Number of EHV-1 infected horses at Sunland rises to 14

The ban on racing at Sunland Park Racetrack, due to the spread of the EHV-1 virus, remains in effect.

Sunland Park officials told ABC-7 Tuesday the number of horses believed to be infected has risen from five to 14.

“Obviously, it’s something that none of us has ever experienced in the state of New Mexico before,” said Sunland Park Racetrack spokesman Ethan Linder, after a third day of live racing was cancelled, leaving the track a ghost town. “Right now the 14 horses that are in, either we’ve got confirmed positive tests for them or they’ve got the signs and we’re 95 percent sure those horses are going to come back positive for EHV-1.”

The racing paddock at Sunland Park was completely empty on Tuesday, and it will remain that way until at least Feb. 12, the earliest day they can get back to racing.

“Right now our main concern is the horses,” Linder added. “We’re trying to get the virus stopped. Once we get a good handle on that, we’ll look forward to live racing and how that is going to be structured.”

ABC-7 spotted several horses training on the track, something some trainers said they don’t believe should be allowed.

“If there was a disease going around a school that your child went to, would you want your child playing on the playground with all the other children in the morning?” former Borderland trainer and current owner and breeder Shae Cox told ABC-7. “Or would you rather keep your child at home in their bedroom until it passes? Right now they are still letting galloping continue in the mornings. So you still have the same kids playing on the playgrounds every morning and that’s a huge concern.”

Sunland officials told ABC-7 horses in isolation are not allowed to train and barns with suspect horses are given times to train when other horses aren’t on track.

A spokeswoman for the livestock board told ABC-7 they consulted with several veterinarians who said it was safe to train.