Thunder Gulch Pensioned

Thunder Gulch (Gulch–Line of Thunder, by Storm Bird), the champion 3-year-old of 1995 and sire of 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given, has been pensioned from stud duties at Ashford Stud in Versailles, Kentucky, at the age of 23. 

Bred by Peter Brant, the chestnut was a $40,000 Keeneland July acquisition by Ken Ellenberg and was offered at the 1994 Keeneland April Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training before being being sold to Michael Tabor later that season. A maiden winner at second asking, Thunder Gulch closed out his freshman campaign with a game victory in the GII Remsen S. and won the GII Fountain of Youth S. and GI Florida Derby in the winter of 1995, defeating Suave Prospect in a pair of thrilling finishes. Disappointing when fourth of six as the heavy favorite in that year’s GI Blue Grass S., he was let go at 24-1 in the GI Kentucky Derby, but ran out a 2 1/4-length winner. Third to his D. Wayne Lukas stablemate Timber Country (Woodman) in the GI Preakness S., he bounced back to score by two lengths in the GI Belmont S. before adding the GI Travers S. He retired to the breeding shed with nine wins from 16 starts and earnings of $2,915,086. 

As a stallion, Thunder Gulch shuttled to Australia, Japan and Argentina. He is the sire of 86 black-type winners and three champions from just over 1900 runners to date, including Point Given, who failed to emulate his sire when he was an upset victim after racing too close to a hot pace in the 2001 Kentucky Derby, but went on to win the Preakness, Belmont, Haskell Invitatational and Travers before his retirement to stud. Winner of nearly $4 million in his career, Point Given currently resides at Brad Kelley’s Calumet Farm. 

Other Grade I winners sired by Thunder Gulch include GI Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Spain; Hopeful S. hero Circular Quay; Balance, a three-time winner at the highest level and a half-sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}); GI Vinery Madison S. victrix Shotgun Gulch; Sense of Style; J B’s Thunder; Australian G1SWs Tempest Morn (Aus) and Tully Thunder (Aus); and Argentinian Group 1 winner Thunder One (Arg). His progeny have earned better than $90 million to date.