Horses quarantined at Indiana racetrack after 2 found with contagious infection

Horses quarantine at Indiana racetrack

ANDERSON, Ind. — Fifty-four quarantined horses are being removed from the Hoosier Park racetrack in central Indiana after two others tested positive for a contagious infection.

Hoosier Park officials had placed the horses in quarantine Sept. 12 after one thoroughbred at the stable began exhibiting signs of equine strangles, a bacterial disease common in horses that can be life-threatening.

Racing manager Jeffrey Smith told The Herald Bulletin none of the quarantined horses are showing signs of the disease, but that test results would not be available until after the Anderson track’s thoroughbred season ends Oct. 24.

He says the disease doesn’t appear to have spread to any of the track’s other 16 barns, where about 1,000 horses are housed.