Even Floridians who don’t live in Marion County concede that the Ocala area is stunning. Its landscape features thoroughbred horses grazing on gently rolling hills sprinkled liberally with barns, stables and training tracks bounded by white picket fences. Whether it is the limestone-enriched soil or the climate that makes Marion County the almost ideal horse county is a subject of some discussion and debate, but all agree that this part of Florida is currently breeding and raising some of the world’s finest horses. Its recent past is illustrious, too. Carry Back, Affirmed and Foolish Pleasure, among many others, enjoyed the region’s pure air, good water, great grass and mild climate before making racing history.
These days, Ocala is mentioned in the same breath as Lexington, Kentucky and Newmarket, England as a place where the very best racing stock is raised and trained. Located in north central Florida, 70 miles north of Orlando and 35 miles south of its sister city, Gainesville, Ocala is both the largest city and the county seat of Marion County, which is also home to outdoor attractions like the state-owned Silver Springs attraction and pristine forest areas like the Ocala National Forest. But it’s also a great people place, where friendly people live in small hamlets with names like Fellowship, Friendship, Shady and Golden Hills. And there is the fabulous residential area near downtown in the beautiful Historic District.
