NOTICE to Maryland Horsemen regarding Claiming Rules, effective with the 2014 Laurel Park Fall meet

Under current Maryland racing Commission regulation, a claim is void for any horse that dies or is euthanized on the racetrack during the running of a race.  Effective with the opening of the 2014 Fall Laurel Park meet, new regulations permit a claimant to void a claim within 1 hour after the race is declared official if the horse is vanned off the racetrack at the direction of the State Veterinarian.

There are two ways to void a claim in such a circumstance:

1.  An owner, his trainer or authorized representative can elect to void the claim by checking a box for that purpose on the new Maryland Claim Form.  If you have no intention of keeping a horse that is vanned off the racetrack you should check this box when you submit the claim.

2.  There will be a new Void The Claim Form available in the racing office.  If you have claimed a horse that is vanned off the racetrack at the direction of the State Veterinarian and did not elect to automatically void the claim on the Claim Form and you do not want the horse, you will have 1 hour after the race is declared official to file with the racing office a completed Void The Claim Form.  If timely filed and approved by the Stewards, the claim will be voided.

For the claim of any horse vanned off the racetrack during the running of a race at the direction of the State Veterinarian that does not satisfy either of the above requirements, ownership of the horse passes to the claimant.