Joe DeMarinis and his 'Lady'

HBPA
Jun 26
2 min read

Updated: Jun 27

by Jennifer Morrison

The phone began ringing soon after Joe DeMarinis's 3-year-old filly OUR LADY won her career debut by more than six lengths with an 85 Beyer Speed Figure on May 4 at Woodbine. Jockey Patrick Husbands was merely a passenger.

There were offers to buy the Pennsylvania-bred by Bolt d'Oro but Joe wasn't interested.

Our Lady came back 20 days later and won an allowance/optional claiming race by 4 1/4 lengths.

“Look, a horse like her doesn't come around very often,” said DeMarinis, who is from Pickering. “My goal is to get a good horse.”

DeMarinis, who races under the stable name JDLP Holdings Inc.. is just six years into owning Thoroughbreds. A horse lover, he got his love for racing from his father.

“My Dad loved horses and he loved going to Greenwood racetrack. He always wanted to own a horse. Unfortunately he passed away just before I got involved.”

When DeMarinis retired in 2019 from his business, Red Label Holdings, the company that he and his brothers built from the ground up, he followed a cousin who had a horse in training with Steven Chircop.

His first horse, Meet Cute, was a winner and in 2020 he bought a Point of Entry filly, bred in Ontario by Adena Springs, for $22,000, That gal, Lady Brew, went on to earn $279,000 and she's led DeMarinis into the breeding business; Lady Brew is in for to Kentucky Derby winner Authentic.

Our Lady was a big purchase for DeMarinis, who found the filly's catalogue page for the 2024 Fasig Tipton MidAtlantic 2-year-old sale enticing.

“I just had a good feeling about her. I had my agent, Donato Lanni, check her out and I paid $160,000 for her.”

Our Lady, who was named by DeMarinis' wife Lisa, had some baby issues and needed some time to mature. “Steve was very good with her. We just took our time.”

It was worth the wait based on her big debut victory. “I was on a plane with my two boys coming back from our first trip to the Kentucky Derby and watching the race on a phone. We were yelling and screaming.”

With two races and two wins under her girth, Our Lady's next race could be a stakes race south of the border.

DeMarinis also has a share in an exciting Ontario sired 2-year-old filly named Souper Diva, by Souper Speedy, that Chircop bought at the CTHS Ontario yearling sale for $23,000. Souper Diva broke her maiden second time out over some well regarded juveniles for the partnership called 6 Deep Stable. His family joined him in the winner's circle.

“Watching your horse win, it's such a great feeling and there is nothing like it. It's not just about the money, horse racing gives us a thrill.”

Our Lady wins for the second time, May 24, 2025.