McPeek Looks To Next Starts For Swiss Skydiver, King Fury

Peter J. Callahan's Swiss Skydiver chased gate-to-wire winner Knicks Go throughout Saturday's Grade 1 Whitney at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., ranging up three-wide with a threatening move late in the final turn before fading to fourth in her first start since a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom in April.

Trained by Kenny McPeek, last year's Grade 1 Preakness-winner was initially targeting the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25 before having to change course when their barn was placed under a precautionary quarantine, related to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 in their barn, which is shared with trainer Jorge Abreu. The quarantine was lifted on August 1 and all horses cleared without symptoms.

Assistant trainer Francis Chiumiento said he was proud of the performance by the filly, who was being piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr. for the first time.

“I thought she proved how good she is and Irad was really happy with how she ran,” Chiumiento said. “He felt she had a shot to win at some point. These are all good indicators. She came back well and she's happy and content.

“I brought her in here around June 18 and she was doing everything just great,” he added. “We were going to run in the Shuvee and the Personal Ensign and then the outbreak happened. Thank God we contained it and none of our horses were affected. We did everything right.”

The $600,000 Grade 1 Personal Ensign presented by Lia Infiniti, a “Win and You're In” qualifier for the Breeders' Cup Distaff, is slated for Travers Day August 28.

Three Chimneys Farm and Fern Circles Stables' King Fury, who had initially targeted the Grade 2 Jim Dandy on July 31, finished 10th in Saturday's Grade 1 Saratoga Derby Invitational after a wide trip exiting the outside post in the 11-horse field.

Chiumiento said King Fury should benefit from the experience as he points to the $1.25 million Grade 1 Runhappy Travers.

“He was hung out wide the whole time,” Chiumiento said. “He needed a race, too. Unfortunately, we were using a $1 million race as a prep. He handled the turf well but he was wide the whole time. He needed that race to tighten him up and I think he'll be very strong for the Travers. He came back happy and walked great this morning.”

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Chiumiento said he appreciated the presence of NYRA Safety Steward Juan Dominguez for his assistance in negotiating the quarantine protocols.

“It was a pressure cooker but we did everything right. We made sure all the staff followed the protocols, from wearing gloves to disinfecting every stall. We took it serious and we know Jorge Abreu did as well.” Chiumiento said. “I really want to commend Juan Dominguez. He and I worked together and he did a tremendous job to make sure this didn't spread. He and Martin Panza [Senior Vice President of Racing Operations] were here, as well as Keith [Doleshel, Racing Secretary], almost every day and I have to commend them for that. They didn't have to do that. We made sure it was controlled and that there wasn't a chance for it to spread.

“We were prepared to do really well and it's frustrating because we don't know now how we'd have done,” Chiumiento added regarding their initial targets. “Kenny handled it with tremendous class. He's just a very down-to-earth and classy man. He was cool, calm, and collected.”

On Thursday, Harold Lerner, Magdalena Racing, and Nehoc Stables' Grade 1-winner Simply Ravishing returns in the nine-furlong $120,000 Saratoga Dew for New York-bred fillies 3-years-old and up.

A $50,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Yearling Sale, the 4-year-old Laoban bay won 3-of-5 starts in her sophomore season, including a maiden win on the turf last August on debut and a 6 1/2-length score in the off-the-turf P.G. Johnson in September.

Simply Ravishing made the grade with a 6 1/4-length score in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades in October at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., before finishing fourth in both the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland and the Grade 2 Golden Rod at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky., in November.

She launched her current campaign in April with an off-the-board effort in the Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

Simply Ravishing has breezed extensively on the Oklahoma training track dating back to June 26 when she fired a bullet three-eighths in :35.86 and followed a week later with a bullet half-mile in :48.08.

“She's doing good. She's a cool filly and does everything right,” Chiumiento said. “She trains like a gorilla. She puts up bullets. I think she'll be right there.”

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Saratoga Barn Under Quarantine Due to EHV-1 Positive

Edited Press Release

The New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) and the New York State Gaming Commission (NYSGC) have placed Barn 86 at Saratoga Race Course under a precautionary quarantine until further notice due to a positive case of Equine Herpesvirus-1 in that barn.

The unnamed, unraced filly, who is trained by Jorge Abreu, was sent to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital on Sunday, July 11 after developing a fever. She was subsequently tested for a number of potential ailments, and a positive test for EHV-1 was returned on Thursday afternoon. The filly began treatment immediately, and is improving under the care of Dr. Luis Castro, DVM.

Overseen by Dr. Anthony Verderosa, the director of NYRA's veterinary department, in consultation with the NYSGC, the Barn 86 quarantine is effective immediately with standard precautions and biosecurity measures now in place.

The 46 horses stabled in Barn 86, which is home to stalls for Abreu and trainer Kenny McPeek (whose Saratoga string includes champion Swiss Skydiver {Daredevil}), will be monitored daily for fever and other signs of illness.

During the initial quarantine period, these horses will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population. Afebrile/asymptomatic horses stabled in Barn 86 will have isolated training hours at the Oklahoma Training Track following the close of training for the general horse population at 10 a.m.

As of Thursday evening, no additional horses in the quarantined barn have exhibited symptoms.

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Gulfstream Quarantine Lifted After EHV-1 Test Negative

The quarantine on two barns at Gulfstream Park imposed after a horse died from unknown circumstances Tuesday night at the track has been lifted after tests for Equine herpesvirus type 1 came back negative, according to Dr. Dionne Benson, the Chief Veterinary Officer for The Stronach Group. The the quarantine prompted a number of scratches on the Wednesday card.

Benson said that a filly had gotten loose on the track yesterday morning, and run back to the barn area, entering a barn that was not hers. She was walked back to her barn, and was discovered down in her stall last night by a security guard.

“Late last night, @1stracing @GulfstreamPark was notified that a horse stabled onsite fell ill exhibiting neurological symptoms and was humanely euthanized,” said Benson in the early afternoon Wednesday. “Out of caution, the barns that have been affected have been quarantined. More information will follow when necropsy results are in.”

“The quarantine is lifted,” said Benson. “There is no sign of any communicable disease.”

Earlier in the day, Benson had said that Stronach Group company policy had directed an abundance of caution toward keeping horses safe. “This was done in the consideration of safety for the horse and welfare for the entire horse population,” she said. “We did not see the incident. It was not reported to us earlier in the day.”

She said that additional precautions were being taken at Gulfstream because of an outbreak of EHV-1 in the show horse population near Ocala.

“We previously had dialed back our health certificate requirements from 72 hours to 24 hours,” said Benson, explaining that horses arriving at the track must now have been seen and certified as healthy within 24 hours before arrival, while the typical window is 72 hours. “So that gives us an extra added protection of those two days.”

 

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Outbreak of EHV1 Reported in Spain

An outbreak of the neurological form of equine herpesvirus 1 (EHV1) has been reported in Valencia, Spain, the Irish Equine Centre (IEC) announced via a statement on Twitter Monday. The virus was discovered at an FEI competition, and the FEI Veterinary Department is collaborating with the Spanish authorities. Additional veterinarians have been brought in to assist with the 160 horses quarantined on site.

The IEC statement read in part, “Currently 84 horses are showing clinical signs, 11 are being treated in external clinics and four have died. Horses that left the venue before movement restrictions were implemented appear to have spread the virus to France, Germany and Belgium where additional cases have been reported.

“It is understood that to date, no Irish riders affected have travelled from the event in Valencia to Ireland. However, anyone receiving horses particularly competition horses, from the continent should seek veterinary advice concerning isolation and EHV1 testing by PCR. Similarly, competitors planning to travel with their horses to events in Spain should see veterinary advice.”

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