Why Florida Bred?

Florida is a perennial leader in all equine and, especially, the Thoroughbred industry. We annually rank third, with 7% of North American Thoroughbred foal production, behind only Kentucky and California.

Florida’s Thoroughbred farms and training centers have produced:

  • 52 National Champions

  • 6 Kentucky Derby winners

  • 7 Preakness Stakes winners

  • 6 Belmont Stakes winners

  • 28 Breeders’ Cup champions

  • 6 Horses of the Year

  • 66 Eclipse Award winners

56%

of Marion County’s overall economic impact is funded by Thoroughbreds

75%

of Florida Thoroughbred farms and training centers are in Marion County

56%

of Marion County’s overall economic impact is funded by Thoroughbreds

75%

of Florida Thoroughbred farms and training centers are in Marion County

Home-bred Champions

Florida has produced more Kentucky Derby winners than any state outside Kentucky with Needles in 1956, Carry Back (’61), Foolish Pleasure (’75), Unbridled (’90), Silver Charm (’97) and the 11th Triple Crown winner Affirmed in 1978.

Triple Crown champion American Pharoah also has Florida ties with his historical Florida bloodlines including Florida-bred Classic champion Unbridled. The horse also spent his early training days in Citra, part of Florida’s breeding region hub in Marion County.

Florida-bred Dr. Fager’s mile in 1:32:1/5 in 1968 still stands as a world record.

All Florida
Equines

  • $11.7 Billion total economic impact

  • 387,000 horses – 3rd largest state equine population

  • 113,000 jobs

  • 717k acres of land used by equines

Florida Thoroughbreds

  • $2.7 Billion total economic impact

  • 99,000 Thoroughbreds in Florida

  • 1 in 4 horses in Florida is a Thoroughbred

  • 23,000 jobs

  • Top three U.S. producer, 7% of annual foal crop

Ocala, Marion County

  • $2.3 Billion total economic impact (18% of GDP)

  • 80,000 horses – largest single-county equine population in U.S.

  • 38,000 Thoroughbreds

  • 19,000 equine jobs (1 in 5)

  • 195,000 acres

Ocala, Florida is one of only four epicenters of Thoroughbred breeding and training in the world.

The Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company (OBS) perennially leads the world Thoroughbred juvenile auction market, owning 75% of the U.S. 2-year-old racehorse marketplace. OBS annual Sales of Thoroughbreds exceeds $190 million.

An estimated 15,000 juvenile racehorses, nearly 3/4 of the annual North American crop, receives their early schooling in Florida, primarily around Marion County.

More than 720,000 total Florida acres dedicated to equine farming includes over 200,000 acres, which is more than 27% of Marion County.

Florida-bred Thoroughbreds annually win 40% of all Florida races and 40% of Florida purses, year-round, at Gulfstream Park and Tampa Bay Downs.

Economic Impact Studies

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