205 CMR 3.31 - Physical Inspection of Horses

(1) Assessment of Racing Condition.

(a) Every horse entered to participate in an official race shall be subjected to a veterinary inspection prior to starting in the race for which it is entered.

(b) The inspection shall be conducted by the official veterinarian or the racing veterinarian.

(c) The assessment of a horse's racing condition shall include:

1. Proper identification of each horse inspected;

2. Clinical observation of each horse in motion during a warm-up mile, during the post parade, during the running of the race, and following the race until the horse has exited the race track;

3. Visual inspection of the entire horse and assessment of overall condition; and

4. Any other inspection deemed necessary by the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian including, but not limited to, manual palpation and/or manipulation of the limbs.

(d) The official veterinarian shall maintain a permanent, continuing health and racing soundness record of each horse inspected.

(e) The official veterinarian is authorized access to any and all horses housed on the association grounds regardless of entry status.

(f) If, prior to starting, a horse is determined to be unfit for competition, the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian will recommend to the judges the horse be scratched.

(g) Horses scratched upon the recommendation of the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian are to be placed on the Veterinarians' List.

(2) Veterinarian's List.

(a) The official veterinarian shall maintain the Veterinarian's List of all horses which are determined to be unfit to compete in a race due to illness, physical distress, unsoundness, infirmity or any other medical condition. Horses so listed are ineligible to enter to race in any jurisdiction until released by an official veterinarian or racing veterinarian.

(b) A horse may be removed from the Veterinarian's List when, in the opinion of the official veterinarian, the condition which caused the horse to be placed on the Veterinarian's List is resolved and the horse's status is returned to that of racing soundness.

(c) Horses working to be released from the Veterinarian's List are to be in compliance with 205 CMR 3.00 and are to be subjected to post-work biologic sample collection for laboratory confirmation or compliance. Violations may result in penalties consistent with 205 CMR 3.29(1).

(d) Horses may be released from the Veterinarian's List only by authorization of the official veterinarian.

(e) Horses having generated a "positive" post race test for an RCI Class I or II substance shall be required to generate a negative test at the expense of the current owner prior to being entered for the first start following the positive test.

Notes

205 CMR 3.31

Amended by Mass Register Issue 1356, eff. 6/9/2017. Amended by Mass Register Issue 1414, eff. 4/3/2020.