Thunder Gulch
Thunder Gulch | |
---|---|
Sire | Gulch |
Grandsire | Mr. Prospector |
Dam | Line Of Thunder |
Damsire | Storm Bird |
Sex | Stallion |
Foaled | (1992-05-23)May 23, 1992[1] |
Died | March 19, 2018(2018-03-19) (aged 25) |
Country | USA |
Colour | Chestnut |
Breeder | Peter M. Brant |
Owner | Michael Tabor |
Trainer | D. Wayne Lukas |
Record | 16: 9-2-2 |
Earnings | $2,915,086[2] |
Major wins | |
Remsen Stakes (1994) Fountain of Youth Stakes (1995) Florida Derby (1995) Swaps Stakes (1995) Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap (1995) Travers Stakes (1995) American Classic Race wins: Kentucky Derby (1995) Belmont Stakes (1995) | |
Awards | |
U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt (1995) Leading sire in North America (2001) | |
Last updated on March 19, 2018 |
Thunder Gulch (May 23, 1992 – March 19, 2018) was a Champion American Thoroughbred racehorse best known for his wins in the Kentucky Derby and the Belmont Stakes in 1995, which earned him the title of U.S. Champion 3-Yr-Old Colt.
Background
Bred by Peter Brant and owned by Michael Tabor, Thunder Gulch was a son of Gulch out of Line Of Thunder.[3]
Racing career
Thunder Gulch won the Remsen Stakes as a two-year-old in 1994. In the spring of 1995, he won the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Florida Derby.
At Churchill Downs, he left the starting gate at 25-1 odds in 1995 and won the Kentucky Derby in 2:01.2 from post 16.[4] He was ridden by jockey Gary Stevens. D. Wayne Lukas, his trainer, entered three horses for the 121st "Run for the Roses".
Following his win in Louisville, Thunder Gulch finished third to his stablemate Timber Country in the Preakness Stakes. In the Belmont Stakes, Thunder Gulch was made 3/2 favourite after Timber Country was withdrawn from the race with a fever. He won by two lengths from Star Standard, giving Lukas the first individual Triple Crown, his fifth consecutive win in the series.[5] Thunder Gulch also won in the Travers Stakes, in which he overcame a bad start to record a four and a half length victory over Pyramid Peak.[6] With the Travers Stakes win, he became only the fourth horse to win the Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes, and Travers (Twenty Grand, Whirlaway and Shut Out were the others).[7] Other victories in 1995 included the Swaps Stakes, and the Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap.
Thunder Gulch was retired in the fall of his three-year-old campaign after finishing fifth to American Horse of the Year Cigar in a "much-anticipated showdown"[8] for the Jockey Club Gold Cup.[9] After the race, it was discovered that he had fractured his left front cannon bone.[10]
Stud record
In 2012, the chestnut stallion was standing at Ashford Stud, the American branch of the giant Irish breeder Coolmore Stud, near Versailles, Kentucky, for a fee of $10,000 live foal.[11]
Among the many horses Thunder Gulch has sired are the graded stakes race winners Spain, Balance, Point Given, and Circular Quay. Point Given was 2001 3 year old Horse of the Year after winning the Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes that year. Circular Quay was among trainer Todd Pletcher's many Kentucky Derby entries of 2007, but ran a disappointing sixth in that race and fifth in the Preakness. He also sired Alittlebitearly, whose December birth date made it impossible for her to be raced, but has had a successful breeding career, as she was dam to Bayern, a Breeders' Cup Classic winner. 4-time winning bay gelding Sir Mowgli XVII, is now a leading Hunter competing throughout the Southwest, having recently relocated to Durango Farms in Coto de Caza, CA.
In 2015, Thunder Gulch was pensioned from stud duties at Ashford Stud and lived out the rest of his days at the farm. He was selected as the "babysitter of sorts" to be a neighboring pasture companion and calming influence to the newly retired Triple Crown champion, American Pharoah.
Thunder Gulch was euthanized on March 19, 2018, due to the infirmities of old age at Coolmore America's Ashford Stud. Technically age 25, based upon standardized rules declaring all Thoroughbreds a year older each January 1, he was officially age 26.[12][13]
Pedigree
Sire Gulch (USA) 1984 | Mr. Prospector (USA) 1970 | Raise A Native | Native Dancer |
---|---|---|---|
Raise You | |||
Gold Digger | Nashua | ||
Sequence | |||
Jameela (USA) 1976 | Rambunctious | Rasper | |
Danaë | |||
Asbury Mary | Seven Corners | ||
Snow Flyer | |||
Dam Line of Thunder (USA) 1987 | Storm Bird (CAN) 1978 | Northern Dancer | Nearctic |
Natalma | |||
South Ocean | New Providence | ||
Shining Sun | |||
Shoot A Line (GB) 1977 | High Line | High Hat | |
Time Call | |||
Death Ray | Tamerlane | ||
Luminant (Family: 11-d)[3] |
References
- ^ a b "Thunder Gulch pedigree". Equineline. 2012-05-08. Retrieved 2013-05-05.
- ^ "Thunder Gulch Horse Pedigree". Pedigreequery.com. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ a b "Flight - Family 11-d". Thoroughbred Bloodlines. Retrieved 2013-06-26.
- ^ "Horse Racing – A Sweet 16". New York Times. 1995-05-07. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ Ed Schuyler Jr (1995-06-11). "Lucas Thunder Gulch proves to be the right tonic". Southeast Missourian. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Thunder Gulch takes Travers". The Vindicator. 1995-08-20. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ Thunder Gulch Travers Victory Stirs Controversy
- ^ John Nelson (1995-10-05). "Lukas to send Thunder Gulch against Cigar". Sunday Gazette. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Cigar beats Thunder Gulch". Ocala Star-Banner. 1995-10-08. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Thunder Gulch fractures leg". Boca Raton News. 1995-10-09. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Thunder Gulch, stalllion directory, horse breeding". Thoroughbredtimes.com. 2011-03-13. Retrieved 2011-12-29.
- ^ "Dual Classic Winner, Leading Sire Thunder Gulch Dies". BloodHorse.com. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- ^ "Thunder Gulch, 1995 Kentucky Derby winner,…". www.kentuckyderby.com. Retrieved 2018-03-19.
- v
- t
- e
- 1875 Aristides
- 1876 Vagrant
- 1877 Baden-Baden
- 1878 Day Star
- 1879 Lord Murphy
- 1880 Fonso
- 1881 Hindoo
- 1882 Apollo
- 1883 Leonatus
- 1884 Buchanan
- 1885 Joe Cotton
- 1886 Ben Ali
- 1887 Montrose
- 1888 Macbeth II
- 1889 Spokane
- 1890 Riley
- 1891 Kingman
- 1892 Azra
- 1893 Lookout
- 1894 Chant
- 1895 Halma
- 1896 Ben Brush
- 1897 Typhoon II
- 1898 Plaudit
- 1899 Manuel
- 1900 Lieut. Gibson
- 1901 His Eminence
- 1902 Alan-a-Dale
- 1903 Judge Himes
- 1904 Elwood
- 1905 Agile
- 1906 Sir Huon
- 1907 Pink Star
- 1908 Stone Street
- 1909 Wintergreen
- 1910 Donau
- 1911 Meridian
- 1912 Worth
- 1913 Donerail
- 1914 Old Rosebud
- 1915 Regret ♥
- 1916 George Smith
- 1917 Omar Khayyam
- 1918 Exterminator
- 1919 Sir Barton ₩
- 1920 Paul Jones
- 1921 Behave Yourself
- 1922 Morvich
- 1923 Zev
- 1924 Black Gold
- 1925 Flying Ebony
- 1926 Bubbling Over
- 1927 Whiskery
- 1928 Reigh Count
- 1929 Clyde Van Dusen
- 1930 Gallant Fox ₩
- 1931 Twenty Grand
- 1932 Burgoo King
- 1933 Brokers Tip
- 1934 Cavalcade
- 1935 Omaha ₩
- 1936 Bold Venture
- 1937 War Admiral ₩
- 1938 Lawrin
- 1939 Johnstown
- 1940 Gallahadion
- 1941 Whirlaway ₩
- 1942 Shut Out
- 1943 Count Fleet ₩
- 1944 Pensive
- 1945 Hoop Jr.
- 1946 Assault ₩
- 1947 Jet Pilot
- 1948 Citation ₩
- 1949 Ponder
- 1950 Middleground
- 1951 Count Turf
- 1952 Hill Gail
- 1953 Dark Star
- 1954 Determine
- 1955 Swaps
- 1956 Needles
- 1957 Iron Liege
- 1958 Tim Tam
- 1959 Tomy Lee
- 1960 Venetian Way
- 1961 Carry Back
- 1962 Decidedly
- 1963 Chateaugay
- 1964 Northern Dancer
- 1965 Lucky Debonair
- 1966 Kauai King
- 1967 Proud Clarion
- 1968 Forward Pass (Dancer's Image disqualified)
- 1969 Majestic Prince
- 1970 Dust Commander
- 1971 Canonero II
- 1972 Riva Ridge
- 1973 Secretariat ₩
- 1974 Cannonade
- 1975 Foolish Pleasure
- 1976 Bold Forbes
- 1977 Seattle Slew ₩
- 1978 Affirmed ₩
- 1979 Spectacular Bid
- 1980 Genuine Risk ♥
- 1981 Pleasant Colony
- 1982 Gato Del Sol
- 1983 Sunny's Halo
- 1984 Swale
- 1985 Spend a Buck
- 1986 Ferdinand
- 1987 Alysheba
- 1988 Winning Colors ♥
- 1989 Sunday Silence
- 1990 Unbridled
- 1991 Strike the Gold
- 1992 Lil E. Tee
- 1993 Sea Hero
- 1994 Go for Gin
- 1995 Thunder Gulch
- 1996 Grindstone
- 1997 Silver Charm
- 1998 Real Quiet
- 1999 Charismatic
- 2000 Fusaichi Pegasus
- 2001 Monarchos
- 2002 War Emblem
- 2003 Funny Cide
- 2004 Smarty Jones
- 2005 Giacomo
- 2006 Barbaro
- 2007 Street Sense
- 2008 Big Brown
- 2009 Mine That Bird
- 2010 Super Saver
- 2011 Animal Kingdom
- 2012 I'll Have Another
- 2013 Orb
- 2014 California Chrome
- 2015 American Pharoah ₩
- 2016 Nyquist
- 2017 Always Dreaming
- 2018 Justify ₩
- 2019 Country House (Maximum Security disqualified)
- 2020 Authentic
- 2021 Mandaloun (Medina Spirit disqualified)
- 2022 Rich Strike
- 2023 Mage
- 2024 Mystik Dan
Legend – ₩ = Triple Crown winners, ♥ = Filly