The Illinois Racing Board (IRB) Nov. 27 approved Hawthorne Race Course’s request to drop seven Wednesday racecards because of the effects of an outbreak of neurological equine herpesvirus-1 (EHV-1) on the backstretch.

The outbreak appears to be contained, said Hawthorne assistant general manager Jim Miller, but restrictions on shipping into and out of Hawthorne have made it challenging to fill races.

Scrubbed racing dates are Nov. 7, Nov. 14, Nov. 21, and Nov. 28, as well as Dec. 5, Dec. 12, and Dec. 19. The first three dates, which have passed, were eliminated under an emergency request to the IRB staff.

To ease the impact of the reduction on race days, Miller said, Hawthorne has increased purses for all races remaining on the card

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