More than seven years after Maria Borell, trainer of 2015 champion sprinter Runhappy, was accused of animal cruelty to animals in the second degree, charges against her were officially dismissed Thursday in district court in Mercer County, Kentucky.
Daily Racing Form reported Wednesday that Borell's attorney Russell Baldani had indicated that a proposed dismissal order had been filed earlier in the week that would lift the ban that forbade Borell from caring for horses. The Blood-Horse confirmed Thursday that the case had come to a conclusion.
Borell, who was fired as the trainer of Runhappy one day after his victory in the 2015 GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, was allegedly in Florida at the time that dozens of horses were located on a farm in Mercer Country in a substandard state of health. Her father Charles was questioned by authorities and detained and was released from custody two days later after posting bail. He would subsequently plead guilty to nine counts of animal cruelty.
A jury trial was set to begin July 12, but was delayed after Baldani and local prosecutor Ted Dean began discussing an out-of-court arrangement, Baldani told DRF, adding that he argued that the charges against Borell would be 'difficult to prove' at trial given that the affected horses were not under her immediate care at the time. Baldani told the Form that Charles Borell was prepared to testify to the same. Charles Borell was sentenced to nine concurrent days of 179 days, of which 176 were conditionally discharged and three were credited for time served.
Under the deal reached, Borell will pay her $7,500 bail bond to Thoroughbred Charities of America, which laid out as much as $13,000 towards caring for the horses, according to the Blood-Horse story. The publication says an additional $2,500 being held in escrow by Baldani would also go to the TCA.
In a Facebook post following the dismissal of the charges, Borell wrote, in part, “To all my past clients, my friends, my attorney Russ Baldani, everyone that has stood behind me in this battle, I love you and appreciate you more than you can ever imagine. Thank you for keeping me strong enough to never give up and to keep fighting. For the first time in years, my heart is full.
“Those who know me know I would never knowingly harm any animal. No animal in my personal care has ever been mistreated in any way. I am happily forfeiting my bail money to Thoroughbred Charities of America in thanks for helping all Thoroughbreds then, now and in the future.”
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