Saratoga barn is quarantined after horse develops strangles

The New York Racing Association and the New York State Gaming Commission placed barn 85 at Saratoga under a 14-day precautionary quarantine until further notice because of a positive case of strangles in that barn.

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.

Barn 85 contains horses trained by Jeremiah Englehart and Jorge Abreu.

Two-year-old Tranquil Sea who is trained by Englehart, was referred to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital on Wednesday after developing breathing problems. He subsequently was tested for a number of potential ailments, and a positive test for strangles was returned Friday morning. The colt began treatment immediately and has been moved from Rood & Riddle to a private farm for quarantine and continuing treatment.

Following official notification of the positive case by the New York State Department of Agriculture on Friday morning, NYRA and the NYSGC implemented standard infectious disease protocols. These include restricting access to the horses in the quarantined barn, 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 barn 85.

Overseen by Dr. Sarah Hinchliffe, the director of NYRA's veterinary department, in consultation with the NYSGC, the barn 85 quarantine is effective immediately.

Abreu has horses in both barns 85 and 86, and only the horses in barn 85 are quarantined. The Abreu horses located in barn 86 can train and race with the general population.

During the initial quarantine period, these horses will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population. Afebrile-asymptomatic horses stabled in barn 85 will have isolated training hours at the Oklahoma training track after the close of training for the general horse population at 10 a.m.

As of Friday morning, three additional febrile horses have been identified in barn 85. These horses will be removed from the property to undergo further evaluation.

NYRA will provide updates as appropriate.