"We started with six horses. The idea was to get some
young fillies to race and eventually retire them to the
broodmare band. Coincidentally, that ended up being the
part of the business that has done quite well for us," said
Nygaard.
Among the horses the Nygaards have bred and/or cam-
paigned under their Thor-Bred Stables banner are Grade
I winners Battle of Midway and Klimt, as well as track re-
cord-setter and graded stakes winner Irish Surf (Giant's
Causeway – Surfside), who stands at the Ocala Jockey
Club along with fellow Thor-Bred Stables-bred Thoreau
(Gone West – Madame Thor).
"There's something special about knowing the horses
when they're young and as they get older," said Nygaard.
"I think it helps you make better decisions. Being around
horses is physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
There's something that rewards you over time. You often
hear people say that if you take care of the horse, the horse
will take care of you, and I think there's truth to that."
A Future that's Bright, but Daunting
This year marked the third installment of the Ocala Jock-
ey Club International Three-Day Event, which has quickly
become one of the premier three-day eventing competi-
tions in North America, attracting world-class talent, both
in the saddle and on the organizational side.
