Philly Park Quarantine Lifted After Horse Tests Negative for EVH-1

Test results on a 3-year-old filly who had tested positive in an initial nasal swab test for the equineherpes virus (EHV-1) at Philadelphia Park were negative, according to Sal Sinatra, the track's director of racing.

The track has lifted its quarantine, which went into effect on Jan. 24, and began taking entries for horses stabled at other tracks for Saturday's card.

"We took entries from nine shippers," said Sinatra. "Those horsemen will be required to produce a 72-hour health certificate at the stable gate, which indicates that they are free from the virus."

Kari Oakie, a 3-year-old filly, fell during training hours on Feb. 23 and was euthanized with a suspected spinal cord injury. Initial test results from the nasal swab method were positive, prompting further testing at the New Bolton Center of the University of Pennsylvania. On March 4, the tests from New Bolton were "inconclusive," and tissue samples were sent to Cornell University for additional testing.

Sinatra said the tests indicated that Kari Oakie had equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM), a neurologic disease.

The lifting of the quarantine comes at a time when Sinatra was forced to cut one race from the last three cards at Philadelphia Park due to the lack of available runners.