On Saturday, January 20, the Maryland Jockey Club released a statement stating that some restrictions on shipping in-and-out of Laurel Park have been put in place. According to MJC, Sal Sinatra, President and General Manager of the Maryland Jockey Club, said that a horse who shipped to Laurel had tested positive for the EHV-1 virus. The horse has been removed from the grounds but the barn he was stabled in has been placed under quarantine.
The horse will be tested off property again Tuesday. If the horse tests negative restrictions will be lifted immediately. If he tests positive again, the restrictions will remain in place until January 30. “We’re asking horsemen in other states and at training centers to check their policies before entering,” Sinatra said.
Later that day, the Maryland Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association posted the following statement:
Barn 20 at Laurel Park was placed under quarantine by the Maryland Department of Agriculture Jan. 19 after a horse tested positive for equine herpesvirus-1.
The horse, English Tudor, was removed from the grounds, according to Maryland Jockey Club President Sal Sinatra, and biosecurity measures have been put in place.
English Tudor—trained by Anthony Aguirre, who recently got him from King Leatherbury—was tested because of a recent visit to the University of Pennsylvania New Bolton Center, where he was gelded. The test was precautionary because New Bolton recently ordered a quarantine of its facility after a horse there tested positive for EHV-1.
The Laurel-based horse, which didn’t display neurologic complications, will be tested again Jan. 21, Sinatra said. Pending those results, all horses in Barn 20 won’t be permitted to leave the barn.
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