FTBOA and Gilligan Racing Secure 300+ Acres in Marion County for a Thoroughbred Racetrack

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (FTBOA) and Gilligan Racing LLC announced on Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026, that they have secured control of more than 300 acres in Marion County for a new Thoroughbred racetrack. According to the FTBOA press release, the exact location will be announced later, and the project is in its early planning stage.

At a Glance

• Announced: Oct. 28, 2026, by the FTBOA and Gilligan Racing LLC, which the release calls the FTBOA's exclusive racetrack development partner


• Land: more than 300 acres in Marion County, chosen, the release says, for its size, topography and accessibility


• Preliminary plans: dirt and turf courses, a modern grandstand and hospitality facilities, and dining, entertainment and event venues designed to operate year-round


• Permit: Ocala Thoroughbred Racing (OTR), the FTBOA's wholly owned subsidiary, holds what the release calls Florida's sole remaining Thoroughbred racing permit


• Status: early planning; Gilligan Racing will coordinate with Marion County, the State of Florida and regulators on approvals, infrastructure and partnerships

What Did the FTBOA and Gilligan Racing Announce?

The release says the two groups have gained control of a site of more than 300 acres for a Thoroughbred racetrack in the Ocala area, and that the property was selected for its size, topography and accessibility. It describes preliminary plans for both dirt and turf courses, a modern grandstand, hospitality facilities, and dining, entertainment and event venues built to operate year-round. The stated goals are to strengthen Marion County's Thoroughbred and equine industry and to create a tourism and economic destination.

The track would operate under the Thoroughbred racing permit held by OTR. The release says OTR's nonprofit structure is intended to support long-term sustainability, including purses, breeder incentives and infrastructure investment.

What Did the People Involved Say?

The release carries statements from several people. Short excerpts:

• John Morgan, founder of the Morgan & Morgan law firm and a Gilligan Racing partner: "We have the land, we have Florida's sole remaining Thoroughbred racing permit." The release also quotes him citing Ocala's standing as the "Horse Capital of the World."


• Lonny Powell, FTBOA chief executive: "Securing a site of this magnitude is a meaningful step forward."


• Richard Heysek, newly elected FTBOA president, who runs Caperlane Farm in Reddick: "Marion County already has the horses, the farms, the expertise and the international reputation."


• George Isaacs, OTR president and general manager of Bridlewood Farm: "Our driving goal should be what great looks like, and we should accept nothing short of that."

The release also quotes Ron Winchell, a Gilligan Racing team member who is a managing partner at ECL Entertainment, a co-owner of Kentucky Downs and head of Winchell Thoroughbreds. In the release, Winchell points to Kentucky Downs as a model for combining racing, purses and the guest experience.

What Has Not Been Announced?

The release leaves several basic questions open. As of Oct. 29, 2026, the announcement does not say:

• Where the site is. It says the exact location will be announced later, and no track name has been announced.


• What the project will cost or how it will be financed.


• When construction would start or when the track would open.


• Which approvals have been requested or granted. It says Gilligan Racing, working on behalf of OTR and with the FTBOA, will coordinate with Marion County, the State of Florida and regulators on approvals, infrastructure and partnerships.


• How many race days the track would hold, beyond the stated intent to operate year-round.

How Did the Project Get Here?

The FTBOA's own earlier releases give some background. In a December 2025 article, the association said it acquired the nonprofit permit in 2011 and converted it to Thoroughbred shortly after Powell arrived, and that Powell described it as intended to fund breeders' awards, purses and equine research.

On Aug. 19, 2026, the FTBOA published a Gilligan Racing statement saying the Ocala-based company has an exclusive agreement with OTR, was evaluating several potential Marion County sites without naming them, and was working with Winchell and Marc Falcone. It said more details on the site, development plans and participants would follow.

Why Does It Matter Locally?

Marion County bills itself as the Horse Capital of the World. Readers can tour the area through our guide to Ocala horse farms, read why the county uses the Horse Capital of the World name, or see how the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's yearling sales turned out in our report on the October 2026 yearling sale. Other equestrian venues in the county include the World Equestrian Center and the Florida Horse Park, and Isaacs' farm has its own page: Bridlewood Farm. We will update this report when the site, schedule or approvals are announced.

Sources: FTBOA press release, "Major Milestone for Florida Thoroughbred Racing: FTBOA and Gilligan Racing Secure Ocala Racetrack Site" (ftboa.com, Oct. 28, 2026); FTBOA, "Gilligan Racing Moves Forward With Plans for New Thoroughbred Racetrack in Marion County" (Aug. 19, 2026); FTBOA, "Partnership to Study Ocala Racetrack Announced at Arizona Symposium" (December 2025). The FTBOA is a party to the project, so its statements are the association's own account. AI tools helped gather the sources and draft this page; each fact was checked against those sources before publishing.