A. Brief Description of the Issue
Adding a commission vet check option post race for claims. Removing the risk of claiming injured, ill or unsound horses.
B. Discussion of the Issue and Problem
What specific problems or concerns are involved in this issue?
Lowers risk to owners of claiming an un-raceable horse or trainers pushing out a "hot potatoe". Might help to keep trainers honest in the placing of questionable horses into certain races and help boost owner confidence in claiming new stock.
Who does the issue affect?
the future of the industry in Alberta.
What existing HRA rules relate to this issue?
Claiming rules
C. Possible Solutions and Impact
What solution does this proposal provide?
Helping to build confidence in the claiming process.
How will the solution fix the problem?
giving Claimants the opportunity to have the vet assess the horse post race before making claim official, avoiding potentially claiming a horse with known or pre-existing problems.
How will the change affect any entities or stakeholders?
Increase Stakeholder confidence in racing integrity and hold some accountability to trainers in entering certain horses.
How will you or your organization be affected by the proposed change?
What are the benefits of the proposed change?
Giving owners some added security in the claiming process
What are the possible drawbacks of the proposed change?
possible decline in eligible runners due to underlying conditions that may pass morning vet check but could result in horse not being claimed if trainer/owner is trying to offload a horse. This could potentially decrease the field size. Manpower concerns, having the ability of a vet to complete the post race observations.
D. Please identify any affected stakeholder groups that expressed support or opposition.
(These stakeholders may include the racetracks, breed registries, owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians, or others.)
For those stakeholder groups that have expressed an opinion, please list the points on which they agree or disagree, and the arguments they have expressed.
Owners and trainers that have also had experience in racing in jurisdictions that have this rule in place already (Woodbine)
Agree that adding this option would be beneficial to racing in AB
Are there any affected stakeholder groups that have not been consulted on this proposal?
HBPA, have not had the opportunity to bring it to them as deadline was looming.
Please attach any formal letters of support or opposition by stakeholder groups. Files must be .pdf, .doc, .docx, or .txt format and under 3072k for the system to accept the submission. You can add a maximum of 3 attachments.
E. Attach the rule language you are proposing. Please show new language in a new paragraph below the current wording. If you are proposing that current rule language be eliminated, please indicate the text to be deleted with [delete: sample deleted copy]
F. Do any racing jurisdictions currently have a version of this rule in effect? If yes, please attach copies of those rules.
Yes, Ontario
12.32.01 The Stewards shall rule a claim invalid, if:
At the option of the claimant, approved post-race testing procedures discloses that an improper medication or drug was found to be present in the sample of the claimed horse which is reported in the analysis report from the lab. Once the claim has been declared invalid by the Stewards the claimant must request within 72 hours that the horse be returned to the original owner;
At the option of the claimant, if the horse has been found ineligible to the event from which it was claimed;
The horse dies on the racetrack; or
The horse suffers an injury which requires euthanasia while on the racetrack as determined by either a Commission Veterinarian or an Official Veterinarian.
At the option of the claimant, if before the end of the Observation Period:
The Commission Veterinarian or Official Veterinarian places the horse on the Veterinarians’ List;
The Commission Veterinarian or Official Veterinarian observes the horse is bleeding from the nostrils;
The Commission Veterinarian or Official Veterinarian determines the horse has suffered an injury which requires euthanasia; or
The horse dies.
12.33 Claimants may choose to have the horse observed by an Official Veterinarian or Commission Veterinarian. A claimant or their representative must confirm with the Stewards or such other Official as set out in the track rules that a horse is going to be observed. If the claimant chooses to waive the Observation Period, Rule 12.32.01(e) shall no longer apply.
12.33.01 With respect to the Observation Period, the claimed horse shall be taken directly and without delay, to the designated observation area; failure to comply may result in the following:
The Observation Period being waived,
The claim not being invalidated, and/or
Such other action, as determined by the Stewards.
12.33.02 The observation shall take place as close to one hour after the race as practical.
12.33.03 Except in the case of an emergency, no horse shall receive treatment before the end of the Observation Period and any such treatment shall be reported to the Stewards as soon as practical.
12.33.04 The Association shall create a process for the Observation Period referred to in Rule 12.32.01(e), which must be outlined in an Association’s track rules.
12.34 When the Stewards rule that a claim is invalid:
The amount of the claiming price shall be repaid to the claimant;
Any purse monies earned subsequent to the date of the claim and before the date on which the claim is ruled invalid shall be the property of the claimant;
The claimant shall be responsible for any reasonable costs incurred through the care, training or racing of the horse while it was in his or her possession; and
The horse shall be returned to the original owner in the same material condition.
G. Review the Rules Governing Horse Racing in Alberta and identify any other Rules this change would affect and submit proposed amendments to those rules to comply with changes that would be made by this proposal.
PART 4
CLAIMING RULES
310 g Application
(1) This Part applies to all forms of racing.
(2) A *licensed owner entering a *horse in a claiming race does so subject to the provisions of
this Part.
311 g Purpose of claiming races
(1) *Claiming races are a way of classifying *horses so that they *race at levels in which they
are competitive.
(2) The purpose of *claiming is to avoid a superior horse from dominating *horse races at a
certain level and so having an unfair advantage.
(3) Claiming prevents an unfair advantage by moving horses to different stables for the
purpose of enhancing horse racing in the jurisdiction in which the horse is claimed.
(4) A horse claimed in Alberta for a purpose other than live horse racing in Alberta *violates
the spirit and intent of the claiming rules and weakens the Alberta racing industry.
PROHIBITED AND LIMITED CLAIMS
312 g Licensed owners cannot claim their own horse (amended 03/20)
(1) A person shall not claim directly or indirectly his or her own horse or a horse trained or
driven by him/her or cause such horse to be claimed directly or indirectly for his or her
own account.
(2) A person shall not directly or indirectly offer, or directly or indirectly enter into an
agreement, to claim or not to claim or directly or indirectly attempt to prevent another
person from claiming any horse in a claiming race.
313 g Limitation of claims (amended 04/22)
(1) No owner is entitled to make more than one claim in any one race.
(2) All claim forms must designate a licensed trainer.
(3) No licensed trainer or authorized agent may be involved with the claiming of more than 2
horses in any one claiming race.
(4) A trainer shall not have more than one claim on any one horse in any claiming race. In the
event of multiple claims for the same designated trainer, the qualifying claim from within
that group shall be drawn by lot for the claim. All claim forms must identify a designated
trainer.
(5) Should different individuals or entities involved in a partnership submit a claim in the
same race, the qualifying claim will be drawn by the judges/stewards board, or their
designate, form within that partnership group, before any final draw for the claim of a
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horse.
314 g No claims by trainers
No *claim may be made of a *horse that has the same *trainer as the claimant.
315 g Claiming prohibitions (amended 04/25)
(1) No person may offer to, nor enter into an agreement to, *claim or not to claim a *horse, or
attempt to prevent a claim being made, nor may any person, by intimidation, prevent a
horse from being run in a *claiming race.
(2) The *judges/stewards board may prohibit persons from *claiming if it considers that the
purpose of making the claim would
(a) not advance the interests of the Alberta horse racing industry,
(b) not be in the best interests of racing in Alberta, or
(c) be contrary to the purpose of claiming races or the public interest.
(3) All Thoroughbred and Quarter Horses claimed must *race within 45 days of the claim.
If unable to race within 45 days, the owner and/or trainer must provide a veterinary
certificate explaining why the horse is medically unable to race. This certificate must be
accepted by the Official Veterinarian.
(a) If the owner and/or trainer fails to provide an acceptable veterinary certificate, they
may lose their claiming privileges for 365 days (one year).
WHO MAY CLAIM
316 g Issue of claim certificates
(1) On application, a *claim certificate may be issued by the *judges/stewards board to any
person whose *owner’s licence has been approved, subject to such terms, conditions, or
limitations as the board considers advisable.
(2) A claim certificate is valid only for the *racing season in respect of which it is issued.
317 g Claimants (amended 03/20)
(1) The following persons may make a claim for a race horse in a claiming race:
(a) a licensed owner who has a race horse on the grounds registered to race at the race
meeting in which the claim is to be made;
(b) a licensed owner who does not actually own a race horse but whose licence
application has been approved by the judges/stewards board;
(c) any other person whose application for an owner's licence has been approved, and
who is the holder of a claim certificate issued by the judge/stewards board.
(2) Licensed owners may claim for themselves alone or in partnership.
(3) Any person or the authorized agent of such person who holds a current valid HORSE
RACING ALBERTA licence may claim any horse, or any person who has properly applied for
and been granted a claiming certificate shall be permitted to claim any horse. Any person
or authorized agent eligible to claim a horse shall be allowed access to the grounds of the
Association in order to affect a claim at the designated place of making claims and to take
possession of the horse claimed.
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318 g Two or more owners claiming
If 2 or more *licensed owners *claim a *horse, all must sign the claim, unless one of them, or
another person designated by them, is constituted as authorized agent for all the *owners.
319 g Claim must be on deposit
(1) No person may make a *claim unless the amount of the claim is placed on deposit with
the horsemen's bookkeeper by the claimant.
(2) A *claiming credit note must be obtained from the horsemen's bookkeeper covering the
current balance in the claimant's account.
320 g Limited discussion about claiming
(1) *Licensed owners and authorized agents must not discuss with any person, other than
their *trainer, any matter relating to the *claiming of a particular *horse.
(2) Trainers must not discuss a proposed *claim with any person other than the licensed
owner making the claim or the *owner’s authorized agent.
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HOW THE CLAIM IS MADE
321 g When claim can be made
A *claim may only be made
(a) in respect of a *claiming race, and
(b) for any *horse in that *race for its entered *claiming price.
322 g Making the claim (amended 03/20)
(1) Claims must be made in writing on the proper claim blank supplied by the licensed
operator.
(2) When a claim has been lodged it is irrevocable, and is at the risk of the claimant.
323 g Opening claims
*Claims may only be opened by the *judges/stewards board or other specified *racing official
designated by the board.
324 g Two or more claims for the same horse (amended 03/20)
In the event more than one claim is submitted for the same horse, the successful claimant
shall be determined by lot by the judges/stewards, and all unsuccessful claims involved in the
decision by lot shall, at that time, become null and void, notwithstanding any future disposition
of such claim.
Upon determining that a claim is valid, the judges/stewards shall forthwith notify the paddock
judge of the name of the horse claimed, the name of the claimant and the name of the person
to whom the horse is to be delivered.
If two or more claimants enter a claim for the same horse, the disposition of the horse is to be
determined by the judges/steward’s board, or other racing official designated by them, by lot.
CLAIMS AT THOROUGHBRED RACES
325 t Claims and claims box (amended 05/24)
(1) For thoroughbred *races,
(a) the *claim blank and the *claiming credit note, properly completed, and claim
certificate, if applicable, must be placed in the claim envelope provided by the
*licensed operator for that purpose, and
(b) the envelope must be sealed and must have the date and number of the race
written on it, and the envelope must be deposited in the claim box before the last
*horse has left the paddock for the race.
(2) The claim box must be located in the paddock area under the supervision of the paddock
*judge.
(3) The paddock judge must cause all claims to be reported to the *stewards board before
the running of each race.
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STANDARDBRED CLAIMS
326 s Making the claim (amended 05/24)
(1) A *claim blank and the *claiming credit note, properly completed, and a claim certificate,
if applicable, must be placed in the claim envelope provided by the *licensed operator for
that purpose.
(2) The envelope must be sealed, the date and number of the *race written on it, and the
envelope must be delivered to the horsemen's bookkeeper or another person designated
for that purpose by the licensed operator at least 30 minutes before *post time of the race
in respect of which the claim is being made.
(3) The horseman’s bookkeeper or designate must certify, by automatic time clock on the
outside of the envelope, the time the envelope is received.
327 s Delivery of claims
The horsemen's bookkeeper must cause all *claims to be delivered to the *judges board before
the running of each *race.
328 s Eligibility for claiming standardbred horses
(1) No *declaration is to be accepted on a *horse for a *claiming race unless
(a) the *owner has provided written authorization to the racing secretary before
declaration which must include the minimum price for which the horse may be
*claimed, and
(b) if the horse is owned by more than one party, all parties or their authorized agent
must sign the authorization.
(2) Any question relating to the validity of a *claiming authorization must be referred to the
*judges board who may disallow a declaration, or *scratch the horse, if they consider the
authorization to be improper.
(3) To be eligible for a claim, a standardbred horse must start in the event to which it was
declared.
329 s Scratches from claiming races
If a standardbred *horse is declared to start in a *claiming race but is *scratched
(a) the scratch must be noted on its *eligibility certificate, and
(b) if a *declaration is made within a period of 30 *days before its next start, that horse is
subject to *claim in its next start, regardless of the type or conditions of the *race or
ownership, at a total price no greater than the amount for which it could have been
claimed in the race from which it was scratched.
330 s Trainers and drivers may not claim
No person may *claim a standardbred *horse trained or driven by that person in a *claiming
race.
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AFTER THE CLAIM IS MADE
331 g Vesting of title (amended 03/20)
Every horse entered in a claiming race shall race for the account of the owner who declared it
in the event but title to a claimed horse shall be vested in the successful claimant from the time
the horse is deemed to have started, and the successful claimant shall become the owner of the
horse.
332 g Delivery order for claimed horses (amended 03/20)
Transfer of possession of a claimed horse to the successful claimant or their representative shall
take place in the paddock immediately after the running of the race. Altering or removing the
horse's shoes prior to the transfer is not permitted.
333 g Transfer of registration (amended 03/20)
Notwithstanding the requirements under Rule 332 g, in the case where a claimed horse must
submit for post-race testing, physical custody of the claimed horse shall transfer from the
original owner to the successful claimant outside the retention area following completion of the
test and after the sample tags have been signed by the original owner or their representative.
334 g Scratch from races by new owner
The new *licensed owner or *trainer of a *claimed *horse may *scratch the horse out of any
*race in which it had been entered by its former *owner.
335 g Claims can be voided (amended 03/20)
(1) The *judges/stewards board may declare a *claim to be void if
(a) any provision of these rules relating to *claiming is *violated,
(b) the judges/stewards board is satisfied that the spirit and intent of the rules have
been violated, or
(c) if the Official Chemist reports a positive test on a horse that was claimed, provided
such option is exercised within 48 hours following notification to the claimant of the
positive test by the judges/stewards,
(d) if the horse has been found ineligible to the event from which it was claimed, or
(e) if approved post-race testing procedures disclosed that an improper medication or
drug was found to be present in the sample of the claimed horses and reported in
the analysis report from the laboratory, provided such option is exercised within 48
hours following notification to the claimant by the judges/stewards.
(1.1) A claim may be voided if a horse is a starter as determined by the judges/stewards board,
and the horse:
(a) Dies on the racing oval; or
(b) Suffers an injury which requires the euthanasia of the horse as determined by the
Official Veterinarian while the horse is on the racing oval.
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(2) If erythropoietin or darbepoetin is confirmed in a blood sample taken from a claimed
horse, the claimant of that horse may request the judges/stewards to declare the claim
invalid, but the request must be made within 48 hours of the claimant, his or her trainer, or
authorized agent receiving notification of the positive test from the judges/stewards.
(3) When the judges/stewards board rules a claim to be void and the *horse is returned to the
original *owner:
(a) the amount of the claiming price plus GST shall be repaid to the claimant;
(b) any purse money earned subsequent to the date of the claim and before the date
on which the claim is ruled void becomes the property of the claimant, and
(c) the claimant is responsible for any reasonable costs incurred through the care,
training, or racing of the horse while it was in their care, custody or control.
336 g Limitations on sale and racing of claimed horses (amended 04/22)
(1) A claimed horse in thoroughbred racing must not
(a) be sold or transferred to anyone, in whole or in part, except in a claiming race, for at
least 60 days after the date of a claim, unless the stewards board permits a transfer to
another trainer;
(b) return to the same stable or to control or management of its former licensed owner
or trainer for at least 60 days after the date of the claim, unless the horse is reclaimed;
(c) be raced outside of the Alberta circuit from which it was claimed from for the
balance of that Alberta circuits *racing season without the permission of the
stewards board.
(2) A claimed horse in Standardbred racing must not
(a) a claimed horse shall not be eligible to start in any race in the name or interest of
the original owner for 30 days, unless reclaimed out of another claiming race. Nor
shall such horse remain in or be returned to the same stable or care or management
of the first owner or trainer for the same period of 30 days, unless reclaimed out of
another claiming race;
(b) return to the same stable or to control or management of its former licensed owner
or trainer for at least 60 days after the date of the claim, unless the horse is reclaimed;
(c) a claimed horse, regardless of ownership, shall only race at a track or tracks in that
province for the next 60 days, except where such horse has been nominated to
participate in an added money event before it was claimed, or unless the track
where the horse was claimed closes for more than 30 days. In the case of their track
closing for more than 30 days, or unless mandated by the provincial regulator the
horse is released from the provisions of this rule the day after the track closes. Any
person who violates this rule shall be subject to a suspension or monetary penalty
or unless mandated by the provincial regulator of the 10% of the claiming price
or 100% of the purse for each race, whichever is greater and the horse may be
suspended. A claimant shall be held in violation of this rule if he or she disposes of
the horse in any manner other than by claiming and the horse races outside of the
province within 60 days of the horse being claimed.
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337 t Thoroughbred claiming limitations
(1) A *horse *claimed from a *race it has won may not start in a *claiming race for a period of 14
*days from the day of the claim for less than 25% more than the amount for which it was claimed.
(2) Horses, other than the winner, if claimed, may not start in a claiming race for a price less
than the price for which they were claimed for 14 days from the date of the claim.
(3) This section applies only to the *racing season during which the claim was made.
338 s Standardbred restriction
Spayed mares are not to receive any sex allowance.
339 g Claiming rules in other jurisdictions recognized in Alberta
When a *race horse is *claimed at a recognized *meeting in a jurisdiction outside Alberta under
rules which differ from these rules, title to and *entry restrictions on the claimed *horse must be
recognized in Alberta in accordance with the rules in the jurisdiction in which the claim occured.
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