NYRA quarantines barn at Saratoga because of strangles case

The New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Commission placed a group of horses in barn 66 at Saratoga under a 14-day quarantine because of a positive case of strangles. 

NYRA is actively working to relocate quarantined horses to an alternate facility where they will have access to isolated training hours.

Strangles is a contagious bacterial infection that generally affects a horse’s respiratory system and causes symptoms similar to those of strep throat in humans. When properly diagnosed and treated, strangles is not considered a life-threatening infection and horses recover fully.

The 2-year-old filly, Tenacious Child, who is trained by George Weaver and stabled in barn 66, was tested for a number of potential ailments over the weekend, and a positive test for strangles was returned Wednesday night. 

In addition to barn 66, horses under the care of Weaver stabled in barns 60 and 63 will be monitored for symptoms as part of a precautionary quarantine protocol that will remain in place through Saturday, June 28 as directed by the New York State Department of Agriculture. 

Immediately upon notification of a possible case of strangles on Saturday, NYRA’s veterinary department established a precautionary isolated training period for horses in George Weaver’s barns, 60, 63 and 66, at Saratoga while awaiting test results. 

Horses in barns 60, 63 and 66 will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population at this time. 

NYRA and the NYSGC implemented standard infectious-disease protocols, including restricting access to the horses in the affected barns, establishing a 24-hour security watch, mandating regular temperature checks for the horses in that barn and enacting biosecurity measures for all individuals requiring access to barns 60, 63 and 66. 

Beyond the quarantine protocols currently in place, NYRA has enacted no additional restrictions over shipping horses in and out of Saratoga.