GG last race today, the starting gate
 

on the outside horse didn't open with the rest of the gates and the horse, the1A, left very late. He and the 1 horse finished out of the money, but there was no refund because it was an entry. Is this how its done in all states or just California?

Every jurisdiction handles it differently, but the option is of course to declare a "non-starter", entry or no entry.

New York, specifically NYRA tracks, are by far the most vigilant and generous in calling "non-starters" for mishaps at the beginning of races. I don't see it invoked elsewhere nearly as much as it should be.

Odd...the chart says "WIN TO WIN was loaded into the wrong stall in the gate."

Michael Wrona mentions that they were incorrectly loaded in the call, the entry should have been side by side instead they were in the 4 and 6 stalls. Also in CA the CHRB rules state that even if one part of an entry is declared a non-starter, the other parts of the entry remain starters, therefore there would be no refunds unless the entire entry was declared a non-starter.