In a strange twist of fate Monday, last year's Group 1 Prix de l'Arc de Triompge heroine Danedream was effectively ruled out of Sunday's renewal at Longchamp after a case of equine infectious anemia (EIA), or swamp fever, put Cologne racecourse under immediate quarantine.
The finding of the single case of the highly contagious viral disease, which causes severe anemia, resulted in the horse in question being euthanized and all stabled at the Cologne track put under quarantine for three months, a time span which can be prolonged if more cases occur.
Race fixtures on Wednesday and Sunday, which features the Group 3 Preis des Winterfavoriten, have been canceled.
"The horse that tested positive was stabled far away from Danedream and is not one of Peter Schiergen's horses," Patricke Barbe, spokesman for Danedream's part-owner Teruya Yoshida, told the Racing Post. "It was only one positive test and that horse has been removed from the area, but the stables in and around the racecourse have had to be quarantined.
"Danedream is in perfect health, cantering well and eating well and is not involved at all in this, but we must abide by the decision of the German authorities. In my opinion, her prospects of traveling are only very small, but we are awaiting official news from the authorities."
