Parx begins accepting entries from horses at other tracks

The equine herpesvirus quarantine at Parx Racing is due to end Thursday as long as no other horses test positive for the disease.

Sam Elliott, the director of racing at Parx, said he accepted outside entries for the special Friday Breeders’ Cup Day card at Parx.

The quarantine went into effect Oct. 2, when Top of the Stretch, a filly trained by Blane Servis, tested positive for the equine herpesvirus. No other horses at Parx became ill with the virus.

“It’s a shame it happened, but it could have been a lot worse,” Elliott said. “We only had the one sick horse, and we were able to continue racing. There was no level of hysteria. Everyone was very professional.”

For the last few weeks, trainers in Servis’s barn have been able to exercise their horses after normal hours on Wednesdays and Fridays.

“The people in the quarantined barn have been patient,” Elliott said. “We already have some of them entered to run.”

With the quarantine over, Elliott expects an increase in field size.

“With Monmouth and Delaware closed, people are looking for places to run,” he said. “There is a ripple effect, too. Penn National will also benefit as horses from here can resume shipping there.”

◗ There is a $2,921 carryover in the 12 percent takeout pick five at Laurel Park on Friday. The pick five begins on race 6 and includes an optional-claiming turf sprint for 2-year-olds and two second-level optional-claiming races for 3-year-olds and up.

◗The Monmouth at Meadowlands all-turf meet concludes with a pair of cards Friday and Saturday. First post both days is 12:30 p.m. Eastern.