Chapter 18: Placing and Money Distribution

18.01  Unless otherwise provided in the conditions, all purses shall be distributed on the dash basis with the money awarded according to a horse’s position in each separate dash or heat of the race.

18.02  Unless otherwise specified in the conditions, purse money distribution in dashes shall be 50 percent, 25 percent, 12 percent, 8 percent and 5 percent. In added money events, if there are less than 5 starters, the remaining premium shall go to the race winner, unless the conditions call for a different distribution. In overnight events, if there are less than 5 starters, the premium for the positions for which there are no starters may be awarded to the race winner or may be retained by the Association but such premiums retained are not to be included in percentages of any agreement between the Association and any recognized participants’ association.

18.03  If there are any premiums for which horses started but were unable to finish due to an accident or interference, all unoffending horses that did not finish shall share equally the premiums they would have been entitled to had they finished, and any remaining premiums shall be paid to the race winner.

18.04  If there are any premiums for which horses started but were unable to finish and the situation is not dealt with by these rules, all such premiums shall be paid to the race winner.

18.05  Every heat is a race and the purse shall be distributed as in dash races with nothing being required to be set aside for the race winner, unless otherwise stated in the conditions of an added money event.

18.06  In elimination heats, the total purse shall be distributed in accordance with the provisions of Rule 16.27 and the purse for each heat shall be distributed in accordance with these rules.

18.07  If the placing system is specified in the conditions, the purse shall be distributed according to the standing of the horses in the summary. In order to share in the purse distribution each horse must complete the race and compete in each heat to which it is eligible. A horse must win two heats to be declared the race winner and such horse will stand first in the summary. In deciding the rank of the horses other than the race winner, a horse that has been placed first in one heat shall be ranked better than any other horse that has been placed second in any number of heats; a horse that has been placed second in one heat shall be ranked better than any other horse that has been placed third in any number of heats, etc., e.g., a horse finishing 3-6 would be ranked ahead of another horse finishing 4-4. A horse finishing in a dead heat would be ranked below another horse finishing in the same position and not in a dead heat. If there be any premium for which no horse has maintained a position, it shall go to the race winner.

18.08.01  If for any reason a horse is disqualified or declared ineligible, any purse monies or trophies received by the owner, or driving and/or training fees (paid under Rule 18.11 to the driver and/or trainer of the horse in the race) shall be returned, within 15 days of notification, to the Association for redistribution.

18.08.02   Racetracks with pylons shall meet the following criteria regarding pylon location, and design standards:

1. sixty (60) feet apart on the straight away
2. forty (40) feet apart on the turns
3. pylons leading into the passing lanes to be fifteen (15) feet or less apart
4. thirty (30) inches in length above ground
5. Pylons shall have the top three (3) inches of the pylon painted or taped bright orange
6. Pylons shall be at 35 degree angle.

A horse while on stride, or part of the horse’s race bike, that leaves the race course by going inside the pylons which constitutes the inside limits of the course, when not forced to do so as a result of the actions of another driver and/or horse, shall be in violation of this rule. In addition, when an act of interference causes a horse, or part of the horse’s race bike, to cross inside the pylons and the horse is placed by the Judges, the offending horse shall be placed behind the horse with which it interfered. For purposes of placing the following shall apply:

1. If a horse while on stride, or part of the horse’s race bike, goes inside two (2) consecutive pylons, the offending horse shall be placed behind all horses that are lapped on to the offending horse at the wire;
2. If a horse while on stride, or any part of the horse’s race bike, goes inside three (3) or more consecutive pylons, the offending horse shall be placed last;
3. If in the opinion of the Judges a horse while on stride, or part of the horse’s race bike, goes inside a pylon(s) and that action gave the horse an unfair advantage over other horses in the race or the action helped improve its position in the race, the horse may be placed at the discretion of the Judges.

Drivers who in the opinion of the Judges leave the racing course when not forced to do so as a result of another driver and/or horse may be subject to a monetary penalty or suspended.

Penalties for drivers violating Rule 18.08.02 are as follows:

1. For the 1st violation, a monetary penalty of $100 shall be imposed;
2. For the 2nd violation within a year of the 1st violation and within 750 drives of the 1st violation, a monetary penalty of $300 shall be imposed;
3. For the 3rd violation within a year of the 1st violation and within 750 drives of the 1st violation, a minimum monetary penalty of $500 plus a suspension for 3 days shall be imposed;
4. For the 4th violation within a year of the 1st violation and within 750 drives of the 1st violation, a minimum monetary penalty of $1,000 and a suspension for 5 days shall be imposed.

18.08.03  When a horse is disqualified as the result of being ineligible, or as a result of a positive test, it shall lose any purse money, its finishing position and its time in the following manner:

1. The horse will be disqualified and placed last;
2. The horse will lose all purse money earned from the race;
3. All remaining horses will move up in position, their summaries adjusted, and the money re-distributed accordingly.

In the event the horse won the race, it shall lose the winning time and the actual time of the horse will read: TDIS (time disallowed). Further, the horse that finished second and placed first will be awarded with a win and, credited with a winning time as determined by electronic timing from the official chart.

18.09  If any division of an early or late closing event, stake or futurity is declared no contest by the Judges, the total of nomination, sustaining and starting payments applicable to that division shall be divided equally to all unoffending horses deemed to have started. Such distribution shall not be credited as purse winnings.

18.10  Purses earned outside of North America will be calculated in U.S. dollars based on the conversion rate as at January 1st of the year the foreign earnings are amassed. Winnings in the United States will be deemed to be at par with Canadian funds.

18.11  Where an agreement exists between a recognized harness participants’ association and a racing association, drivers’, trainers and/or grooms’ fees may be deducted from the purses payable to owners and paid to the drivers, trainers and/or grooms within 30 days. A copy of such agreement must be filed with the Commission.

18.12  All races shall be bona fide contests with the winner receiving the largest share of the purse and the balance of the purse distribution made according to the order of finish. No arrangement for equal distribution of the purse money is permitted.

18.13  Associations that default in the payment of a premium that has been raced for shall stand suspended, together with its officers. No deduction, voluntary or involuntary, may be made from any purse, nomination, sustaining or starting payments, except those deductions made from purse monies for overnight events and paid to recognized participants’ organizations through agreements with the Associations.

18.14  No addition shall be made to any purse after it is contested unless through error. Money due through contractual arrangements with recognized participants’ organizations shall be added to the purse account of the next meeting. Any bonus payments or awards made to owners by Associations that is not money due through contractual arrangements with recognized participants’ organizations shall not be considered earnings of a horse and shall be excluded from the records of the horse involved.

18.15   If a race is contested which has been promoted by another party and the promoters thereof default in payment of the amount raced for, the same liability shall attach to the Association, as if the race had been offered by the Association.

18.16  An Association shall not pay a purse for less than the amounts specified on the condition sheet for that race, unless the amount so specified results from a clerical, typographical or other unintended error.