Derby winner Thunder Gulch dies at 26, Coolmore announces

Thunder Gulch, the 1995 Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winner, who won two of three Triple Crown legs on his way to champion 3-year-old honors, has died "due to the infirmities of old age," Coolmore's Ashford stud announced Monday.

Pensioned from his stud duty in 2015, Thunder Gulch was 26 by racing age, with his official birthday on May 23. After ending his second career in the breeding shed, he notably mentored American Pharoah -- "a baby sitter of sorts," Coolmore called it -- after the Triple Crown winner moved to the farm.

Thunder Gulch also finished third in the Preakness Stakes while compiling a record of 16: 9-2-2 on the racetrack. D. Wayne Lukas trained him, and Gary Stevens was the regular rider for owner Michael Tabor.

A son of Gulch, the horse also won the Grade 1 Travers, earning more than $2.9 million, according to Equibase.

At the time of Thunder Gulch's pensioning, BloodHorse reported he had sired 96 stakes winners. Among them was Horse of the Year Point Given.