She isnt half bad

I think she's gorgeous. She has a nice decorated Syracuse education.

Blasi got steamrolled.

I'd hit it, but that ain't saying much. :):D

It appears that the site is undergoing some . . . work.

So, she was hired as a hotwalker based on what I wonder. Did she get a recommendation from someone?

Was this the reason PETA put agent Rosen on the case specifically targeting Assmussen? Or is choice of trainer to target and timing of undercover operation just a coincidence?

http://www.paulickreport.com/news/ra...ghter-auction/

Justin Zayat ‏@JustinZayat · 2m
All the zayat horses in the Steve Asmussen barn are moving to new trainers now. Details with new trainers will be announced later. @jazz3162

the only surprise here is that it took til today to announce the change.

Looks like the nose was pin fired then pierced

Seeing as how the article is from July 2012, and the period that the PETA agent was at the stable was Spring 2013, I'm inclined to say one has nothing to do with the other.

looks like Lukas and Romans are getting several of them. Lots of "little guys" out there, yet they keep sticking with the big names.

Little guys may not be able to afford to train for Zayat...paying training bills has not always been a top priority

They apparently gave whichever ones they had in NY with Asmussen to Michael Wilson. He's pretty small time.

I saw that and they also wrote something about using him on their website that sounded promising and a break from their usual trainer choice.

Statement also includes a text from Blasi saying he was sorry and found himself under the influence of booze and woman.

Blasi needs to contact Oprah for help. A tweet won't suffice.

iSN'T Romans used to this from Ramsey days ?

I'm inclined to say the other considering the sending of the broodmares to slaughter by Assmussen's dad Cash was in July 2012 and Steve Assmusen, I figure doesn't do much hiring at the end of the summer.

A NY PETA operative knowing the barn was coming to NY in 2013 sounds plausible to me. Did she work at Toga first and then CD or the other way around?

Most shocking to me is Blassi doesn't know how to google or he would have known he was dating a PETA operative involved in the Bunny case.

That was the part that got me, too. I mean, people are instructed to go through and wipe their FB pages when they're looking for work and this woman still gets the gig even though the top hit when you google her name is the bunny thing?

I suspect Blassi was thinking with the other brain?

Do you really think that trainers / asst trainers are 'googling' barn help when they show up for work?

Those guys are lucky if they have enough consistent help, let alone have time to actually research their prior employment. Every groom that comes by the barn looking for work has worked for some 'top' outfit. Favorites I have heard was Bill Mott or Pletcher. LOL.

Even when they become a girlfriend?

No. They are grossly incompetent for not doing so...especially considering this barn being in the spotlight the last few years.

What I'm interested to see is if they had other operatives in different barns. Surely someone in PETA was aware of how easy it was to gain access.

Very sad, but it is being reported on Twitter that the Asmussen's barn foreman took his life. He was 27.

Couldn't agree more and hope he withdraws. I doubt he will do "the right thing", but he really needs to stay as far away from Churchill as possible on May 3rd.

I would think they would have already addressed this....surprised they hadn't yet. Asmussen should have them run under another trainer's name.
How many chances is this sport willing to give a person to sully racing?
They might want to think again how hall eligibility. I was appalled when his name was listed on the ballot.

Because PETA may or may not try and embarrass Asmussen, he should stay away from the Oaks where he trains the probable favorite and the Derby where he might have one of the favorites?

I don't think so.

What if he doesn't show up, but both of the horses win? Will that be okay? The right thing is for Asmussen to continue to do his job and see how the entire thing unfolds.

While we're at it, I'm pretty sure a lot of the horses running those two days are going to be trained by trainers with various medication infractions. Should they not show up either?

To me that's indicative of the big problem with the sport. Respectfully, of course.

If any actions are ever going to be put into motion, the time to do it is now. Otherwise it's just business as usual save the ramblings of a few individuals about what the sport needs to do.

:tro: I agree!

he does enough embarrassing himself, peta doesn't need to help him.

it's a huge two days for the sport, i'd hate to see his issues have a negative affect on the largest racing day of the year. the sport doesn't need a black eye, especially at the derby when there's so much more media attention.
and yes, lots of trainers get infractions. not too many get so many, or several 6 month suspensions that they serve concurrently...and i doubt very many get derby horses either.
it's too bad that owners continue to use some of these trainers, who break rules repeatedly...heck, that's probably why some owners hire some trainers-they want to win no matter what. and we all know the saying ' if you're not cheating, you're not trying'.

people step away from their jobs all the time while being investigated. it doesn't mean they've been found guilty or indicate guilt in any way.

I may be in the minority but think Asmussen should be at the derby and with a horse if he has one entered. The PETA video outside of the buzzer talk shows and proves nothing other than possible illegal alien hiring. The NTRA etc. shouldn't be involved in the investigation, the U.S. Department of Labor should.

Of course if they go at Asmussen for hiring illegals they mine has well cancel the derby and horse racing all together, at least for the summer, unless PETA has 1,000's of undercover operatives to fill in.

I also have no problem with a trainer who among others had Rachael and Curlin in his barn making the HOF.

But with an asterisk.
Both horses were broken and brought along by other barns.
I believe he got Curlin after his eye-catching debut, but obviously got Rachel long after she was a bonafide superstar.

yes, with an asterisk. just like if barry bonds ever went in the baseball hof.
the two horses should get in...but their last trainer? if it were up to me, no.

sports say they want to be clean...yet, they allow repeat offenders to stay after slaps on the wrist. talking out of both sides of their mouths.
people say they want it cleaned up, and then repeatedly excuse bad behavior and those who engage in it over and over. asmussen has a lengthy record, yet he still has defenders. makes no sense to me.

You're not in the minority.

Nothing is going to be accomplished by him not showing up. The story will still exist, the attention will still be paid to it by the media, and the horses will still be trained by him.

which is all too bad.

So what is your solution? That he be banned from the game for employing a foul-mouthed assistant who intimated that they use a legal drug on an undisclosed number of horses? For offenses which occurred years ago for which he has served the suspension handed to him in that jurisdiction?

The solution was to spend $30-$40 for an online background check of an American girl looking for work in the barn.

Now the solution is to make Bob Costas interim trainer. He's the most perfect human on the planet.

i find it strange that sport under attack would include such a person on their hall of fame ballot.
everyone knows the mans reputation. it's appalling to me that anyone employs him. that he has both a derby and oaks prospect. that this discussion is even taking place.
i think he should take a leave of absence while the investigations proceed. i don't think he should return til they conclude.
i find it very, very sad that such a person still has a huge operation knowing what all has occurred over the years of his career. his rap sheet is pages upon pages long. other trainers toil in obscurity, and cleanly, while he (and some others) gets good horses. it's a shame, and a black mark on this sport. lots of good trainers out there without all the baggage.

do we want a clean sport or not?

i can't stand bob costas. now he can hold forth on derby day like he does during halftime on football broadcasts, pontificating as only he can about all that ails the sport.
i'll dvr, and then fast foward to the gate loading. so much easier that way.

You might as well asterisk all horses then since someone else prepped them and broke them, not to mention the tremendous amount of work a lay-up farm does for the horse.

More recently, I'm impressed with the horse that Tapiture has become. A couple months ago, he was a bad actor. Someone has done a fine job schooling this colt.

The owner, if he cared about the good of the sport, would have sent the horses elsewhere. Of course, he won't due that, fearing about the timing when they invariably "crash" after about three weeks away from the Asmussen barn's $1500/month medication program. (I am not suggesting that it is illegal, but it is part of the "over-medication" issue that is part of the current debate.)

Let's not kid ourselves that everything in the PETA video is completely benign. The part about putting a gel cast on a horse to "fool" the state vet about a horse that he scratched (to Blasi's dismay) is pretty bad stuff.