Kentucky Officials to Review Asmussen Report Thursday
Makers
Senior Member
Kentucky Officials to Review Asmussen Report Thursday Kentucky Horse Racing Commission officials expect to have the results of a months-long investigation into trainer Steve Asmussen this week, according to a Daily Racing Form report. The investigation launched in March 2014 after People for Ethical Treatment of Animals released a 9.5-minute video showing what PETA claimed was evidence of numerous rules violations and mistreatment of horses.
The commission will review the results of its investigation in a closed-door session on Thursday and will release the findings publicly after the review. The commission will also publicly vote on any actions related to the findings after the private review.
The 9.5-minute video was taken from what PETA claims was hours of secretly-recorded audio and video tapes taken in the Asmussen stables in Kentucky and New York. Partial transcripts of of recorded conversations were turned in by PETA with complaints filed with the IRS, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the U.S. Attorney, state racing and gaming commissions in Kentucky and New York, along with the Kentucky and New York labor departments.
New Yorks investigation continues.
The commission will review the results of its investigation in a closed-door session on Thursday and will release the findings publicly after the review. The commission will also publicly vote on any actions related to the findings after the private review.
The 9.5-minute video was taken from what PETA claims was hours of secretly-recorded audio and video tapes taken in the Asmussen stables in Kentucky and New York. Partial transcripts of of recorded conversations were turned in by PETA with complaints filed with the IRS, Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the U.S. Attorney, state racing and gaming commissions in Kentucky and New York, along with the Kentucky and New York labor departments.
New Yorks investigation continues.
Comments
AngelaInAbilene 4 hours ago Based on the PETA video I watched, I predict there will be nothing coming out of this as there were no rules broken. Foul language and trying to keep the wheels on horses that are falling apart. Nothing that is not seen every day, in every shedrow in the world. Was it pretty? No it wasn't. Was it offensive to delicate ears? As my ears are not delicate, I can only guess that yes it was. Was it accurate? Completely. Were any rules and regulations violated? Absolutely not.
KY RACE FAN AngelaInAbilene an hour ago HOW ABOUT MORAL ISSUES?
Flag Is Up AngelaInAbilene 2 hours ago Have to agree with what you wrote. Nothing was said or done that's not be said or done on virtually every racetrack in the US & probably the world every day.
circusticket Flag Is Up 14 minutes ago 1. So therefore the PETA video is a good representation of what goes on everywhere.
2. Just because everyone does it, doesn't mean it's the right thing to do.
3. The public has a right to know what the industry is like before they choose to support it.
Michael Castellano 2 hours ago It should upset anyone who has watched the video that NO VIOLATIONS were recorded. Shows you how much in trouble the sport is in. The breed has obviously declined, and even trainers who are not resorting to occasionally "juicing" their horses have been forced to resort to all kinds of measures to get or keep their horses running. Claiming races dominate the sport today, and are relied upon to bring in the income to support the larger purses for the faster horses. So you have a horse that may have cost the owners a small fortune only able to run a few times a year in cheaper races, if it can run at all. What does a trainer do? Even with the faster horses, careers are rarely more that 10 -15 races over 2 - 3 years. We shouldn't focus just on the trainers. The breed today is damaged goods, and is largely beyond the ability of trainers to do much about it. Fortunes are spend on breeding horses, mostly for speed alone. Soundness and the ability to run a distance are much less important. Which is pretty ignorant on the part of owners interested in having any chance of getting close to a return on their investments. If more buyers insisted upon sounder horses, they'd do much better having at least a chance of breaking even.
Gina Powell 15 minutes ago You people are living in a delusional bubble. If the industry, and Racing Commissions do nothing then that supports all the negative things about this business because making a horse run with half its hoof, frog, and or foot hanging off is blatant animal cruelty, and abuse. I would NEVER allow anyone employed in my race stable to refer to a horse as a "pig," "mother????," etc because that reflects their attitude and mentality towards the horse and shows disrespect for NEHRO who ran his butt-off while most likely in pain. Anyone who defends the ongoing cycle of dope, and run is upholding the drug culture of this industry. This was a horrific example of horse abuse, and cruelty. It shows what Top Trainers do in order to keep their horses going. Not only do they put their horse at risk, but other horses in the race as well. Instead of demanding change you are defending these practices. Sadly, the racehorse pays the price. These supporting comments are outrageous. Another thing, the majority of Top Trainers have drug rap sheets coupled with multiple drug violations.
This video exemplifies the horse racing industries reluctance to change. I tell you what I hope that these Trainers and their Owners are sued from here to kingdom come for putting other equine, and human lives at risk. Issuing licences to multiple drug violating Trainers is the same as issuing a Drivers License to a Multiple DUI convicted drunk driver. It puts other lives at risk.
Fast Filly an hour ago PETA has distroyed more animals than helped...If they can cause so much trouble with a 9.5 film to one trainer and they think that it is important, why haven't they did anymore ..?? there are lots of trainers and racetracks out there..but they were wrong, they want to stop eating hotdogs, steak, and just plain cause trouble..Mr Asmussen did nothing wrong, tried to releave pain and keep the horses safe...crippled horses can't run and win the class of races these horses run in.
A nearly one-year investigation in Kentucky cleared trainer Steve Asmussen of allegations of horse abuse brought by the animal-rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission investigation found no evidence of rule violations by Eclipse Award winner Asmussen or his assistant, Scott Blasi. The allegations were brought by PETA, which had an "undercover" member work for the Asmussen stable at Churchill Downs in 2013. PETA released a video in March 2014 and said it documented horse abuse; the issue received added attention when the New York Times ran the video on its website. The KHRC investigation vindicated Asmussen of all the PETA allegations that included "maintaining horses in poor physical condition," and "cruel or injurious mistreatment," by forcing horses in poor condition to continue to train. [+] Enlarge
Horse Racing Commission.
"On the contrary, the investigation revealed that Asmussen-trained horses were well-cared for as measured by such factors as incidence of injuries and KHRC veterinarian scratches," the KHRC said in a statement read by its chairman, Bob Beck, at a Jan. 15 meeting. "The stewards concluded the allegations do not support any administrative action because no evidence of rules violations was found." Beck said KHRC staff spent hundreds of hours analyzing the 22-minute video submitted by PETA as well as collecting information through interviews of witnesses including Asmussen and Blasi. Clark Brewster, an attorney for Asmussen, said the trainer was confident from the start that his stable would be vindicated. He said Asmussen had all of his employees cooperate fully with KHRC investigators and officials.
"He's relieved that the Kentucky investigation is over," Brewster said. "From the outset Steve knew that if they looked at everything and understood the truth, that the PETA piece had an agenda to it of attacking horse racing and he just happened to be the person that was in the eye of the storm. Steve said whoever they want to speak with, please facilitate that. Let them review veterinary records, inverview vets, grooms, farriers, whoever." Brewster said Asmussen lost more than 50 horses from his stable in the days that followed the posting of the PETA video when owners moved them to other trainers.
The New York State Gaming Commission also is conducting an investigation into PETA allegations against the Asmussen stable while at Saratoga Race Course in 2013. PETA quickly issued a statement in response to the KHRC decision. The organization's senior vice president, Kathy Guillermo, said the KHRC appears uninterested in horse welfare. "If there was nothing wrong in the documentation that PETA found, then something is very wrong with racing in Kentucky," Guillermo said.
KHRC investigators said PETA and its employee who worked for the stable, Kerin Rosen, were uncooperative. In its report the KHRC said PETA never turned over a 285-page report, apparently collected by Rosen, and seven hours of video said to exist. KHRC officials said the PETA video that appeared online was extensively edited and had overdubbed audio. "PETA refused service of the subpoena and refused to provide the information, despite repeated assuraces from PETA that they would assist in the KHRC investigation ..." states the extensive report. The KHRC said Rosen's credibility also was hurt by the fact that she "was in an intimate relationship with Blasi," while at the stable.