Editor’s note: The following information was sent out by Rusty Ford, Equine Programs Manager for the Kentucky State Veterinarian’s office, at 9:47 p.m. on January 24.

Turfway Park

The sampling of horses in the affected barn at Turfway Park did identify two (2) additional horses (from one trainer a 4-year-old Thoroughbred gelding and a 9-year-old Thoroughbred mare) to be EHV-1 positive by PCR detecting the ‘wild strain’ of virus from nasal swabs. 

There have been no clinical developments in the horses currently housed in Barn 27 and options for removing those two positive horses from the environment and managing the barns remaining population are being evaluated and considered tonight.

Keeneland Racetrack

Whole blood samples were submitted from the population of horses in both of the previously quarantined barns today (January 24), and testing completed earlier this evening has identified a single positive EHV-1 horse (a 3-year-old Thoroughbred colt) in one barn. That positive horse has been removed from the barn and is in a secured isolation. Testing of nasal swabs collected from each horse in the barn is expected to be completed tomorrow (January 25). The population of horses continues to be confined to the barn pending results of that testing. 

Testing of samples completed on horses in the second quarantined barn have been reported negative on blood only, and they, too, remain confined to the barn until testing of nasal swabs is complete.

The barns are secure with movement into and out of the barns restricted to essential personnel only. Biosecurity measures have and continue to be implemented at the highest level at each track and we are of the opinion that recognizing and responding to the disease risk early in this united manner has been effective at both tracks and does provide the opportunity to resolve the disease threat in the coming weeks. 

Updates will be provided by the Kentucky Office of State Veterinarian as new information becomes available or developments occur.