Sec. 09.10.02.17. Entries

A. The closing of entries is determined by the racing secretary. The racing secretary shall check the eligibility of all horses drawn in to race and verify the horses' eligibility with the presiding judge. Additions to the entries may not be made after entries are closed. All entries or declarations shall be made by the owner or trainer or the registered agent of the owner. All information called for by the declaration or entry application or blank shall be supplied. The racing secretary shall refuse all applications, declarations, or entries which are not fully completed, and promptly notify the owner or trainer or agent of the reasons for the refusal. The racing secretary shall verify the accuracy of the name of the owner, the trainer, and the driver as set forth in the declaration or entry.

B. Preference.

(1) Preference shall be given in all overnight events according to a horse's last previous purse race during the current year. Horses of equal preference should be chosen for the race by draw. The preference date on a horse that has drawn to race and been scratched is the date of the race from which the horse was scratched.

(2) When a horse is racing for the first time in the current year, the date of the first declaration shall be considered its last race date, and preference applied accordingly, provided, however, that when an overnight race has been reopened because it did not fill, all eligible horses declared in to the race before the reopening shall receive preference over horses subsequently declared, irrespective of the actual preference dates.

(3) This rule relating to preference is not applicable to any meeting at which an agricultural fair is in progress. All horses granted stalls and eligible shall be given an opportunity to compete at these meetings.

C. When the starters in a race include two or more horses owned or trained by the same person, or trained in the same stable or by the same management, they shall be coupled as an "entry" where pari-mutuel wagering is conducted and a wager on one horse in the "entry" shall be a wager on all horses in the "entry." However, when a trainer enters two or more horses in a stake, early closing, futurity, free-for-all, or other special event under bona fide separate ownerships, the horses may, at the request of the association and with the approval of the Commission, be permitted to race as separate betting entries. If the race is split in two or more divisions, horses in an "entry" shall be seeded in separate divisions insofar as possible, but the divisions in which they compete and their post positions shall be drawn by lot. The above provisions shall also apply to elimination heats. When a nominator starts two or more horses, the judges shall approve or disapprove the second and third drivers.

D. If any violation is committed by a person driving a horse coupled as an entry in the betting, the judges may set both horses back, if, in their opinion, the violation may have affected the finish of the race. Otherwise, penalties may be applied individually to the drivers of an entry.

E. In an early closing event, if less horses are declared in than are required to start, the horse or horses properly declared in and on the grounds ready to race shall equally share all of the entrance money and forfeits from each horse named.

F. A horse may not be qualified to start in any race unless its owner, trainer-driver, driver, colors, etc., have been duly licensed by the Commission.