BY SARAH WELK BAYNUM
Most horsemen today know Celestino DiLibero as Charlie who orchestrates made-from-scratch catering menus at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales.
But DiLibero and his family have been additionally recognized in the breeding industry for more than 50 years. In 1986, his family broke a world record with stallion Lawmaker (by Round Table out of Greek Victress by Victoria Park.) The $500,000 yearling purchase led stallions worldwide with the most 2-year-old winners in his first crop with 30. At the time, the modern-day world record was 24 held by Noholme II and the turn-of-the century record from 1916 was 27 set by Star Shoot.
In 1987, DiLibero received an official letter from The Florida Horse magazine editor Fern Audette recognizing him with the Bruce Campbell award for outstanding achievement in the industry where he joined past recipients Fred Hooper, John Nerud, Frances Genter and Dennis Diaz.
For DiLibero it was natural to be in the industry. He notes racehorses most certainly ran in his blood.
“My Dad and my twin brother, Richard [Ritchie] DiLibero, were jockeys. It all started in Boston, Massachusetts, where we owned a flower shop, construction company and a restaurant. You could say horses and businesses were definitely in our blood.”
DiLibero, his father, and brother later relocated to horse country in Ocala, Fla., scouting for a small farm to raise their racehorses.
“They found our first farm on road 225A back in the 1970s. Back then, Ocala may have had only a handful of farms and that’s where DiLibero Farm and Liberty D Stable were born. We started out with a bunch of horses that we claimed and then prospected the stallions L’Aiglon, An Eldorado and finally Lawmaker,” DiLibero said.
Lawmaker was the second of DiLibero’s stallions to top the 2-year-old list by number of winners. In 1982, An Eldorado, a son of Vaguely Noble, was represented by 18 juvenile winners.
A native of Italy, his father, also Celestino (aka Charlie), started in racing in the 1960s. By 1970, he had stakes winners in Lion Sleeps and L’Aiglon. One of the top sprinters in Florida, Lion Sleeps won three stakes at Tropical Park and two at Hialeah in 1970-‘71.
His sister Elvira bred Grade 1-winner Amber Pass. A son of Pass Catcher, Amber Pass scored his big win in the 1981 Monmouth Handicap (G1), finishing with $651,747 in career earnings.
The 90 acres in Reddick and the more than 300 acres in Citra were where the DiLiberos’ began their breeding operation.
The family raised crops of 45 to 60 foals from one stallion and their own mares, breaking records for number of stakes winners.
“We accumulated 150 broodmares, which meant a lot of late-night foalings and many years of breaking and training winners by myself, by my dad, brother Ritchie, Cosmo, Joe and Ellie—we created a lifetime of memories,” DiLibero said.
Unfortunately, it all came crumbling down when his twin brother Ritchie was killed in an automobile accident. Not long after that, his father had a major stroke.
“It created a dismal dispersal. I was looking for some change and leaned back on what I did best. In Boston, we had one of Quincy’s great 4-star Italian restaurants, La Cucina, and we had sold it to move to Ocala and to open Nonnies Stone Oven. It was an award-winning restaurant and five-time ‘Taste of Ocala’ winner between its restaurant and catering offerings. I decided at this point to accept the opportunity to become the Ocala Hilton’s director of catering and banquets,” DiLibero said.
His time as an Ocala horseman helped him with an ‘in’, as he went on to cater the OBS sales.
“I catered for OBS, and after nine years, I decided to open a catering company of my own with my daughter Kristen D. Howard. We call it ‘Fresh Green Tomato Catering’ and we’re the exclusive caterer for OBS. We are still operating as their caterer.”
But for DiLibero, it is developing young horses into the natural born athletes they are, that’s been the most special part of his multiple careers over the years.
“One of the most special horses and experiences I’ve had is one of the horses by Lawmaker, called Leave It Be. I remember taking her up and down the east coast in our dually truck and trailer headed to Chicago to win a graded stakes. And honestly, just running all our operations as a family and manifesting dreams to reality was incredible.”
In recent years, he has partnered in racing stock with his sister-in-law, the widow of his late brother, Joan DiLibero.
Joan DiLibero came from Quarter Horse show roots but has since developed a keen eye for Thoroughbred bloodstock and for creating efficient business models for farm properties.
While DiLibero is mainly focused on his catering business these days, he still keeps at least one horse around.
“I want to keep family dreams going,” DiLibero said.
One thing is for sure, whether it’s the restaurant or the racehorses, Charlie knows all the right ingredients for a perfect outcome.
Tammy A. Gantt contributed to this story.
