Quarantine eased at Churchill barn

Quarantine restrictions were lifted Tuesday for half of the Churchill Downs barn in which a horse was diagnosed with the equine herpesvirus last week.

Sixteen horses based in Barn 47 with trainer Al Stall Jr. were released from quarantine after it was determined that none had been infected with the virus. Another 19 horses trained by David Carroll on the other side of the same barn, including a stable pony, remain under quarantine. A firewall separates the opposing sides of the barn.

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture informed officials at Churchill that there had been minimal opportunity for the Stall horses to catch the virus from one Carroll horse, who was found to have the virus last week and has been removed to a satellite quarantine facility. All other Carroll horses have tested negative for the virus, which can be highly contagious.