Maria Borell has dedicated her life to the care, training, and ethical development of racehorses. She is best known as the trainer of Eclipse Award-winning champion sprinter Runhappy, but her reputation extends far beyond a single victory. She is respected for her integrity, compassion, and commitment to horse racing.

Yet despite her record—and despite being cleared of all legal charges—Kentucky has denied her the right to train racehorses in the state.

Training horses is Maria's livelihood. She should not be denied the right to earn a living, especially she was cleared of any wrongdoing. 

The charges against her were dismissed with prejudice, meaning the court found the claims to be without merit and barred them from ever being brought again. In the eyes of the law, Maria is fully exonerated. But in the eyes of Kentucky racing authorities, she is still being punished.
She holds an active trainer’s license in California. Maria was legally vindicated, there is no reason to deny her a license. 

California racing officials have acknowledged Maria’s qualifications and reinstated her license. There is no just reason why Kentucky should not do the same.

No due process, no explanation was given to her as to why her request was denied. 
Maria was told informally she would be denied, leading her to withdraw her application before an official ruling was issued. This lack of transparency and fairness calls the entire process into question.

Her commitment to the sport is without question..
Maria has built her career on compassion, skill, and excellence. She is prepared to operate under any reasonable oversight—cameras, monitoring, or review—to prove that her work meets the highest standards of care and compliance.

We, the undersigned, demand justice and fairness.
-The charges were dropped, her license is valid in another major racing state, she has industry support and a clean record of horsemanship.

Kentucky’s refusal to reinstate Maria not only contradicts the findings of the court and the state of California, but it sends a message that bias can override justice.

Maria deserves her chance to return.
Sign this petition and urge the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to honor her legal vindication, evaluate her fairly, and reinstate her trainer’s license without delay.
Add your name to support fairness, transparency, and the future of ethical horse racing.