Back in 2014, the People for Ethical treatment of Animals went to court to sue trainer Steve Asmussen for charges on animal cruelty and mistreat. This prompted the Hall of Fame in eradicating his name from the main contenders of the inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Nonetheless, these charges were dropped and brought a new beginning for Asmussen who now is eligible to take part in the final listing for the top awards in the Hall of Fame calendar year.
Two times has Asmussen scooped the Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Trainer and conditioner of Horse of the Years Curlin and Rachel Alexandra. This was followed by a recent break through after one of his own horses Untapable scooped the 2014 Kentucky Oaks. Asmussen is currently ranked second in the all-time winning as a trainer in the US after he achieved the 7,000 win mark last year.
Investigation conducted undercover by Kentucky investigators could not verify the accusations made by PETA which prompted the New York State Gaming Commission in clearing Asmussen from the charges. However, he would be found guilty of directing the use of thyroxin hormone to his horses two days before the races.
It was during this investigation by the New York and Kentucky investigation that his Hall of Fame matter was put into consideration. In the end, Asmussen was cleared to vie in the hall in Saratoga Springs in New York. He will be among other trainers who have been operation for at least 25 years including Shug McGaughey, Bob Baffert and D. Wayne Lukas.
However, the case is yet to be over as on Tuesday the PETA senior vice president Kathy Guillermo claimed that they had clear prove that shows Asmussen injecting his horses with sedatives and other drugs which kept them running on daily basis. And for this reason, he went against the new legislation to protect horses from drug abuse and thus would be fined $10,000 by the New York State Gaming Commission.
This article is published in: News
Tags: animal cruelty, horse racing, Legislation
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