W. Va. Code R. § 178-1-42

Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024

Section 178-1-42 - Weights

42.1. Allowances. The following provisions apply to weight allowances:

42.1.a. A weight allowance must be claimed at time of entry and shall not be waived after the posting of entries, except by consent of the stewards.

42.1.b. A horse shall start with only the allowance of weight to which it is entitled at time of starting, regardless of its allowance at time of entry.

42.1.c. Horses not entitled to the first weight allowance in a race shall not be entitled to any subsequent allowance specified in the conditions.

42.1.d. A claim of weight allowance to which a horse is not entitled shall not disqualify it unless a protest is made in writing and lodged with the stewards at least one (1) hour before post time for that race.

42.1.e. A horse shall not be given a weight allowance for failure to finish second or lower in any race.

42.1.f. No horse shall receive an allowance of weight nor be relieved extra weight for having been beaten in one (1) or more races, but this rule shall not prohibit maiden allowances or allowances to horses that have not won a race within a specified period or a race of a specified value.

42.1.g. Except in handicap races which expressly provide otherwise, two (2) year old fillies shall be allowed three (3) pounds, and fillies and mares, three (3) years old and upward, shall be allowed five (5) pounds before September 1 and three (3) pounds thereafter in races where competing against male horses.

42.2. Penalties. The following provisions apply to weight penalties:

42.2.a. Weight penalties are obligatory.

42.2.b. Horses incurring weight penalties for a race shall not be entitled to any weight allowance for that race.

42.2.c. No horse shall incur a weight penalty or be barred from any race for having been placed second or lower in any race.

42.2.d. Penalties incurred and allowances due in steeplechase or hurdle races shall not apply to races on the flat, and vice versa.

42.2.e. The reports, records and statistics as published by the Daily Racing Form, Equibase or other recognized publications shall be considered official in determining eligibility, allowances, and penalties, but may be corrected.

42.2.f. For determining weight penalties and allowances for horses that have previously won or placed in Graded or Group races, penalties in the race conditions will only apply to Graded or Group races in Part 1 countries as recognized in the International Catalogue Standards (ICS) book.

42.2.g. When a race is in dispute, both the horse that finished first and any other horse involved in the dispute are subject to all penalties attached to the winner of that race until the matter is decided.

42.3. Scale of Weights. The following provisions apply to the scale of weights:

42.3.a. With the exception of apprentice allowances, handicap races, three (3) year old horses entered to run in races against horses four (4) years old and upwards, and the allowance provided in subdivision 42.3.b., no jockey shall be assigned a weight of less than one hundred eighteen (118) pounds. For three (3) year old horses entered to run in races against horses four (4) years old and upwards from January 1 through August 31, no jockey shall be assigned a weight of less than one hundred sixteen (116) pounds.

42.3.b. Except in handicaps, fillies two (2) years old shall be allowed three (3) pounds, and fillies and mares three (3) years old and upward shall be allowed five (5) pounds before September 1, and three (3) pounds thereafter in races where competing against horses of the opposite sex.

42.3.c. A notice shall be included in the daily program that lists the weight to be carried by each horse as established by the association's racing secretary and that notifies the public that jockeys may carry approximately three (3) pounds more than the published weight to account for safety equipment (vest and helmet) that is not included in required weighing out procedures. Additionally, the public shall be notified in the daily program that upon the stewards' approval, jockeys may weigh in with an additional three (3) pounds for inclement weather gear.

W. Va. Code R. § 178-1-42