Shot of Thunder is from the first crop of the now 10-year-old Thunder Gulch, whom Coolmore has worked dual seasons every year since 1996.
Thunder Gulch collected his third individual Australian group I winner with Shot of Thunder's narrow victory in Caulfield Day support, the Toorak Handicap (1,600 meters, Aust-I) on Oct. 12.The Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner's first southern group I winning male was an appropriate one as the Glen Boss-partnered Shot of Thunder had been several times thwarted by off tracks, including when third behind Show a Heart in last year's Toorak at four.For Boss it was the first group I success since a career-threatening fall in Macau in June. The jockey fractured several bones in his neck. For Sydney handler John O'Shea, who took over the 5-year-old earlier this year, it was his first group I win.There is some irony in that Show a Heart is on the roster of Glenlogan Park, which also bought into this Toorak winner as a potential stallion. His dam is Australian Oaks (Aust-I) winner My Brilliant Star, a mare by Nijinsky horse Copper Kingdom.Shot of Thunder won the 122nd edition of the mile by a nose from Scenic Peak, later relegated for interference to Pernod. Umrum, the Umatilla son to win the 1999 and 2000 Toorak, third by a neck, gained second.Thunder Gulch's earlier group I winners are Tempest Morn and Tully Thunder, successful in the past two Australasian Oaks. That race is rather grandly named for the shorter of two Oaks run in South Australia.