Conn. Agencies Regs. § 12-574-A24 - Starter

(a) Duties.

(1) Horses are in the hands of the starter from the moment they enter the track until the start is made.

(2) He shall give all orders necessary to secure a fair start.

(3) He shall report to the stewards by whom and by what cause any delay was occasioned, and any cases of misconduct by assistant starters or by jockeys when under his orders.

(4) He, or his assistants, shall keep records of horses handled, by which assistant, and equipment used if other than the ordinary lead strap.

(b) Bad-mannered horses. The start must not be delayed on account of bad-mannered horses. After reasonable efforts, if a horse cannot be led or backed into position, the starter shall do the following:

(1) In non-stake races the starter shall consult with the stewards and the stewards shall have the discretion to scratch a horse that is unruly.

(2) In stake races the starter shall consult with the stewards and the stewards, in their discretion, may scratch the unruly horse, or may order the starter to place the horse on the outside and one length behind the starting gate or in a position outside the starting gate.

(c) Run away horse, reloading gate. Should a horse break through the gate, or unseat his rider after part or all of the field is loaded in the gate for the start, and such horse is not immediately taken in hand by the out rider and brought back for reloading, the starter shall unload the horses in the gate and reload in their proper order when the run away horse is brought back in position for loading.

(d) Post positions. The starter is required to load horses in the starting gate in order of post position. Any exception to this must receive the approval of the stewards.

(e) Starting signal. The horses shall be started by a machine or bell, or by both and there shall be no start until, and no recall after the starter has signaled for the start.

(f) Prohibited behavior. The starter or his assistants shall not strike or use abusive language toward a jockey.

(g) Assistant starters, location. The starter shall daily change the position on the track of each of his assistant starters. The starter shall not notify the assistant starters of their positions until after the horses shall have left the paddock for the first race.

(h) Schooling. Horses shall be schooled under the supervision of the starter or his assistants, 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. Except in stakes, a horse will not be eligible to start until the starter orders the name stricken from the schooling list.

(i) Approval of certain entries. The starter shall certify that all entries of two-year-olds, and older horses which have never started at a recognized track, are schooled in the starting gate before they are allowed to start.

(j) Power to recommend penalties. The starter shall have authority to recommend to the stewards that a jockey be fined or suspended for disobedience of his orders or for attempting to take any unfair advantage. Should the stewards find that such jockey has disobeyed the orders of the starter or attempted to take unfair advantage, he shall be subjected to the penalties prescribed in these rules.

Notes

Conn. Agencies Regs. § 12-574-A24