Maria Borell's application for a license to train Thoroughbred horses in Kentucky nine years after she left the state in the wake of a scandal was unsuccessful.
Following a hearing June 17 the License Review Committee of the Kentucky Horse Racing & Gaming Corporation gave Borell the opportunity to withdraw her application for a 2025 license. Through her counsel Karen Murphy she elected to withdraw rather than face a vote.
Borell's career went into tumult after she won the 2015 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) with Runhappy . She was let go as Runhappy's trainer the next day; there was litigation with the sprinter's high-profile owner James McIngvale; and the following year she and her father, Charles “Chuck” Borell, were charged with 43 counts of second degree animal cruelty in Mercer County, Kentucky.
Charles Borell entered an Alford guilty plea Sept. 29, 2016, on nine of the 43 counts. He was sentenced to 179 days in jail but was released provided he adhered to conditions of a two-year probationary period.
Maria Borell, who had relocated to Florida, turned herself in to Kentucky law enforcement about six years later after the charges were made and posted a $7,500 cash bond as a condition of release. The following year, 2023, all charges against her were dismissed.
To attain a conviction, Mercer County Attorney Ted Dean needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt Borell was responsible for the condition of malnourished horses to a unanimous jury of six persons. The order of dismissal, signed by Mercer County District Judge Patrick Barsotti, was entered by agreement of Dean and defense lawyer Russ Baldani.
The order provided that Maria Borell's $7,500 bail bond to be paid to Thoroughbred Charities of America, which provided care valued in excess of $13,000 to the affected horses. An additional $2,500 held in escrow by Baldani also went to the charity. Cash bail of $4,300 posted by Charles Borell was also applied to care given the horses.
Borell, who was granted a license in California a few months ago, told the committee today she moved out west to train for an owner, who by the time the license was granted, decided to relocate to Kentucky.
"I learned my lesson in the past nine years," she said. "What happened at the farm was not my fault (but) I did not handle it properly; I wish I had come back and helped.
"After the Breeders' Cup I got called the next day to go train in Florida. At the time I had a farm with my dad ... and I let my ego get the best of me .... I (thought to myself) I don't need Runhappy ... (and) turned over everything to my dad and left for Florida. ... (After the charges) my attorney told me not to come back.
"I swear I will not screw up a second chance," she concluded.
The committee informed Borell and Murphy they had the option to withdraw the application following her testimony and holding a meeting in executive session. Were her application denied, the action could adversely affect her California license.
Equibase statistics show Borell has not trained a starter since May 11, 2016, at Gulfstream Park.
Borell was contacted by BloodHorse via Facebook Messenger for comment. She had not responded when this story was published.
