Leading trainer Steve Asmussen has been cleared of allegations of horse abuse brought by an animal-rights group after a one year investigation.
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 animal welfare group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA,) after it planted an "undercover" member to work for the Asmussen stable at Churchill Downs in 2013.
PETA released a video last year that it alleged documented horse abuse but the KHRC investigation vindicated Asmussen of all of the allegations.
"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 from chairman Bob Beck.
"The stewards concluded the allegations do not support any administrative action because no evidence of rules violations was found."
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 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.”
The New York State Gaming Commission also is conducting an investigation into PETA allegations against the Asmussen stable at Saratoga in 2013.
PETA issued a statement in response to the KHRC decision, claiming 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," said PETA vice president Kathy Guillermo.
KHRC investigators said PETA and its employee who worked for the Asmussen stable Kerin Rosen were uncooperative.
KHRC said PETA refused to turn over a 285-page report, apparently collected by Rosen as well as seven hours of video that was said to exist.
PETA rejected the service of a subpoena and refused to provide the information, despite repeated assurances from that they would assist in the KHRC investigation.
