A total of six horses from one barn at Churchill Downs have now tested positive for EHV-1, according to a statement the track gave bloodhorse.com. The first case was a symptomatic horse, which has since been transferred to an equine hospital. The other five cases resulted from Wednesday's PCR testing; all are asymptomatic and have been isolated away from the remaining eight in that barn.
Churchill is now restricting the movement of horses off it's backstretch, but that rule was not in place Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. when Grade 1 Cigar Mile entrant O Besos shipped out of trainer Greg Foley's barn en route to Aqueduct. Several hours later, reports the Daily Racing Form, NYRA stakes coordinator Andrew Byrnes called Foley to inform him that NYRA was no longer accepting horses from Churchill Downs onto the backstretch. O Besos, whose van was at that point halfway to New York, would have to be scratched.
“Very disappointing, we've been planning on it and I just had to call the owners to cancel their plans,” Foley told DRF. “I thought we had a big shot, it was a good spot for a Grade 1, $750,000. Very disappointing, but that's the way it is.”
O Besos was to be allowed to return to his stall at Churchill Downs.
“Churchill Downs is working closely and in conjunction with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to ensure maximum effectiveness of its health and safety protocols throughout the management of this process,” reads the CDI statement given to bloodhorse.com. “The five additional horses that have tested positive for EHV-1 are asymptomatic but have been successfully isolated away from the affected barn where they will await a series of further testing. Continued testing of the horses with potential of exposure and those of the affected trainers is underway.”
Rusty Ford, equine operations consultant for the Office of the State Veterinarian at the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, said officials in other states have been notified to monitor other horses who exited the now-quarantined barn.
There are nine strains of equine herpesvirus on record, and many horses are exposed to some form of EHV with no serious side effects or symptoms. Three strains are considered serious health risks, including EHV-1, which may present with fever and respiratory symptoms and can also carry neurological symptoms and a risk of death. Symptoms of the neurologic form of EHV-1 include fever and nasal discharge, followed by lack of coordination, lethargy, head tilt, and inability to balance or stand. EHV-1 is highly contagious and may be transmitted through contaminated equipment, contact between horses, and on clothing or hands of humans working with sick horses. Veterinarians aren't sure how long the virus can survive in the environment, or how well it travels through the air. The Paulick Report compiled a list of frequently-asked questions about EHV-1 during an outbreak at Sunland Park five years ago.
The post Mid-Van Ride, O Besos Scratched From Cigar Mile; Churchill Issues Shipping Restrictions In Wake Of Six EHV-1 Positives appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
