Hoosier Park Racing and Casino received test results back from horses quarantined on the backstretch for Streptococcus equi (equine strangles). All tests have been returned as negative for the infection in these horses.

In the late afternoon of Sept. 22, however, a horse in the quarantined barn was found dead in its stall. The horse was immediately transported to Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory for post-mortem examination. Preliminary findings were returned Sept. 23, showing that the quarantined horse died of colitis, an inflammation of the colon. There are no preliminary indications that the death of the horse was linked in any way to equine strangles.

Fifty-six horses remain quarantined in one of the track’s 16 barns until appropriate testing and time lines approved by the Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) have been completed. A second test sample will be collected from each horse remaining in quarantine Oct. 1, two weeks from the first sample. If the second sample comes back with negative results, the quarantine is expected to be lifted. The results from the second test are expected Oct. 6.

All other horses stabled on the backstretch are not under quarantine. The backstretch, which consists of 1,032 stalls, is fully operational and no disruption to business has been experienced. Special restricted training time for quarantined horses has been approved by the BOAH. Several additional biosecurity procedures relating to the track surface and training area will be implemented and strictly enforced