Coolmore champion Thunder Gulch (USA) has succumbed to advancing years at Ashford Stud in Kentucky.

Aged 26, he had been pensioned from the breeding shed just prior to the 2015 northern serving season.  “It is a very sad day as Thunder Gulch has been a pleasure to be around all these years,” Coolmore America manager Dermot Ryan said.  “He was an incredibly tough and genuine horse on the track and was the first champion sire to reside here.”

Thunder Gulch (Gulch – Line Of Thunder by Storm Bird) won the 1995 Kentucky Derby, Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes before retiring to stud.  He covered 16 books at Ashford and another northern season at East Stud in Japan in 1999.

Coolmore also shuttled him to Australia for seven years until 2002 and to Argentina for a one-off southern book.

His highly successful stud career was highlighted by the 2001 Champion USA Sire title when his star performers included Horse of the Year Point Given.  The best of Thunder Gulch’s progeny in this part of the world were Group 1 winners Shot Of Thunder (MRC Toorak Hcp), Tempest Morn (STC Ansett Australia Stakes) and Tully Thunder (SAJC Australasian Oaks).

THUNDER GULCH