Racetrack Lenny

"The Strangles"- An Unexpected Belmont Entry

"The Strangles" has surfaced at Belmont Park. No, not the horse-the strep related infection that affects a horses lymph nodes. The infection, which is highly contagious, swells a horse's lymph nodes thus restricting the airways. The horse seems to be fighting for breath and can be heard wheezing; hence, the name "the strangles".

One horse came up sick this week and has been sent to the University of Illinois Equine Clinic where vets will try to determine how this illness progresses and if there might be a way to create a vaccine to keep horses healthy, especially at the height of horse racing's season. Thus far, Belmont has quarantined 3 barns, the barn which housed the infected horse, and the 2 barns adjoining the affected barn. In addition, Belmont has frozen any entries from Churchill Downs and Delaware Park where "the Strangles" has been confirmed. The net effect is short fields and a lot of fear that this could be a summer of slim pickings.

Will this affect the Belmont Stakes? I think so, it already has. Tim Ritchey, trainer of Afleet Alex, had planned to ship his charge to Belmont yesterday in order to train him there and get him acclimated to Belmont's wide sweeping turns. Instead, Ritchey has decided to keep Afleet Alex in training at Pimlico, the track where Afleet Alex showed his amazing athleticism in the Preakness. While the New York Racing Association (NYRA) will try to bill the Belmont as a showdown between Giacomo and Afleet Alex, there is the possibility that neither will come to race if the illness becomes widespread. That would also apply to horses that would ship in. Would you ship in a valuable horse to have him get sick? I don't think so.

The incubation period for "the strangles" appears to be 10-14 days and the illness itself lasts about 7 days. The horse struggles to breathe, runs a fever and loses appetite. While it appears it can be treated with antibiotics, the illness is similar to a bad flu in humans. Once a horse recovers, it takes as long as 3 months before the horse is back to its old self. This was the case when "the strangles" first made its appearance during the winter at Gulfstream Park.

Right now, we'll take a wait and see approach.

Racetrack Lenny

racetrack lenny went to the post at @ 5:50 PM