Barn 85 quarantined at Saratoga Race Course by NYRA

The New York Racing Association announced on Friday that a barn at Saratoga Race Course was placed under a precautionary 14-day quarantine because of a positive case of strangles, a contagious equine bacterial infection.

But it is not expected to impact next Saturday’s 157th running of the Belmont Stakes, according to NYRA vice president of communications Pat McKenna. And other than the quarantine of the one barn, NYRA has instituted no additional restrictions on the shipping of horses either into or out of Saratoga Race Course.

Barn 85, which houses horses trained by Jeremiah Englehart and Jorge Abreu, was placed under the quarantine. The Englehart-trained Tranquil Sea, a 2-year-old, developed breathing issues on Wednesday and was transported to Rood & Riddle Equine Hospital in Saratoga Springs where a positive test for strangles was returned on Friday.

Three other horses that were stabled in Barn 85 also developed fevers and were scheduled to be transported away from Saratoga Race Course for further evaluation.

The other horses in Barn 85 will not be permitted to enter races or train among the general horse population.

NYRA’s news release noted that strangles’ symptoms are similar to strep throats in humans and are not considered life-threatening if diagnosed and treated properly.

By Andrew Gross

andrew.gross@newsday.comAGrossNewsday

Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.