Racing Officials

(1) Officials at a race meeting include the following: (a) stewards; (b) racing secretary; (c) horsemen's bookkeeper; (d) paddock judge; (e) horse identifier; (f) clerk of scales; (g) outrider; (h) starter; (i) timer/clocker; (j) patrol judge, absent video replay equipment; (k) placing judge; (l) official veterinarian; (m) racing veterinarian; and (n) any other person so designated by the Commission. (2) The Commission shall appoint two of the Stewards. All other officials designated in 205 CMR 4.30(1) shall be appointed by the Association holding the meeting, all appointments being subject to the approval of the Commission, which reserves the right to demand a change of personnel for what it deems good and sufficient reasons. The successor to official so replaced to be subject to the approval of the Commission. (3) No one interested in the result of a race, either because of ownership of any horse entered, or of his or her sire or dam, or because of bets or otherwise, shall act as a racing official in respect to that race. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, a restriction on racing officials officiating over races in which any of the following individuals sharing a relationship with the racing official competes: (a) a spouse, domestic partner, or life partner; (b) a member of the racing official's immediate family defined in the Massachusetts Gaming Commission’s Enhanced Code of Ethics; or (c) anyone for whom the racing official's objectivity in the performance of their duties could reasonably be questioned, unless that official has publically disclosed, in writing, the appearance of a conflict of interest to the Director of Racing in advance of the subject race and the Director of Racing has approved the disclosure of an appearance of a conflict of interest. (4) In the event that one of the Stewards seeks to recuse themselves from judging a race because of the involvement of an individual identified in 205 CMR 4.30(3)(a) through (c), it shall be that Steward's obligation to secure an alternate Steward for the judging of the race, or in the alternative, to confirm that the two remaining Stewards agree to proceed without the conflicted official. The selection of any alternate Steward under these circumstances shall be subject to approval of the Director of Racing. (5) No such racing official or his or her assistants shall wager money or any other chattel of value on the result of any race at the meeting. (6) No such racing official or his or her assistants shall accept, directly or indirectly, any gratuity reward or favor in connection with racing at the meeting. (7) No such racing official or his or her assistants shall, at the meeting, directly or indirectly, buy or sell any contract upon any jockey or apprentice jockey for himself or another. (8) No such racing official or his or her assistants shall write or solicit horse insurance at the meeting. (9) Each racing official and his or her assistants shall report to the Stewards all observed violations of 205 CMR 4.00. (10) The Commission may, at its discretion, require an eye test of any Steward, Placing Judge or Patrol Judge, said test to be given by a licensed optometrist. The test to include particularly distance and color.