ADMINISTRATIVE CODE

TITLE 11: ALCOHOL, HORSE RACING, LOTTERY, AND VIDEO GAMING
SUBTITLE B: HORSE RACING
CHAPTER I: ILLINOIS RACING BOARD
SUBCHAPTER f: RULES AND REGULATIONS OF HARNESS RACING
PART 1318 RACING RULES

Section 1318.10 Racing Conduct

Section 1318.20 Complaints

Section 1318.30 Disqualification of Entries

Section 1318.40 Penalties

Section 1318.50 Unsatisfactory Driving

Section 1318.60 Driver Substitution

Section 1318.70 Failure to Finish

Section 1318.80 Improper Conduct

Section 1318.90 Use of the Whip

Section 1318.100 Goading Devices (Repealed)

Section 1318.110 Accidents

Section 1318.120 Use of Hopples

Section 1318.130 Breaking

Section 1318.140 Breaking on Purpose

Section 1318.150 Call Out Breaks

Section 1318.160 Right of Course

Section 1318.170 Penalties

Section 1318.180 Harness Tracks Without a Continuous Hub Rail

Section 1318.190 Open Stretch Racing

TITLE 11: ALCOHOL, HORSE RACING, LOTTERY, AND VIDEO GAMING
SUBTITLE B: HORSE RACING
CHAPTER I: ILLINOIS RACING BOARD
SUBCHAPTER f: RULES AND REGULATIONS OF HARNESS RACING
PART 1318 RACING RULES
SECTION 1318.10 RACING CONDUCT

Section 1318.10 Racing Conduct

Although a leading horse is entitled to any part of the track except after selecting his position in the home stretch, neither the driver of the first horse or any other driver in the race shall do any of the following things, which shall be considered violations of driving rules:

a) Change either to the right or left during any part of the race when another horse is so near him, that in altering his position he compels the horse behind him to shorten his stride, or causes the driver of such other horse to pull him out of his stride;

b) Jostle, strike, hook wheels, or interfere with another horse or driver;

c) Cross sharply in front of a horse or cross over in front of a field of horses in a reckless manner, endangering other drivers;

d) Swerve in and out or pull up quickly;

e) Crowd a horse or driver by "putting a wheel under him;"

f) "Carry a horse out" or "sit down in front of him," take up abruptly in front of other horses so as to cause confusion or interference among the trailing horses, or do any other act which constitutes helping;

g) Let a horse pass inside needlessly;

h) Lay off a normal pace and leave a hole when it is well within the horse's capacity to keep the hole closed;

i) Commit any act which shall impede the progress of another horse or cause him to "break;"

j) Change course after selecting a position in the home stretch and swerve in or out, or bear in or out, in such manner as to interfere with another horse or cause him to change course or take back;

k) Drive in a careless or reckless manner;

l) Whip under the arch of the sulky; or

m) Failure to set and maintain a proper pace while driving.

Section 1318.20 Complaints

a) All complaints by drivers of any foul driving or other misconduct during a heat or dash must be made at the termination thereof, unless the driver is prevented from doing so by an accident or injury. At the conclusion of each heat or dash, every driver shall return in the sulky to the judges' stand to be dismissed by the judges or barrier judge. Any driver desiring to enter a claim of foul or other complaint of violation of the rules must before dismounting indicate to the barrier judge his desire to enter such claim or complaint and forthwith upon dismounting shall proceed to the telephone or judges' stand where and when such claim, objection or complaint shall have been entered and considered.

b) After being dismissed by the judges or barrier judge, all drivers must return to the paddock and remain there until the race is made official.

Section 1318.30 Disqualification of Entries

a) If two or more horses are coupled in the betting as an entry and one or more of them is guilty of interference or is disqualified for violation of any portion of this Part (11 Ill. Adm. Code 1318), the other horse coupled as an entry shall also be disqualified if the stewards determine that it improved its finishing position as a direct result of the violation.

b) In determining the extent of disqualification, the stewards shall disqualify and place the offending horse or horses behind such horses as may have suffered by reason of the violation of the rules.

(Source: Amended at 28 Ill. Reg. 14658, effective November 1, 2004)

Section 1318.40 Penalties

In the case of interference, collision, or violation of any part of this rule, the offending horse may be placed behind all the unoffending horses in that heat or dash, and in the event such collision or interference prevents any horse from finishing the heat or dash, the offending horse may be disqualified from receiving any winnings; and the driver may be fined not to exceed the amount of the purse or stake contended for, or may be suspended or expelled.

Section 1318.50 Unsatisfactory Driving

a) Every heat in a race must be contested by every horse in the race and every horse must be driven to the finish. If the judges believe that a horse is being driven, or has been driven with the design to prevent his winning a heat or dash which he was evidently able to win, or is being raced in an inconsistent manner, or to perpetrate or to aid a fraud, they shall consider it a violation and the driver, and anyone in concert with him, to so affect the outcome of the race or races, may be fined, suspended or expelled. The judges may substitute a competent and reliable driver at any time. The substituted driver shall be paid at the discretion of the judges and the fee retained from the purse money due the horse, if any.

b) In the event a drive is unsatisfactory due to lack of effort or carelessness, and the judges believe that there is no fraud, gross carelessness, or a deliberate inconsistent drive, they may impose a penalty under this sub-section not to exceed 10 days suspension or a $100 fine.

Section 1318.60 Driver Substitution

If in the opinion of the judges, a driver is for any reason unfit or incompetent to drive or refuses to comply with the directions of the judges, or is reckless in his conduct and endangers the safety of horses or other drivers in the race, he may be removed and another driver substituted at any time after the positions have been assigned in a race, and the offending driver shall be fined, suspended or expelled. The substitute driver shall be properly compensated.

Section 1318.70 Failure to Finish

If for any cause other than being interfered with, or broken equipment, a horse fails to finish after starting in a heat, that horse shall be ruled out.

Section 1318.80 Improper Conduct

Loud shouting or other improper conduct is forbidden in a race. After the word "go" is given, both feet must be kept in the stirrups until after the finish of the race. Drivers must have both feet in the stirrups when horses are parading to the post and during qualifying races.

Section 1318.90 Use of the Whip

a) Drivers will be allowed whips not to exceed 4 feet in total length plus a snapper not longer than 6 inches. All whips are subject to inspection and measurement by the Board. Whips shall not be modified and snappers shall not be knotted.

b) Whipping below the shafts, including but not limited to the stifle area, is prohibited.

c) The following actions shall be considered as excessive and/or abusive:

1) Whipping a horse during a post parade, scoring down, or after the finish of a race, except when necessary to control the horse;

2) Use of the whip as a poking or goading device;

3) Striking any part of the horse under the tail or between the legs;

4) Whipping a horse that is not advancing or is out of contention;

5) Causing visible injury; or

6) Use of any object or stimulating device.

d) Whipping a horse during the race, when it is necessary to control the horse, shall not be considered excessive and/or abusive.

e) Drivers shall keep a line in each hand from the start of the race until the beginning of the open stretch or the ⅞ mile pole, as applicable. One handed whipping from the beginning of the open stretch or the ⅞ mile pole to the finish of the race is restricted to elbow and wrist action only. The whipping arm shall not be raised above shoulder height or behind the driver. One-handed whipping shall be prohibited entering the stretch the first time on a ½ mile racetrack.

f) Penalties

Penalties for violation of any of the provisions of this Section are as follows:

1) 1^st offense − minimum fine of $200 to a maximum fine of $500;

2) 2^nd offense within a 365 day period after the 1^st offense − minimum fine of $400 to a maximum fine of $1,000;

3) 3^rd offense within a 365 day period after the 1^st offense − minimum fine of $1,000 and a 7 day suspension;

4) For a 4^th or subsequent offense within a 365 day period after the 1^st offense − minimum fine of $2,000 and a 10 day suspension.

(Source: Amended at 40 Ill. Reg. 3757, effective March 1, 2016)

Section 1318.100 Goading Devices (Repealed)

(Source: Repealed at 34 Ill. Reg. 2324, effective January 27, 2010)

Section 1318.110 Accidents

In the case of accidents, only so much time shall be allowed as the judges may deem necessary and proper.

Section 1318.120 Use of Hopples

Any person found guilty of removing or altering a horse's hopples for the purpose of fraud shall be suspended, or expelled. Any horse habitually wearing hopples shall not be permitted to start in a race without them except by the permission of the judges. Any horse habitually racing free-legged shall not be permitted to wear hopples in a race except with the permission of the judges. No horse shall be permitted to wear a headpole protruding more than 10 inches beyond its nose.

Section 1318.130 Breaking

a) When a horse or horses break from their gait in trotting or pacing, their driver shall at once, where clearance exists, take such horse to the inside or outside and pull it to its gait.

b) The following shall be considered violations of this Section:

1) Failure to properly attempt to pull the horse to its gait.

2) Failure to take to the inside or outside where clearance exists.

3) Failure to lose ground by the break.

4) An extended break (i.e., any break in gait that lasts 1/16 mile or more).

c) If there has been no failure on the part of the driver in complying with sub-sections (b)(1), (b)(2), (b)(3) and (b)(4), the horse shall not be set back unless a contending horse on its gait is lapped on the hind quarter of the breaking horse at the finish.

d) The judges may set any horse back one or more places if in their judgment any of the above violations have been committed and the driver may be punished.

e) If a horse goes offstride during any part of the race, and, in the opinion of the stewards, interferes with any horse or horses, that interference shall constitute a violation. The offending horse shall be placed behind all horses interfered with unless the driver of the horse or horses interfered with failed to exercise reasonable care to avoid the incident.

(Source: Amended at 30 Ill. Reg. 9188, effective May 1, 2006)

Section 1318.140 Breaking on Purpose

If, in the opinion of the judges, a driver allows his horse to break for the purpose of fraudulently losing a heat or dash, he shall be liable to the penalties elsewhere provided for fraud and fouls.

Section 1318.150 Call Out Breaks

To assist in determining the matters contained in sections 7.02 and 7.03, (11 Ill. Adm. Code Sections 1307.20 and 1307.30) it shall be the duty of one of the judges to call out every break made, and the clerk shall at once note the break and character of it in writing.

Section 1318.160 Right of Course

Horses called for a race shall have the exclusive right of the course and all other horses shall vacate the track at once, unless permitted to remain by the judges.

Section 1318.170 Penalties

Any violation of any sections of the above rule, unless otherwise provided, may be punished by a fine and/or suspension or by expulsion.

Section 1318.180 Harness Tracks Without a Continuous Hub Rail

a) In the event a horse or part of the horse's sulky leaves the course, and if, in the opinion of the stewards, that action gives the horse an unfair advantage over the other horses in the race, the horse may be disqualified or placed back one or more positions. In any such disqualification or placing, the horse gaining an unfair advantage shall be disqualified or placed behind the horse or horses affected.

b) In the event a horse or part of the horse's sulky leaves the course for any reason, it shall be the driver's responsibility to take all reasonable steps to safely re-enter the race course as soon as possible.

(Source: Added at 16 Ill. Reg. 7489, effective April 27, 1992)

Section 1318.190 Open Stretch Racing

a) With approval of the Board, a track may extend the width of its homestretch up to 10 feet inward in relation to the width of the rest of the racetrack. The criteria for Board approval shall include, but not be limited to, the size of the race track, the length of the homestretch, the necessity for conversion from harness to thoroughbred racing surfaces and rails, and the type of existing rail.

b) In the event the home stretch is expanded pursuant to subsection (a), the following shall apply:

1) No horse shall pass on the extended inside lane entering the stretch the first time on a ½ mile track.

2) The lead horse in the homestretch shall maintain as straight a course as possible while allowing trailing horses full access to the extended inside lane.

3) Horses using the open stretch must first have complete clearance of the pylons. Any horse or sulky running over the pylons and/or going to the inside of the pylons to clear may be disqualified by the Steward.

4) No horse may be driven into the open stretch for the purpose of blocking or impeding a trailing horse. It shall be presumed that a horse that blocks or impedes a trailing horse in the open stretch without advancing on a leading horse is being driven for the purpose of blocking or impeding a trailing horse. Violation of this provision may result in a disqualification, and the driver may be fined.

(Source: Amended at 35 Ill. Reg. 8500, effective May 23, 2011)