Saratoga barn placed under quarantine due to equine herpesvirus positive
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A horse stabled in Barn 86 in the annex at Saratoga Race Course tested positive for Equine Herpesvirus-1, and that barn has been placed under a precautionary quarantine until further notice, the New York Racing Association announced Thursday afternoon.
The horse who tested positive is an unraced, unnamed filly trained by Jorge Abreu, who shares that barn with Ken McPeek. Swiss Skydiver, the 2020 Preakness winner, is stabled in that barn.
According to NYRA, the Abreu-trained horse was sent to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital on Sunday after developing a fever. She subsequently underwent tests for several ailments, and the result of a positive test for EHV-1 was returned Thursday.
According to NYRA, the filly was treated immediately and is improving under the care of Dr. Luis Castro.
According to NYRA, there are 46 horses stabled in Barn 86. The horses in the barn will be monitored daily for fever and other signs of illness. During the initial quarantine period, horses in that barn will not be able to be entered in races or train with the general population. They will be permitted to train at the Oklahoma training track following the close of regular training at 10 a.m.
From Friday through Sunday, McPeek had eight horses entered at Saratoga, while Abreu had three. If all were based in the barn, they will have to be scratched.
McPeek was pointing Crazy Beautiful to the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks on July 24 and Swiss Skydiver to the Grade 3 Shuvee on July 25. It is unclear whether they will be able to make those starts.
As of Thursday evening, no additional horses in the quarantined barn have exhibited symptoms.