Ocala Jockey Club

Ocala Jockey Club in Reddick, Florida, will host a stallion show and farm open house from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Monday, January 28 to Wednesday, January 30. The farm's two stallions, headed by Grade 3 winner, Grade 2 placed and Del Mar track record holder Irish Surf (by Giant's Causeway, out of 4-time Grade 1 Winner and 3-year old Eclipse Champion Surfside), will be available for inspection. Irish Surf's good looks and royal bloodlines are an exciting addition to the Florida market –both his first two dams were Eclipse Award champion fillies and multiple Grade 1 winners, and he is the only son of sire of sires Giant's Causeway standing in Florida. His first foals arrive in 2019. The farm's second stallion, Thoreau is a promising young sire by sire of sires Gone West.


Erik Nygaard, owner of Ocala Jockey Club as well as of Thor-Bred Stables LLC, the stallion's owner and majority owner during his racing career, will be available along with farm staff to discuss how the stallions' sire and female lines match with breeders' broodmares. Out of just 40 foals of racing age born in the Thor-Bred Stables' commercial breeding program to date, the stable planned the matings of Breeders' Cup Champion Battle of Midway, Grade 1 Winner Klimt, Grade 3 Winner Ocean Knight, eight six-figure sales horses and two yearlings selling over $900,000 each. Thor-Bred Stables has established itself as a breeder focusing on quality from a small broodmare band, comprised largely of broodmares retired from its own racing program. Its boutique approach with a rigorous focus on breeding matches has resulted in it landing in the number 43 spot among the US Leading Breeders for 2017 by Earnings, and number 15 by Earnings per Start. Breeders in attendance who sign contracts to either of the two stallions standing at the Ocala Jockey Club – Irish Surf (Giant's Causeway) or Thoreau (Gone West) will receive a discount. Consideration given to grades stakes winning or producing mares, and mares with outstanding nicking matches. Refreshments served. Appointments to view the stallions outside of open house schedule can be made by emailing stallions@OcalaJC.com or calling Ocala Jockey Club at (352) 591-1212.

The Ocala Jockey Club facility, with its rolling hills and showcase old-growth Spanish-moss-laden oak trees, with rich history of standing stallions in its past, is a crown jewel in the horse country of Ocala, Florida. About 200 acres of the 954-acre Ocala Jockey Club property serve as a Thoroughbred training farm, and the facility also includes townhouses and an iconic 9,700 square-foot clubhouse, a unique venue for weddings, event hospitality, meetings and other special events. The facility also hosts the highly acclaimed Ocala Jockey Club International 3-Day Event annually in November. For more information on the Ocala Jockey Club, visit www.ocalajc.com.


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - January 20, 2019

OCALA JOCKEY CLUB TO HOST STALLION SHOW AND OPEN HOUSE JANUARY 28-30, 2019

Irish Surf training at the Ocala Jockey Club training track.

Irish Surf training conformation photo.

Irish Surf winning the G3 Cougar II S. at Del Mar by 8 1/4 lengths, setting a track record for the effort.

Thoreau headshot.

Thoreau conformation photo.