Updated test results from an outbreak of equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) at Hawthorne Race Course became available Nov. 7, at which time 85 track ponies were all declared negative.

According to a release, 40 racehorses which tested negative were moved from Barn A to Barn 8 at Hawthorn three weeks after the confirmed neurologic cases were discovered within Barn A. Under the directive of the Illinois Department of Agriculture, those horses are now eight days into the 21-day period before they will be tested again to be reintroduced into the horse population. Because of State regulations, no new horses can be added to the group within Barn 8 as their reintroduction period has already begun.

"While we understand there are logistic problems in locating/relocating horses during this timeframe, we have been able to limit the areas to Barns A, 8, and K2," the release read. "As more horses are being tested and coming up negative, we are able to create another area for negative horses so they may begin their reintroduction to the horse population. Those horses which have still tested positive will be moved to Barn K2 as all will be put onto the same timeline for testing/reintroduction."

The new negative horses will be allowed to begin training out of Barn A as they begin their 21-day reintroduction process, according to the release. Additionally, those horses within barn K2 which are asymptomatic and have had no fever within the last week will also be able to return to the track to train. Their 21-day reintroduction period will begin when the horses within Barn K2 test negative