HOT SPRINGS — Oaklawn Park has relaxed its restrictions on accepting horses who have been training or racing in Louisiana, but horses from the state’s largest and most influential track, Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, are still banned.
Beginning Saturday, horses from Delta Downs in Vinton, La., Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, Evangeline Training Center in Carencro, La., and training centers in northern Louisiana will be allowed in the Oaklawn barn area under several health guidelines that specify proper vaccinations and no signs of the EHV-1 (equive herpesvirus 1) or similar contagions.
Horses that have been at Fair Grounds Race Course since Dec. 21 will still not be allowed on Oaklawn’s grounds until further notice.
On Jan. 2, Oaklawn Park director of racing David Longinotti said no horses that had been in Louisiana in the previous 30 days would be allowed at Oaklawn until further notice, which came Saturday.
Oaklawn trainer Ron Moquette said he had already called for two of his horses from Louisiana.
“We’re tickled to death,” Moquett said. “We don’t like to see horsemen put in a position where they can’t be here and compete and make money. You want everyone to have a shot to come here for the purses and stuff.”
EHV-1, a potentially fatal disease more commonly known, was diagnosed in two thoroughbreds at Fair Grounds the final week of December. The track, in cooperation with the Louisiana Department of Agriculture, subsequently announced a quarantine that was consequently extended to Delta Downs and Louisiana Downs, the two other Louisiana tracks currently in session, and Evangeline Downs Training Center.
Moquett said he thought Oaklawn’s caution was appropriate.
“They did what they thought was best for the horsemen and the horses,” Moquett said. “As long as you’re putting the horses first, we don’t care.”