LOUISVILLE - A 5-year-old gelding died in Greenup County after contracting the West Nile virus, the third equine death linked to the disease in Kentucky this year.

        The draft horse started showing symptoms of the mosquito-borne virus on July 26 and was euthanized on July 29, said Rusty Ford, equine programs director in the state veterinarian's office.

        A yearling died in Fayette County on June 27, and a 5-year-old gelded Tennessee Walking Horse died in Nelson County on July 10. A horse in Whitley County was diagnosed with the disease on July 18, but recovered.

        Mr. Ford said state agriculture officials toured farms and racetracks this summer, warning of the risks and advising maintenance crews on measures they could take to prevent the disease.

        “Tracks have always been aggressive when it comes to mosquito control,” Mr. Ford said. “We're continuing to do what we've been doing, but we're more conscious of the need.

        Last fall, a 2-year-old colt was diagnosed with West Nile at Churchill Downs, the site of the Kentucky Derby. The colt was euthanized in Lexington. In all, six horses died from the disease in Kentucky last year.

        Jefferson County Health Department officials visited Churchill Downs shortly after the death to survey the track's potential as a breeding ground for mosquitoes.

        They identified more than 140 likely breeding sites among the track's 47 barns - from stormwater drains to bends in rooftops.

        No mosquitoes caught in traps at Churchill Downs this year have turned up positive for the virus, said Richard Wellinghurst, Jefferson County's coordinator of mosquito control.

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Third Ky. horse dies of West Nile virus