PERMANENT RULES
Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.
Purpose: To amend chapter 260-20 WAC, Association grounds and facilities.
Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 260-20-020, 260-20-060, 260-20-070, 260-20-100, 260-20-110, 260-20-120, 260-20-130, 260-20-140, 260-20-150, 260-20-170 and 260-20-200; and amending WAC 260-20-010, 260-20-030, 260-20-040, 260-20-050, 260-20-075, 260-20-090, 260-20-180, 260-20-190, 260-20-210 and 260-20-220.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040.
Adopted under notice filed as WSR 07-07-047 on March 13, 2007.
Changes Other than Editing from Proposed to Adopted Version: WAC 260-20-005 added "decisions of the" stewards; WAC 260-20-012 removed subsection (9) requiring a racing association to provide an area of owners, trainers, jockeys, or other persons of interest to view videotape of a race; and WAC 260-20-013 removed "designated training dates" and added "at least five weeks prior to the first day of their live race meet."
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 7, Amended 10, Repealed 11.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 7, Amended 10, Repealed 11.
Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 7, Amended 10, Repealed 11; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: May 18, 2007.
R. J. Lopez
Deputy Secretary
OTS-8634.5
NEW SECTION
WAC 260-20-005
General duty of a racing association.
A
racing association, its officers, directors, officials and
employees will abide by and enforce the rules of racing and
the orders of the commission and decisions of the stewards. A
racing association may request an exemption from a requirement
in this chapter to utilize new technology or innovative
construction in the design of the racetrack facilities. The
commission may grant an exemption if the commission determines
that the racing association's proposal substantially satisfies
the purpose of the requirement, and the exemption is in the
best interests of horse racing.
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(1) Maintain their racetrack in a condition that is safe for the riders and horses; and
(2) Have implements available to maintain a uniform track.
[Rules of racing, § 335, filed 4/21/61.]
(2) A racing association must have a public address system capable of clearly transmitting announcements to the patrons and to the stable area.
(3) If the commission does not provide photo finish service, a racing association is required to:
(a) Provide two electronic photo finish devices with mirror image to photograph the finish of each race. The commission, or designee will approve the location and operation of the photo finish devices before their first use in a race.
(b) Promptly post a photograph or digital image of each photo finish for win, place or show in an area accessible to the public.
(c) Ensure the photo finish devices are calibrated before the first day of each race meet and at other times as required by the commission, or designee.
(d) Provide, when requested, and without cost, a print of a photo finish to the commission, or designee.
(4) A racing association must provide an electronic timing system that records the time of each race in at least fifths of a second. The association will maintain this system and all split time marker sensors in good working order.
(5) A racing association must provide a videotaping system approved by the commission, or designee. Cameras must be located to provide clear panoramic and head-on views of each race. Separate monitors, which simultaneously display the images received from each camera and are capable of simultaneously displaying a synchronized view of the recordings of each race for review, will be provided in the stewards' stand. The commission, or designee will approve the location and construction of video towers.
(a) One camera will videotape the prerace loading of all horses into the starting gate and will continue to videotape them until the starter dispatches the field.
(b) One camera will videotape the apparent winner of each race from the finish line until the horse has returned, the jockey has dismounted, and the equipment has been removed from the horse.
(c) The board of stewards may, at their discretion, direct the video camera operators to videotape the activities of any horses or persons handling horses prior to, during or following a race.
(6) Races run at a Class A or B track must be recorded by at least three video cameras. Races run at a Class C track must be recorded by at least two video cameras.
(7) A racing association must, upon request, provide to the commission, without cost, a copy of a videotape of a race.
(8) Videotapes recorded prior to, during and following each race will be maintained by the association for not less than six months after the end of the race meet, or such other period as is directed by the stewards, the commission, or designee.
(9) Following any race in which there is an inquiry or objection, the association will display to the public the videotaped replays of the incident in question, which were utilized by the stewards in making their decision.
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(2) Prior to the first race meet at an association racetrack, a licensed surveyor may be required to provide to the commission a certified report of the grade and measurement of the distances to be run. If required, the surveyor's report must be submitted to the commission for approval prior to the first race day of the meet.
(3) Distances to be run will be measured from the starting line at a distance three feet out from the inside rail.
(4) A racing association will provide a drainage system for the racetrack.
(5) A racing association will provide backup equipment for maintaining the track surface. An association that conducts races on a turf track will:
(a) Maintain an adequate stockpile of growing medium; and
(b) Provide a system capable of adequately watering the entire turf course evenly.
(6) Racetracks, including turf tracks, will have inside and outside rails, including gap rails, designed, constructed and maintained to provide for the safety of riders and horses.
The top of the rail must be at least thirty-eight inches but not more than forty-two inches above the top of the cushion. The commission, or designee must approve the design and construction of rails prior to the first race at the track.
(7) During racing hours, Class A and B associations must provide at least two operable padded starting gates. Class C associations must provide at least one operable padded starting gate. The stewards will approve all starting gates.
(8) A racing association must make at least one starting gate and qualified starting gate personnel available for schooling at least five weeks prior to the first day of their live race meet.
(9) A racing association will ensure that an adequate amount of assistant starters are available for each horse in an official race.
(10) If a race is started at a place other than in a chute, the association will provide backup equipment for moving the starting gate. The backup equipment must be immediately available to replace the primary moving equipment in the event of failure.
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(2) A racing association will provide additional lighting in the stable area.
(3) If a racing association conducts racing at night, the association will maintain a backup lighting system that is sufficient to ensure the safety of race participants and patrons.
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(2) All racing associations will ensure that each horse is stabled in an individual box stall with minimum dimensions of ten by ten feet.
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(a) A walk ring that is large enough to accommodate four horses;
(b) An approved amount of enclosed stalls that permit observation of the collection process and provide for the protection of collection personnel;
(c) Facilities for the collection, identification and storage of samples;
(d) A wash-rack that is large enough to accommodate an adequate number of horses at the same time;
(e) Hot and cold running water at Class A and B racing associations.
(2) A racing association will limit access to the test barn to persons authorized by the official veterinarian.
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(2) No person may:
(a) Smoke in stalls, feed rooms, dormitory rooms, stable offices, or under shed rows;
(b) Tamper with a fire protection, prevention or suppression system or device;
(c) Burn open fires or oil and gas lamps in the stable area;
(d) Leave unattended any electrical appliance that is plugged in to an electrical outlet;
(e) Permit horses to come within reach of electrical outlets or cords;
(f) Store flammable materials such as cleaning fluids or solvents in the stable area; or
(g) Lock a stall that is occupied by a horse.
(3) A racing association must post a notice in the stable area that lists the prohibitions outlined above.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. 80-01-033 (Order 79-05), § 260-20-030, filed 12/17/79; Rules of racing, § 26, filed 4/21/61.]
(a) The person possesses a license or credentials issued
by the commission ((as owner, trainer, jockey, apprentice,
agent, stable foreman, groom, exercise boy, plater, valet or
veterinarian, or proper credentials)).
(b) The person possesses a pass issued by the
association((, and a full record of these credentials shall
[be] compiled and open to inspection at all times)).
(c) The person has been signed-in by a person licensed by the commission.
(2) The restricted areas of a racing association will include, but not be limited to the stable area, and the jockey's quarters.
(3) Children may be granted access to the stable areas as long as they are in the company of a parent or guardian who has a properly issued license, credential, or pass.
(4) Persons escorted by a licensee must remain in the company of the licensee who signed them in.
(5) At a Class C racing association, the stable areas will not be considered a restricted area, except that the racing association may limit access to this area.
(6) Passes must be displayed while in a restricted area.
[Rules of racing, § 339, filed 4/21/61.]
[Rules of racing, § 244, filed 4/21/61.]
[Statutory Authority: RCW 67.16.020 and 67.16.040. 81-08-013 (Order 81-01), § 260-20-075, filed 3/24/81.]
(2) An association will prevent access to, and will remove or cause to be removed from its restricted areas any person who is unlicensed, or who has not been issued a visitor's pass or other identifying credential, or whose presence in such restricted area is unauthorized.
(3) Class A or B racing associations must provide continuous security in the stable area during all times that horses are stabled on the grounds. An association will require any person entering the stable area to display a valid license or credential issued by the commission or a pass issued by the association.
(4) Class A or B racing associations must provide fencing around the stable area in a manner that is approved by the commission.
(5) Not later than twenty-four hours after an incident occurs requiring the attention of security personnel, the chief of security must deliver to commission security a written report describing the incident, which may be forwarded to the stewards for disciplinary action. The report must include the name of each individual involved in the incident and the circumstances of the incident.
[Rules of racing, § 336, filed 4/21/61.]
(a) Large, portable screens to shield a horse from public view;
(b) A system to facilitate loading an injured horse;
(c) Adequate means of loading a horse that is down;
(d) A rear door and a door on each side;
(e) A shielded area for the person who is attending to the horse; and
(f) An adequate area for the storage of water and veterinary drugs and equipment.
(2) A racing association may not conduct a race unless an equine ambulance or an official veterinarian approved substitute is available.
(3) The official veterinarian, its supplies and attendants and the operating procedures for the equine ambulance are subject to review and approval by the official veterinarian.
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[Rules of racing, § 331, filed 4/21/61.]
[Rules of racing, § 332, filed 4/21/61.]
[Rules of racing, § 334, filed 4/21/61.]
1/4 Poles | Red and White Horizontal Stripes |
1/8 Poles | Green and White Horizontal Stripes |
1/16 Poles | Black and White Horizontal Stripes |
[Rules of racing, § 424, filed 3/11/65.]
The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed:
WAC 260-20-020 | Duty of commission employees relative to health, safety, and order. |
WAC 260-20-060 | Unauthorized persons -- Exclusion from stables. |
WAC 260-20-070 | Unauthorized persons -- Exclusion from paddock. |
WAC 260-20-100 | Responsibility of police and watchmen -- Letter of instructions. |
WAC 260-20-110 | Stable enclosures -- Fencing -- Admission to. |
WAC 260-20-120 | Report by bureau or security officer of arrests and bookings. |
WAC 260-20-130 | Report by officer in charge of night force. |
WAC 260-20-140 | Electric timing apparatus. |
WAC 260-20-150 | Patron gates. |
WAC 260-20-170 | First-aid equipment and personnel. |
WAC 260-20-200 | Drinking water, toilets, for patrons and invitees. |