Equine herpes virus confirmed at Churchill Downs

Kentucky Department of Agriculture officials confirmed Thursday that horses

stabled in the three quarantined barns at Churchill Downs are suffering from

equine herpes virus (EHV).

State Veterinarian Dr. Robert Stout said the contagious upper respiratory and

neurological ailment was suspected, but that the diagnosis was based on clinical

observation and could not be verified until test results were final.

"We have confirmed the diagnosis of equine herpes virus in all three barns,"

Stout said. "We know definitely what we're dealing with and now we can move on."

The positive tests include necropsies on two horses that were euthanized

after showing neurological symptoms of the disease.

Stout said that all trainers and veterinarians connected to the horses in

Barns 6, 38 and 39 have been advised of the test results. The three barns were

placed under quarantine when a preliminary diagnosis pointed toward the presence

of the virus.

Officials with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture have developed a plan

for a return to limited training for the horses housed in the barns. Any of the

horses in the barns not displaying clinical symptoms of EHV during the past

seven days will be given a blood test. If the results of those blood tests for

all horses in the barn are "negative" for the presence of the virus, then the

horses in that barn will be allowed to return to limited training. They will

remain under quarantine and not be allowed to mingle with the general horse

population at Churchill, but officials at the track will set aside a special

time for them to train, most likely in the early evening hours.

At this point, only horses in Barn 39 meet the protocol. Blood tests were

performed on those horses on May 20 and the results should be available in about

24 hours.

Churchill Downs has halted pre-race "milkshake" testing. Post-race

"milkshake" tests on randomly selected horses will continue at the track.

In addition, the track has temporarily suspended pre-race blood tests.