As of yesterday evening, Barn 20 at Laurel Park was placed under quarantine until Jan. 30 by the Maryland Department of Agriculture because of a horse testing positive for the equine herpesvirus.

The infected horse has been removed from the grounds, and there are currently no other ill horses at Laurel, according to Sal Sinatra, president of the Maryland Jockey Club.

I will have a full update on the Laurel herpesvirus quarantine on DRF.com later this morning.

Of more immediate importance to horseplayers, the first race at Laurel today has been canceled. The seven-horse field scratched down to only two runners because two horses have minor injuries and three horses stabled at Parx and Penn National will not be shipping in because of the quarantine.

The Saturday Laurel Park card will begin with race 2, which will stay at its normal post time of 12:57 p.m. The early pick 5, which normally begins on race 1, will now start on race 2.