Gill allowed to withdraw from lawsuit against Penn National jockeys

A U.S. district court judge has allowed former Eclipse Award-winning owner Michael Gill to withdraw from a lawsuit he filed with a trainer against jockeys at Penn National Race Course, according to a court filing.

Judge Sylvia Rambo of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania ruled to allow Gill to withdraw from the suit “with prejudice” after Gill sent a letter to the court on March 11 saying, “The cost for me to continue pursuing this case is too high in relation to my current circumstances and the amount of money I may recover.” Gill noted in the letter that his attorney, Alan Pincus, had “withdrawn” from representing Gill.

Gill filed the suit in December 2010, with trainer Anthony Adamo seeking restitution from riders at Penn National who refused to ride his horses early that year. Gill and Adamo were later ejected by Penn National management. Shortly thereafter, Gill sold his horses.

The dismissal of Gill’s participation in the lawsuit “with prejudice” will prohibit Gill from filing a similar lawsuit in the future.

“The court finds it would be prejudicial to defendants to permit Gill to re-file his suit in the event that he finds an attorney that is, by his own calculation, cost-effective to his case,” Rambo wrote.