Rule 17.—When Horses Shall not be Drawn.—No horse shall be drawn except by permission of the Judges of the race, under penalty of being expelled, unless at or before seven o’clock P. M. of the day preceding the race (omitting Sunday), the proper party shall have lodged with the President, Secretary, or proprietor of the course, a written notice of his intention not to start, after which notice the horse so drawn shall be ineligible to start in the race.
Parties having two or more entries in one race shall elect which they will not start, and notify their decision at the same time, in the same manner, and under the same penalty as provided above.
Rule 18.—Power of Postponement.—In case of unfavorable weather, or other unavoidable cause, each association or proprietor shall have power to postpone to the next fair day and good track (omitting Sunday), all purses or sweepstakes, or any race to which they have contributed money, upon giving notice thereof; and they may exercise this power before or after the race has commenced. [See also Rule 19.]
Rule 19.—No Trotting After Dark.—No heat shall be trotted when it is so dark that the horses cannot be plainly seen by the Judges from the stand, but all such races shall be continued by the Judges to the next fair day (omitting Sunday), at such hour as they shall designate.
In all matches and stakes, the above rule shall govern, unless otherwise especially agreed between the parties and the association or proprietors.
Rule 20.—Weights and Weighing.—Every horse starting for purse, sweepstake, or match, in any trotting or pacing race, shall carry, if to wagon or sulky, 150 lbs., exclusive of harness: and if under the saddle, 145 lbs., the saddle and whip only to be weighed with the rider.
Riders and drivers shall weigh in the presence of one or more of the Judges previous to starting for any race, and after each heat shall come to the starting stand, and not dismount or leave their vehicles without permission of the Judges, and those who are deficient in bodily weight shall be re-weighed after each heat. Any rider or driver not bringing in his required weight shall be distanced, unless such decision shall be deemed to favor a fraud. But a rider or driver thrown or taken by force from his horse or vehicle, after having passed the winning-post, shall not be considered as having dismounted without permission of the Judges, and if disabled may be carried to the Judges’ stand to be weighed, and the Judges may take the circumstances into consideration and decide accordingly. And the riders or drivers who shall carry during the heat and bring home with them the weights which have been approved or announced correct and proper by the Judges, shall be subject to no penalty for light weight in that heat; provided the Judges are satisfied the mistake or fault was their own, and that there has been no deception on the part of the rider or driver who shall be deficient in weight; but all parties shall thereafter carry the required weight.
Rule 21.—Handicaps and Miscellaneous Weights.—In matches or handicaps, where extra or lesser weights are to be carried, the Judges shall carefully examine and ascertain before starting, whether the riders, drivers or vehicles are of such weights as have been agreed upon or required by the match or handicap, and thereafter the riders and drivers shall be subject to the same penalties and conditions as if they were to carry the weights prescribed by the rules.
Rule 22.—When Riders and Drivers are Overweight.—If the bodily weight of any rider or driver shall be found to exceed that which is prescribed in the rules, or that which is required by the conditions of the race, and the overweight shall exceed twenty pounds, it shall be announced from the stand before the heat; and the judges shall have power, if in their belief such extra weight was imposed on the horse for an improper or fraudulent purpose, to substitute another rider or driver of suitable weight; and if they believe the horse has been prejudiced in the race by such overweight, he shall not be allowed to start again or continue in the race, and all outside bets on such horse shall be declared off. [See also Rule 28.]