish, the position of the horses' noses only shall be considered the most forward point of progress.

  21. Duties Of The Clerk Of Scales. The clerk of scales is responsible for the presence of all jockeys in the jockey's room at the appointed time and to verify that all jockeys have a current Utah jockey's license. The clerk of scales shall verify the correct weight of each jockey at the time of weighing out and when weighing in, and shall report any discrepancies to the stewards immediately. In addition, he or she shall be responsible for the security of the jockey's room and the conduct of the jockeys and their attendants. He or she shall promptly report to the stewards any infraction of the Rules with respect to weight, weighing, riding equipment, or conduct. He or she shall be responsible for accounting of all data required on the scale sheet and submit that data to the horsemen's bookkeeper at the end of each race day.

  22. Duties Of The Racing Secretary. The racing secretary shall write and publish conditions of all races and distribute them to horsemen as far in advance of the closing of entries as possible. He or she shall be responsible for the safekeeping of registration certificates and the return of same to the trainers on request or at the conclusion of the race meeting. He or she shall record winning races on the form supplied by the breed registry, which shall remain attached to or part of the registration certificate. The racing secretary shall be responsible for the taking of entries, checking eligibility, closing of entries, selecting the races to be drawn, conducting the draw, posting the overnight sheet, compiling the official program, and discharging such other duties of their office as required by the rules or as directed by the Stewards.

  23. Duties Of Associate Judge. An associate judge may perform any of the duties which are performed by any racing official at a meeting, provided such duties are assigned or delegated to them by the Commission or by the stewards presiding at that meeting.

  24. Duties Of The Official Veterinarian. The official veterinarian must be a graduate veterinarian and licensed to practice in the State of Utah. He or she shall recommend to the stewards any horse that is deemed unsafe to be raced, or a horse that it would be inhumane to allow to race. He or she shall supervise the taking of all specimens for testing according to procedures approved by the Commission. He or she shall provide proper safeguards in the handling of all laboratory specimens to prevent tampering, confusion, or contamination. All specimens collected shall be sent in locked and sealed cases to the laboratory. He or she shall have the authority and jurisdiction to supervise the practicing licensed veterinarians within the enclosure. The official veterinarian shall report to the Commission the names of all horses humanely destroyed or which otherwise expire at the meeting, and the reasons therefore. The official veterinarian may place horses on a veterinarian's list, and may remove from the list those horses which, in their opinion, can satisfactorily compete in a race.

  25. Veterinarian's List. The official veterinarian may maintain a list of all horses who, in their opinion, are incapable of safely performing in a race and are, therefore, ineligible to be entered or started in a race. Such horse may be removed from the Veterinarian's List when, in the opinion of the official veterinarian, the horse has satisfactorily recovered the capability of performing in a race. The reasons for placing a horse on the veterinarian's list shall include the shedding of blood from one or both nostrils following exercise or the performance in a race and the running of a temperature unnatural to the horse.

  26. Duties Of The Identifier. The identifier shall identify all horses starting in a race. The identifier shall inspect documents of ownership, eligibility, registration, or breeding as may be necessary to ensure proper identification of each horse eligible to compete at a race meeting provide assistance to the stewards in that regard. The identifier shall immediately report to the paddock judge and the stewards any horse which is not properly identified or any irregularities reflected in the official identification records. The identifier shall report to the stewards and to the Commission on general racing practices observed, and perform such other duties as the Commission may require. The identifier shall report to the racing secretary before the close of the race day business.