Title 9 Part 4116

Every person desiring to drive a harness horse at a race meeting licensed by the commission shall be required to obtain a license from the commission. Such application shall be on forms provided by the commission. Applications may be filed at the commission office or with the track steward at a race track. The fee for an annual driver's license shall be $20 and shall be paid at the time of application.

Safety helmets.

No one will be permitted to jog, train, warm up, or drive a horse at any time on the premises of a harness race track unless such person is properly wearing a protective safety helmet approved by either the Snell Memorial Foundation or the United States Department of Transportation. The United States Department of Transportation standards are reprinted in title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations, chapter 5, section 571.218 (49 CFR, 571.218). The Snell Memorial Foundation standards are contained in the publication entitled, Snell Memorial 2000 Standard For Protective Gear, available from the Snell Memorial Foundation, 3628 Madison Avenue, Suite 11, North Highlands, CA 95660 or at www.smf.org/stds. Both standards are on file in the office of the commission, located at 354 Broadway, Schenectady, NY 12305.

No driver or trainer shall be allowed to drive in any race or public performance or to otherwise appear on the race track during the racing program unless wearing his or her own or his or her owner's registered colors, and no driver may appear in colors registered in the name of another, without the special permission of the presiding judge. No driver or trainer wearing colors may appear at any betting booth or window at a race track, or at any bar or restaurant dispensing alcoholic beverages. “Colors” shall include white trousers and rain gear of a type approved by the commission.

No driver will be permitted to drive in a race at a licensed harness racing meeting until such driver has presented his or her commission driver's license to the recording judge for examination.

Without limiting the generality thereof, the license of any driver may be suspended, revoked, or money fine may be imposed, at any time for:

A trainer is responsible for the condition, fitness, equipment and soundness of each horse at the time it is declared to race and thereafter when it starts in a race.

Every applicant for a trainer's license shall satisfy the commission in such manner as it may prescribe that such applicant has had at least one year's training experience under a recognized trainer and has demonstrated the ability to train, that such applicant is knowledgeable of and conversant with training of harness horses, that such applicant is physically and mentally competent to train, and that such applicant is familiar with the rules pertaining to trainers and training.