Northern California trainer charged with felony sexual assault

Northern California trainer Ari Herbertson was scheduled to be arraigned in Alameda County Superior Court on Friday on four felony charges of an alleged sexual assault, according to court records.

Herbertson was arrested at Golden Gate Fields on Tuesday, according to reports in the Bay Area media. He was charged on Monday by the Alameda County district attorney with committing an act of sexual penetration of an unconscious victim, sexual penetration by a foreign object, attempted rape and sexual battery. The incident allegedly occurred in early 2019, according to a statement from the Berkeley, Calif., police department.

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Berkeley police spokesman Byron White told Berkeleyside.com that the investigation lasted several months and involved search warrants and interviews. Herbertson was linked to the case via DNA, White told the website.

Herbertson, 28, has won 113 races from 382 starters since he began training in the fall of 2016. Herbertson has won five stakes, including the Miss America Stakes at Golden Gate Fields with Blue Diva in December.

At the current Golden Gate Fields meeting, which began on Dec. 26, Herbertson had won four races from 16 starters through Feb. 9. He was scheduled to have four runners at Golden Gate Fields on Friday and one on both Saturday and Sunday.

Herbertson has raced primarily in Northern California. At the current Santa Anita meeting, Herbertson is winless with four starters, including a third in the Grade 2 Joe Hernandez Stakes on Jan. 1 with Bay Muzik.