This rule has been in effect for nearly 2 years, yet I only learned of it after Jason Servis won the 10th race Wednesday with Chico Grande.If you layoff a horse for atleast 180 days you can enter that horse in a claiming race at the level or higher of its last race without risking losing the horse. This is only applicable to the horses 1st race back. In hindsight, I can see why he went off at 3-2, The rule is supposed to encourage connections to give horses enough time to get healthy before they run again. Sort of a bonus. It's an interesting angle to consider when it comes up again.
http://www.drf.com/news/new-claiming-rule-layoff-horses