The Maryland Department of Agriculture confirmed today that the preliminary lab report on News Reporter proved the 5-year-old Thoroughbred gelding was infected with equine herpesvirus type-1 (EHV-1). The Charles Frock trainee was euthanatized on Jan 2. Equine herpesvirus type-1 (also known as “rhino”), which causes upper respiratory infection, can also cause neurological disease.

“The result of the diagnostic performed suggested that the horse had mounted an extremely strong and recent immune response to the herpesvirus, which is very good evidence that we are dealing with a current infection and more specifically a neurologic disease,” said Guy Hohenhaus, Maryland State veterinarian. “This result was very consistent with what we expected. This confirms what we and the veterinarians treating these animals have been suspecting for several days.”

Since last Friday (Dec. 6), Pimlico Race Course officials have isolated horses in the detention barn and put a hold order on Barn 5 at the Baltimore track as a precautionary measure. Six horses are currently in isolation, including four who are experiencing neurological signs.

The hold order affects the barn that houses horses trained by Frock, William Christmas, Robert Gamber, Hassan Elamri, and David Mohan. Horses conditioned by those trainers are not allowed to race until further notice. The 40 horses remaining in the barn are training from 10-11 a.m. The other 500 horses based at Pimlico are training from 5:30-9:30 a.m.  Live racing is currently being conducted at Pimlico’s sister track, Laurel Park. The Pimlico spring meeting begins in mid-April