Herpes at New Orleans Track; Biosecurity Increases as Racing Goes On at The Fair Grounds

The following information is provided by The Fair Grounds in New Orleans, Louisiana for the information of anyone in the state or who might be interested in this latest outbreak of EHV.

A barn in Fair Grounds' stable area is under a Louisiana State Racing Commission quarantine after test results confirmed that a horse in that barn was infected with equine herpes virus ("EHV1").

Officials with the LSRC have ordered biosecurity measures in place in Barns 4A and 4B, which are under the same roof and house horses trained by Dallas Stewart and Neil Howard. The quarantine of the barns was ordered after a Thoroughbred trained by Stewart displayed symptoms of equine herpes on Tuesday. That horse was transported immediately from Fair Grounds and is now under observation at Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky, where the diagnosis was confirmed on Wednesday.

The quarantine order affects 44 horses in Stewart's section of the barn and 27 horses under Howard's care.

"The horse is doing well in Kentucky and starting to show some improvement," said Tom V. David, DVM, equine medical director for the LSRC. "We remain cautious because we still do not have enough information. Until we get more test results on the horses in that barn, we don't know the total extent."

Dr. David said the implementation of the quarantine and its associated biosecurity measures was ordered in an effort to contain and isolate any possible EHV1 cases to that barn and prevent any spread of the virus among the horse population at Fair Grounds.

Symptoms of equine herpes virus most commonly include fever and an upper respiratory infection. The symptoms can also include lethargy, loss of appetite, a nasal discharge and a cough. In severe cases, horses can suffer a loss of coordination and an inability to stand and the illness can be fatal.

The disease is a virus, so it can be spread through the air when a horse coughs - although studies on the virus indicate that it is very short-lived and is susceptible to disinfectants. The maximum extent of the airborne transmission of the virus is thought to 35 feet. Horses may also contract the disease if they come in contact with the clothing of a person who has worked with an infected horse, the tack and equipment worn by an infected horse, or a shared food and water source.

The recommended quarantine period is generally up to 21 days after potential exposure to the virus. The incubation period for the disease ranges from two to 10 days. Under the quarantine order, horses may not be moved in or out of those barns until state agriculture officials clear them to do so.

The quarantine is not expected to have a negative impact on Fair Grounds' season, which began November 14 and continues through March 29, as horses will continue to be permitted to ship in and out of the track to race.

To accommodate the quarantined horses, training hours have been changed. Horses from Stewart and Howard's stables will be allowed to train from 9:30-10:30 a.m.

Additional biosecurity measures have been put in place to guard against the introduction of the virus to the track's horse population. Those procedures include:

• Increased scrutiny of horses that arrive and depart from Fair Grounds' barn area, with certificates of veterinary inspection required for all horses that enter the stable area;
• A requirement that horses that ship in to compete be allowed only into the track's Receiving Barn;
• Nightly disinfectant procedures in the Receiving Barn;
• Daily disinfectant procedures on the starting gate;
• The track's horse identifier and starting gate crew will be required to use latex gloves and follow other recommended disinfectant procedures for their work areas, equipment and practices;
• And daily disinfectant procedures in the paddock following the conclusion of each day's racing.

Molly the Pony vs. Gustav the Hurricane

Molly: 11. Hurricanes: 0.

Since Molly the Pony was foaled 19 years ago, 11 hurricanes and named tropical storms have darkened the skies over her home state of Louisiana. Andrew, Opal, Josephine, Danny, Frances, Georges, Lili, Katrina, Rita, Humberto, and Gustav have all sent people and ponies scurrying for high ground. Katrina in 2005 almost was the end of the little Pony of the Americas mare; she was abandoned in a barn that later collapsed and Molly was only accidentally found by rescuers.

Molly's post-Katrina road to recovery turned bloody when she was attacked by a pit bull at a rescue farm. Her leg could not be saved, and things looked grim but Molly's friends convinced Louisiana State University's College of Veterinary Medicine to perform an experimental amputation surgery. With the help of an artificial leg, Molly has not slowed down since! She is now America's most celebrated therapy pony, and spends time each week visiting hospitals, schools, and nursing homes and inspiring all who come near.

So it was a relief to hear today that Molly survived yet another hurricane, Monday's Gustav. Even so, the "Kids and Ponies" Foundation Farm outside New Orleans was damaged. Roofs are leaking, one barn is flooded and there's lots of clean-up work to do, says Kaye Harris, Molly's benefactor and director of the foundation.

Molly is the subject of a best-selling book, Molly the Pony by Pam Kaster, published in April. The first edition sold out in a month, and a second printing is now on sale. Click here to learn more about Molly and to order her book.

Click here for a link to a PayPal donation page where you can make a donation of any amount to help rebuild the farm for Molly and the 19 elderly, retired or otherwise unwanted ponies who have found a sanctuary there.

Survivors like Molly deserve the best.

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New Orleans Racetrack Closes as Gustav Approaches

New Orleans' urban Fair Grounds racetrack announced Friday that it will temporarily close all of its facilities beginning Saturday because of the projected track of Hurricane Gustav.

Gustav could make landfall as a Category 3 storm either Monday night or Tuesday morning along the northern Gulf Coast. Area governments are calling for recommended or mandatory evacuations beginning on Saturday.

"In this time, our primary focus is for the safety and well-being of our employees," said Fair Grounds vice president and general manager Austin Miller.

During Gustav, the New Orleans Fire Department, the New Orleans Police Department and the Louisiana National Guard will be using Fair Grounds as a staging area.

No horses are on Fair Grounds' backstretch. The track's inaugural Quarter Horse meet concluded Sunday, and the backstretch will not open for the Thoroughbred meet until October 15.

Fair Grounds is the nation's third-oldest Thoroughbred racing facility, and has been in operation since 1872. Located in New Orleans, Fair Grounds is owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated.