Part II. Conduct of Racing
11VAC10-150-12. Safety helmets.
A protective helmet, meeting the 2000 Standard for Protective Headgear (Snell Memorial Foundation), meeting Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 218 (49 CFR 571.218), or that is ASTM/SEI certified, securely fastened under the chin, must be worn at all times on association grounds when:
1. Racing, parading, or warming up a horse prior to racing; or
2. Jogging, training, or exercising a horse at any time.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 18, eff. May 31, 2007.
11VAC10-150-15. Safety vests.
A. A safety vest shall be worn when:
1. Racing, parading or warming up a horse prior to racing; or
2. Jogging, training or exercising a horse at any time.
B. A safety vest shall:
1. Cover the torso, front and back, from the collar bone to the hip bone;
2. Be of uniform material and thickness over the whole of the vest except for localized:
a. Variation due to pattern, for example, quilting;
b. Thinner areas to aid fit, for example, under the arms, at fastenings and at edges; and
c. Thicker areas in regard to particularly sensitive areas of the body, for example, the spine; and
3. Equal or exceed a minimum shock absorbance rating of five according to the specifications established by the British Equestrian Trade Association (BETA), which are as follows:
a. Use a critical height apparatus to measure the maximum deceleration on impact of a striker consisting of a spherical idententer weighing 5.9 (+/-0.05) kilograms with a diameter of 215 (+/- 2) millimeters,
b. Condition the vest and the striker for a minimum of three hours at 23º (+/-2º) Centigrade,
c. With the vest lying on a smooth, flat massive concrete base with the inside of the vest facing the striker and positioned so that the striker will impact on an area of typical thickness, not reinforced by additional material, raise and release the striker starting at a height of 0.2 meter and increasing the height by increments of 0.2 meter to a height that will result in a deceleration of over 300 gravity units (1G=9.81 ms-1) as measured by recording the signal from an accelerometer through the impact from the time before the striker impacts the vest until the accelerometer returns to the same level as before the impact,
d. Record the gravity units measured at each height increment on a line graph that has the gravity units in ascending order as the vertical axis and the release height in meters in ascending meters as the horizontal access,
e. Plot the height in meters at which the deceleration reached 300 gravity units, and
f. Multiply the height obtained in subdivision 3 e of this subsection by 10 to calculate the shock absorbance rating.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from Virginia Register Volume 23, Issue 18, eff. May 31, 2007.
11VAC10-150-20. Paddock procedures.
The trainer shall be responsible for the arrival in the paddock at the time prescribed by the stewards for each horse entered by the trainer. The following provisions shall apply to the procedures to be followed in the paddock:
1. The paddock time shall not be less than one hour prior to post time;
2. Except for warmup trip, no horse shall leave the paddock until the post parade;
3. No driver, trainer or groom, once admitted to the paddock shall leave the paddock unless to attend a horse during a warmup trip;
4. Once leaving the paddock no person, except an owner who has another horse entered in a later race, shall be permitted to return;
5. Any horse that falls to the racing surface during a warmup trip shall be automatically excused by the stewards;
6. The licensee shall provide the services of a farrier during hours when horses are racing or taking warmup trips; and
7. The licensee shall provide equipment so that racing will not be unnecessarily delayed due to broken equipment.
8. A trainer may exercise his option not to take warmup trips with his horse prior to racing; however, such horse shall be satisfactorily paraded before the commission veterinarian or his assistant prior to starting in a race to determine the horse's fitness for racing.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.1, eff. July 15, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 26, eff. August 14, 2000.
11VAC10-150-30. Sulky.
Harness racing shall be conducted with each horse hitched to a United States Trotting Association-approved sulky. Each sulky shall have dual shafts and shall be equipped with wheel discs on the inside and outside of each wheel. During inclement weather, the wheels may be covered with mud guards. With the permission of the stewards, harness racing may be conducted under saddle.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.2, eff. July 15, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 26, eff. August 14, 2000.
11VAC10-150-40. Identifying equipment.
The licensee shall supply to each horse entered a numbered saddle pad which corresponds to the number of the horse as listed in the daily racing program. The horse shall wear the designated saddle pad during all warmup trips.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.3, eff. July 15, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 26, eff. August 14, 2000.
11VAC10-150-50. Racing colors.
Drivers must wear distinguishing colors, clean white pants and a safety helmet, with the chin strap in place, during all warmup trips and races.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.4, eff. July 15, 1991.
11VAC10-150-60. Substitute driver.
No driver shall, without good and sufficient reason, refuse to drive a horse when ordered by the stewards to substitute for another driver. When a driver is programmed to drive a horse and removed at his request, he shall not be permitted to drive another horse in the same race.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.5, eff. July 15, 1991.
11VAC10-150-70. Late driver change.
No driver may be changed without the permission of the stewards and for good cause. A person who causes a driver change after the daily racing program has been printed shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.6, eff. July 15, 1991.
11VAC10-150-80. Hopples.
A horse habitually wearing hopples shall not be permitted to start in a race without them unless permission is granted by the stewards. A free-legged pacer shall not be permitted to race with hopples unless permission is granted by the stewards. Any person altering a horse's hopples for a fraudulent purpose shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.7, eff. July 15, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 26, eff. August 14, 2000.
11VAC10-150-90. Excessive use of the whip.
Drivers will be allowed whips not exceeding three feet, nine inches, plus a snapper not longer than six inches. The following actions shall be considered as excessive use of the whip:
1. Causing visible injury;
2. Whipping a horse after a race; and
3. Whipping under the arch or shafts of the sulky.
The use of the whip shall be confined to an area above and between the sulky shafts, to include the sulky shafts and the outside wheel discs. Drivers shall keep a line in each hand from the start of the race until the head of the stretch finishing the race.
The commission veterinarian or his designee shall make a mandatory visual inspection of each horse following each race for evidence of excessive use of the whip.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.8, eff. July 15, 1991; amended, Virginia Register Volume 16, Issue 26, eff. August 14, 2000.
11VAC10-150-100. Post parade.
No horse may be excused from the post parade without the permission of the stewards. The horses comprising a race shall be formed in a post parade and on the track no less than 12 minutes prior to post time, unless, due to inclement weather, the stewards decrease the length of time. The starter shall inform the drivers of the number and length of warmup scores to be taken prior to going to the starting gate.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.9, eff. July 15, 1991.
11VAC10-150-110. Timing procedure.
The time shall be taken from the first horse leaving the point which the distance of the race is measured until the winner reaches the wire. The leading horse shall be timed and his time only shall be announced. In the case of a dead heat for win, the time shall be accorded to the horses involved in the dead heat.
Statutory Authority
§ 59.1-369 of the Code of Virginia.
Historical Notes
Derived from VR662-05-02 § 2.10, eff. July 15, 1991.