Handlers James and Bernie groom Sassy Love after her morning training at Pimlico race track Tuesday, Jan.24, 2006, in Baltimore. Pimlico is under a quarantine for the Equine Herpes Virus limiting the number of races that are being held at the race track.
(AP Photo/Don Wright)
Equine herpes virus kills third horse
BALTIMORE --An outbreak of the equine herpes virus claimed a third horse at Pimlico Race Course and prompted the cancellation of two days of racing at nearby Laurel Park, officials said Thursday.
Racing at Laurel Park on Sunday and Feb. 5 has been canceled because of the quarantine of 500 horses at Pimlico and restrictions on the movement of horses in and out of the state due to the outbreak, the Maryland
Laurel will hold races four days a week, on a Wednesday through Saturday schedule.
"We are working with a limited pool of horses and it has taken its toll on our entries," said Lou Raffetto, the Maryland Jockey Club's chief operating officer. "Cutting back to four days a week the next two weeks will allow us to have the quality and quantity we were accustomed to before the outbreak of the virus."
The third horse to die of the disease at the home of the Preakness Stakes was General Strike, who showed symptoms of the virus last Thursday. The 3-year-old didn't show signs of improvement and recovery was unlikely, so trainer Joe Delozier decided to have the horse euthanized, the Jockey Club said in a statement.
The Maryland Department of Agriculture, meanwhile, announced that two cases of suspected equine herpes prompted a quarantine at a Kent County stable that received a horse from Pimlico Race Course before the quarantine was instituted at the track.
One horse was euthanized and another is showing symptoms of the disease at the undisclosed stable, which is used as an off-track training facility for a Pimlico-based trainer, the Maryland Department of Agriculture said.
"This new occurrence is extremely unfortunate and we are working closely with everyone involved and using the best science available in the equine community to prevent any possible spread of illness," said Maryland State Veterinarian Guy Hohenhaus. "It is believed that this incident is not a distinctly new case."
The disease, which doesn't affect humans, can cause upper respiratory infections in horses as well as neurological symptoms that may affect the ability to walk and run. Eleven horses at Pimlico have shown signs of the virus this month.
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