Parimutuels

Kennel cough outbreak at Derby Lane puts stakes on hold

By DON JENSEN
Published April 21, 2005

ST. PETERSBURG - The 66th annual Gold Trophy Juvenile Stakes has been postponed because of an outbreak of kennel cough at Derby Lane.

The $40,000 event was scheduled to begin its first of four qualifying rounds Saturday, but Derby Lane racing coordinator Jerry Miller said the track's third richest race will be delayed.

"If we start Saturday night and wind up scratching a few dogs here and there, it's not fair to the 21 kennels," Miller said. "We're going to lie back for a week and re-examine the situation next Wednesday. I'm certain we'll get (Gold Trophy) in before our season closes in June."

Kennel cough (tracheobronchitis) is much like the human cold. It began affecting Derby Lane greyhounds within the past week, track spokeswoman Vera Filipelli said. "That has led to a higher than normal amount of scratches."

"The state has a zero tolerance for greyhounds that receive medication; they're not allowed to race," she said.

In 28 races Tuesday night and Wednesday afternoon at Derby Lane, 14 dogs were scratched, all but one related to kennel cough.

Miller said the recent kennel cough outbreak is a mild condition that has affected younger greyhounds who have come to Derby Lane in the past several months.

The outbreak doesn't appear to be on the scale of incidents in 1999 and 2003 when a total of eight dogs died. Miller said 25 to 35 greyhounds in seven or eight kennels at Derby Lane have been affected so far, none of which are under quarantine. There are about 1,300-1,400 dogs on the facility, 800 of which are active, he said.

Derby Lane hasn't missed any performances, unlike several other tracks around the country.

At Lincoln Park (R.I.), racing has been suspended since Sunday because of kennel cough, track spokesman John Goodman said.

"We're taking it day by day," Goodman said.

Four performances at Gulf Greyhound Park (Texas) have been canceled this week because of the viral infection.

[Last modified April 21, 2005, 01:06:12]