State Appeals Latest Ruling in Veitch Case
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The Kentucky Horse Racing Commission and other involved parties will appeal a Franklin Circuit Court's November decision to order the reinstatement, with back pay, of former chief state steward John Veitch.
In the most recent court ruling in the case, Franklin (Frankfort) Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wingate concluded that Veitch was improperly dismissed when the Public Protection Cabinet, which oversees the KHRC, carried out Veitch's termination. Wingate ruled that Public Protection Cabinet secretary Robert Vance did not have the authority to terminate Veitch and those actions should have been carried out by the KHRC.
On Friday, Dec. 5, Franklin Circuit Court granted a stay of Judge Wingate's decision pending an appellate review. The request for a stay was made by the state, Public Protection Cabinet, KHRC, Kentucky Personnel Board, and others. Those same respondents served notice of appeal of the November decision in the same court.
Veitch was earlier suspended and eventually dismissed from his chief steward position. A hearing officer determined that Veitch did not act properly when he allowed Life At Ten to compete in the 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (gr. I) at Churchill Downs after jockey John Velazquez told an ESPN audience that the filly was not warming up well.