Turfway quarantine continues

FLORENCE, Ky. - All three horses who tested positive for equine herpes virus type 1 at Turfway Park earlier this week are trained by Jim Morgan, who has about 18 horses in Barn 15, which is expected to remain quarantined until at least early next month.

Barn 15 houses about 80 horses. Other trainers with horses under quarantine are George Leonard 3rd, Bob DeSensi, Albert Palacios, Les Wiley Jr., Dennis "Scott" Edwards, and Kenneth Dalton.

Leonard, with 26, has the most horses in the barn.

"This really puts me back financially," said Leonard. "You can't train. All you can do is jog your horses around the shed row."

State and track officials are confident the virus will not spread because of the tight restrictions now in place. In the meantime, the trainers in Barn 15 will struggle.

"I'm going to Indiana Downs next," said Leonard, referring to the new Shelbyville, Ind., track that starts a 45-day meet April 11. "But how ready can I have my horses after this? It's a bad situation."