This Tip is subject to the following LEGAL PROVISIONS - Please Read Carefully
Stewards’ Tip – Catching Geldings
Does your track occasionally have the problem of a gelding “g” being listed as a colt “c” or stallion “h” in the daily racing program? This is not good for several reasons.
1.Claiming races
2.Misleading information for the handicappers
3.Absence testosterone in post-race sample
Depending on your state rules and regulations, this could also be a rule violation. A few of the ARCI Model Rules on this subject are:
- ARCI 006-020-B.(2) The racing secretary shall record the alteration of the sex of a horse on the horse's foal certificate and report such to the appropriate breed registry and past performance services.
- ARCI 006-020-I. The racing secretary shall publish the official daily program, ensuring the accuracy therein of the following information: (6) identification of each horse by name, color, sex, age, sire and dam.
- ARCI 008-020-C. A trainer is responsible for: (12) immediately reporting the alteration of the sex of a horse in his/her care to the horse identifier and the racing secretary, whose office shall note such alteration on the certificate of registration; (14) promptly reporting any errors with regard to the registrations papers as to sex alterations, of sex noted, digital neurectomy (heel nerving) and any known inaccuracy in the ownership, racing record or description of the horse.
- ARCI 009-030-(5) Notwithstanding any designation of sex or age appearing in the racing program or in any racing publication, the claimant of a horse shall be solely responsible for the determination of the sex or age of any horse claimed.
- ARCI 011-020-I.(5) The sex of the horse must be identified to the laboratory on all pre-race and post-race samples designated for AAS testing.
So whose responsibility is the accurate reporting of the sex of a racehorse – racing secretary, program coordinator, trainer, owner, horse identifier, claimant, practicing veterinarian, track veterinarian, state veterinarian, stewards? It is everybody’s responsibility.
So how can the stewards eliminate this problem of the misrepresentation of the sex of a male horse?
- Make sure the racing office staff checks the sex on the registration certificate when entering the horse into the InCompass Race Track Operating (RTO) computer program to make sure it matches what is currently in RTO. If different, notify the horse identifier to make the appropriate change with the breed registry.
- When the trainer, owner or agent enters a horse that RTO shows as a colt “c” or stallion “h”, the entry clerks must always ask, “Are you sure this horse is a colt or stallion?”. If they do not know for sure, they must get back to the entry clerk with the correct answer before the draw.
- Check all horses listed as intact males “c” & “h” in the program proof against the registration certificate. If the registration certificate says gelding, then contact the trainer to verify the horse is a gelding. If yes, again have the horse identifier make the appropriate change with the breed registry and correct the program before it goes to final print.
- At the pre-meet meeting with the horsemen, explain the necessity of have the correct sex on a male horse. Ask them to make sure their registration certificates on file are correct. Offer to print a Trainer Inventory Report from RTO for the trainers to also check. This report indicates the sex that is in RTO and will print accordingly on the program.
- Require the regulatory veterinarians that conduct pre-race exams to verify the sex of all horses listed as “c” or “h” during the pre-race exam and report discrepancies to the stewards so they can make a program correction and horse identifier so he can make the appropriate change with the breed registry.
- Make sure everyone – horsemen, racing office staff, racing officials and veterinarians – know that failure to record and/or report the correct sex is a potential rule violation with a substantial penalty.
- When there is a gelding listed as a colt “c” or stallion “h” listed in the printed racing program, make the appropriate program error correction notifications – Equibase, television, announcer, and if this gelding listed as a colt or stallion is in a claiming race, put a sign to that effect on the claims box.
Remember the correct sex of an entered horse is everyone’s responsibility, not just the trainer. This also obviously applies to spayed mares.