Diane Parks

Diane Parks is a self-professed Florida farm girl, having grown up on a cattle ranch in Ocala. Having been around horses all her life, the transition to the Thoroughbred business was an easy one when she married her late husband, Scott Dudley in 1970. Dudley was the son of Jack Dudley, who raced 1956 Florida-bred Kentucky Derby winner Needles with partner Bonnie Heath as D & H Stable. Shortly after their marriage, Scott and Diane moved to Dudley Farm and took over managing the operation.

After graduating from the University of Florida with a degree in education, Diane taught for ten years at Forest High School in Ocala. Shortly thereafter, she began helping Scott manage Dudley Farm. It soon became a full-time partnership. The commercial operation enjoyed substantial success through the years.

The Dudleys were thrust in the limelight in the spring of 1997 when Florida-bred Silver Charm, bred by clients Mary Lou and Gordon Wootton and raised at Dudley Farm, won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes, while finishing second in the Belmont Stakes of the Triple Crown Series. The Dudleys were great ambassadors for the Florida Thoroughbred industry during that time, being featured in stories in USA Today and during ABC’s coverage of the Triple Crown races.

Diane recently married Jerry Parks and she continues to raise stakes winners at Dudley Farm. Among some of the recent Florida-bred stakes winners raised at Dudley Farm include Miss Macy Sue, Gottcha Gold, Distorted Reality, Villainage and Adrhythym.