The 177 horses seized in a raid of an upstate New York farm last year were malnourished, a prosecutor said Tuesday at the start of the trial of the farm’s owner, prominent Thoroughbred breeder and owner Ernie Paragallo, who was banned from racing.

Paragallo, the former owner of 1996 Kentucky Derby favorite and fifth-place finisher Unbridled’s Song, was charged with multiple counts of animal cruelty after the April raid by state police and animal welfare investigators.

In opening statements, Greene County District Attorney Terry Wilhelm said the horses’ bodies had deteriorated for lack of nourishment.

Michael Howard, a lawyer for Paragallo, said he will present documentation that the horses were properly cared for