ALTOONA, IA—JULY 28, 2016—Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Altoona, IA will permit horses shipping to Iowa from Ruidoso Downs in New Mexico to enter the stable area of this track effective immediately.

On June 19, Prairie Meadows announced that it would not allow horses from Ruidoso Downs into its stable area after the New Mexico track reported a positive test for the neurologic strain of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) and announced a 14-day quarantine for one of its barns.

With the Ruidoso Downs quarantine lifted, Prairie Meadows has now rescinded its stable area ban on horses shipping in from the New Mexico track.

All horsemen are advised of the existing policies currently in place for every horse shipping into the stable area at Prairie Meadows:

1. The following documentation must be provided for every horse (including pony horses) at the stable gate before they will be permitted to enter the barn area of Prairie Meadows Racetrack.
1. A current health certificate issued within 72 hours prior to arrival at the track which shows the vaccination record for each horse. The horse must have been vaccinated with an FDA approved modified live or killed virus vaccine for EHV-1 not less than 10 days and not more than 60 days prior to date of entry. The veterinarian must provide the date of vaccination, the brand, serial number, and the expiration date of vaccine.
   
   
2. The health certificate must also contain a statement by the issuing veterinarian that he/she has physically examined each horse within 72 hours of issuing the health certificate, and
1. the horse does not exhibit any clinical signs of the virus;
2. the temperature of the horse was normal at the time of the examination
2. It is recommended that horsemen keep every horse admitted to or in the barn area of Prairie Meadows Racetrack on a current 90 day FDA approved EHV-1 vaccine or EHV-1 booster schedule.

All horse haulers are strongly urged to take extreme caution when transporting horses to properly disinfect and sanitize their trailers. All trainers on the grounds are urged to follow recommended bio-security procedures in their barns. Compliance with these policies will be paramount in helping to protect the health and welfare of the equine population stabled at Prairie Meadows.