With Les Butler, Northlands Park's chief racing executive, confirming Equine Strangles in the backstretch, the track is going forward with a recommended action plan
.
The barns will be disinfected at the end of the Northlands Park harness meet on February 28. With the exception of one barn, every stall will be available to thoroughbred trainers on March 7 for the beginning of spring training. The long barn will not be available until March 23.
"The HRA vet (Dr. Peter Martin) feels this is the best protocol," said Butler. "We lose fewer days to illness (during the summer thoroughbred meet) if we undertake this (plan)."
Equine Strangles is a bacteria that impacts the ability to breathe and swallow, with horses becoming lethargic.
"The bacteria can survive up to eight weeks on wood," continued Butler.
Understandably, Mat Monaco - the executive director of the HBPA - is not totally pleased with the timeline for the long barn.
"I'm disappointed (with March 23)," said Monaco. "We are going to have to find a temporary home (for an estimated 150 horses)."
The Northlands Park thoroughbred meet starts May 1.
"The challenge is going to be having a first-class product ready for May 1," continued Monaco. "If we have good weather, we will be fine."
While Monaco is unhappy with the news surrounding the long barn availability, he's onside with the general idea of disinfecting the backstretch.
"We are very pleased with Northlands trying to disinfect," he stated.
The following is the complete memo coming from Northlands Park on the disinfecting process:
The Winter Barns and 79st Barn will be thoroughly cleaned making sure all debris and organic matter is removed. Washing all surfaces with detergent and scrubbing with stiff brushes. All surfaces will be allowed to dry before applying a disinfectant.
The Compound will not be washed due to the time of year and dirt floors make any pretense of complete disinfection an illusion. However, we will continue the practice of supplying disinfectant to Horseman if they wish to spray down their assigned stalls.
The Long Barn will be thoroughly cleaned making sure all debris and organic matter is removed. Washing all surfaces with detergent and scrubbing with stiff brushes. All surfaces will be allowed to dry before applying a disinfectant. In this barn we will need to allow the disinfectant to dry and not allow any horses to move in for a period of ten days. Move into the Long Barn may occur on March 23.
In addition, all barn ventilation ducts will be cleaned by an external contractor.
(Horse Racing Alberta)
This is just so sad the
This is just so sad the Thoroughbreds are going to be inconvenienced. Because they certainly have not been inconvenienced for the past three years like the Standardbreds have. Oh my goodness...they have to find a temporary home. Give me a break already. As everyone knows, they were the ones that left this nasty contagious disease at Northlands last fall but of course denied that any of their horses even had the Strangles. And of course Northlands did not disinfect the barn area for the Standardbreds, we had to do this at our own expense. And what about the "temporary home" that a lot of the Standardbreds have to find for the month of March and April until who knows what track will hopefully open up so they can race this year. Oh, but let's not worry about the Standardbreds...lets just worry about how this will effect the Thoroughbreds. It is too bad that the Standardbreds couldn't continue to race for the month of March & April, but of my goodness, we could not "inconveniece" the Thoroughbreds training schedule. It would be inconceivable to have them find a "temporary home" to spring train and let the Standardbreds continue to race at Northlands for another month and half.
Again and again and
Again and again and again....... Who brought this deadly and highly contagious disease to Northlands "Thoroughbreds", who suffers "STANDARDBREDS" who gets the barn area cleaned and disinfected "THOROUGHBREDS". NICE............. Thanks "AGAIN" Northlands for all your efforts in making it impossible "AGAIN" for the "STANDARDBREDS"..... And yes it was the TRAINERS,DRIVERS and GROOMS that tried to do everything within their means to try and "KILL this DISEASE..... with money out of their own pockets.
just another slap in the
just another slap in the face to the standardbread industry in albreta I guess Les and the boys value revenue from the slots more than running a real racetrack,which would take a skill set that they don't seem to have.
It is always the same way
It is always the same way year after year, the standardbred industry takes the kick in the head while all kinds of concessions are made for the thoroughbreds...dates...promotions...stakes, barn repairs, now they wait until equine lives are lost oh but hey that's ok we'll clean it up for the thoroughbreds. What a joke! Sadly the joke is on us.
It is too bad. We are
It is too bad. We are suppose to have horses brought here from Northlands and a farm out there and are now worried about the horses here,the brood mares in foal and yearlings. Northlands should have done something a long time ago instead of ignoring a problem and hoping it would go away..
I must appluade northlands
I must appluade northlands move to dissenfect the barn area after so long.But I am also disgusted at the same time that so many equine lives were lost till something was done.If they did their research they would have had that under control a long long time ago.We were warned about stragles in northlands in august of 08 and nothing was done!I also disenfected my barn twice but I did not get told or receive this disenfectant they say is available.Strangles was like a swear word round there northlands should be ashamed for burying their head in the sand and hoping the problem would go away. It didn't and now every farm, horse and racetrack that comes in contact with these animals, now that it is shipping time, is in risk of infection.Let's just hope they learn something from this!
In reply to I must appluade northlands by snipe
I see no reason to applaud
I see no reason to applaud Edmonton Northlands for their actions to control the strangles outbreak ... the horse is already out of the barn! Let's hope a major province-wide outbreak is not forthcoming. Already, standardbreds shipped out of Northlands track have spread this contagious disease to out-lying farms. How much more can our Alberta standardbreds take? I know my farm has been impacted. WHY did it take so long to confirm this serious state of affairs? FOR SHAME NORTHLANDS !
years ago, i lost a
years ago, i lost a standardbred race mare by shipping into a thoroughbred's stall who had EVA..after losing my mare, only then did they dissenfect the stalls..the standardbreds always have to move in after the rodeo animals,etc and its about time they took action in that jailhouse of a backstretch that makes so many horses ill..
Northlands and Horse Racing
Northlands and Horse Racing Alberta have shown a total lack of respect to the standardbred industry in Alberta. This outbreak may not have been as serious as it was if the proper steps were taken to disinfect.I know of two horses that died. Ask Northlands or HRA how many horses had strangles and they would not know. I applaud Turo N.S racing for the steps they have taken to try and stop the spread of strangles at their racetrack .People who care will make a difference.
Isn't it IRONIC that the
Isn't it IRONIC that the barns were never disenfected after the thoroughbreds left Northlands, prior to the standardbred meet in the fall of 2008. There was a reported outbreak of strangles with the thoroughbreds at this time. Many standardbred horsemen disenfected there own stalls in an attempt to alleviate further sickness. Then during the rodeo and the housing of all the related livestock two horses apparently died from the same apparent sickness. Once again there was no disenfecting done. Assumptions should not be made and the pointing of fingers should stop.
I'm really pleased to see
I'm really pleased to see Northlands taking action against this highly contagious disease. Unfortunately it's a bit late. If Northlands had taken this action after 2008's Thoroughbred meet, which brought in the strangles to start with, a lot of horses would have not had to suffer and or perish this winter due to lack of disinfection. The Standardbreds were told that Northlands would disinfect last October, before the horses were moved in. This never happened. In fact, when Standardbreds were being moved in, there were still Thoroughbreds there. Some were in stalls and one, who was obviously suffering from strangles, was running loose through the barns. I guess taking action is always better late than never but it still makes me shake my head that it took this long.
Too bad, too little, too
Too bad, too little, too late.
All the infected Standardbred horses will be moved to farms and other racetracks.
Spreading it around.