Quarantine to keep Danedream from Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe

A quarantine of stables in Cologne, Germany, will prevent Danedream from traveling to Paris for Sunday’s Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe, a race the 4-year-old filly brilliantly won last year.

One horse at the Cologne training center, Germany’s biggest, reportedly tested positive for equine infectious anemia, commonly called swamp fever. The virus, which can produce grave and long-lasting symptoms, is carried by blood-sucking insects but can be spread through fluids and veterinary equipment. The infected horse lives far away from Danedream and is in the care of another trainer, according to a spokesman for majority owner Teruya Yoshida, but the entire training center is under strict quarantine for what is expected to be a period of months, with no exceptions to the ban on travel being granted.

On Monday there was some hope Danedream might have some chance to make the Arc, but on Tuesday it was officially confirmed that she will miss the race.

The term of quarantine almost certainly would preclude Danedream being rerouted to the Breeders’ Cup and might also endanger a start in the Japan Cup, the race that was to have marked her career finale.

Meanwhile, a decision on Camelot’s participation in the Arc could come from trainer Aidan O’Brien as early as Tuesday. Camelot most recently failed in his bid to win the English Triple Crown when he was defeated in the St. Leger Stakes. Should Camelot go in the Arc – and English betting houses were taking significant action on his chances in the race Monday – he won’t be ridden by his regular jockey, Joseph O’Brien, who is too heavy to make the minimum allowed weight for 3-year-olds in the Arc.