Delawareonline.com has reported that the presence of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) has been confirmed in a second Delaware standardbred. The news apparently has officials considering a temporary halt to all racing at Dover Downs.
The first horse that tested positive for the virus, Tintabella N, which had been at the Dovington Training Center, had to be euthanized.
According to the delawareonline.com report, the latest case was found in a two-year-old trotter stabled at a farm on Paradise Alley Road in Felton, less than five miles from Dovington Training Center.
"This latest positive is not good," said Hugh Gallagher, executive director of the Delaware Harness Racing Commission. "The [infected] horses have never been together, never raced or trained at Dover. If we get to a third case, I will go to Dr. Hirst and try to get [her] to possibly suggest they stop racing at Dover and then poll the commission to see if I have their support. Then, I would ask for a second, even third opinion from experts, even outside of the state."
Despite the two quarantines at the training centres, the article states that Dover Downs has not barred horses from either facility at the track. New Jersey and Pennsylvania officials have barred all Dovington horses from their tracks. The report states that Charles Lockhart, Dover Downs' vice president, Harness Racing, has said that the latest case won't change the track's stance.
To read the in-depth delawareonline.com article, which offers many more comments from many players in the situation, click here.
(With files from delawareonline.com)