205 CMR 4.54 - 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 agency or the association employing
the examining veterinarian(s) should provide a staffing level of not less than
two veterinarians.
(d) The trainer
of each horse or a representative of the trainer must present the horse for
inspection as required by the examining veterinarian. Horses presented for
examination must have bandages removed; the legs must be clean. Prior to
examination, horses may not be placed in ice nor shall any device or substance
be applied that impedes veterinary clinical assessment.
(e) The assessment of a horse's racing
condition shall include:
1. Proper
identification of each horse inspected;
2. Observation of each horse in
motion;
3. Manual palpation and
passive flexion of both forelimbs;
4. Visual inspection of the entire horse and
assessment of overall condition;
5.
Clinical observation in the paddock and saddling area, during the parade to
post and at the starting gate, during the running of the race, and following
the race until the horse has exited the race track; and,
6. Any other inspection deemed necessary by
the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian.
(f) The official veterinarian and/or the
racing veterinarian shall maintain a permanent continuing health and racing
soundness record of each horse inspected.
(g) The official veterinarian and/or the
racing veterinarian are authorized access to any and all horses housed on
association grounds regardless of entry status.
(h) If, prior to starting, a horse is
determined to be unfit for competition, or if the veterinarian is unable to
make a determination of racing soundness, the veterinarian will recommend to
the Stewards the horse be scratched.
(i) Horses scratched upon the recommendation
of the official veterinarian and/or the racing veterinarian are to be placed on
the Veterinarian's 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
4.00 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
4.52(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
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No prior version found.