Kentucky Derby Contenders With Florida Connections

On the first Saturday of May each year, all attention in the thoroughbred world turns from Central Florida’s horse country to Churchill Downs, home of the world’s most legendary (and arguably best dressed) horse race.

Everyone knows the Kentucky Derby. You don’t even have to be a horse person to know this is a big deal in the Equestrian world; it’s one of the few sports that dominates TV coverage that isn’t oriented around men chasing a ball. The spectator stands are packed with celebrities, artists, athletes, politicians, and business moguls – mingling with horse owners, trainers, jockeys, veterinarians and farriers while revelers cavort in the famous Infield. It’s a concentrated mix of hopeful anxiety with big hats, a long day of color and pomp, ceremony, tradition, and mint juleps in a prelude to The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports.

Although Ocala might defer to attention to Louisville when on this day, it doesn’t mean Marion County sits quietly in the wings. Out of the 20 horses riding in Saturday’s race, no less than thirteen – count ‘em, thirteen – horses, plus an alternate from the Ocala region are headed to Kentucky this weekend, reaffirming the area’s formidable history and legacy with Churchill Downs.

Derby Contender photos courtesy of FTBOA

Horses on the Also Eligible List*

The Derby is, interestingly, not just the beginning of the road to the Triple Crown; it’s the end of an even longer journey to get there.

“Typically more than around half of the horses who compete in the Derby annually come were bred, raised, or trained here in Marion County. In recent years, as much as three-quarters of the field has passed through here,” explains Brock Sheridan, Editor-in-Chief of Florida Equine Communications. “There are a lot of horses on the Derby trail that started their training in Ocala, which is the premier training ground probably anywhere in the world.”

There are a lot of reasons why Ocala is considered the undisputed locale for breeding, raising, and training horses, and why it’s renowned as a mecca for thoroughbreds. For starters, it’s literally in the foundation. Marion County has some of the richest deposits of limestone in the soil, full of minerals that give horses the nutrition most other breeders have to add as supplements in feed – plus there’s a layer of clay that holds onto moisture and creates incredibly fertile ground. The grass is, strictly speaking, actually greener. And healthier. There are plenty of trees for shade, lots of good water to drink.

“Typically more than around half of the horses who compete in the Derby annually come were bred, raised, or trained here in Marion County. In recent years, as much as three-quarters of the field has passed through here.”

— Brock Sheridan, Editor-in-Chief of Florida Equine Communications

It’s why so many iconic horse farms have flourished here for decades, building on experience and creating a reputation for Ocala as a hub of unrivaled expertise in breeding, raising, and training horses. They all seem to almost constantly win races and go on to produce equally impressive offspring. Many of these amazing farms have their own race tracks so horses can train and condition. It’s reflective of the commitment and massive investment of what is often a generational family business, like Shade Tree Farm and Cashel Stud. Bridlewood Farm, built by Arthur Appleton and now owned by the Malone family, is still one of the most famous in the racing industry, having raised and trained over 100 stakes winners. Unquestionably, Ocala’s climate, conditions, and arable land have proven to be unique and integral to its equestrian successes, which led to more horse farms being built, which led to an entire infrastructure that evolved exclusively around the horse industry.

“There’s a lot of instinct and intuition that goes with this career,” he observes. “When we look at the horses – and we look at thousands each year – we’re always evaluating based on our experience, our knowledge of pedigree, and at the end of the day, a gut feeling – which I’ve learned not to ignore.”

“The economic impact of the industry in Marion County cannot be overstated. It’s huge, and it’s still growing.”

—Nick de Meric, owner of de Meric Thoroughbred Sales

“The economic impact of the industry in Marion County cannot be overstated,” de Meric emphasizes. “It’s huge, and it’s still growing.”

So yes, there’s a lot of money. But that’s not the only thing that drives the business.

Remember when we said the Kentucky Derby is the end of a longer road? That’s true, and it starts here. With the foals and fillies, the training and conditioning. It’s a painstaking science and art raising champions, who are not simply moneybags on four legs to the people in this industry – because the people in this industry got into it because they love horses. They get to know the willful or bashful personalities, the imperious to the impudent, the sly and the shy ones, and the bonds that are formed while readying a horse for the Derby are very real and substantive.

“There are a lot of risks in this business – financial, risk of injury, vagaries of the marketplace. There’s a risk of a horse not having the talent you wish he did. But there’s an emotional risk, too,” de Meric smiles wistfully. He’s sold horses at auction that he’s helped train and condition, and sometimes it’s not easy to watch them walk away.

“When they leave us, they take a little bit of us with them,” he says. “It can be a rollercoaster sometimes. But you’re proud of what they achieve.”

That emotional connection and a sense of the horses’ personalities is what also helps him and others develop a knack for choosing winning horses.

“Oh yeah, absolutely.” Sheridan agrees. “You get horses that are running in the lower ranks, and one trainer gets hold of them and sees something, finds something in them – and boom – suddenly they’re running two million dollar races. Seabiscuit was like that.”

“There’s just an indefinable quality that comes with your own instincts,” de Meric explains. “You’re only as good as your own judgment, and that’s enormously rewarding at times.”

Showcase is sponsoring Horse Talk Show’s coverage of the weekend’s activities, with agent Louisa Barton’s live from Churchill Downs interviewing owners, winners, and spectators, as well as watching the morning workouts.

“We leave Wednesday, will check into the hotel, and then we’re right into coverage,” she laughs. “People keep saying to me, ‘You must be so excited!’ and I am, but there’s not going to be a lot of downtime. There’s too much going on. But we’ll get some great stuff, so people back home can watch everything as it happens live.”

“We love watching and rooting for all the horses with Florida connections, and I’m certainly looking forward to Louisa’s coverage. It’s one of the most exciting times in racing, and we wish everyone a safe trip.” says Showcase Owner-Broker Valerie Dailey.

Some Derby coverage airs at 7 a.m. this Saturday on 97.3 The Sky in the Horse Capital, and on Audacy.com worldwide. Starting Wednesday May 4 through Derby day, the special additional show coverage will air daily on the Horse Talk Show on Facebook. If you’d like to watch and cheer on the Thirteen, you can find coverage at these links:

https://www.facebook.com/thehorsetalkshow/
(Special coverage 10 am Wed-Fri and 2pm Sat)

https://www.thehorsetalkshownetwork.com/

https://equustelevision.com/

*Pioneer of Medina and Ethereal Road have been bumped up to racing status as of 05.04.2022. 

Vintage Photo Courtesy of https://www.floridamemory.com/.