Charles Borell, who, along with his daughter, was accused of abandoning more than 40 horses residing on a farm in Mercer County, Kentucky, pleaded guilty to multiple animal cruelty charges under a plea agreement entered in Mercer County District Court today (Sept. 29).

In June, the Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) responded to a complaint about a herd of allegedly maltreated horses residing on a Mercer County farm. A joint investigation by the KDA and the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department revealed that the 43-horse herd met the criteria for being abandoned.

Borell was subsequently arrested and charged with 43 counts of misdemeanor second-degree animal cruelty in connection with the horses’ alleged abandonment. A separate warrant was issued for the arrest of his daughter Maria Borell, who trained Runhappy to a 2015 Breeders’ Cup Sprint victory, on identical charges. She has not been arrested.

In August attorney Larry Catlett entered a not guilty plea on Charles Borell’s behalf