Trainer Maria Borell fired after horse won Breeders' Cup Sprint

Maria Borell, former trainer of Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Runhappy, released a statement Tuesday on her Facebook page thanking supporters after her ouster as the 3-year-old colt's conditioner.

Gallery Furniture founder and Runhappy owner Jim McIngvale switched back to trainer Laura Wohlers, his racing manager and sister-in-law, the day after the $1.5 million race at Keeneland. The victory capped a run of five consecutive  victories for Runhappy since switched to Borell, who went from little-known trainer to feel-good story of this year's Breeders' Cup thanks to her job with the son of Super Saver.

"I haven't said anything in public in an attempt to take the high road and not say anything derogatory about my former employers despite their condemnation of me," Borell wrote. "I realize I'm just a small fragment up (against) a large powerful entity. So all I wish to say at this time is I did nothing that was not in the best interests of Runhappy, who I miss dearly. He was my life and I stand behind my skills as a lifelong horsewoman when I say he had heat in his ankle the day after the race.

"I would have gone with him anywhere to any track, any county. For now I want to thank all those who have supported me with such fervor and in such large numbers. I truly appreciate it and, although crushed by this sudden turn of events, I hope to be back training good horses again in the near future. I cherish every moment I had with Happy and that one magical day we shared. I can only dream of putting my hands on another one like him again someday."

Runhappy came into Borell's care in April and off a ninth-place finish in the Grade III LeComte at Louisiana's Fair Grounds. Since then, he hasn't lost, taking allowances at Indiana Grand and Ellis Park before the Grade I King's Bishop at Saratoga and Grade III Phoenix at Keeneland.

Borell, a New York native who owns a Kentucky farm and trains only a handful of horses, on Saturday became the sixth woman to train a Breeders' Cup winner.

The next morning, according to a series of tweets by the former trainer, Wohlers wanted to send Runhappy to the track. Borell cited heat and filling in one of the colt's ankles following a hard-fought win in the six-furlong Sprint. The two reportedly got into an argument, though current connections have said the decision to switch trainers was made before the Breeders' Cup.

A number of veteran racing journalists and industry experts have taken to supporting Borell, given "Mattress Mack" McIngvale's soured relationships with trainers such as Bob Baffert and Nick Zito.

ESPN's Bill Finley, in a column headlined "Borell firing a disgrace," compared the situation to "a football coach going undefeated through the regular season, winning the Super Bowl and getting fired the next morning. That's pretty much what happened to Borell."

Wohlers told BloodHorse.com that Runhappy, who for now is based in Kentucky, may head to the west coast for his next race in Santa Anita Park's Dec. 26 Malibu.