BY SARAH WELK BAYNUM
An insurance broker by trade, Chris Moore was fatefully introduced to the racehorse industry by way of his day job.
“In late 2019, EPIC Insurance Brokers created a National Farm & Ranch specialty practice. At that time, the practice was comprised of my business, which provides insurance consulting to agricultural businesses in the Midwest, and the Jerry Parks Insurance operation in Ocala, FL. The Parks Insurance group has been a long-time provider of insurance solutions to the equine industry, especially on the racehorse side of the business. I knew I would not be able to bring any value to the insurance operation itself or the clients that the business was serving unless I ‘learned how to speak’ racehorse,” says Moore.
Moore then made it a priority to meet with as many people in the racehorse business as possible and learn how the racehorse “ecosystem” worked.
“I was not expecting to receive a ‘master class’ style education, but that is exactly what I got! I was able to meet people like Mark Casse, Colin and Niall Brennan, Joe Pickerrell, Nick and Jaqui de Meric, Tom Ventura, and so many others. After having this type of education, it was impossible for me not to get involved in the business.”
Moore’s first experience owning a racehorse was through a partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds in an Indiana-bred named Run Away Rojo purchased out of the 2022 OBS April Sale.
“I viewed the opportunity as a way to have a piece of a racehorse that would race close to my home in Zionsville, Ind. I had an absolute blast seeing Rojo run in Indiana. I was hooked,” says Moore.
Starting in the Fall of 2022, Moore began asking Mark Casse about getting more involved in owning another racehorse.
“My opportunity came during the 2023 OBS June Sale. I was sitting in Tom Ventura’s office at OBS with Mark and Tom. They told me that they liked a certain horse. So I flipped to that catalog page. Then, I recognized two things: the amount of blank space on the page, and the name Dancing N Dixie.”
When Mark asked Moore if he wanted to partner, his response was an all too familiar “Yeah, I’m in!”
“Dixie broke her maiden going two turns on the synthetic at Gulfstream Park. After that showing we entered her in the Our Dear Peggy Stakes. Dixie showed up again on the synthetic at Gulfstream to win a stake race against open company. I was truly in disbelief as she was the first to cross the finish line. That day was an extra special day for our family, because I proposed to my wife Julie later that evening. The proposal was not contingent on the outcome of the race, however!”
As a now three-year-old, Moore and his partner decided to give ‘Dixie’ a try on the turf.
“She ran very well in her first attempt on the turf in the Ginger Brew Stakes. Since the Ginger Brew she has finished third in the Florida Oaks (Gr 3), the Appalachian Stakes (Gr 2), and the Edgewood Stakes (Gr 2). Everything about Dixie has been an absolute dream come true!”
Racing their horses has become a family event.
“Julie and I have a blended family. I have 4 kids from a previous marriage and Julie has three. We are constantly running in 1,000 different directions! Whenever we have a horse racing, the whole house stops. Whether we are at the racetrack or watching from home, all the attention goes toward rooting on our horses! For me, the way a horse can bring people together is the real magic of horse racing,” says Moore.
Today, Moore has five horses of racing age, two in-foal mares and one foal on the ground. He also partners with Colin Brennan on yearling pinhooks and partners with Joe Pickerrell on 2-year-old pinhooks.
“I have been intentional about diversifying the different phases of my stable. LEMB Stables was named after my four children Liam, Emaree, Macklin and Briggs. I wanted to sample all the aspects of the business to find what truly speaks to me and my interests.”
Moore says he has a significant interest in the breeding side of the business these days and eventually would like to bring some homebred horses to the racetrack.
“My favorite thing about the business is working with and meeting, new people. I certainly enjoy spending time at the track and being at the races. However, my happy place is being at a farm watching the horses turned out in a paddock or being at the training center early in the morning watching the horses work. There is just something about it that grabs me!” adds Moore.