A suspected outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1 virus in Racing Parx contributed to a large number of scratches out of four $100,000 bets on March 8 at the Bensalem, Pa., racetrack.
Of the 16 scratched horses, half of them will be transported from other routes, including Belmont Park, Laurel Parkand Penn National.
A horse on the back of Parx Racing that developed symptoms from a possible neurological problem on 6 March — and subsequently died — tested positive for the respiratory form of EHV- 1, can cause symptoms such as loss of coordination, hind limb weakness, coma, and difficulty maintaining balance. However, initial blood tests, according to Daily Racing Form, were negative for EHV-1, so other tests are underway.
Parx race secretary David Osojnak confirmed that an autopsy is underway on the horse “in the hope that the trial will shed more light.” Osojnak could not be reached on Tuesday afternoon regarding any updates. Jeff Matty, executive director of the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Riders Association, is also said to have attended all-day meetings regarding the EHV-1 case as did state veterinarian, Dr Shari Silverman.
Two warehouses at the track are under quarantine, according to the Daily Racing Form, and all shipbuilders are asked to stay at Parx until the quarantine is lifted.
Osojnak told Daily Racing Form that Tuesday was a “developing situation.”
On Monday, New York Racing Association spokesman Pat McKenna said Belmont does not accept horses from Parx.
“For precautionary reasons, the NYRA will not accept entries from Parx-based horses until the investigation is complete and the matter is resolved to the NYRA’s satisfaction,” said McKenna. By Monday night, the NYRA informed the riders that it was also not accepting horses from Penn National.
The scratches are particularly hard on the 1/16 mile Brotherly Love City Stakes for 3-year-olds, 1-mile and 70-meter Main Street Stakes for 3-year-olds. , and the 6-mile Society Hill Stakes for the 3-year-old Filler. The City of Brotherly Love had only a three-horse field left, while the Main Line started four, and the Society Hill holdings had five horses in the field.
Rittenhouse Square Stakes, which runs with six hairpins for 3-year-olds, has two ponies shipped in — one at Penn National and one in Belmont — and started with eight horses.
