64 Equine Herpesvirus Positives at Sunland
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Photo: Courtesy Dr. George Allen
Equine herpesvirus
Officials at Sunland Park Racetrack & Casino are working to curtail an outbreak of equine herpesvirus that has resulted in 64 horses testing positive, including six who have died, and could impact the track's premier race, the $800,000 Sunland Derby (gr. III), scheduled for March 20.
Sunland Park has suspended racing since Jan. 22, and it can only resume racing at least 14 days after the last EHV-1 diagnosis. The latest positive was Feb. 11, so it would be at least Feb. 25 before the track could race, contingent upon no further positives.
As of Feb. 12, about 40 horses were still diagnosed with EHV-1.
Track marketing director Ethan Linder said the status of the Sunland Derby would be determined once the track has cleared up the outbreak and resumed racing.
"Everybody’s focus now is, how do we get back to racing?" Linder said. "Their concern obviously is the Sunland Derby but not as much as getting racing again. So we want to get up and running and then open our doors to the public… If that is in time for the Derby, then do we have Derby and what is it made up of and what do the nominations look like?"
In addition to the track stable area, the Frontera, Jovi, and Lazy S. training centers are within the quarantine perimeter.
In its regular update on EHV-1, the New Mexico Live Stock Board advised that "biosecurity measures among horsemen and women are still necessary, such as taking temperatures twice a day, handwashing, washing/disinfecting anything a horse has touched or could touch, etc."
Racing officials and the track spokesperson were not available for comment Friday.