Section 510.10  Definition

as used in Part 510, a "claimant" is a person or racing interest meeting one of the three criteria for eligibility specified in Section 510.20.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.20  Claiming Eligibility

In a claiming race any horse may be claimed for its entered price by:

a)         a licensed owner or the owner's authorized agent;

b)         a licensed racing interest or its authorized agent; or

c)         any person who has established eligibility to claim by filing an application for license as a horse owner and has been granted a claiming authorization, pursuant to Section 510.240.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994).

Section 510.30  Form and Deposit of Claim

a)         All claims shall be made in writing on a form provided by the Board.  Claims shall be signed and sealed in an envelope having no identification mark except:

1)         the name of the track;

2)         the number of the race from which the claim is being made;

3)         the stamp of a timing device provided by the track for that purpose indicating a time no later than 10 minutes prior to the thoroughbred post time and 30 minutes prior to the standardbred post time of the race in which the horse to be claimed is entered.

b)         The stewards or their designated representative shall open the claim box no sooner than 10 minutes prior to the thoroughbred post time for each race and 30 minutes prior to the standardbred post time for each race.  In thoroughbred racing, no information concerning the  claims shall be divulged to anyone other than the racing secretary's staff and the horsemen's bookkeeper until the race has been run. In standardbred racing, the public announcement of claims filed prior to the race shall be permitted.  If more than one claim is filed for the same horse, the successful claimant shall be determined by lot by the stewards or their designated representatives.

c)         Once a claim is deposited in the claim box, the claimant cannot withdraw or revoke the claim.

(Source:  Amended at 27 Ill. Reg. 533, effective January 1, 2003)

Section 510.40  Errors which Invalidate Claim

a)         A claim is invalid if:

1)         the claimant named on the claim form does not meet one of the three criteria for eligibility specified in Section 510.20; or

2)         the claim form is not deposited 10 minutes or more before the thoroughbred post time and 30 minutes or more before the standardbred post time, pursuant to Section 510.30(a); or

3)         the claimant does not have at least the amount of the claim on deposit or credited with the horsemen's bookkeeper; or

4)         the name of the horse to be claimed is erroneously spelled or is not specified in the space provided on the claim form; or

5)         the claim form:

A)        does not specify the designated claiming price as printed in the program;

B)        is not signed;

C)        does not fully indicate the name of the party making the claim; or

D)        is otherwise incorrectly completed; or

6)         the claim envelope does not meet the specifications of Section 510.30(a).

b)         In determining amounts on deposit, consideration shall be given only to amounts on deposit in the sole name of the claimant.  Amounts on deposit in accounts owned jointly or in the names of others shall not be considered in determining the adequacy of the claimant's deposit.

(Source:  Amended at 27 Ill. Reg. 533, effective January 1, 2003)

Section 510.50  Refund of Voided Claim

When a claim has been voided by the stewards, the horse claimed shall be returned to the original owner who, in turn, shall refund all claim monies to the unsuccessful claimant.

Section 510.60  Prohibited Action with Respect to Claim

No person or racing interest shall:

a)         claim more than one horse from any one race;

b)         claim their own horse or cause such horse to be claimed, directly or indirectly, for their own account;

c)         refuse to deliver the claimed horse to the successful claimant; furthermore, the horse in question shall be disqualified until delivery is effected;

d)         make any agreement with any other person or racing interest for the protection of each other's horses in any claiming race;

e)         remove any horse which has been entered in a claiming race from the race track where it has been entered to race;

f)         fail or refuse to comply with any rule or condition of the meeting for the purpose of avoiding or preventing a claim for such horse;

g)         offer, or enter into an agreement to claim or not to claim or attempt to prevent another person from claiming any horse in a claiming race;

h)         attempt to intimidate or prevent anyone from running a horse in any claiming race;

i)          claim horses owned or trained by their trainer or the trainer's spouse, child, sibling, parent, mother-in-law or father-in-law;

j)          claim horses owned or trained by their own spouse, child, sibling, parent, mother-in-law or father-in-law;

k)         claim, directly or indirectly, a horse he or she is driving in a race;

l)          claim a horse without designating a licensed trainer.  In the event multiple owners designate the same trainer for a single claim, a preliminary drawing between those owners shall be determined by lot under the supervision of the Stewards or their duly appointed representative.  The winner of the preliminary drawing shall be the participant in the final draw.  In the event that there are no other claimants, the winner of the preliminary draw shall be the sole claimant.

(Source:  Amended at 31 Ill. Reg. 15094, effective November 1, 2007)

Section 510.70  Horses under Lien

No person or persons shall enter, or allow to be entered, any horse against which any claim is held, either by mortgage, or lien of any kind without, prior to entering, having filed the written consent of the holder of the mortgage or lien with the racing secretary and horsemen's bookkeeper.

Section 510.80  Affadavit May be Required

Whenever the stewards have reasonable doubt about the validity of a claim, they shall require a claimant to execute an affidavit stating that the claimant is claiming the horse for the claimant's own account or as an authorized agent, and not for any other person.

Section 510.90  Claimant's Responsibility

Determination of the true age and sex of a claimed horse shall be the sole responsibility of the claimant, and mistakes in that regard printed in the official program or elsewhere shall not be considered a basis for invalidating the claim.

Section 510.100  Claimed Horse's Certificate

The foal certificate or eligibility papers of a claimed horse shall remain in the custody of the racing secretary's staff until the new owner removes the horse from the track.

Section 510.110  Engagements of a Claimed Horse

The stakes engagements of a claimed horse pass automatically with the horse to the claimant.

Section 510.120  Protests of a Claim

A protest of a claim shall be submitted in writing to the stewards not later than the day after the race was run.  The stewards shall investigate the protest.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.130  Title to a Claimed Horse

a)         Title to a claimed horse shall be vested in the successful claimant from the time the horse becomes a starter.

b)         Said claimant shall then become the owner of the horse irrespective of its physical condition during or after the race.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.140  Distribution of the Purse

On the day claimed, a claimed horse shall run in the interest of and for the account of the owner from whom the horse was claimed.

Section 510.150  Delivery of a Claimed Horse

After the race, a claimed horse shall be delivered by the original owner to the claimant upon presentation of a written authorization from the racing secretary's office.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.160  Trainer Responsibility for Post-Race Tests

A trainer, whose horse has been claimed and is designated for post-race testing, remains responsible for the claimed horse until after collection of the blood and/or urine specimens at the detention barn where delivery shall be made to the successful claimant.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.170  Excusing Claimed Horse

If a horse is excused by the stewards or is declared a non-starter, any claim for the horse is void. However, in harness racing such a horse, in its next start, must race in a claiming race for the same price or less.  This rule shall apply for a period of thirty days from the date of the race in which the horse was scratched or declared a non-starter.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.180  Stable Eliminated by Fire or Other Hazard

If all horses owned by a licensed stable are destroyed by fire or other hazard, such stable shall have claiming privileges under provisions of the claiming authorization as specified under Section 510.240.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.190  Entering Claimed Horse (Repealed)

(Source:  Repealed at 20 Ill. Reg. 12473, effective September 1, 1996)

Section 510.195  Determining Eligibility Dates

To determine the date when a claimed horse is eligible to race at a different location pursuant to Section 510.200 of this Part or may be sold or transferred pursuant to Section 510.210 of this Part, the counting of days shall begin on the day after the horse is claimed and shall continue through the expiration of the time period provided (e.g., a horse may be sold or transferred on the 31^st day after the claim pursuant to Section 510.210 of this Part).

(Source:  Added at 20 Ill. Reg. 951, effective January 7, 1997)

Section 510.200  Claimed Horse Racing Elsewhere

a)         A standardbred horse claimed out of a claiming race is not eligible to race in any state other than Illinois for a period of 60 days from the date of the claim, or until a date following which there is no standardbred race meet scheduled in Illinois for 30 days.

b)         A thoroughbred horse claimed out of a claiming race is not eligible to race in any state other than Illinois for a period of 45 days from the date of the claim, or until a date following which the racing season has concluded.

c)         This Section shall not apply when claimed horses are fulfilling a stakes engagement or have the express written consent, of the race track where they were claimed, to race at another location.

(Source:  Amended at 33 Ill. Reg. 11318, effective July 21, 2009)

Section 510.210  Sale of a Claimed Horse

a)         For harness racing, no horse claimed in a claiming race shall be sold or transferred wholly or in part to anyone within 60 days after the day is was claimed, except in another claiming race.

b)         For thoroughbred racing, no horse claimed in a claiming race shall be sold or transferred wholly or in part to anyone within 30 days after the day it was claimed, except in another claiming race.

(Source:  Amended at 25 Ill. Reg. 6393, effective May 1, 2001)

Section 510.220  Illinois Rules Govern Claimed Horse

When a horse is claimed at a recognized meeting governed by other rules of racing, Illinois shall recognize title to the horse under the rules of the meeting at which the claim was made.  However, while racing in Illinois, such a horse shall comply with Sections 510.170 and 510.250.

(Source:  Amended at 39 Ill. Reg. 2648, effective February 9, 2015)

Section 510.230  Extension of Regular Meeting (Repealed)

(Source:  Repealed at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.240  Claiming Authorization

a)         The board or its appointed representatives shall issue a claiming authorization to any person who makes application therefor on forms prescribed for that purpose and who:

1)         meets all requirements for the issuance of an owner's license, except that the applicant need not own a horse; and

2)         has an agreement with a licensed trainer to take charge of, care for, and train any horse claimed pursuant to the claiming authorization.  The holder of a claiming authorization and the trainer shall each promptly notify the stewards in writing if such agreement is terminated before a horse is successfully claimed; and.

3)         has at least the amount of the claim on deposit with the horsemen's bookkeeper.

b)         The claiming authorization shall be valid for the calendar year in which it is issued, or until such time as the person to whom the authorization was issued becomes a horse owner either through use of the claiming authorization or through private purchase.

c)         The same fee charged for an owner's license shall be payable to the Board by the applicant prior to issuance of a claiming authorization.  The holder of a claiming authorization shall not, by virtue thereof, be entitled to admission to the grandstand, clubhouse, or other spectator facility at prices less than those charged the general public.

d)         An application for claiming authorization may be denied or revoked for any reason that would justify denial, suspension, or revocation of an owner's license.  Any person whose claiming authorization is denied or revoked shall have the same rights to notice and hearing as an owner whose license is denied, suspended, or revoked.

e)         A holder of a claiming authorization who has not previously been granted an owner's license will be issued an owner's license without payment of any additional fees.

(Source:  Amended at 18 Ill. Reg. 2064, effective January 21, 1994)

Section 510.250  Claiming Price

a)         For a period of 30 days after the claim of a thoroughbred horse, the horse may race for the same claiming price or higher than the price at which it was claimed.  The horse is eligible to run back for a lesser price on the 31^st day after the claim.

b)         Starter handicap or starter allowance races are not subject to subsection (a).

(Source:  Amended at 45 Ill. Reg. 10719, effective August 3, 2021)

Section 510.260  Option to Declare Horse Ineligible to be Claimed

At the time of entry into a claiming race, the owner, or the trainer acting under authorization from the owner, may opt to declare a horse ineligible to be claimed provided that:

a)         the horse has not been an official starter in a race at any racetrack for a minimum of 120 days since its last race as an official starter;

b)         the horse's last race as an official starter was a claiming race in which the horse was eligible to be claimed;

c)         the horse is entered for a claiming price equal to or greater than the claiming price at which it last started as an official starter;

d)         failure to declare the horse ineligible at the time of entry may not be remedied; and

e)         ineligibility to be claimed shall only apply to the first start as an official starter following each 120-day or longer layoff. 

(Source:  Added at 36 Ill. Reg. 12371, effective July 23, 2012)

Section 510.270  Voidable Claims-Harness

a)         A claim shall be voided if a horse is an official starter and the horse:

1)         Dies on the racetrack; or

2)         Suffers an injury which requires euthanasia of the horse, as determined by a State veterinarian, while the horse is on the racetrack.

b)         A claim is voidable at the sole discretion of the new owner or the new owner's trainer, acting under authorization from the owner, for a period of up to one hour after the race is made official, for any horse that cannot walk off the track under its own power, is vanned off the track after the race, or has been observed to be lame or have exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) by a regulatory veterinarian.

(Source:  Added at 48 Ill. Reg. 18271, effective December 12, 2024)