The Maryland Jockey Club announced June 8 that it has lifted the restrictions on horses planning to ship to Pimlico Race Course, Laurel Park or the Bowie Training Center from Belmont Park, Aqueduct and Delaware Park. All trainers shipping into a MJC facility will be required to have a health certificate for each horse with temperature listed.On May 28, the MJC decided to restrict the flow of horses to and from those facilities as a result of a confirmed case of strangles at Delaware Park and a suspected case of strangles at Belmont Park. No horses were permitted to ship to Maryland tracks from those locations and if they left to run at those tracks, they were not allowed to re-enter MJC grounds.
"Recently, concluded tests for strangles on quarantined horses have proven negative," said Lou Raffetto, MJC's chief operating officer. "As a result, after consultation with our state vet, the Maryland Jockey Club is lifting the restrictions on equine travel to and from Delaware Park and NYRA racetracks, effective immediately."