Authority: IC 4-31-6-2

Affected: IC 4-31

Sec. 1. (a) An applicant for a license as trainer or assistant trainer shall:

(1) Be at least eighteen (18) years of age.

(2) Be qualified, as determined by the judges or other commission designee, by reason of experience, background, and knowledge of racing.

(b) For standardbred racing, an applicant shall hold a currently valid trainer's license issued by the USTA or Standardbred Canada. Applicants holding Standardbred Canada licenses only must provide a complete Standardbred Canada ruling history from that organization to the judges prior to being licensed.

(c) For flat racing, a trainer's license from another jurisdiction, having been issued within a prior period as determined by the commission, may be accepted as evidence of experience and qualifications. Evidence of qualifications may require passing one (1) or more of the following:

(1) A written examination.

(2) An interview or oral examination.

(3) A demonstration of practical skills in a barn test.

(d) An applicant not previously licensed as a trainer shall be required to pass a written or oral examination and a demonstration of practical skills administered by:

(1) for standardbred racing, the USTA/Standardbred Canada or their designee; or

(2) for flat racing, the stewards;

prior to being licensed as a trainer.

(e) Each licensed owner and trainer is responsible for disclosure to the commission or its designee of the true and bona fide trainer of each of his or her horses registered with the racing secretary. Any change in the trainer of a horse registered with the racing secretary shall be approved by the judges or stewards. Each trainer shall comply with all licensing requirements.

(f) The commission may refuse, deny, suspend, or revoke a trainer's license for the spouse, member of the immediate family, or household of a person ineligible to be licensed as a trainer, unless there is a showing, by clear and convincing evidence, on the part of the licensed trainer, applicant, or licensed owner, and the commission determines that participation in racing will not permit a person to serve as a substitute for an ineligible person. The transfer of a horse to a trainer who would circumvent the intent of a commission rule or ruling is prohibited.

(g) The commission's designee may refuse a trainer's license for the spouse, member of the immediate family, or household of a person ineligible to be licensed as a trainer, unless there is a showing by clear and convincing evidence on the part of the licensed trainer, applicant, or licensed owner, and the commission determines that participation in racing will not permit a person to serve as a substitute for an ineligible person.

(h) To the extent the commission or its designee obtains information that raises a reasonable suspicion that any other person may be serving as a substitute for a person ineligible to be licensed as a trainer, any horse that the substitute is training may be placed on the judge's list. In such event, any horse involving an issue of the true and bona fide trainer is ineligible to race until such time that the issue is proven by the entrant of the horse by clear and convincing evidence in accordance with the provisions of 71 IAC 7-1-35 or 71 IAC 7.5-5-2.

(Indiana Horse Racing Commission; 71 IAC 5-3-1; emergency rule filed Feb 10, 1994, 9:20 a.m.: 17 IR 1145; readopted filed Oct 30, 2001, 11:50 a.m.: 25 IR 899; emergency rule filed May 10, 2005, 3:20 p.m.: 28 IR 2746; emergency rule filed Mar 20, 2007, 1:43 p.m.: 20070404-IR-071070198ERA, eff Mar 16, 2007 [IC 4-22-2-37.1 establishes the effectiveness of an emergency rule upon filing with the Publisher. LSA Document #07-198(E) was filed with the Publisher March 20, 2007.]; readopted filed Mar 23, 2007, 11:31 a.m.: 20070404-IR-071070030RFA; emergency rule filed Mar 23, 2010, 1:27 p.m.: 20100331-IR-071100170ERA; emergency rule filed Dec 23, 2013, 1:43 p.m.: 20140108-IR-071130567ERA; readopted filed Aug 28, 2019, 1:23 p.m.: 20190925-IR-071190319RFA; readopted filed Aug 3, 2023, 12:49 p.m.: 20230830-IR-071230428RFA; filed Mar 16, 2026, 11:21 a.m.: 20260415-IR-071250679FRA)