<?xml version='1.0' encoding='utf-8'?>
<regulation prefix="Regulation" num=".31" citation="COMAR 09.10.01.31" title_num="09" subtitle_num="10" chapter_num="01" heading="Penalties and Allowances.">
  <paragraph num="A.">
    <text>Weight penalties are obligatory.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="B.">
    <text>Weight allowance is obligatory except by permission of a steward. This permission shall be obtained at the time of entry.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="C.">
    <text>Weight allowance shall be claimed at the time of overnight entry and shall be the responsibility of the trainer.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="D.">
    <text>An apprentice allowance may be claimed at scratch time if the named rider is unable to fulfill their engagement.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="E.">
    <text>An apprentice allowance may not be claimed at scratch time if no rider was named at the time of overnight entry.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="F.">
    <text>Weight allowance may not be abandoned after the posting of entries except by consent of the stewards.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="G.">
    <text>Penalties and allowance of weight are not cumulative, unless so declared by the conditions of a race.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="H.">
    <text>A horse shall start with only the allowance of weight to which he is entitled at the time of starting.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="I.">
    <text>Horses incurring weight penalties for a race are not entitled to any of the weight allowances for that race.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="J.">
    <text>Horses not entitled to the first weight allowance in a race are not entitled to the second, and so on.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="K.">
    <text>Omitting to claim a weight allowance is not cause for disqualification.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="L.">
    <text>A horse may not incur a weight penalty or be barred from any race for having been placed second or lower in any race.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="M.">
    <text>A horse may not be given a weight allowance for failure to finish second or in any lower place in any race.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="N.">
    <text>Penalties incurred in steeplechase or hurdle races do not apply to races on the flat or vice versa.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="O.">
    <text>Allowance due in steeplechase or hurdle races do not apply to races on the flat or vice versa.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="P.">
    <text>Penalties may not be invoked, or allowances made, in arriving at the weight to be carried in matches, or in private sweepstakes.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="Q.">
    <text>A horse may not receive allowance of weight, or be relieved of extra weight, for having been beaten in one or more races. However, this rule does not prohibit maiden allowance or allowances to horses which have not won within a specified period, or which have not won a race of specified value.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="R.">
    <text>A horse may not incur a weight penalty for a placement from which he is disqualified, but a horse placed through the disqualification of another horse shall incur the weight penalties of that placement.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="S.">
    <text>A horse involved in a dead heat for first place shall be liable to weight penalty for the amount received.</text>
  </paragraph>
  <paragraph num="T.">
    <text>In reckoning weight penalties or allowances, any race whose conditions preclude the claim of any of the starters may not be considered a claiming race, even if won by a horse liable to claim under those conditions.</text>
  </paragraph>
</regulation>