Withers winner Uncle Heavy stuck on farm due to herpesvirus quarantine

Uncle Heavy, the Grade 3 Withers winner, remains at a farm approximately 20 minutes from Parx Racing in Bensalem, Pa., as his connections ponder when and where to move the 3-year-old colt.

Due to the quarantine of a barn at Belmont Park as a result of a case of equine herpesvirus on Feb. 3 – the day of the Withers – Uncle Heavy was not permitted by Parx and Pennsylvania state officials to return to Parx even though the Withers was held at Aqueduct. A horse from the quarantined Belmont barn was permitted to race in the Withers because the quarantine had not been put into effect until after that horse shipped to Aqueduct.

The quarantine of the Belmont barn is in place through Feb. 26, which is the date when Parx would likely allow Uncle Heavy back on the grounds.

At the farm, Uncle Heavy has only been able to get exercise on a jogging machine and by running free in a paddock. Trainer Butch Reid said he would wait until after this coming weekend to decide if he wants to move the horse to a training center or potentially back to Belmont Park.

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“We’re still on hold,” Reid said.

Reid has said the Grade 2, $750,000 Wood Memorial on April 6 at Aqueduct is likely Uncle Heavy’s next start.

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