The Horse's Friend / The Only Practical Method of Educating the Horse and Eradicating Vicious Habits; Followed by a Variety of Valuable Recipes, Instructions in Farriery, Horse-shoeing, the Latest Rules of Trotting, and the Record of Fast Horses Up to 1876

by O. S. Pratt

The Judges in a concluding heat, finding that a collision involved a fraudulent object, may declare that heat void. [See also Rule 48.]

Rule 36.—Placing Horses.—A horse must win a majority of the heats which are required by the conditions of the race to be entitled to the purse or stake; but if a horse shall have distanced all competitors in one heat, the race will then be concluded, and such horse shall receive the entire purse and stakes contended for.

When more than one horse remains in the race entitled to be placed at the finish of the last heat, the second best horse shall receive the second premium, if there be any; and if there be any third or fourth premium, etc., for which no horse has won and maintained a specific place, the same shall go to the winner; provided, that the number of premiums awarded shall not exceed the number of horses which started in the race.

The foregoing provisions shall always apply, in such cases, unless otherwise stated in the published conditions of the race.

In deciding the rank of horses other than the winner, as to second, third, and fourth places, etc., to be assigned among such as remain in the race entitled to be placed at the conclusion of the last heat thereof, the several positions which have been assigned to each horse so contending shall be considered as to every heat in the race—that is, horses having won two heats, better than those winning one; a horse that has won a heat, better than a horse only making a dead heat; a horse winning one or two heats and making a dead heat, better than one winning an equal number of heats but not making a dead heat; a horse winning a heat or making a dead heat and not distanced in the race, better than a horse that has not won a heat or made a dead heat; a horse that has been placed “second” twice, better than a horse that has been placed “second” only once, etc.

When two or more horses shall be equal in the race at the commencement of a final heat thereof, they shall rank as to each other as they are placed in the decision of such final heat.

In case these provisions shall not give a specific decision as to second and third money, etc., the Judges of the race are to make the awards according to their best judgment, but in conformity with the principles of this rule.

Rule 37.—Distances.—In races of mile heats, 80 yards shall be a distance. In races of two-mile heats, 150 yards shall be a distance. In races of three-mile heats, 220 yards shall be a distance. In races of mile heats, best three in five, 100 yards shall be a distance. But if any association or proprietor shall choose, they can provide, in heats of not over one mile, wherein eight or more horses contend, to increase the distance one-half, in which case such change shall be stated in the published conditions of the race before entry.

All horses whose heads have not reached the distance-stand as soon as the leading horse arrives at the winning-post shall be declared distanced, except in cases otherwise provided for, or the punishment of the leading horse by setting him back for running, when it shall be left to the discretion of the Judges.

A distanced horse is out of the race, and if in any heat one horse shall distance all competitors the race will then be completed, and the winner shall be entitled to the entire purse and stakes contended for, unless otherwise stipulated in the published conditions of the race.