OCALA STUD FARM - reflections on the two year old sales market

Michael O’Farrell owner and operator of Ocala Stud Farm, was interviewed recently by Leslie Deckard of Bloodhorse magazine. His reflections on the two year old sales market in recent years make interesting reading.

Question: Florida has been the leader in the juvenile sales market. How have you seen it change over the years?

“Back in the 1950’s, the majority of horses in training, young horses, were trained in the Carolinas. When our family moved here in 1956, there were only four farms, and each of those farms had a racetrack. Today there are around 400 or so farms, and training centres. All of the farms that were here at that time only trained the horses they raised. At Ocala Stud Farm my father went out and promoted to try to get people to send us horses to train because we had 160 stalls right next to our (three-quarter-mile) racetrack. We had the facilities, so why not use them? That is really what started people looking at Ocala. We have great weather and seldom do we miss a day of training.”

Extract from Bloodhorse Magazine