PETA undercover in Asmussen's barn - Whoa!

[JJP]

The biggest story here is definitely the buzzer allegations re: Santana. I would not be surprised if the Asmussen/Santana combo is a little cold for the next week or two at Oaklawn.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

I think its going to be very hard for someone who may want to get into the sport watch that video and then if they were to read your statements and have to understand that this is just normal operating procedure.

You could pretty much create a video like this for all equestrian sport.

[10 pnt move up]

Originally Posted by Sightseek

You could pretty much create a video like this for all equestrian sport.

that is sad.

[Sightseek]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

It doesn't hurt to wade into comment threads on other boards and dispel misinformation, I find. As long as you can keep your temper and limit your response to correcting to the specific error the person is stating. As a racing fan, I found the Lasix threads here very, very helpful and they really did reshape my opinion on it.

Unfortunately, it's easy for people to condemn something they have no interest in. They'll scream about undocumented workers on the backstretch, but not a word about undocumented workers harvesting the food they eat. Because they don't want to pay more for their produce. They'll scream about cruel and inhumane treatment for race horses, but not a word on far more barbaric conditions at factory farms for pigs, chickens and cows. Because they like to eat pigs, chickens and cows, want to eat it a lot and don't want it to cost very much money. But horse racing? Oh, that's easy to scream about, because nothing in their lives would change if it were gone. Sigh.

[dellinger63]

PETA should go undercover for the same amount of time with a small time vet treating trail and private pleasure/pasture horses and see what ails some and how these animals suffer due to a lack of care/attention.

Ever see a horse with unclipped/neglected hooves? Starving because their mouths are too sore to eat because of unfiled teeth? It's nauseating and is deserving of a violent response.

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by 10 pnt move up

that is sad.

no, but it's true. you could selectively edit anything. you could make mother theresa out to be a monster if you wanted to. or find someone who has no idea about something, and get them to think the worst.

if you knew nothing about racing, and i said riders carry crops and hit horses with them, would you understand why? or would you just take it to mean riders hit horses for no good reason?

[TouchOfGrey]

New York State Gaming Commission Launches Investigation Into Allegations Of Abuse And Mistreatment Of Race Horses By Trainer Steve Asmussen, Assistant Trainer Scott Blasi And Other Licensed Individuals

NY Gaming Commission Press Release

[Danzig]

now...why am i suddenly thinking of the big to do and investigation at old friends? the one that turned up nothing, but cost a great foundation a lot of money.

[Merlinsky]

Originally Posted by Danzig

now...why am i suddenly thinking of the big to do and investigation at old friends? the one that turned up nothing, but cost a great foundation a lot of money.

Are you thinking of TRF? There was the big investigation with NY Times BS where TRF was vindicated.

I really think that undercover investigation of PETA idea has merit. Not looking forward to the Belmont this year when we all know there'll be some sort of PETA drama that the governor will swallow hook, line, and sinker. Another detention barn they decide on at the last minute, perhaps?

[Danzig]

Originally Posted by Merlinsky

Are you thinking of TRF? There was the big investigation with NY Times BS where TRF was vindicated.

I really think that undercover investigation of PETA idea has merit. Not looking forward to the Belmont this year when we all know there'll be some sort of PETA drama that the governor will swallow hook, line, and sinker. Another detention barn they decide on at the last minute, perhaps?

yeah, that is it.

the main thing i took away from the video is zayat probably won't send any more horses to a trainer whose assistant calls him the dreaded 'c' word.

[freddymo]

Originally Posted by Danzig

now...why am i suddenly thinking of the big to do and investigation at old friends? the one that turned up nothing, but cost a great foundation a lot of money.

Not apples to apples

[Revidere]

found it interesting Angel Cordero's face was not blurred out at dinner when Blasi was talking about horses not making it to the track and dying.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Hmmm, was Riot the vet that stated Lasix is a performance enhancer and that a lot of horses don't need it?

No, in fact she argued just the opposite on these boards.

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by GenuineRisk

No, in fact she argued just the opposite on these boards.

Yeah, that was sarcasm. I argued the opposite. At least one prominent vet agrees with me.

[my miss storm cat]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

The sport doesn't police itself very well. Since it isn't proactive, something like this was always going to happen. I'm no PETA fan, not by a longshot. But I also know there is some truth in that video. I didn't need to see the video to know it either.

There have always been some bad guys in racing. There will always be bad guys in racing. But racing can't keep letting them be bad guys and get away with it.

[GenuineRisk]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Yeah, that was sarcasm. I argued the opposite. At least one prominent vet agrees with me.

My apologies. I think all my anger at the carriage horse craziness (holy heck, who knew so much bias against the Irish still existed?) has broken my sarcasm detector.

I did notice that somewhere between the PETA video and at least one news article about it, that "In Europe Lasix is illegal.... on race days" became "In Europe Lasix is illegal." Ladies and gentlemen, the American media at its finest.

[Kasept]

Steve Crist Column

PETA’s charges

The racing world awoke Thursday to a huge and ugly mess in the form of charges of animal cruelty and labor violations by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, accompanied by hidden-camera video taken last year by a PETA investigator posing as an employee of the Steve Asmussen stable. It was typically dishonest, sensationalized propaganda from PETA, but was given a veneer of credibility by being leaked to and endorsed by The New York Times, which first reported the story after being given exclusive access to the material.

Nobody expects PETA to be fair or accurate, but the Times is supposed to be better than that and never would have run the story on its own without observing the basic tenets of journalism its readers expect and deserve – putting the taped remarks in context, investigating the assertions or going to the targeted parties for their reaction and explanation. Instead, it avoided any of those basic obligations with a one-sided “scoop” on a third party’s uninformed and unanswered allegations.

This one isn’t going away quickly. The video, however unfair, is sickening in its coarseness and callousness. Racing’s supposed leaders and spokesmen need to formulate a swift and strong response, exposing the more ludicrous insinuations and addressing those with any merit.

[The Devil]

Originally Posted by cmorioles

Does that change this story?

Have you ever been around these amazing animals, give them a bath or pick there feet, and clean there sh*t out of there stalls, and been around a shedrow, if not you sure do know it all

[cmorioles]

Originally Posted by The Devil

Have you ever been around these amazing animals, give them a bath or pick there feet, and clean there sh*t out of there stalls, and been around a shedrow, if not you sure do know it all

Yes, I have. What's your point?

[GenuineRisk]

On the lighter side, I laughed at Mike Joyce's tweet:"Asmussen?!?! PETA couldn't investigate Sherriffs? Better headline: 'TIAGO DRINKS FIJI WATER; EBLOUISSANTE NEVER FORCED TO DO ANYTHING, EVER.'"