Thunder Gulch
Encyclopedia
Thunder Gulch is a Champion
American
thoroughbred
racehorse who left the starting gate at 25-1 odds in 1995 and went on to win the Kentucky Derby
in 2:01.2 from post 16. He was ridden by jockey
Gary Stevens. D. Wayne Lukas
, his trainer, had three horses entered for the 121st "Run for the Roses".
Bred by Peter Brant
and owned by Michael Tabor
, Thunder Gulch was the son of Gulch
out of Line Of Thunder. He had previously won the Remsen Stakes
, Fountain of Youth Stakes
, and the Florida Derby
.
Following his win in Louisville, Thunder Gulch won the Belmont Stakes
, the Travers Stakes
, the Swaps Stakes
, and the Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
. He showed in the Preakness Stakes
, falling to stablemate Timber Country
, who was also trained by Lukas, giving Lukas the Triple Crown as a trainer exclusively, sweeping the three races with two horses.
Thunder Gulch was retired in the fall of his 3 year old campaign after finishing fifth to the legendary Cigar
in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. After the race, it was discovered that he had fractured his left front cannon bone. The chestnut stallion is standing at Ashford Stud
, the American
branch of the giant Irish
breeder Coolmore Stud
, near Versailles, Kentucky
, for a fee of $30,000 live foal.
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.
Eclipse Award
The Eclipse Award is an American thoroughbred horse racing award named after the 18th century British racehorse and sire, Eclipse. The Eclipse Awards, honoring the champions of the sport, are sponsored by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association , Daily Racing Form and the National Turf Writers...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
thoroughbred
Thoroughbred
The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word thoroughbred is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed...
racehorse who left the starting gate at 25-1 odds in 1995 and went on to win the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
in 2:01.2 from post 16. He was ridden by jockey
Jockey
A jockey is an athlete who rides horses in horse racing or steeplechase racing, primarily as a profession. The word also applies to camel riders in camel racing.-Etymology:...
Gary Stevens. D. Wayne Lukas
D. Wayne Lukas
Darrell Wayne Lukas is a former educator who became one of the most successful horse trainers in American Thoroughbred horse racing history and a U.S...
, his trainer, had three horses entered for the 121st "Run for the Roses".
Bred by Peter Brant
Peter M. Brant
Peter M. Brant is an American industrialist, businessman and entrepreneur, worth an estimated $2.4 billion. He is also a major art collector, movie producer, and avid horseman...
and owned by Michael Tabor
Michael Tabor
Michael B. Tabor is a businessman and owner of Thoroughbred racehorses.-Thoroughbred racing career:...
, Thunder Gulch was the son of Gulch
Gulch (horse)
Gulch was an American thoroughbred Stallion racehorse. Owned and bred by Peter M. Brant, he was sired by the outstanding North American stud and graded stakes race winner Mr...
out of Line Of Thunder. He had previously won the Remsen Stakes
Remsen Stakes
The Remsen Stakes is an American Grade II race for Thoroughbred horse race run annually near the end of November at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York...
, Fountain of Youth Stakes
Fountain of Youth Stakes
The Fountain of Youth Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida at the beginning of March. A Grade II event open to three-year-olds willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt, it offers a purse of $400,000...
, and the Florida Derby
Florida Derby
The Florida Derby is an American Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-old horses held annually at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida on the Saturday closest to the end of March or the first of April. Added to the racing schedule in 1952, the Grade 1 race is run at 1⅛ miles on the dirt...
.
Following his win in Louisville, Thunder Gulch won the Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
, the Travers Stakes
Travers Stakes
The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York.First held in 1864, it was named for William R. Travers, the president of the old Saratoga Racing Association. His horse, Kentucky, won the first running of the Travers...
, the Swaps Stakes
Swaps Stakes
The Swaps Stakes is a race for Thoroughbred horses run annually at Hollywood Park Racetrack in Inglewood, California. The race is open to three-year-old horses willing to race one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. A Grade II event, it carries a purse of $350,000.Run in mid July, this race is...
, and the Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
Kentucky Cup Classic Handicap
The Kentucky Cup Classic Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run annually in late September as part of Kentucky Cup Day at Turfway Park in the Cincinnati, Ohio suburb of Florence, Kentucky...
. He showed in the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
, falling to stablemate Timber Country
Timber Country
Timber Country is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who was the first horse to ever win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile then go on to win one of the U.S. Triple Crown races for three-year-olds....
, who was also trained by Lukas, giving Lukas the Triple Crown as a trainer exclusively, sweeping the three races with two horses.
Thunder Gulch was retired in the fall of his 3 year old campaign after finishing fifth to the legendary Cigar
Cigar (horse)
Cigar , is a retired American Thoroughbred racehorse, who in 1995 and 1996 became the first American racehorse racing against top-class competition to win 16 consecutive races since the Triple Crown winner, Citation did so in 1948 and 1950...
in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. After the race, it was discovered that he had fractured his left front cannon bone. The chestnut stallion is standing at Ashford Stud
Ashford Stud
Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky is the American arm of the international commercial Thoroughbred horse breeding operation Coolmore Stud of County Tipperary in the Republic of Ireland.Twelve stallions will stand at Ashford Stud in 2011....
, the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
branch of the giant Irish
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
breeder Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud
Coolmore Stud, in Fethard, South Tipperary in Ireland, is the world's largest breeding operation of thoroughbred racehorses. It was established in 1975....
, near Versailles, Kentucky
Versailles, Kentucky
As of the census of 2000, there were 7,511 people, 3,160 households, and 2,110 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 3,330 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 88.18% White, 8.67% African American, 0.15% Native American, 0.35%...
, for a fee of $30,000 live foal.
Among the many horses Thunder Gulch has sired are the graded stakes race
Graded stakes race
A graded stakes race is a term applied since 1973 by the American Graded Stakes Committee of the Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association to thoroughbred horse races in the United States and Canada to describe races that derive their name from the stake, or entry fee, owners must pay...
winners Spain
Spain (horse)
Spain is an American Thoroughbred racehorse who retired as the richest mare in North American racing history.Bred and raced by Prince Ahmed bin Salman's The Thoroughbred Corp., Spain was out of the race-winning mare, Drina...
, Balance, Point Given
Point Given
Point Given is an American Hall of Fame champion racehorse foaled on March 27, 1998 in Kentucky. As a three-year-old, he won the 2001 Preakness Stakes and Belmont Stakes, along with the Eclipse Award for Horse of the Year...
, and Circular Quay
Circular Quay (horse)
Circular Quay is a thoroughbred racehorse who was a 2007 Kentucky Derby contender. The son of 1995 Belmont Stakes and Kentucky Derby winner Thunder Gulch is owned by Michael Tabor and trained by Todd Pletcher....
. Point Given was 2001 3 year old Horse of the Year after winning the Preakness Stakes
Preakness Stakes
The Preakness Stakes is an American flat Thoroughbred horse race for three-year-olds held on the third Saturday in May each year at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland. It is a Grade I race run over a distance of 9.5 furlongs on dirt. Colts and geldings carry 126 pounds ; fillies 121 lb...
and Belmont Stakes
Belmont Stakes
The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes Thoroughbred horse race held every June at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is a 1.5-mile horse race, open to three year old Thoroughbreds. Colts and geldings carry a weight of 126 pounds ; fillies carry 121 pounds...
that year. Circular Quay was among trainer Todd Pletcher
Todd Pletcher
Todd Pletcher is a leading American thoroughbred horse trainer. He has won four consecutive Eclipse Awards as outstanding Trainer of the Year, while topping the leader board in purse earnings in 2004, 2005, and 2006. His horse Super Saver won the 2010 Kentucky Derby, the first of his 24 horses...
's many Kentucky Derby entries of 2007, but ran a disappointing sixth in that race and fifth in the Preakness.