On Jan. 23, Florida State Veterinary officials conducted a thorough inspection of the barns at Gulfstream Park following a positive Equine Herpesvirus (EHV) case identified on January 21 in Barn 21. State veterinary officials have ruled that a minimum 21-day quarantine will be in place for Barn 21 only. During this quarantine period affected horses will receive daily veterinary inspection and will not be permitted to race.
Horses shipping in during the quarantine period, including those for the upcoming 2023 Pegasus World Cup, will be exclusively stabled at designated ship-in barns. The ship-in barns are half-a-mile from Barn 21, which is located at the opposite end of the Gulfstream Park facility.
“We thank the Florida State Veterinary officials for their quick response and for acknowledging the immediate measures taken by our team at Gulfstream Park to identify and contain the recent positive EHV. I would also like to thank them for the ongoing support of the horsemen, backstretch personnel and our team as we continue to safely race and train,” said Dr. Dionne Benson, Chief Veterinary Officer, 1/ST.
Gulfstream Park protocols will remain in effect for the full quarantine period. Protocols include:
- Installation of a perimeter fencing barrier around Barn 21
- Daily veterinary inspection of Barn 21 with twice-daily logged temperature checks
- Strict entry into Barn 21 regulated by security
- Access to Barn 21 strictly limited to essential/necessary personnel only
- Biosecurity protocols required at exit:
- Footbaths changed regularly
- Grooms, trainers, exercise riders and farriers must leave premises after being in Barn 21
- Veterinarians must wear Tyvek suits, plastic boots, and gloves when in Barn 21
- Any equipment must be sterilized prior to leaving quarantine area
- Barn 21 quarantine will be in effect for a minimum of 21-days (no racing permitted)
- Quarantine horses will train separately and access the racetrack through a separate path
- All ship-in horses for racing for the duration of the quarantine period will be stabled at the designated ship-in barns located at the south end of the track
Gulfstream Park will notify relevant stakeholders once the quarantine period has been lifted.
1/ST, owners and operators of Gulfstream Park, have been at the forefront of industry-leading protocols to prioritize the safety and care of horses, and are committed to accountability, integrity, and transparency.
The post Gulfstream EHV-1: Minimum 21-Day Quarantine Only Applies To Barn 21 appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.
