Do you know what is the horse capital of the world? Most people would say that it is Lexington, Kentucky, but actually, the answer is Ocala, Florida.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office have recognised Ocala and Marion County as the "Horse Capital of the World." The reason behind this is that they have the trademark, a legal right to use the particular name.
Some years back, Dick Hancock, representing the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association, secured the trademark for Ocala. He mentioned that Florida has been calling itself the "Horse Capital" for almost eight years. In his opinion, Ocala may not have the largest number of horses, but it certainly has a high concentration of horses in a small area, thus making it unique.
There are only a handful of places in the world that are similar to Ocala. These are Newmarket in England, Chantilly in France, Lexington in Kentucky, and Ocala in Florida. Each place has a vast horse community and is famous for racing, training, and breeding horses.
However, Lexington, Kentucky, is still holding on to the crown. It is a city of more than 400 horse farms, and nearly 80% of the Kentucky Derby winners are bred there. Lexington is where the likes of Man o’ War and Seabiscuit originated. Besides, Lexington even boasts 40 different signs that read “Horse Capital of the World.”
But, there’s a problem. Since Ocala has the trademark, Lexington may have to take those signs down. Attorneys are working on it, figuring out a way for both cities to keep their titles.
Visiting Lexington is a delight for anyone wanting to know more about horses. At the Kentucky Horse Park, guests can interact with real horses, take rides, and visit museums like the International Museum of the Horse. Keeneland Race Course offers you to watch live races in the spring and fall or view horses getting ready in the mornings.
On the other hand, Ocala is famous for its pleasant weather and excellent training facilities. Numerous racehorses from Kentucky are shipped to Florida during the winter to train there.
Ocala, Florida, and Lexington, Kentucky, are both magnificent places where one can find the best horses. Even though Ocala has the official recognition, Lexington, with its long history of horse racing, still carries the vibe.
The official horse capital is Ocala, Florida, as registered by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
Ocala has been awarded the title due to Marion County having a high concentration of horse farms and leading breeding and training facilities.
Lexington, Kentucky, is still referred to as the Horse Capital, due to the 400+ farms and typical horses like Man o' War and Seabiscuit.
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