Thor-Bred Stables LLC

A boutique Thoroughbred breeding and racing operation founded by Pavla and Erik Nygaard. Established in Kentucky and California.

Our Mission

We create, develop and steward the most magnificent animal on Earth: the Thoroughbred Racehorse. Our tools are five-star patient horsemanship along with first-class use of the latest technology and AI for tracking, matching and care.

Quality Over Volume. Racing Our Homebreds.

Since our first commercial foals in 2012, Thor-Bred Stables has been the team behind champions like 2017 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Champion Battle of Midway, Grade 1 winners Klimt and Rigoletta, graded stakes winners Irish Surf and Ocean Knight, and a number of other graded and stakes horses. We breed only a small handful of foals per year and aim for ultimate quality. We sell our most commercial foals and race what we breed. Partnered with Chesapeake Farm in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass.

Notable Graduates

  • Battle of Midway — 2017 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile Champion, G2 San Pasqual Winner, Santa Anita Derby 2nd, Kentucky Derby 3rd
  • Klimt — G1 Del Mar Futurity Winner, G2 Best Pal Stakes Winner, Breeders' Cup Juvenile Starter
  • Rigoletta — G1 Oak Leaf Stakes Winner
  • Irish Surf — G3 Cougar II Handicap Winner, Track Record Holder
  • Ocean Knight — G3 Sam F. Davis Stakes Winner
  • Nero — $950,000 Saratoga Sales Graduate, G2-Placed
  • Moretti — $900,000 Saratoga Sales Graduate, Stakes Winner, G2-Placed
  • Ginger Pop — G1-Placed in the La Brea Stakes
  • Reforestation — G1-Placed in the Prioress Stakes
  • Irish Prophet — G3-Placed in the San Marcos Stakes
  • Upper Case — Multiple Stakes Winner
  • Ever Smart — Multiple Stakes Placed
  • Lemoona — Stakes Winner
  • Blissful — Stakes Winner

Saratoga 2025

Hip 191 (Rigoletta — Uncle Mo filly) sold for $875,000. Hip 188 (Re Entry — Candy Ride colt) sold for $775,000.

Stallions at Chesapeake Farm

Irish Surf, Moretti, and Nero stand at Chesapeake Farm in Lexington, Kentucky.

Leadership

Pavla Nygaard, President & Owner — molecular biology, genetics, and law training; works at the intersection of artificial intelligence and the equine world. Past board member of the Retired Racehorse Project.

Erik Nygaard, Co-Owner — MIT-trained engineer, former Wall Street quantitative analyst and private equity co-founder; built a proprietary pedigree-and-performance database in the operation's early years.

Contact

Pavla Nygaard, President & Owner. Del Mar, California. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pavla-nygaard-a72a5313a