Penelope Miller
Tampa Bay Downs.

OLDSMAR, Fla. – As of Nov. 30/2009, Tampa Bay Downs will be restricting access to its barn area.  There will be NO backside admittance for horses currently stabled at Calder Race Course.  There are NO cases of EHV-1 at Tampa Bay Downs. 

As a precaution, the following control measures are being implemented:

1. No new horses will be admitted from Calder Race Course for stabling or training in the main barn area at Tampa Bay Downs until further notice.  Individuals intending to ship horses for arrival from Calder should contact the Racing Office—813.855.4401 ext. 1221–before finalizing arrangements.

2. Pre-existing entry health requirements remain in effect.  Horses originating from all facilities must arrive with:  Proof of vaccination for EHV-1 (no less than 14 days, no greater than 120 days), Certificate of Veterinary Inspection with EHV-1 specific affidavit and proof of negative Coggins Test.

3. All horses housed at Tampa Bay Downs are to have rectal temperatures taken twice daily with any temperatures of 102 or higher reported to the Track Veterinarian.  Any horse with a fever may be removed to an isolation barn pending the results of testing.

Tampa Bay Downs has previously restricted access to the barn area in order to curb infectious disease among racehorses, requiring that horses seeking entrance into the stable area and racetrack to be accompanied by and listed on a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) which has been signed and dated within seventy two (72) hours of arrival by a licensed veterinarian.  Each horse listed on the CVI could not have originated on, nor been stabled on, a premises which has had herpes virus (EHV-1) diagnosed during the previous thirty (30) day period.