
PETA's Actions Frustrated KHRC Investigation
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's frustration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals practically spills off the 27 pages summing up its investigation of the Steve Asmussen stable.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's frustration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals practically spills off the 27 pages summing up its investigation of the Steve Asmussen stable.
As part of its extensive investigation into Steve Asmussen stable following allegations of horse mistreatment from an animal rights group, the KHRC compiled safety numbers in which the trainer fared well
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.
Officials are crediting a collaborative effort after Kentucky delivered its safest year on record in 2014 in terms of both number of equine breakdowns in races and rate of equine breakdowns.
Kentucky horse racing commissioners are expected to listen Jan. 15 to a staff report on an investigation of trainer Steve Asmussen that followed allegations of horse mistreatment from PETA.
Despite racing two fewer programs during its 2014 holiday meet, Turfway Park registered a 21.45% increase in total pari-mutuel handle compared with the comparable meet in 2013.
A hearing officer has recommended a nine-month suspension for former chief steward John Veitch for his role in the circumstances surrounding Life At Ten's performance in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic.
As expected, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and other involved parties will appeal a Franklin Circuit Court's decision last month to order the reinstatement, with back pay, of former chief state steward John Veitch.
Keeneland has moved closer toward launching historical race wagering both in Lexington with harness track partner The Red Mile and on a planned new Quarter Horse track in the Corbin, Ky. area.
The state cabinet that oversees the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission likely will appeal a circuit court judge's ruling that former Kentucky chief steward John Veitch was improperly dismissed in November 2011.
Churchill Downs wrapped up 2014 with a double-digit decline in all-sources wagering during the 24-day fall meet that concluded Nov. 30.
Historical race wagering at two Kentucky racetracks registered healthy increases in October versus the same month in 2013, according to statistics released by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission.
A circuit court judge has ruled John Veitch, the former chief state steward for Thoroughbred racing in Kentucky, was improperly dismissed from his position in November 2011 and has ordered him reinstated with back wages.
Churchill officials will outline their ideas for the wager at the Dec. 2 Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meeting in Lexington. If approved in time, the wager could be offered in advance of the 2015 Derby.
A council that makes recommendations on medication policies for the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission will go along with several changes in withdrawal times and threshold levels.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission expects test results that had been delayed by up to four months to be back on schedule by Thanksgiving.
The Kentucky General Assembly Interim Joint Subcommittee on Horse Farming was given a generally positive update on the status of the racing and breeding industry in the state Nov. 12 in light of years of declines.
Officials at a Lexington equine drug-testing laboratory blamed recent long delays in processing samples on a spike of nearly 100 times the number of usual suspicious results this year compared with 2013.
At its regular Oct. 21 meeting at the Kentucky Horse Park, the KHRC approved race dates for next season that kept in place an agreement on September dates made by Churchill Downs, Kentucky Downs, and Ellis Park.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission necropsy program is continuing to provide evidence that many racehorses that suffer catastrophic injuries often have pre-existing conditions that lead to breakdowns.
Under a plan approved Oct. 15 by the tracks involved, Kentucky Downs will continue to offer just five race days in 2015 but the Franklin, Ky., track will pick up an additional Saturday.
While it will need regulatory approval, track officials said Tuesday, Oct. 15, an agreement is largely in place for Keeneland to purchase the current Standardbred track Thunder Ridge.
Representatives from Kentucky Downs, Churchill Downs, and Ellis Park failed to hammer out an agreement on 2015 September race dates in a Tuesday, Oct. 14, meeting facilitated by a KHRC committee.
Delays at the respected Lexington drug-testing laboratory LGC have forced two of its biggest customers, the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, to consider other options.
The advisory committee for the Kentucky Thoroughbred Breeders' Incentive Fund said Oct. 10 it plans to examine the structure of the program as it relates to the percentage of fund participants that contribute revenue.
A conflict over 2015 dates' requests for Churchill Downs and Kentucky Downs arose Sept. 30 when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission's dates committee held the first of several meetings to consider the state's calendar.
The second September meet at Churchill Downs since it began hosting the dates previously held by Turfway Park produced a 16.15% decline in wagering and a 13.5% drop in purses.
Kentucky Downs, which just wrapped up its 2014 meet with record pari-mutuel handle and average field size in excess of 10 horses per race, will request two additional racing days for September 2015.
In a 12-month period that has seen drug compounders linked to horse deaths at a training center and integrity issues at the track, the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is researching ways it could add regulatory oversight.
Kentucky regulators are considering allowing tracks in the state to card races that would prohibit the administration of race-day furosemide, commonly called Salix or Lasix.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has approved a plan to distribute an additional $1 million in purse money from the Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund in 2014 and 2015.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has taken regulatory action in connection with an altercation at Churchill Downs involving newsletter publisher Eddie Musselman, trainer Dale Romans, and Romans' life partner, Tammy Fox.
Since putting a new marketing plan in place for its Instant Racing games, Ellis Park has seen improvement in the business. The Kentucky track registered record monthly handle for the games at $3,024,776 in May.
Though People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has submitted a 10-page complaint and a 22-minute video to the KHRC alleging animal abuse in trainer Steve Asmussen's Churchill Downs stable, no smoking gun is evident.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission is collecting information on corticosteroid elimination times following specific uses of the medications provided by participating racetrack veterinarians.
Kentucky Horse Racing Commissioner Ned Bonnie suggested the regulator bring in outside help to investigate the events surrounding the victory by Masochistic in the third race on the May 3 Kentucky Derby day card at Churchill.
The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission announced May 6 that post-race test results from the Longines Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, both grade I, were all clear.
Out-of-competition testing on more than 75 horses nominated to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks (both gr. I), as well as other stakes on the May 2-3 cards at Churchill Downs, came back clean.
Churchill Downs April 25 re-emphasized its annual enhanced security measures for horses competing in the Kentucky Derby and the ongoing safety and integrity measures included in its "Safety from Start to Finish" program.
At least one regulator investigating violations alleged in a PETA video posted last month involving the stable of trainer Steve Asmussen expects the inquiry to take at least several months.
Enhanced security measures will be used for horses competing in the Toyota Blue Grass (gr. I) April 12, Keeneland announced.
Keeneland plans to offer historical racing at a new 40,000-square foot facility to be built on the property and scheduled to open in July 2015. The new Keeneland Event Center will offer 600 Instant Racing games.
The number of historical race gaming machines in operation at Kentucky racetracks would increase substantially if the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission approves requests from Keeneland Racecourse and The Red Mile.
On March 28 Jockey Club chairman and owner/breeder Ogden Mills Phipps released a statement following allegations of horse abuse in racing raised by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals.
The National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame announced March 21 that the nomination of Steve Asmussen for possible induction into the shrine this year has been tabled as a result of developments over the last two days.
The New York Gaming Commission said March 20 it is investigating allegations of "abuse and mistreatment" of Thoroughbreds after receiving information gleaned from an undercover investigation performed by PETA.
Two Lexington racetracks are expected to apply for licenses to operate historical race wagering machines when the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission meets April 2.
A horsemen's meeting on upcoming equine medication changes in Kentucky revealed some interesting information: The four months of racing at Turfway Park are the "cleanest" in the state according to drug-testing results.
Kentucky horsemen March 14 were given an overview of impending equine medication changes and also provided with a few tips to avoid headaches when the new regulations take effect later in the spring.
If the monthly average holds, total wagering on historical races in Kentucky will top $600 million by the end of February. The devices have been operating in the state for 29 months.