Two new EHV cases at Remington asymptomatic

Remington Park’s two new confirmed cases of equine herpesvirus posted late Thursday by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture are asymptomatic cases and both horses have been placed in isolation in a small, empty barn on the backstretch, Matt Vance, the track’s vice president of operations, said late Friday.

Vance said the horses are not sick. The state’s posting on the animals indicated neither had a fever. The initial case at Remington arose last week. A 3-year-old filly was euthanized Nov. 12 and tests returned on Nov. 14 confirmed EHV-1.

“We are very fortunate that right now, we don’t have any other sick horses at this time,” Vance said.

Vance said 100 horses were tested by the state, including some pony horses.

The three cases came from two barns and those barns are under a 14-day quarantine. Vance, who declined to name the barns under quarantine, said the state will test the horses every seven days. If there are no new cases in two seven-day blocks, the quarantine is expected to be lifted.

In the meantime, Delta Downs, Fair Grounds, Louisiana Downs, and Oaklawn are among tracks in the region that have temporarily closed their stable areas to horses from Remington. The facilities have varying restrictions in place. The New Mexico Racing Commission on Thursday directed Zia Park, which has a card of seven stakes Wednesday, to close its barn area to horses originating from Remington until further notice. The policy has led to nine stewards' scratches from the upcoming $1 million Land of Enchantment program, including three top contenders from the $250,000 Zia Park Derby.

Remington long has had strict requirements in place for vaccinations that would address equine herpesvirus, Vance said, and he believes those protocols are helping keep the contagious virus in check.

“We haven’t seen a rampant case after case,” he said.

Remington closes its meet Dec. 15 with its co-richest race, the $400,000 Springboard Mile. It is a points race for the Kentucky Derby and anchors a program of six stakes.

Vance said on Friday night that Remington has received Oklahoma Racing Commission approval to extend the deadline for nominations for those races by a week, to Dec. 7, with the anticipation quarantines will be lifted by Dec. 5.

Entries for the Springboard Mile card are to be taken Dec. 11. The program also includes the $100,000 Trapeze for 2-year-old fillies at a mile and the $100,000 Jeffrey Hawk Memorial for 3-year-olds and up at a one mile and 70 yards.

*Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, La., is not receiving horses from either Remington or Will Rogers Downs under further notice, according to Eric Halstrom, vice president of operations for Louisiana Downs. Louisiana Downs has operated as a training center since the close of its Thoroughbred meet in September and in January will begin a meet for Quarter Horses. Remington is in the midst of a meet for Thoroughbreds and Will Rogers just wrapped up a meet for Quarter Horses.