Cecil Borel retires from training

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Cecil Borel, the older brother of jockey Calvin Borel, has retired from a training career from which he took a lengthy hiatus in recent years.

The older Borel is often credited as being a highly influential mentor in his brother’s Hall of Fame riding career. He left the sport in August 2014, a few months prior to the death of his wife, Debbie, then spent much of the next four-plus years fishing and spending time with family at home in Saint Martin Parish, La. After returning to training in February 2019, he recently turned over his small string of horses at Churchill Downs to Renay Borel, Calvin’s wife, whose first scheduled starter was to be a 6-year-old gelding named Futile in the eighth race Saturday at Keeneland.

Cecil Borel, 65, sent out 723 winners in a career dating to 1979. He won with five of 28 starters this year.