Thunder Rumble (1989 in

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– January 6, 2015) was an American

Thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a horse breed best known for its use in horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thoroughbred breed. Thoroughbreds are c ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance sport, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its basic pr ...

that

The Blood-Horse ''BloodHorse'' is a multimedia news organization covering Thoroughbred racing and breeding that started with a newsletter first published in 1916 as a monthly bulletin put out by the Thoroughbred Horse Association.

called a "sensation at Saratoga" race course for his performances there in 1992. Bred and raced by Konrad Widmer and his daughter Ursula under their Braeburn Farm banner, Thunder Rumble was trained by Richard O'Connell. As a three-year-old in 1992, Thunder Rumble missed the U.S. Triple Crown series due to a virus. However, the colt had an outstanding year. He won the

Count Fleet Stakes The Count Fleet Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race run at Aqueduct Racetrack, located in Jamaica, New York, at the beginning of January each year. It is the first stakes race of the year run in New York City for three-year-olds. Nam ...

Aqueduct Racetrack Aqueduct Racetrack is a Thoroughbred horse racing facility and casino in the South Ozone Park, Queens, South Ozone Park and Jamaica, Queens, Jamaica neighborhoods of Queens, New York City, United States. Aqueduct is the only racetrack locate ...

and at Saratoga captured the Montauk Handicap, the

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Jim Dandy Stakes The Jim Dandy Stakes is an American Thoroughbred horse race. The Grade II race has been held annually since 1964 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. The race is open to horses age three over one and one-eighth miles on the dirt. ...

and then became the first New York-bred horse in 125 years to win the Grade I

Travers Stakes The Travers Stakes is an American Grade I Thoroughbred horse race held at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, New York. It is nicknamed the "Mid-Summer Derby" and is the third-ranked race for American three-year-olds according to internation ...

. Laid up for almost six months from an injury following a seventh-place finish in the 1992

Breeders' Cup Classic The Breeders' Cup Classic is a Grade I Weight for Age thoroughbred horse race for 3-year-olds and older run at a distance of on dirt. It is held annually at a different racetrack as part of the Breeders' Cup World Championships in late October o ...

, Thunder Rumble ran without success in four races in California under trainer Chris Speckert. Returned to New York and trainer Richard O'Connell, on July 20, 1994 he won a seven-furlong allowance race by three and a half lengths, then won the August 6

Saratoga Cup The Saratoga Cup was an American Thoroughbred horse race open to horses of either sex age three and older although geldings were not eligible from 1865 through 1918. Between 1865 and 1955 it was hosted by Saratoga Race Course, in Saratoga Springs, ...

by four

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, beating the likes of

Belmont Stakes The Belmont Stakes is an American Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbreds run at Belmont Park in Elmont, New York. It is run over 1.5 miles (2,400 m). Colts and geldings carry a weight of ; fillies carry . The race, nicknamed Th ...

winner

Colonial Affair Colonial Affair (April 19, 1990 – April 23, 2013) was an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. He was best known for winning the Belmont Stakes in 1993. Background He was sired by 1981 Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes winner Pleasa ...

and

Pistols and Roses Pistols and Roses (foaled 1989 in Florida) is an American Thoroughbred racehorse. Bred by Happy Alter, he was sired by Darn That Alarm, whose sire, Jig Time, was a son of U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Native Dancer. His dam was To Be C ...

. Retired to

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duty for the 1995 season, Thunder Rumble sired a few good runners, including stakes winner, Frisky Thunder. Pensioned at Keane Stud, in

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in 2006, in 2009 he was sent to Joann and Mark Pepper's farm in Greenfield Center, New York, who operate Old Friends at Cabin Creek: The Bobby Frankel Division. The Thoroughbred retirement facility is a satellite operation of

Old Friends Equine Old Friends is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) equine retirement facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, accredited by the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance (TAA). The organization started with one leased paddock and two horses, but now owns 136 acres, Dreamchase ...

Georgetown, Kentucky Georgetown is a home rule-class city in Scott County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 37,086 at the 2020 census. It is the 6th-largest city by population in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is the seat of its county. It was originall ...

. Part of the

New York Stallion Series The New York Stallion Series was created by the New York Thoroughbred Breeders', Inc. The races (once a day-long event but now spread out over various dates) are run at Aqueduct Racetrack and/or Belmont Park and feature the progeny of stallions st ...

, the Thunder Rumble Stakes at

is named in his honor. On January 6, 2015, Thunder Rumble died of complications from colic, at Old Friends, Saratoga. He was 26.New York-bred 1992 Travers winner Thunder Rumble dies
''saratogian.com,'' January 6, 2015

References

Thunder Rumble's pedigree and partial racing stats
{{reflist 1989 racehorse births 2015 racehorse deaths Racehorses bred in Kentucky Racehorses trained in the United States Old Friends Equine Retirement Thoroughbred family A1