A significant equestrian property in Marion County tied to a legacy of Florida thoroughbred breeding has changed hands in a multi-million-dollar real estate transaction.
According to public records filed with the Marion County Clerk of Courts on Thursday, June 18, the property was sold for $5,100,000. The corporate warranty deed details that the transaction was finalized between the seller, James DiMare Sales Inc., and the buyer, a Florida limited liability company registered as 2205 NW 110th Ave LLC.
The property is comprised of two parcels totaling 81.5 acres. It is situated along NW 110th Avenue in Ocala. Property records show that the address of the site is 2205 NW 110th Avenue.
The location carries deep historical roots within the local horse industry as part of the longtime estate of Jim and Sheila DiMare, the late couple behind the prominent JD Farms and Rising Hill Farm operations.
Sheila A. DiMare passed away in May 2018 at the age of 80, and Jim DiMare subsequently passed away last December.
The couple was widely regarded as part of the essential backbone of the region’s developing breeding programs, achieving massive milestones through dedicated horsemanship rather than high-priced bloodlines.
As detailed in a 2019 feature article by BloodHorse, which chronicled the eventual dispersal of their equine stock, the DiMares successfully operated their farm dating back to the late 1980s. Over the course of nearly 30 years, JD Farms bred 28 stakes winners, including grade 1 winners Captain Squire and Plenty of Light, as well as Puerto Rican champion Batavia Light.
Industry peers frequently described the operation as an iconic, blue-collar working farm that overachieved relative to its resources and left an indelible mark on the Florida racing community.
This latest high-value transaction adds to a continuous trend of major horse farm acquisitions across the Horse Capital of the World.
That includes a nearly 24-acre fully equipped training estate in Reddick that recently changed hands for $2,450,000, as well as more than $13 million in farm property acquisitions by the owners of the World Equestrian Center along NW 100th Avenue to expand their local footprint.
What are your thoughts on the sale of another high-value equestrian property in Marion County? Share them in a comment below or a letter to the editor.