Thunder Gulch Upstages Foes Least Likely Of Lukas’ Horses Cashes $51 Winning Ticket
D. Wayne Lukas sent a sensational filly and a champion colt after the Kentucky Derby roses.
It was his third-stringer, however, Thunder Gulch, who wore them in the winner’s circle.
Thunder Gulch, who spent the week overshadowed by Serena’s Song and Timber Country, took charge turning for home and won the 121st Derby by 2 1/2 lengths over Tejano Run on a sunny Saturday at Churchill Downs.
Serena’s Song, who heard the roaring cheers of a crowd of 144,110 as she led for about a mile, faded to finish 16th in the field of 19. The crowd was the second largest in Derby history.
Timber Country came on to finish third, a head behind Tejano Run and three-quarters of a length in front of Jumron.
“He was standing between a ballerina and the 2-year-old champion,” Lukas said of Thunder Gulch, who was stabled between Serena’s Song and Timber Country in Lukas’ barn, “and now he’s earned the right to hold his head high.”
Thunder Gulch became Lukas’ second Derby winner, but it was his first Derby victory with a colt.
While Serena’s Song failed to become the fourth filly to win the Derby and the first since Winning Colors won it for Lukas in 1988, Julie Krone failed to become the first woman to ride a Derby winner and Nick Zito failed to win his third Derby in five years.
Thunder Gulch, ridden by Gary Stevens, ran as a separate betting interest and paid $51, $24.20 and $12.20 after covering 1 1/4 miles under 126 pounds on a fast track in 2:01 1-5. It was the highest payoff since Proud Clarion returned $62.20 in 1967 and was the first time a Derby winner came from post position 16.
Tejano Run, racing for the first time since he had work done on his front feet, returned $10.20 and $6.80.
Timber Country, coupled in the betting with Serena’s Song because of common ownership, was $3.80 to show.
Thunder Gulch broke from the 16th post position but Stevens quickly forgot about what is usually considered a bad post.
“I was ecstatic 50 yards out of the gate,” Stevens said. “I had a smooth trip to the rail. Then around the turn and down the backstretch he stayed within himself.”
Thunder Gulch moved into third place behind Serena’s Song and Talkin Man just past the half-mile pole. By then, Lukas thought he knew the outcome.
“At the five-eighths pole, I turned to a friend and said, ‘Timber is running into traffic problems and Serena’s Song is going too fast. Thunder Gulch is going to win this race.”’
“Once he got into the turn,” Stevens said, “he just absolutely accelerated and the race was over.”
When the field turned for home, Thunder Gulch was outside Serena’s Song and Talkin Man. But as the filly and the Canadian-bred faded, Thunder Gulch thundered home.
“He’s a blue-collar worker,” said Lukas. “He goes out and does it.”
Thunder Gulch has now done it five times in 10 career starts. But because he finished fourth in the Blue Grass Stakes in his previous start, his stock plummeted with horsemen during Derby week.
“He had the dream trip,” Lukas said. “He was laying outside - an absolute perfect position. When you get that scenario with a legitimate finisher, good things happen.”
Thunder Gulch, who went off at a bit more than 24-1, is owned by Michael Taber, a Briton who lives in Monaco and who is a major stockholder in a string of betting shops in the United Kingdom.
xxxx Kentucky Derby payoffs Thunder Gulch 51.00 24.20 12.20 Tejano Run 10.20 6.80 Timber Country 3.80