Steve Asmussen accused of animal cruelty by PETA

[iceknight]

It may not be seen as "cruel" but one of the worst things in the industry and one of the root causes.. is the indiscriminate breeding and the forcing horses to breed mainly for $$$ and mainly for speed but not for endurance and strength...
one of the root causes for many other injury related issues. it is definitely good for things to get cleaned up.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Originally Posted by Grits

It may not take the game down, but is it going to do an even greater amount of harm than it's image has already suffered for decades? I'd count on it. Matter of fact, I'd take it to the bank...that, yes, it will. The piece Joe Drape did two years ago? Its nothing compared to this undercover work--four months with video and documentation. It doesn't hold a candle to this.

I despise PETA, but, this time, these people ain't played. This isn't sophomoric and small time. They worked diligently, methodically--carrying out a well planned operation. They're going to take on this sport from top to bottom. From the the Jockey Club, that's run it for so many decades (into the ground, btw) all the way to the lowly paid illegal backside worker. It will have, as someone said, "a ripple affect". As far as trainers having illegal workers, they've already nailed Romans. This one's nothing new. This has been going on for years.

These trainers, for their treatment of these animals, are screwed. Nothing has ever been recorded, or alleged, on this damaging a scale. No one has ever gone in wearing a wire. Maybe, finally, it will clean up this sport. Its way, way past due as every one of us here have known for a long time. The men running this game have done nothing for it, but look out for their own interest. They will work together on ABSOLUTELY NOTHING that doesn't directly benefit themselves. State to state cooperation = 0. They don't care about the animal, the backside workers, or anyone else. God knows they care nothing about BETTORS.

Ray Paulick is a guy who doesn't usually flinch, but when he states, "this video is hard to watch", one figures, yes, its gonna be pretty bad.

To learn that a horse was running on, literally, no hoof, one so full of holes and in that kind of pain--is devastating to me. I sat here with tears rolling down my face. Until, I got mad as hell. The more I listened to Scott Blasi throughout both videos the madder I got.

We're hearing--first hand--straight out of a top trainer's assistant's mouth exactly how he views the horses in his care. If Blasi has no more feeling than this for the animals in his care, he should carry his sorry lowlife self back to wherever in the hell he came from. Texas or Oklahoma. He makes me sick!!

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocac...Action&id=5345

On PETA's page, note the green box, as Paulick did. They're not asking the sport to be stopped, they're asking that it be cleaned up. I've never loved horses more, and I love this sport. But, gentlemen, you ain't seen nothing go down like you're getting ready to see. And its time. Either one continuing to load horses full of drugs, I hope he won't know where his next meal's coming from, or whether he's gonna be living in a run-in shed. I'm tired of this kind of treatment of horses.

Well said Grits.You covered every base I'm thinking and feeling.Let's just brace ourselves.This was destined to happen anyway and we've all complained about it for years.Let it fall.Hope we have something left to build on.

[Grits]

Originally Posted by cj

I've ripped Asmussen many times on this board about how his horses end up. Still, I hope this is exaggerated a lot. This could be really bad. Flip Men, said it many times, terrible for the game.

You have. You've had no reservations in your comments about him, not for years. But these videos are dead on obvious that this IS really bad. Its clear proof of brutal treatment. And this sport can't take more of this.

[Howlet]

I've said for the last six years that the sport's days are numbered. I was pooh-poohed endlessly and here, even on this very thread, we have the naysayers, the deniars who know how only to shoot the messenger.

Let's get something straight--unless there are wholesales changes IMMEDIATELY to horse racing it will be gone from the American landscape save for a novelty role like polo or professional wrestling. Someone mentioned starting over and that's what needs to take place: the entire operation needs to be shut down completely, new people (in all aspects of the game) and a completely new administration brought in.

That won't happen and that's why the days are numbered. Greyhounds were a big part of the fabric of the country 50 years. Now look at it.

You're looking in the mirror.

[nijinski]

Originally Posted by Edward DeVere

Well, I think it's safe to say Blasi, at minimum, won't be working with any of Zayat's horses anymore. . . . People normally aren't too find of being called a c**t. (On top, of course, of all the details about Nehro.)

No doubt about that at all ! Nehro died very young too , so the whole thing is very ugly !

[JustRalph]

This story is growing legs on twitter. Tons of non racing types retweeting the vid

[Stillriledup]

If we blame Asmussen and focus all our anger towards him and Blasi, we might lose sight of the bigger picture and that is there are plenty of others who need to be "Dealt with" and not just these 2. We start here, but we can't finish here, we can't feel like we have "won" anything if we can somehow get Asmussen and or Blasi out of the sport (or at least have long suspensions or worse) we need to put others in the same boat....getting rid of one guy or one barn won't clean up anything if we pretend this is an isolated incident and a "rogue" situation.

The NBA said that Tim Donaghy was a "rogue ref" and got rid of him, but kept all the other refs on board, they played the "rogue ref" card instead of playing the "we have a widespread problem" card. We can't have a situation like that, it can't be about just Asmussen and Blasi, it has to be about the game and cleaning up the game and getting some major reform, getting rid of one trainer won't do a heck of a lot unless it gets some major changes to take effect.

Its about major change now, not about kicking one guy out and celebrating a "victory".

[PaceAdvantage]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

It's mind-boggling that this is the attitude of the winningest stable in the country.

Why?

Recently, did I not post on this board that buzzers are more common than most people think? More than one person pushed back at me telling me I essentially was making that up. And they ESPECIALLY made it a point to tell me this might happen with some 3% winning trainer at "Bush League Downs", but would NEVER happen at the top of the game...yeah right...

Listen to Stevens and Lukas joke about buzzers. Kind of breathes new life into that Thunder Gulch Derby gallop out, and the supposed "shadow" on the palm of Pat Day as Gary Stevens' hand finished that "handshake..."

Never looked like much of a shadow to me back then...looks like much less of one now....

Nobody should really be shocked by any of what's on those recordings. I know, bad pun...not intended...

[Howlet]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

If we blame Asmussen and focus all our anger towards him and Blasi, we might lose sight of the bigger picture and that is there are plenty of others who need to be "Dealt with" and not just these 2. We start here, but we can't finish here, we can't feel like we have "won" anything if we can somehow get Asmussen and or Blasi out of the sport (or at least have long suspensions or worse) we need to put others in the same boat....getting rid of one guy or one barn won't clean up anything if we pretend this is an isolated incident and a "rogue" situation.

The NBA said that Tim Donaghy was a "rogue ref" and got rid of him, but kept all the other refs on board, they played the "rogue ref" card instead of playing the "we have a widespread problem" card. We can't have a situation like that, it can't be about just Asmussen and Blasi, it has to be about the game and cleaning up the game and getting some major reform, getting rid of one trainer won't do a heck of a lot unless it gets some major changes to take effect.

Its about major change now, not about kicking one guy out and celebrating a "victory".

Exactly. This isn't about Asmussen at all really. It's about a culture and decades of neglect, mismanagement and ostrich mentalities.

[cj]

Originally Posted by PaceAdvantage

Nobody should really be shocked by any of what's on those recordings. I know, bad pun...not intended...

Nope, and those running racetracks know too. It has to stop. Any guy that handicaps regularly can identify these guys from the PPs. Too many blind eyes have been turned, and those that have spoken up are usually chastised.

[CincyHorseplayer]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

If we blame Asmussen and focus all our anger towards him and Blasi, we might lose sight of the bigger picture and that is there are plenty of others who need to be "Dealt with" and not just these 2. We start here, but we can't finish here, we can't feel like we have "won" anything if we can somehow get Asmussen and or Blasi out of the sport (or at least have long suspensions or worse) we need to put others in the same boat....getting rid of one guy or one barn won't clean up anything if we pretend this is an isolated incident and a "rogue" situation.

The NBA said that Tim Donaghy was a "rogue ref" and got rid of him, but kept all the other refs on board, they played the "rogue ref" card instead of playing the "we have a widespread problem" card. We can't have a situation like that, it can't be about just Asmussen and Blasi, it has to be about the game and cleaning up the game and getting some major reform, getting rid of one trainer won't do a heck of a lot unless it gets some major changes to take effect.

Its about major change now, not about kicking one guy out and celebrating a "victory".

Absolutely and call me naïve player/dreamer type but you eliminate these supertrainers your average horseman might come back to the track with renewed vigor knowing they can win.Let it get ugly if it can be better 2 days of controversy from now.

[thaskalos]

Originally Posted by Stillriledup

If we blame Asmussen and focus all our anger towards him and Blasi, we might lose sight of the bigger picture and that is there are plenty of others who need to be "Dealt with" and not just these 2. We start here, but we can't finish here, we can't feel like we have "won" anything if we can somehow get Asmussen and or Blasi out of the sport (or at least have long suspensions or worse) we need to put others in the same boat....getting rid of one guy or one barn won't clean up anything if we pretend this is an isolated incident and a "rogue" situation.

The NBA said that Tim Donaghy was a "rogue ref" and got rid of him, but kept all the other refs on board, they played the "rogue ref" card instead of playing the "we have a widespread problem" card. We can't have a situation like that, it can't be about just Asmussen and Blasi, it has to be about the game and cleaning up the game and getting some major reform, getting rid of one trainer won't do a heck of a lot unless it gets some major changes to take effect.

Its about major change now, not about kicking one guy out and celebrating a "victory".

Complaining on an internet horse racing forum is one thing...and bringing about "major change" within the game is quite another. The game is quite resilient...and has weathered similar storms in the past. And the horseplayer has also proven that he can, at times, get quite forgetful of matters such as these.

The days go on...and so does the game. And there is always another controversy yet to come...to replace the one that had come before.

We SAY that we are disgusted and enraged when things like these are exposed...but we don't show our anger and disgust where it counts; at the betting windows. We expect the GAME to clean up after itself...even though we know full-well that plenty of the power lies in our own hands.

It is OUR money that keeps these bastards in the lap of luxury...and we should play a bigger role in these matters than we currently play.

Otherwise...what right have we to complain?

[Grits]

Originally Posted by Howlet

Exactly. This isn't about Asmussen at all really. It's about a culture and decades of neglect, mismanagement and ostrich mentalities.

Indeed, its as you say, a culture, and decades of neglect, turning heads, etc. Its not about one trainer, one assistant. Still, if Steve Asmussen, come August, stands, surrounded by his family in the Fasig Tipton Sales Pavilion, voted into the Hall Of Fame....honestly speaking, something about this is not, in any way, going to sit well. At least, not with me. I don't care at this point, how many wins he has, or how many greats he's trained including Curlin and Rachel Alexandra.

[nijinski]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Complaining on an internet horse racing forum is one thing...and bringing about "major change" within the game is quite another. The game is quite resilient...and has weathered similar storms in the past. And the horseplayer has also proven that he can, at times, get quite forgetful of matters such as these.

The days go on...and so does the game. And there is always another controversy yet to come...to replace the one that had come before.

We SAY that we are disgusted and enraged when things like these are exposed...but we don't show our anger and disgust where it counts; at the betting windows. We expect the GAME to clean up after itself...even though we know full-well that plenty of the power lies in our own hands.

It is OUR money that keeps these bastards in the lap of luxury...and we should play a bigger role in these matters than we currently play.

Otherwise...what right have we to complain?

Well complaints and a lack of discipline got Dutrow 10 years and testimony
from Bramlage say his horses were in great shape and well cared for . Yes
overages , so punishment was due .But he took great care of his horses .

Watching this is sickening . Lack of concern and disrespect for the horses.
Unfortunately I don't think there will be licenses lost .

[Stillriledup]

Originally Posted by thaskalos

Complaining on an internet horse racing forum is one thing...and bringing about "major change" within the game is quite another. The game is quite resilient...and has weathered similar storms in the past. And the horseplayer has also proven that he can, at times, get quite forgetful of matters such as these.

The days go on...and so does the game. And there is always another controversy yet to come...to replace the one that had come before.

We SAY that we are disgusted and enraged when things like these are exposed...but we don't show our anger and disgust where it counts; at the betting windows. We expect the GAME to clean up after itself...even though we know full-well that plenty of the power lies in our own hands.

It is OUR money that keeps these bastards in the lap of luxury...and we should play a bigger role in these matters than we currently play.

Otherwise...what right have we to complain?

I get what you're saying, but i think there is not as much "connect" between horse bettors and the inside of the game as people think or want to believe. Bettors only care about the next Plus Ev wager they find.

I think some bettors and fans feel that other bettors and fans ought to actually care about the health of the horses, jockeys and the overall state of the game, but when you come right down to it, can we ask a horse bettor to NOT make a wager on a Plus Ev situation as a "protest" for what goes on behind the scenes?

Most serious bettors have databases of notes, notes in their heads, information that they can use to make a profit at the windows....i think that those people don't feel that its their responsibility to make the game clean and they don't think its unfair to ask the track owners, trainers, jockeys and horse owners to do the work to keep THEIR game clean.

If Track owners, trainers, jocks and major owners arent going to take the lead in cleaning up their sport, why does the onus fall on the customers?