A Kentucky man is facing multiple charges for allegedly abandoning more than 40 horses on a Mercer County farm. Meanwhile, a warrant has been issued for the arrest of his daughter—a Breeders’ Cup-winning Thoroughbred trainer—in connection with the same case.

Earlier this month, Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) investigators responded to a call about a herd of horses residing on a Mercer County farm. Further investigation revealed that the horses, which were mostly Thoroughbreds, met the criteria for being abandoned.

Of the 43 horses on the property, six horses were determined to be in need of an elevated level of care and were relocated to the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation at the Blackburn Correctional Complex in Lexington. The remaining 37 horses continue to receive care from a team of volunteers.

On June 29, following a joint investigation by the KDA and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, Chuck Borell was arrested in connection with the horses’ alleged abandonment.

“He came to the fence (at the farm) and the gates were locked; one of the investigators arrested him on a warrant,” said Rusty Ford, equine programs manager for the KDA.

Borell was subsequently charged with 43 counts of misdemeanor second-degree animal cruelty, Ford said.

Kentucky State Veterinarian Robert Stout, DVM, said Borell remains in the custody of the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department.

A separate warrant has been issued for the arrest of Borell’s daughter, Maria Borell, who trained Runhappy to a 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory, on identical charges, Stout said.console.log('scenario 2');