Truro Raceway will be dark for at least another Sunday because of a suspected outbreak of the infectious equine strangles virus at the Nova Scotia track.
Track manager Joe Kelly said he was instructed by the Maritime Provinces Harness Racing Commission not to program a card for March 1 and that the track’s ship-in barn and paddock was to be disinfected before racing could resume.
Last Sunday’s 12-dash program was cancelled by the MPHRC after the commission received a report that a horse left in the ship-in barn was sick. The horse had been left in the ship-in barn by a Prince Edward Island owner after racing on February 14.
Kelly said racetrack officials had not been advised that the horse was being stabled in the ship-in barn.
Dr. Paul Hogan, director of racing for the MPHRC, said there was no proof that the horse had contracted the strangles, but that the races were cancelled “as a precautionary measure.”
The sick horse was to be tested Tuesday, along with 16 other horses who were placed in quarantine after a New Brunswick-owned pacer tested positive for the strangles last week.
On Monday of this week, one of the 16 horses tested last week came up with a positive test. A second test was to be made on Tuesday.
Dr. Hogan, racetrack management and four veterinarians held a conference call on Tuesday to discuss how to deal with the situation.
Kelly said no restrictions were placed on travel in and out of the track, except for the two barns where the horses were quarantined.
The track was also instructed to disinfect the ship-in paddock area, the second time that this has been ordered in recent weeks.
Scott Daniels, a veteran Truro-based horseman, expressed surprise when he was informed his eight-year-old pacer Justins Choice had tested positive.
“The horse has shown no signs of being ill or showing any of the signs of having the strangles,” said Daniels.
Under the provisions of the quarantine, the horses are restricted from moving out of their stalls.
(Atlantic Post Calls)
Much smarter Race Track
Much smarter Race Track Management than Northlands. Maybe Northlands should take a lesson from these people.....OOOOOOPS TO LATE.......But that would of meant cancelling some Thouroghbred racing and we wouldn't want to do that now would we.. "Kodo's" to Truro Raceway....in having alittle common sense. As the saying goes "alittle common sense goes along way"