A barn at Gulfstream Park was placed under restriction on Wednesday following the death of an unidentified horse from the barn that morning.

“We got a report that a horse had died with neurological symptoms,” said Tim Ritvo, Gulfstream Park’s president and general manager. “The case was reported to the state, and we are taking precautionary measures by placing restrictions on the barn until the test results come back on the deceased horse.

“From the symptoms the horse was displaying, our veterinarian believes it might have had a case of EPM.”

Trainer Michelle Lovell has her fingers crossed, and that’s even before she begins wishing for racing luck.

“I just hope the races stay on the turf,” she said.

An 80 percent chance of rain was forecast for Thursday in the New Orleans area, jeopardizing grass racing not only for that afternoon, but also for Friday. Lovell has two of her better horses, No Rules Now and At the Pulpit, entered in the two one-mile turf allowances that anchor a 10-race Friday card, and both stand solid chances if the right weather prevails.

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. – Quarter Horse racing will have a new World Champion for 2012.

The result of the $750,000 Champion of Champions at Los Alamitos last Saturday night will have a pivotal impact on the championships, which will be announced in January.

Cold Cash 123, the 2011 World Champion, finished eighth in the Champion of Champions, losing a chance to retain his title.

STICKNEY, Ill. – The situation regarding the equine herpesvirus outbreak at Hawthorne has been as quiet the last two weeks as at any point since the first horses became ill Oct. 14. No horses have displayed the serious neurologic symptoms of the disease, known as EHV-1, since a horse became ill and died Dec. 7.

STICKNEY, Ill. - Trainer Greg Geier has a pair of promising 2-year-olds for owner-breeder Jim Tafel. The question as the calendar flips over to 2013 is what he will be able to do with them.

Ron Faucheux has only been a trainer since 2009, but we know this about him by now: Faucheux wins races. Through Dec. 18, his career record stood at 94 for 315, a strike rate just under 30 percent. Last season at Fair Grounds, Faucheux went 19 for 62, and he continued to win races in bunches over the summer at Evangeline Downs.

The Maryland Racing Commission at a meeting on Tuesday approved a schedule calling for 146 live racing dates at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course next year, according to state racing officials.

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Gary Contessa believes Bernie the Jet is destined to be a better sprinter than distance horse as his career progresses. He’ll get the opportunity to test that theory when he turns Bernie the Jet back to five furlongs on the turf to face the potent Wesley Ward entry of stakes winner Rip Roaring Ritchie and Skylander in Thursday’s $54,500 optional claiming feature for 2-year-olds at Gulfstream Park.

Randy Wehrman, the racing secretary at Charles Town racetrack in West Virginia, was escorted off track grounds by security personnel last week and fired, state racing officials confirmed on Tuesday.

It was unclear on Tuesday what prompted Charles Town management to fire Wehrman, who had been racing secretary since 2008. State racing officials said on Tuesday that they are investigating the matter and that a hearing will likely be held to determine whether to revoke Wehrman’s occupational permit.

Penn National Race Course will hold a $500,000 race for 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf on the first Saturday in June this year, the richest race the Pennsylvania racetrack has ever carded, the track announced on Tuesday.

The $500,000 Penn Mile is part of a three-stakes card on June 1 that will also include the $250,000 Mountainview Handicap for 3-year-olds and older going 1 1/8 miles and the $150,000 Pennsylvania Governor’s Cup for 3-year-olds and older at five furlongs on the turf.