After extensive consultation with veterinary and industry experts, Ontario Racing is providing an update regarding the protocols in place to allow Barn 1 at Dorchester Downs near London, Ont. to return to racing. Since early December 2025, Barn 1 has been impacted by Strangles (Streptococcus equi.).

Two racehorses in Barn 1 were recently moved to an isolation barn. The remaining horses in that quadrant of Barn 1 are not racehorses.

All quadrants of Barn 1 are now eligible to school, qualify or race if the horses meet the conditions first set out in the original plan released on Feb. 12 and updated below.

The Raceway at Western Fair District, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Flamboro Downs are accepting entries of horses in Barn 1 at Dorchester Downs if the following conditions are met:

• Trainers in Barn 1 continue to take and record twice daily temperature readings on their horses, which will be available for review by veterinarians.
• After being entered to qualify or race, horses from Barn 1 will be tested using the sensitive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to rule out the presence of Streptococcus equi.
• The day of the schooler, qualifier or race, horses from Barn 1 will be examined by the attending veterinarian to ensure no clinical signs of sickness are present.

Only horses with no record of an increased temperature, a negative PCR test and no clinical signs of sickness will be permitted to school, qualify or race and the horses in Barn 1 will not race in claimers until all required horses have tested negative for Streptococcus equi.

Further, Dorchester Downs’ attending veterinarian will perform periodic spot checks on the temperature logs of the horses in Barn 1. These assessments will continue until all horses in Barn 1 have been disease free for a minimum of 14 days.

This plan for a return to racing will be under constant review and can be rescinded at any time.

Ontario horsepeople, through their veterinarians, are fortunate to have access to top level animal health diagnostics, including the ability to utilize the PCR test that can produce results within 24 hours.

Both the original and updated protocols were made after consulting the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO), the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA), racetrack and training centre veterinarians, experts at the University of Guelph, the Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA) and management at The Raceway at Western Fair District, Woodbine Mohawk Park and Flamboro Downs.

Both plans were informed by ongoing risk assessments and the need to balance business continuity concerns for affected owners and trainers with horse health protection.

The AGCO first issued a notice to the industry about Streptococcus equi. in Barn 1 at Dorchester Downs on Dec. 12, with additional updates provided.

Strangles is a highly contagious bacterial infection in horses and other equines caused by the bacterium, Streptococcus equi. It is characterized by fever, thick nasal discharge, and/or swollen, abscessing lymph nodes in the throat area that can swell and obstruct the airway.

All horsepeople are reminded to practice good biosecurity including only bringing healthy horses to race, changing footwear and clothing worn at the barns when attending places where various horses comingle (such as at the racetrack) and minimizing contact with other horses with unknown health status.

More information is available from OMAFA by clicking here.

(With files from Ontario Racing; Horse pictured does not have strangles)